Trusting in God

Homily Fifth Sunday of Easter, Year A
St. Luke’s, Burnt River, Christ Church, Bobcaygeon

Jesus had much to teach his disciples in what are referred to as the “Farewell Discourses” in John’s Gospel.

This was the first time we are told what he taught them just before Calvary and the Cross.

But sadly some people have misinterpreted the words of Jesus. Take for example Jesus famous “I am” statement. He says: “I am the way, the truth and the life. No-one comes to my Father except through me.”

Some have interpreted this to mean anyone who is not a Christian is doomed to hell, or separation from God; anyone who follows Islam, Buddhism or any other faith.

My own feeling and the teaching of our church is that this kind of literal approach doesn’t work.

I came across this story about Billy Graham, one of the world’s great evangelists, who was asked about this text when he spoke to students at Harvard University.

An earnest Christian student asked a pointed question: “Since Jesus said I am the way, the truth, and the life, and no-one comes to the Father except through me, doesn’t that mean people from others religions are going to hell.?”

Dr. Graham replied: “I’m sure glad God is the judge’s of people’s hearts and not me. I trust God to decide these questions justly and mercifully.”

The student was disappointed not to have a clear cut answer and pressed further. “Well, what do you think God will decide?”

Dr. Graham responded: “Well, God doesn’t really ask my advice on these matters.”

Another questioner asked: “What about those who aren’t even monotheists like Buddhists?

Dr. Graham replied: “You know I have been to many Buddhist countries and so many of the people I’ve met seem to live more like Jesus than many Christians I’ve seen.”

The reason I offer this story is to indicate how complex this whole matter of faith and eternal life is. There is not some simple formula, like the four way test in Rotary, or the famous “do you accept Jesus Christ as your personal savior?”

The invitation to follow Jesus as the way, the truth and the life is not exclusive. We are not joining a club, where there is a password to get in. Our Christian faith is not meant to be only for the elite few who really understand the Gospel.

Instead, its an open invitation, open to all. We can hold to the truth of our beliefs without negating the beliefs of others, or consigning to the eternal fires of hell if they don’t join us.

Jesus message in the Gospel passage, which expresses his care for all humanity is “do not let your hearts be troubled.”

This passage is often used at funerals. That seems fitting because as he taught Jesus was anticipating his own death, and the death of a ministry with the disciples, which would continue in a different way…with Jesus present through the Holy Spirit, the comforter.

“Do not let your hearts be troubled.” That is something we find difficult in many instances. We worry about our health, our jobs, our financial well-being, our children, our communities, our family life, our parents. We find there is much in the world that troubles us. Just turn on a newscast.

Jesus asks us instead of allowing our troubles to overcome us, to trust in Him, in God, in the Holy Spirit.

Think of how often we put our trust in others and are disappointed…in businesses, in governments, in professionals, in institutions of all kinds.

The only sure trust is in God. However an attitude of trust does not necessarily mean we will get what we want, expect, or even deserve.

God’s grace is with us whatever the outcome. This most often arises in case of health. I remember visiting an elderly woman in hospital who had rheumatoid arthritis. She was in almost constant pain even with medication.

I prayed with her and also tried to reassure her that God is not punishing her, and she had done nothing to deserve this painful disease. Instead, God is suffering with her, as she endures an undeserved and difficult illness.

When we have faith, and trust in God’s grace, it doesn’t necessarily take the pain away, but it does allow us to carry on. What may have been hurting that woman in hospital was the idea that somehow she had some something wrong, and now had to suffer for it.

Depression is anger and pain turned inward on oneself, so the message of Jesus, not to let our hearts be troubled, and to trust in Him is one of consolation.
We are challenged as Christians to minister to the troubled hearts of the world, not only in our midst but in our wider communities.

We can become, the way, the truth, and the life, as we live out our Christian faith, and try to follow the teachings of Jesus.

The true mark of the Christian life, is to reflect something of the quality of Jesus in our own lives.

