Peace to you all,
Les+
Sunday, January 2, 2011
2 Christmas Sermon at St. John's Suffolk
I'm trying new things as I preach sermons since coming to St. John's. I have started using a mind map as opposed to full written texts. As such, I can't post the text but will endeavor to post audio copies of my sermons and if I can figure out how to do a mind map for the web I'll post that here. A link to the sermon is:
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Interesting Reflection: Why God Created Us
A blast from the past. This year Forward Movement is celebrating the 75th Anniversary of Forward Day by Day by rerunning posts from previous years. This one was presented for Saturday October 9. Interesting reflection to ponder:
Psalm 104. And there is that Leviathan, which you have made for the sport of it.
Asteroids, storms, centipedes, nettles, flounders, black holes, persimmons, people. Why does God make these things? Some say God creates because it is the nature of God to create. But that's like saying the sky is blue because it is the nature of the sky to be blue. Others say God creates in order to have someone to love. But that would seem to suggest that God is incomplete or unfulfilled without us to relate to.
I don't know why God creates. But I like the idea of this psalmist, who looks at one of nature's more implausible creatures, the whale (leviathan is Hebrew for whale), and suggests that God made it simply for the fun of it.
I like to envision God sitting wherever God sits and dreaming up things that will amuse him: "I think I'll make a funny little wingless bird and plop it down in Antarctica. Then tomorrow, I'll make the Amazon. The day after that, icebergs. Then I'll put together the Crab Nebula, and then grapevines. And then I'll make ocean waves, snowflakes, sunbeams, blueberries, and quarks. Then, for the sport of it, I'll make a huge sea creature that blows air out the top of its head. All this I shall do, just for fun! Then I'll make human beings and let them wonder why I did it at all."
Originally posted in 2001.
Monday, August 16, 2010
Sermon for August 15, 2010
St. John’s, Chuckatuck, VA
August 15, 2010 (Proper 15C)
Rev. Leslie C. Ferguson, Deacon
Isaiah 5:1-7; Psalm 80:1-2, 8-18; Hebrews 11:29-12:2; Luke 12:49-56
I would like to thank you for inviting me to be with you this morning; for giving me an opportunity to worship with you. I’d like to introduce myself; I am Les Ferguson and I’m a recent graduate from Virginia Theological Seminary. Before I attended Seminary I was an officer in the Navy for over 22 years. My wife, Kathy, and I relocated from Norfolk to Alexandria for school. We are looking forward to the next part of our journey, the places that God is leading us to.
I’m hoping to have a little audience participation this morning as the sermon progresses… you’ll see your part when it comes around.
What are some of the ways that we define who we are or how we identify ourselves? {{Wait for responses}} (If there aren’t responses offer any or all of the following: gender, sexuality, education, social class [although that isn’t often how we refer to ourselves but how we refer to others], medical conditions, racial or ethnic heritage, career or job, religion/denomination, sports/leisure activities we participate in – just about anything that sets us apart from the crowd). For instance I am the 2nd son of Mike Ferguson and Carolyn Muller; I am the first child in my family that got married; I am a marathoner; I am hard of hearing; I am retired; I am a Disabled American Veteran; and I am an Episcopal clergy person. Some of the ways I identify myself are direct and others are more inferred than stated (sexual preference, education, profession, religion, etc.) yet they are the ways that I am distinguished from those around me.
Is our identity the same thing as who we are? It may be easy for many to answer that question with a “yes” our lives truly define who we are. They describe us and how we’ve arrived at this place and time. However, it can be easy to get lost in our identity: those characteristics that others can readily see and appreciate; but are our distinguishing marks our identity – who we really are? I believe the reality is no – those identifying marks are not wholly who we are but are a simple means of distinguishing ourselves.
There are many stories about identity in today’s readings; how people define themselves both explicitly and implicitly. Looking at the Old Testament we see how Israel is self-defined: they rightly claim status as the chosen people of God; they affirm that they are children of the Covenant delivered to Moses; they’ve become residents in the Promised Land; and many of the Israelites believed they “had arrived.” But in all their identity they lose sight of what they’re supposed to be. They were called out of Egypt to be a people in a living and growing relationship with God. Yet over the years, as they’ve lost sight of their principle defining factor we hear today that they have, little-by-little, lost their self-awareness until they begin violating their promises to God. And the worst thing is they don’t even recognize their error.
Their descent began when they forgot their past; the providence of God in their lives from their deliverance from captivity in Egypt through their establishment as a community of God’s people in the Promised Land. In losing sight of their past they lose sight of יחוח and actually return to self-reliance and the worship of the Ba’als in Canaan. As they lost sight of their past they change the direction and nature of their future. They ultimately lose their homeland and their status – the things they have used since their foundation to identify and define themselves.
