"When our Claws Scratch the Body of Christ"

 Sermon 3-21-21

Grace and peace to you from God our creator and from our Lord and savior Jesus the Christ, by the power of the Holy Spirit, amen.

Believe it or not, there a lot of steps involved when cats travel. The carrier, the litter boxes, the food and water… and also a specific order to each step, to get from place A to place B with happy cats. After more than the 11 years
of the lives of my two cats, I now have this down to a science. But I didn’t always.

One move, a few years ago, did not go so smoothly. Everything was all packed up at my new place, except the cats As I put one cat in the carrier, her claws left a long bloody grove down my pinky. Naturally, I had packed up all the bandages, and they were currently in a box at my new place!! I did find a spare tissue, and so I drove to my new apartment, with a bloody pinky up in the air, angry cats in their carrier in the back seat.

Needless to say, this last move with them to our new home went flawlessly. That OTHER time, though, my cat was scared and didn't understand what was happening…. and her long groove of protest happened to intersect with my hand. But I was willing to risk her claws and losing a little blood - if that’s what it took to bring her to her new home, where she belonged. 

 You all are familiar with the “Footprints in the Sand” poem, right? Man, dream, beach, sand, walking with the Lord, his life flashes before his eyes… one set of footprints, happening at the lowest and saddest times in his life.  The Lord’s reply - “During those times…. when you see only one set of footprints, it was then that I carried you.”

For some of us, this poem is our reality.  Some of us have been so overwhelmed with these lowest times – many likely being in the past year.  We may feel we cannot take even take one more step forward, and the only way we make it is to be carried by God.

But at other times, our walk with the Lord may leave behind a different kind of trail in the sand. 

I once found an alternative take on the footprints poem in a comic strip…. The first panel, is the familiar end to the poem. But in the second panel, God points off in the distance and says to the dreamer, “Now, THAT long groove is where I DRAGGED you, kicking and screaming.”

Jesus makes a lot of promises to us, including to never leave us. Where Jesus is, we are there, as he says in verse 26. This can be incredible comforting in our most difficult times. However, the first part of that verse reads “whoever serves me must follow me…” Yikes. Did I sign up for THAT part too? Because Jesus and I don’t exactly have the same taste in hang-out spots.  Sometimes where Jesus goes are not places that I am exactly eager to be. 

Even after all this, the late-night conversations and the cleansing of the temple, the Greeks in our Gospel reading were still drawn to Jesus. As Jesus said, “I will draw all people to myself.” But the drawing that Jesus is doing here has less to do with being attracted to something, like magnets or love at first sight. In this case, being drawn to Jesus is more like dragging heavy nets full of fish across a sandy beach. 

The word that Jesus uses here – he draws all people to himself – is the same word used to describes how fishermen “draw,” or rather, drag, pull, or heave heavy nets full of fish onto the beach. Probably leaving behind them a long groove in the sand.

Like the Greeks, we may THINK we want to see Jesus… but do we really? Seeing Jesus is seeing the cross. Seeing Jesus means following him TO the cross, to suffering, humiliation, and death.

This is not exactly a journey where we are keen to go on... even if we know that, because of Jesus, there is resurrection on the other side. Like this coming spring, as we emerge from a long year dominated by Covid, we may have felt buried by the amount of change, loss, and grief we have experienced every day. As we navigate lives that are different, we are going to desire the familiar so badly… to dig in our heals and hang on to some parts of the way things were. And some of these parts were not so healthy, and now might be the time to let these things go.

And it seems to be becoming more clear, every single day, what things are long overdue to be left behind – the dangers of purity culture, the dehumanizing of women and people of different backgrounds than us, the glorification of violence and gun culture, and our own complicity as religious people in each and every one of these things. All things that converged so clearly and so tragically this passed week. And I do mean tragically in its literal sense – a disaster that could have been avoided.

Some of us seem to keeping our claws digging into the passed more than others. But the truth is, this week these claws harmed our Asian communities and siblings in Christ. And violence against one beloved of God is violence against God, too. 

It’s a good thing for us, then, Jesus thought that facing our claws, our dragging feet, our reluctance to the point of turning our back on Jesus, was worth it. Because Jesus will stop at nothing until Jesus draws all people in to God’s family, even if WE are the ones who don’t want to go along with Jesus’ way of going about it and drag our feet.

If you grew up on a farm as I did, or have someone in your family who gardens, you know what a long, straight groove – or furrow - in the ground is perfect for: Planting a row of seeds. You see, God has a way of even making our long grooves in the sand into something that God can use for good.