That may seem a tall order. But look at what happened to those twelve disciples and the other men and women who were early followers of Jesus. They were ordinary people, peasants in that more feudal agrarian economy.

Christianity began as a religion of the lower classes. They shared all in common and met in private homes. We live in a very different context with so many layers of history, and changes in the past two thousand years.

What we can learn from those early Christians is an attitude of passion and dedication to spreading the Gospel that is as much needed in our affluent North American culture, as it was in the days of the Roman Empire.

The Emmaus Road; Recognizing Jesus in Word and Sacrament

Third Sunday of Easter Year A 2014
St. Luke’s, Burnt River, Christ Church, Bobcaygeon

What must it have been like that first Easter day for followers of Jesus? Fear, uncertainty, despair, confusion.

In last week’s Gospel story from John we hear how on that very day disciples in Jesus inner circle went from all those feeling, to a hope, joy and peace through the outpouring of the Holy Spirit by their risen Lord.

From doubting the word of Mary Magdalene and other women who went to find an empty tomb, they encountered Jesus in the upper room, and began the next stage in their journey of faith.

But what about those who were not in the inner circle, the many followers of Jesus who had watched as Jesus was led away to be crucified, and then heard stories of his Resurrection and the empty tomb…but no first hand accounts.

That’s why Luke’s story of Cleopas, only mentioned this once in scripture and an unnamed second man travelling on the road to Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem is so important in understanding the transformation of Christ’s followers into inspired group to preach the Gospel.

The two men were talking about what had happened when they met Jesus. They were discouraged. And somewhat angry when this stranger didn’t seem to know what they were talking about.

“Are you the only one that does not know the things that have taken place in these days?” they ask.

Luke says their eyes were kept from recognizing him.

I can understand that. Sometimes I know someone even by name, as well as recognizing them, but in a place I don’t expect to see them, I don’t recognize them.

So not knowing it is Jesus, they tell him the story of the crucifixion, and empty tomb reports by the women.

Jesus responds somewhat impatiently---how foolish they are not to understand the prophetic background of these events in Hebrew scripture, and proceeds to open the scripture to explain his role as the suffering servant of Israel, the Messiah.

This is an important part of Luke’s teaching throughout his Gospel. Jesus is the Messiah foretold in Hebrew scripture. He’s a Messiah very unlike the one they had possibly looked for, one who would defeat Rome militarily and rule over a return to prosperity for Israel.

Instead of a triumphant Messiah, they had a crucified Messiah, who rose again, to defeat sin and defeat death, not to defeat Rome.

Jesus meets these two men in grief and loss, and patiently lays out the teaching of scripture.

After the teaching, Jesus begins to walk ahead as if to go on without them, before accepting their hospitality.

He breaks bread with them, and in that moment they know he is their Lord and Master. But they did not recognize him until breaking bread with him.

Then Jesus disappears, as quickly as he had joined them.

This story is different from other post Resurrection appearances by Jesus. He appears to two individuals, and this story is not mentioned elsewhere in scripture.

But it is profound because it shows Jesus connecting with us, as we, like the travellers on the Road to Emmaus, travel on the road to life.

Jesus accompanies us, teaches us, and offers us the bread and wine, so we connect with him in a real and tangible way.

God walks alongside us in our confusion, and our doubts, and meets us in word and sacrament to feed both our bodies and our souls.

Hospitality is an important part of meeting Jesus. We can’t keep the good news to ourselves. Like the Emmaus travellers we have to return to Jerusalem, or wherever we live to share the good news.

One of the most dangerous myths in our pluralistic society is that faith is a private matter. It’s sort of like saying politics is a private matter, when the political decisions we make through our votes affect the way our society operates.

Our faith informs everything we do, how we conduct our lives.

This story of the road to Emmaus also helps us understand why we worship with others.

Whenever two or three come together to worship in Christ’s name, they are following the teaching of Jesus.