Yet, as we know, יחוח does not completely abandon the Israelites. יחוח steps back in with them and sends their deliverer; the one who will make the difference for them and for all who will come to believe through them and their relationship with יחוח; Jesus Christ, the Savior and Redeemer of the world. We’d hope that their restoration would make all things well – that would make for a fairy tale ending to the story. Alas, that’s not the case demonstrated by the Epistle to the Hebrews today. The new Christians begin to fall into the same traps the older Israelites did: they begin drifting back into their history – notably becoming focused on Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, and the prophets. They lose sight of their new relationship with God through Christ. They appear to be tempted to move back to their comfortable and stagnant relationship with the God of their forefathers. They move away from their new life in Christ; away from the relationship highlighted by the Apostles and Paul. They stop growing and become fixed in place; not growing or deepening their relationship with God. They lose sight of their future by becoming focused on their past.
Channeling my mother a little… is there a limit on who we can be? My parents always taught me that I could do anything that I set my mind to; that I had choices in my life to make that define who I am. Is our identity limited to what we’ve always done or been? {Pause} Obviously no; people change, talents change, passions and desires change, and we evolve personally, professionally, and emotionally. That growth is part of what it means to mature and become more self-aware and self-differentiated.
I’ll confess that there is truth in what the philosopher George Santayana said, “Those who forget the past are condemned to repeat it.” As with those who have gone before us, our past has made us what we’ve become – but we aren’t our past. Our past shapes the people we are, for better or for worse, but it does not define us or what we can become. Yet, when we forget our past we lose sight of what makes us special; set aside by God, redeemed by Christ, for God’s special work in the world. Yet, when we focus on the past too much we miss God in the present.
But if we shift our focus solely to the future that God is calling us to we can (will) miss God in the present. Does that mean we should shift our focus from the past to the future – to the place that God is leading us (skipping over the work we have to do today)? I don’t believe that’s the message for us today. We are called to strike a balance between the past, the present, and the future. We are doomed to repeat the past if we forget it. Likewise, we cannot be wholly prepared for the future if we don’t make the most of the present – the situations that God calls us to in the here and now.
We need to remember that we are called and made special in our dynamic relationship with God. The relationship that is grounded on the past and what has helped shape us for today; the relationship that has been made special in Christ coming into our lives in the here and now; and the new and special relationship that God is calling us to in the future – both in this place and in our lives, individually and collectively. Are we guaranteed success? As we’ve seen, on our own we may have short term success but we will never fully achieve all that God calls us to. But we have been provided good guidelines to help us along the way. We are called to embrace the things that make us special: that we’ve worshiped in THIS PLACE since 1755; that our church and diocese affirms that we have been set aside for God’s work in this place; and that our humanity and hominess is something that provides an image of God to those who come into our midst. We have been invited through the years to invite others to share with us and help us refine the image of God present here and now.
We carry forward God’s message to our community by sharing the life of love that God has given us in Christ. We should feel empowered to share God with our neighbors, locally and globally; and not only in our words but in our relationship centered on but not flaunting our special nature in God. The challenge is to live our lives in an honest and consistent manner with who we have been, who we are, and who we envision ourselves to be in the future. Yet we cannot live a life that is unable to be human and fallible. Otherwise, we forget the hiccups we’ve made in the past, the things that have shaped who we are today.
How do we shape the future without forgetting the past? We accomplish this by not focusing on the past so much that the past prevents us from moving on to the future. How do we gauge our actions against the past and the future; the covenant with God in THIS place and THIS time?
We wait patiently for God… We remain open to the possibility that “someone else may have the right answer” even when we believe the “real” solution is both simple and obvious. All the while we challenge ourselves to see God’s presence in the here and now while leading us to the blessing of the future… We strive to recognize God’s presence in this place and time, in the past, and in the future.
Our challenges for today: we are called to make choices to seek and serve Christ in our lives. We are all called to carry forward the message of Christ’s redeeming love to others. We are called to honor where we’ve been but not more than where we are headed. That’s why we’re here today; that’s why we come to worship. That’s our calling in life.
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Anglican Prayer Beads
6 sets of Anglican Prayer Beads. One set for each of the 6 Diaconal Ordinands from the Diocese of Southern Virginia this coming Saturday. They will be given to: Bob Coniglio, Nik Forti, me, Willis Foster, Julia Messer, and Anna Noon.
Sunday, May 9, 2010
New Beginnings - Easter 6(C) at St. Anne's Reston
St. Anne’s Episcopal Church,
Easter 6 C (RCL), May 9, 2010
Leslie Ferguson, Seminarian
Acts 16:9-15; Psalm 67; Revelation 21:10, 22-22:5; John 5:1-9
Let us pray: O God, you have prepared for those who love you such good things as surpass our understanding: therefore, let the words of our mouths and the mediations of our hearts be always acceptable in your sight, our strength and our redeemer. Amen
There is a place for congregational participation; hopefully you see it when it comes around.
