SERMON BY THE RT. REV. KATHLEEN SCHORI, PB-ELECT.
June 21, 2006
Last Sunday morning, I woke very early but it was still dark. I must have been thinking about something. I wanted to go for a run, but had to wait for enough light to see. Ran by back of Hyatt. The men working by the dumpster were startled.
I saw a man from convention center and we said a quiet good morning. Then I found a quiet green park in the middle of this city. There was a man standing there, in an orange reflective vest standing by orange cones. I said good morning; he responded in kind. Then there was the bleary-eyed fellow with several bags. Said good morning to him, too but when past him on street, not the sidewalk.
A rabbit was hopping along the sidewalk. It looked at me and we shared a moment of greeting. A woman delivering Sunday papers, getting out of the car and delivering the paper to doorsteps. She didn’t get out of the car until I was well past her.
On the other side of the freeway, I found two guys, just going to work. They, too, looked weary.
There was some degree of weariness in all of them. Trying to greet each other, but the sense of relationship, whether out of fear, or caution, meant that we had a long way to go.
Can we dream of a world where all creatures, human and not, can greet each other without fear? Christ said his kingdom was “not of this world.” His willingness to go to the cross is so radical that fear has no import. The love that he invites us to imitate has no possibility of reactive or violent response. His followers didn’t fight back.
He calls us friends not agents of fear.
If we are going to grow to full statute of Christ, our growing will need to be rooted in a soil of internal peace, confidant and planted in the overwhelming love of God. Given so abundant, so profligate, that we are caught in similar abandonment. The full measure of God, cast down and overflowing, drives out our , self-interest. That is what fear is. A reaction; an unconscious response. As if we are saying, “that’s mine and I can’t go on living without it.”
Whether its my bank account or my sense of control. Unless we can make sense of the blood of the cross, we will live in fear. That bloody cross brings new life into the world. That sweaty, bloody, tear-stained cross bears life. Our mother Jesus [yes, folks. That is what she said.] gives new birth to a new creation and we are his children.
We have to give up fear. What did the godly messengers say when they turned up to the shepherds: fear not. You are God’s beloved and he is well pleased with you. When we know ourselves beloved of God, we can respond in less fearful ways. When we realize this, we can response to the homeless man; seek and reach beyond the defenses of others.
Our job as we go out from this convention is to go out without fear and lay down our sword and shield; fill the hungry and set the prisoners free. Lay down our self-control and serve God’s image of the beloved in the weakest, poorest and least included. Not to squabble over our heritage.
But to share that name of the beloved with the whole world. AMEN
Ping, please.
Wow. It's just one thing after another with this bunch.
Do you hear that? That's the sound of denominational schism approaching at mach 20.
Why do these people even pretend to be interested in God.
How did the corruption in the Episcopal church ever get so deep?
Yes, God loves you. And it saddens Him that you will spend eternity in Hell. Perhaps if you were more fearful, things would be different. But He is a jealous God, and He resents the fact that you worship other people's genitals more than you love Him.
There is actually some theological basis for what she said, but it still sounds very strange. Jesus is both mother and father to us. I think it was Julian of Norwich who wrote something classic about this. It's more about his role than about his gender. Though for all I know she was trying to make a gender point. She sounds pretty nice, but its still dumping on conservatives.
It's OK to talk to the bunnyrabbits, Kate ... but when they respond, it's time to lay off the tequila.
Lord have mercy.
Now that is an abomination.
Still, this ranks up there with that. Swap out the butterflies for this trans-gendered Jesus, and the message is similar.
Blasphemy.
I am just shaking my head...
To the traditional Anglican FReepers out there, my prayers are with you.
This is what St. Paul had in mind when he bade women be silent in church.
ARRGGGHHHH! Sometimes I wish God was still into the fire and brimstone thing. or maybe just a wee bit of a plague?
Between the New Yorkers not allowing a skating rink to play Christian music on a skate night and these churches becoming touchy-feely social clubs...think my head's gonna bust open.
I am nearly speechless. The cardinal doctrine of the church is compared with Nazi propaganda! This creature Eugene McDowell is no Christian, and in his final habitation he may become far better acquainted with Nazis.
If I were so unlucky as to be an Episcopalian, I would literally drop everything and run from the church forever. My pity and prayers are with the faithful who remain.
To all remaining Episcopalians of good faith: Get out and don't look back lest you be turned into a pillar of salt.