And we notice as far as our liturgy, our worship goes, that this follows the pattern of our communion service. First the word, the scripture is shared, then the bread and wine are shared in a spirit of hospitality. They we depart to carry the Gospel teachings into our own lives.

A very ancient pattern. Symbol and ritual are an important part of how we live out our faith, corporately, and individually.

I’d like to conclude with a prayer. Lord Jesus, stay with us, be our companion in the way, kindle our hearts and awaken hope, that we may know you as you are revealed in scripture and the breaking of bread. Grant this for the sake of your love. Amen.

Honest Doubt and Faith

Second Sunday of Easter Year A 2014
St. John’s Dunsford, Christ Church, Bobcaygeon

Lord Alfred Tennyson, a 19th century English poet laureate wrote: There lives more faith in honest doubt, believe me, than in half the creeds.”

This morning’s Gospel is about honest doubt. We’ve growing up hearing Thomas nicknamed “doubting Thomas” because of this post resurrection appearance by Jesus to the disciples. It has become part of our vocabulary.

Yet in a way we are all Thomas. We have honest doubts about our faith, even if we are afraid to admit them.

I think Thomas has been hard done by for the last two thousand years. He was missing from the upper room the first time Jesus appeared to his disciples. So when he comes and finds his friends changed men, no longer huddling in fear but energized and ready to proclaim the Gospel, he doubts their experience. He wants to touch the wounded hands of his master so he too can believe.

I identify with Thomas. I am skeptical. I like to see evidence before I decide whether to believe a story.

Thomas is only mentioned once before this story in the Gospels. In John 11, verse 16 we learn Thomas understood Jesus when he foretold his own death. Thomas tells his fellow disciples, many of whom couldn’t accdept what Jesus told them. “Let us go, that we may die with him.”

Doesn’t sound much like a doubter there.

When Jesus first appears to his disciples (when Thomas is away) he greets them with the peace, then he breathes on them.

This breathing of the Holy Spirit is often called John’s “Pentecost” because Jesus conferes the power to forgive sins, and pours his spirit on the disciple, foreshadowing the Day of Pentecost we celebrate in six weeks.

Thomas missed that important moment. But the very fact he was willing to leave the safety of the upper room to go out indicated an act of faith and courage at a time when the followers of Jesus were a dispirited lot.

So when Thomas was back and Jesus appeared he wanted to share in the experience of the risen Christ. He wanted to believe—something demonstrated by his response to Jesus---“My Lord and My God,” surely not the declaration of a skeptic. Doubt had turned to assurance.

And Jesus has more assurance for those of us who could not share in his post-resurrection appearances. “Have you been blessed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.”

That’s an important teaching, because if faith had only been possible for those who witnessed the risen Christ, or had a chance to listen to their testimony, than Christianity might have been a footnote in history, rather helping to shape the world’s history since that time.

The blessing of Jesus, for those who have faith in things unseen, extends to us today as we struggle with a world where many follow scientific rationalism, and profession no faith in God…only in themselves.

What happened to Thomas after this famous encounter with Jesus.

Accounts found in what are called the New Testament apocrypha, books that weren’t accepted as part of the Biblical Canon, tell of Thomas going to preach the Gospel in India. He was a reluctant evangelist. He didn’t know how he would reach people from a very different culture than his Mediterranean world.

The Acts of Thomas say Jesus appeared to Thomas and told him: “Fear not. Go to India and Preach the Gospel. My grace is with thee.”

After briefly refusing Thomas agrees to go. “I will go whither thou wilt, Lord Jesus. Thy will be done.”

Later he was martyred, dying by the sword. But the church survived in India from that time, and still reveres Thomas as a saint.

What can we learn from the story of Thomas?

Perhaps the most important is there isn’t anything wrong with asking questions. Sometimes during its history the church has persecuted those who questioned creeds and dogma.