Like the cross, a seed is a vehicle for life. By itself, a seed looks dead and lifeless, but once it is buried in the earth, it can become what it was created to be – to burst open and bring forth new life, many times over.

We may not know yet exactly what kind of seed we will be – but we know the One who has planted us here in this place at this time. It is the same God who gathers us every week to sustain us … only to send us out again into the world. It is the same God who will not leave us behind. It is the same God who commands us not to leave OTHERS behind. We are drawn in and welcomed to God’s table of love, and we in turn help in the work in drawing in others too…. there is a place for ALL here with Jesus.

Jesus refuses to leave us behind. Jesus WANTS us to be with him, because he loves us and desires that we would not perish, but have life…. abundant life, now AND in the future. And that is only possible if we go where Jesus leads us.  Some days we walk, and some days we have to be carried. But no matter what, the promise remains. Where you are, Jesus is. Where Jesus is, you are. Thanks be to God. Amen.

"Sweep and Ye Shall Find"

 Sermon from Wednesday, March 3rd, 2021

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of our hearts be acceptable in your sight oh Lord, our rock and our redeemer. Amen.

These stories of the “Losts” here in Luke – lost sheep, lost coin, lost son – especially the last one – are probably some of the most familiar in the entire Bible. A few years ago, Lutheran pastor Emmy Kegler wrote a book called “One Coin Found,” from her experience as of falling in love with the Bible, including these stories, and other passages that Christians have used against her and the queer community throughout her life. This may be familiar, because I believe many of you read this book not all that long ago.

Pastor Kegler was always deeply drawn to the story of all the “Losts,” and she rightly points out that people and sheep have agency. The sheep could wandered away elsewhere to find some food because she was hungry. The lost son (or sons, since both seem lost in their own way), choose to do what they do. But what is the coin’s excuse? It can’t move by itself. What’s the deal then? How did it get lost? Is God to blame for losing us, if we indeed are the lost coin in the story?

Emmy reminds us “God has never been careless with us, but those who claim to speak for God have.” Church leaders, not God, cause some of the most vulnerable sheet to be lost - to be disregarded and left to get dusty like the coin or starved for love like the sheep.

I really like Kegler’s description of God: hitching up her skirts to get down on the floor to search for her lost coins. Kegler writes of how “God has taken up a broom and cleared each corner, untucked and re-tucked each sheet and quilt, turned over pitcher after pitcher to see where we have landed.” 

Our own found stories probably look a little bit different from Pastor Kegler’s. But I think all of us have experience what it means to be hungry for something – for empathy, for acceptance, for someone to see our worth, for someone to love us for all of our flaws and brokenness, and the disappointment we feel when our deepest needs are not met by the very people that we believed cared about us. Most of us, I believe, HAVE felt the sting of rejection when those who seem to have everything – power, influence, comfort, privilege – sneer at you and judge you when you leave the “correct path” they have laid out for you, and judge you by using some misguided interpretation of God’s words.

Listen closely here to the words of Jesus, then. How then can we stand in the way of Jesus, when he very clearly stands in for the shepherd who abandoned the ninety-nine sheep to find the lost one, and the woman who stayed up late into the night to find her coin that had gone missing?

Perhaps we don’t have a lot of tax-collectors floating around anymore, but we all encounter people that we deem “undeserving,” and want to begrudge a seat at the table. The good news is that Jesus eats with everyone. …. all are given a spot next to Jesus.

The body of Christ is not complete until all of us are found in God and loved with dignity by those of us who call ourselves Christian. And yes, that might not just include feeding them…. But eating WITH them, at the same table, side by side, elbow to elbow… because that is where Jesus chooses to be found. With ALL of his flock.

At the end of our traditional funeral service, we hear these words: “Into your hands we commend your beloved servant. Acknowledge, we humbly beseech you, a sheep of your own fold, a lamb of your own flock, a sinner of your own redeeming. Receive them into the arms of your mercy.” Nothing can separate us from the merciful arms of God. In life, and in death, we are loved, and we are known, and we are found. Because God will stop at nothing to gather those who are lost.

Some of us are feeling really lost right now. And there are a lot of lost people right now, in need some finding. Now it’s our turn, to tuck up our own skirts, find the lantern and broom, and join in the search, and also join in the rejoicing when one of us has been found. Thanks be to God. Amen. 

"This is The Way"

 

2-28-21 

Grace to you and peace from God our creator and from our Lord and savior Jesus the Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit, Amen.

Six years ago, a group of women pastors, including myself, met for a retreat at a camp in NJ. For a fun craft to do together, I brought small wooden crosses and some crazy glue and suggested that everyone in the group bring – not a dish to pass, but a dish to break.