Yet our faith is sure one of relationship, with God, with Jesus, with the Holy Spirit—all part of our Trinitarian understanding of the divine. And how we live out our faith is not in agreeing to a set of propositions, but in that relationship, and living out that relationship in our lives.

That’s why we can’t or shouldn’t come to church on Sunday and profess a faith, without trying to live it out in the rest of our lives.

Our Christian faith doesn’t provide easy answers. I’m not saying that. But it provides a basis to make choices. If we love Jesus, love our neighbours as ourelves, the Holy Spirit will help us in making the right choice.

Of course we will sometimes have doubts. It was easy for Thomas. It isn’t easy for us.

But a living faith is able to encompass doubt and grow. Let us pray during this Easter season of new birth, new life and resurrection, that we might grow in our doubts and fears, and grow closer to Christ.

Homily Easter 2014, Year A
Christ Church, Bobcaygeon, St. John’s, Dunsford

Things had never looked bleaker for the disciples of Jesus the day after they had seen their master, their leader, their friend, the one who they believed was the Messiah, brutally executed by the Roman authorities and laid in a heavily guarded tomb.

The tomb was sealed, and could only be opened on punishment of death. Peter, who had denied Christ three times, was a broken man, weeping and discouraged. Judas, who had betrayed Christ, hanged himself.

It was left to Mary Magdalene, a friend and follower of Jesus and another Mary to come to the tomb that first Easter morning to find out if Jesus had indeed fulfilled his own prophesy that he would rise gain on the third day.

The fact that only his female followers were brave enough to go to the tomb was evidence that his disciples were a dispirited lot.

And all the four Gospels indicate it was women who first attended the tomb, despite their lack of status or credibility in the first century world.

So Mary was literally the first evangelist, the one who heard the message from the angel that Jesus had been raised, and would be going to Galilee to appear before those who followed him.

Then Jesus meets the two Marys and tells them not to be afraid—to share their good news with the disciples, so they will go to Galilee to see him.

One interesting part of the story of the empty tomb and the Resurrection is that Jesus never appeared to Pilate or to the Jewish authorities, or those who sought to oppose.

His appearances after rising to new life in a new body, were aimed primarily at re-energizing his disciples and others who followed him in order that they might go out and preach the Gospel to all nations.

It was an extraordinary transformation, because if the disciples had not take up the cross, and preached the Gospel we would not be here worshipping today as part of two billion Christians throughout world.

Jesus resurrection was an act of civil disobedience, of proving that even the power of Roman domination could not squash God’s activity in the world.

Jesus is and was Lord, not the Roman Casear, or any secular rulers since.

The Kingdom of God broke into the world, and demonstrated that death would not triumph over truth.

To the Romans it must have been perplexing. How could a Jewish peasant leader, a prophet, a teacher, triumph over the crushing weight of Empire.

The Romans persecuted these Christians unmercifully, but the movement begun that first Easter continued to grow. No matter how many Christians were thrown to the Lions, they wouldn’t deny their faith or go back to the Gods of Rome.

Hundreds of years later Christianity became the official religion of the Roman Empire, and unfortunately ever since then the church has been somewhat intertwined with power and privilege rather than carrying on its emphasis on following Christ, with his care for the poor and marginalized, and opposition to economic exploitation. Christ sought justice for all, not the domination by the few of the many.

Let us move forward to today. In some ways we may feel like those disciples did on Holy Saturday. Our secular society seems to be losing its moral compass. The rich grow richer and the poor grow poorer. Many youth are discouraged because there aren’t enough jobs. Our media exert unparalleled power, at the expense of the simpler pleasures of life. Our economic values get distorted when cutting taxes becomes more important that what taxes are used for—providing four our common life together, our roads, our schools, our health care system, our provision for those who are poor or disabled and the list could go on.

We also face a society where we are afraid to trust each other, and the internet has opened a new level of bullying, fraud , and vulnerability.

We like the disciples can hide behind closed doors and try to preserve our lives from all this.

But Jesus continues to call us to follow him, to preach the gospel, to serve others, to take risks and do the right thing.

Death does not have the final word. Jesus sets us free to challenge worldly powers when they are wrong, to pick up our cross, to resist the violence of the domination systems which still continue even in our relatively peaceful part of the world.

That may seem like a tall order.

But as I hear from other clergy about the new and inspiring ministries which are developing in every part of our Diocese I know that the picture of the church often presented in the media is not accurate. We may be declining in membership in some areas, but we are gaining in others, and those who remain members are much more committed to new ministries to address the mission of the church on a local level.

I can tells you that the parish I left in Toronto where I was a parishioner (not on staff), has recently hired two women clergy to work in the fields of Christian education –for children. youth and adults. The parish is building for growth.

In our own deanery we have the Theologian in Residence program. During Lent between 30 and 40 people joined in lively weekly studies at St. James Fenelon Falls and St. Paul’s Lindsay, both with Sylvia Keesmatt, our resident theologian.

We will be hosting Sylvia in the fall for another Bible study unlike any you’ve been to before. It is called Colossians remixed.

A committed and energized laity are the only way the church can grown. I will do my best as your priest in a ministry of word, sacrament and pastoral care. But I will also try and work with and enable lay leaders.

Today we commission officially our lay pastoral visitors. I think it is important to recognize their work. I couldn’t work effectively without them especially as I get more experience in this congregation, and when we work together we can provide the kind of pastoral care our congregations needs.

My Easter hope is that we can gain strength in the coming year as a Resurrection people. God has much for us to do in ministry. And we can all play a part.

Jesus Emptied Himself

Homily Good Friday 2014, Christ Church, Bobcaygeon

One of the most troubling impacts of John’s account of the Crucifixion is the misinterpretation throughout the ages of the author’s characterization of “the Jews” being responsible for the death of Jesus, while Rome, reluctantly agreed.

The reason I mention this today is hearing of the most grotesque anti-Semitism found just this week in the Ukraine, where pro-Russians rebels circulated pamphlets remanding Jews register themselves and their belongings or be deported.

Sounds like the ultimate act of anti-Semitism, the Holocaust of Nazi Germany.

The roots of anti-Semitism throughout the ages have rested in a tragic misinterpretations and distortion of the Jews as Christ killers. And sadly even after the Holocaust Anti-Semitism continues—given new life by hate groups who keep popping up on the internet.

John certainly did not mean for this to happen. He meant the Jews to refer to the Jewish leadership who were co-opted by the Romans in a ruthless reign of terror over Palestine and Judea.

Pontius Pilate was a brutal thug, exiled to the most remote part of the empire, not the troubled and vacillating ruler he is portrayed as in John’s Gospel.

Why would John downplay Pilate’s responsibility for the death of Jesus, and put the blame mostly on the Jews.

The answer can be found on who John was writing for—the community of new Christians who had just been kicked out of the synagogue.

The Christians of John’s community were fighting for survival in a difficult religious atmosphere.

At first Christians were a faction within Judaism. They were Jewish in all respects. But their ideas about Jesus Christ meant different Jewish communities responded in different ways towards them.

How should we look at the Crucifixion in a time far removed from the actual historical event.

We believe as Christians it was a turning point in history. Jesus, sent by God as his incarnate son, came among us. He grew up among us, shared our human joys and sorrows, ate, worked, slept, and went on a three year journey of healing, teaching and preaching which built on the wisdom of the Hebrew Scriptures.

But Jesus knew his ministry could not continue indefinitely like this. He knew the power of Rome and the Jewish religious authorities could not tolerate his life changing message, and his growing following.

So he entered Jerusalem, and taught without fear in the temple at the time of the Passover…knowing there would be consequences. He shared a meal with his friends and prepared to be betrayed.

Paul says Christ emptied himself on the cross for our sake. There could not be a resurrection in triumph without the cross and sacrifice.