We all brought with us something that was meaningful for us to smash, so that the broken bits might be transformed into a unique mosaic cross. Some of us brought dinnerware from marriages that ended in broken vows.  Some brought worries about toxic situations at home and in their churches. Some brought personal grief, challenges, and questions.

I thought I was prepared - We went outside, and I brought a tarp and a hammer. But I overlooked one thing…Band-Aids. So, of course, one of us ended up bleeding, and much to my surprise, it wasn’t me! Fortunately, this camp was well stocked in first-aid kits, and all was well. No stitches needed.

But despite the bleeding and the big mess we made - we were able to make beautiful art out of our brokenness. We exchanged broken bits of our own mess and together we created something new.

At the start of every Lent, we receive the cross of ashes on our foreheads, to remind us that God can do something beautiful with us, who are so limited and flawed. Just a little bit ago we saw little George receive the sign of the cross on his forehead too. That cross also reminds us that our lives do not belong to us. We do not belong to ourselves. Like George, we belong to God.

This means our lives are to be spend in the service of the world. We are to care for and carry one another, especially those suffering, rejected, and vulnerable. We are to walk and live the way of the cross, which for me, means that I need to set my mind on the things that are important to God, not get caught up in the things that the world sees are important.

Every day, but especially now, need to ask ourselves, as people of God – What way will we follow? What do we see as most important: Our personal choices or the health of our neighbors? What is more important - Our “right” to bear arms….. or our call to bear one another’s burdens? What is more important, our maintaining the veneer of normalcy ….or addressing and healing our trauma, in whatever messy way that may look like?

During this pandemic winter, we caught up on a lot of shows, including Star Wars’ “The Mandalorian.” More than just “a man in a cool suit,” the Mandalorian, has a story - like his people, he follows a strict code of conduct. It binds their people together, but also sets them apart as different. For every strange choice they make, they respond with the refrain: “This is the Way.” And there is one particular thing that a Mandalorian should NEVER do. While these rules are strict and pose their own challenges, in a way, they do make life simple for their followers.

Life may have seemed simple for the Mandalorian at the center of this show. But then he meets a child, and everything changes. Life is no longer simple. He is thrust into adventures that challenge him and challenges the way of life he is used to. And that one particular thing a Mandalorian should never do? It turns out that he will face a choice – keep to his strict code, or to that one thing – in order  to save the universe, and to save the people that THIS Mandalorian has come to care about, including this unexpected child. It turns out, he will have to forge a new way.

For Mark, and for Jesus, the way of the cross is a way of life - following Jesus will cause us to live our lives in such a way that the powers and empires of the world will try to get rid of us, as they tried to get rid of Jesus. The cross is both the consequence and the symbol of this life, “the way” or path of death and resurrection, the way of transformation. As followers of this way, we witness God transforming an instrument - specifically designed for cruel execution - into a symbol of new and abundant life.

Peter thinks that there is one thing that a Messiah has come to do, a “right way” to be the messiah – ride in “on a white horse” and save the day with power and might. So, when Jesus said, “my way of life and my actions will lead to suffering and rejection by the people in power. They will kill me for this, but I will rise again 3 days later, all for your sake” …. Peter obviously did not take it well. After all, this is the one thing that a true king would allow himself to suffer a humiliating death, right?

Peter hung on to that one thing he thought was important, and so he almost missed the entire “way of Jesus.” Instead of learning from the teacher, Peter tried to do some teaching himself, which got him into some hot water. Like Peter, we all would rather be the leader, or at least have some input in the way Jesus is headed.

But Jesus does not reject Peter outright for his errors. Instead, Jesus tells him to “get behind me.” Not necessarily to kick him out of the group or to get out of Jesus’ sight… but get behind Jesus… because you need to be BEHIIND the person you are following in order to SEE how to follow them. We can’t walk the way that Jesus would have us walk if we are not behind Jesus, following his lead.  

Eventually though, after a LOT of mistakes, Peter does eventually get “back in line.” He is not rejected, even when he rejects Jesus, because he comes back to walking the way, however imperfectly. He puts down his ego and takes us his cross. He let go of that thing that was holding him back, and it got smashed to bits…. but it also turned into something beautiful.

This is the cross I made with those dear friends. It has some of my broken bits, and some of theirs. It’s rough around the edges, and it was a challenge to make. But it’s my favorite cross (and I own a LOT of crosses). Here are pieces of brokenness, death, and loss. But together, they represent the way forward - together. This is the way. Thanks be to God. Amen.