Rome should shoulder most of the blame for the death of Jesus. Rome was power—both economic and military. Power did not tolerate prophets who questioned the deity of the emperor and the many Gods of Rome, or the legitimacy of their domination system.

So the collision between the love of God for humanity, and the inhumanity and godlessness of Rome was inevitable.

And since that first Good Friday, the sacrifice of Jesus, has always been a reminder that our faith rests on God working in the world, against the forces of evil, sin, injustice and violence.

Our mandate, as Jesus passed on to his disciples at the last supper, is to love one another as Christ loves us, a love he "emptied" in his passion and death on the cross.

Homily Celebration of the Life of Norma LaChance 1937-2014, Christ Church, Bobcaygeon April 15, 2014

This is a celebration of life, not of death. Our memories of Norma have not died. Her spirit has not died.

In the reading from the letter to the Thessalonians one of the issues facing the early church was addressed. Early Christians, and this is one of the earliest texts in the New Testament, were concerned about their brothers and sisters in Christ who died. There was an expectation at that time that the end of the world as they knew it and the second coming of Christ was imminent.

So they didn’t want friends and loved ones who died to be excluded from rising to be with the Lord forever.

So they are encouraged by the words of Paul’s letter that those who die in the Lord will be cared for, and all will meet the Lord when He comes again.

The Romans passage adds another dimension to this message of consolation. “Whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s. For to this end Christ died and lived again, so that he might be the Lord of both the living and the dead.”

The God we believe in, the Jesus we believe in, the Holy Spirit we believe in, does not only care for us in life but in death.

We have no idea of the mysteries of death and eternal life. But we know God will never forsake us. As Paul says, we do not die to ourselves. We live on in the memories our friends and family, in the lives we have impacted.

Our Christian faith is a lived out faith. We believe God is active in our world. So it does make a difference how you live your life, and respond to God’s call.

So we gather today to give thanks to God for Norma and all the many lives she has touched. We mourn her death, but we celebrate her presence among us, and entrust her to God’s care.

Homily Celebration of Life of Steve Austin 1956-2014, Christ Church Bobcaygeon

This service is a celebration of the life of Steve Austin. You’ve heard the family’s memories of a man who was a respected and well liked husband, father, brother, worker, sportsman, outdoorsman.

We celebrate that life, which is full of good memories, as we mourn the earthly end of that life.

As Christians we believe death is not the end. We don’t know, and can’t describe what eternal life looks like, we confidently profess our faith that Steve is now in a place where is no more pain, no more dying, no more tears.

The reading from first Peter and the Beatitudes from Matthew’s Gospel give us a way to understand death in a different light. It is part of the circle of life, death and resurrection that we celebrate each year on Holy Week, the week we begin today.

God cares so much for humanity that he came among us, only to be rejected and condemned to death, a death we know he freely accepted for our sake.
The empty tomb on Easter morning is a testament to the power of God to raise his Son to eternal life.

Jesus wept at the tomb of his friend Lazarus, and when he saw how Lazarus meant to his friends and family.

Jesus weeps with Sheree, Brady, Riley and Joel and the entire Austin family as they morning the death of Steve, much too early in years.

What can be of comfort us in this difficult and challenging loss. I think it is in our memories of Steve, what he would have said, what he would have done, and simply being in his presence. Those memories will always be with us.

I’m sharing this from personal experience having both my parents die in the last decade. There are many times I think of them, and feel their presence in my own life. I miss them but God gives us the gift of memory to help ease the pain of absence of a loved one.

So please join in the rest of this celebration of Steve’s life, and pray for Sheree and the family as they move on in their life journey’s without Steve. One of things which is sometimes difficult after a death , especially of one so young, is that people don’t know what to say.

The best thing is to listen, to be a friend, to extend a helping hand, a warm gesture. Life won’t ever be quite the same without him, but faith calls us to care for each other, to help each other. We are our brother and sister’s keeper---contrary to the individualism which is all too common in our society.