Let your ways be known upon earth, *
your saving health among all nations.
Let the peoples praise you, O God; *
let the peoples praise you.
Let the nations be glad and sing for joy, *
for you judge the people with equity and guide all the nations upon earth.
Let the peoples praise you, O God; *
let the peoples praise you.
Psalm 67:2-5 BCP
God is good, all the time… all the time, God is good.
Life is full of blessings, new beginnings, and endings. That’s just part of life and today is no different. We are chock-a-block with symbols of new beginnings: we will/have baptized three new members of the Body of Christ, Eleanor, Emily, and Anna; three new children of God welcomed into our midst. Our teens will be/are outside washing cars in preparation for the upcoming mission trips; bringing hope and new life to a world that can be less than hospitable for many. The mothers in our midst and in our memories are being called back to the forefront on our annual celebration of Mother’s Day; honoring the new beginning each of us shared at our birth.
Yet, in the midst we of these new beginnings we are forced to acknowledge the endings that also permeate today. As we remember Mother’s Day we allow space to remember those whose mothers and grandmothers may no longer be with them. Likewise, we recognize an ending signaled in the baptism of three young girls, an ending of one part of their childhood being “outside” the anointed family of God. We also recognize the end of another step in the growth of our teens as they begin to carry their baptismal covenant promises to the world as they look to “seek and serve Christ in all others.”
Yet, there’s another new beginning lurking in people’s minds today; one that I’ll expand on in a little bit – but there’s more ground to cover before those observations can be made. New beginnings are not simply generative events; our new beginnings are marked periods of letting go of old ways in a healthy way, gaining a new perspective on an emerging reality of life, often a time of mourning at the end of something that has been good and blessed, yet at the same time we are encouraged to count the blessings of our lives in celebration of the friendships and relationships developed over the time together.
However, most poignantly, today we recognize the ending of a relationship, a loving relationship of just under 2 years. Today, we recognize the relationship that we’ve shared as Seminarian and church family; Seminarian family and family of God; we acknowledge how much we’ve grown together and learned from each other. Today we celebrate the mutual ministry we’ve had in and around
God is good, all the time… all the time, God is good.
Instead of looking at today with sadness I’d like to focus on the blessings of the day. At St. Anne’s I have come to understand every day is a blessing; a time to find God at work in the most mundane yet amazing places. It is in this place that I’ve seen the body of Christ living together in faith and hope – hope in a loving and caring future where all people are welcomed as children of God regardless of their faith, orientation, social status, or political party. It is from this place that I’ve seen people honored as a blessing – Citizenship classes, ESL tutors, Common Ground Day School, Smiles for
Yet, blessings that are focused “out there” can leave a little to be desired “in here.” The blessings that can be most important to us are the ones that are right here and right now. The blessings most tangible to us are Mother’s Day; the blessing of the teen car wash; most certainly the blessing of three baptisms; and oddly, the blessing of my departure. My departure may not seem like blessing; there’s a part of me that doesn’t really feel blessed to leave this place. But the blessing is the new beginning that is signaled by my departure. The new beginning is at least three fold; my new beginning in a new congregation as an ordained minister in the Church; the new beginning where Patrick and Audrey serve as your Seminarians; and the new beginning of the family dynamic of life within the body in a new and engaging way.
What are the marks of endings and new beginnings? As we travel through our life we are faced with countless endings and beginnings; along with these transitions we are marked with symbols of our passage: the birth announcement our mothers gave on our birthday; the sign of the cross in our baptism; the “anointing” of youth in service; and soon, the conferring of a degree, laying on of hands by a bishop, and a vesting with the mantle of priesthood. Yet with all these passages we are met with challenges: the challenge to grow up healthy and loved, even when we hurt or disappoint our families; the challenge of a faithful life in the body of Christ; the challenge of a faithful life as one who cares for the world outside our walls; the challenge to live our life faithfully into God’s calling. In our new beginning we are blessed and should celebrate. The question is, how?
Today is a celebration of our blessings by God, both individually and communally. Our challenge is how to respond to those blessings. Do we choose to stay and bask in the blessing, not growing in the commission we’ve received from God? Or do we look for new ways to better live into God’s plan? Our psalm provides an outline for our response to God’s blessings, even when they “hurt” or challenge us to grow. The Psalmist tells us that God will make God’s self known upon earth – the plan for believers to follow as they develop their relationship with God. God guides us along the way if we but listen for his guidance. In response we are called to branch out from our places of security and comfort move into the places of the world where God needs us to serve. And our response to these blessings is to: first sing for joy; then to be rejoined in community under God; next to faithfully acknowledge and follow God’s guidance as a blessing; and last to faithfully proclaim God’s message to the corners of the world.
Practically we begin in the Baptisms today. As a community we participate and affirm that we will proclaim God’s truth in word and example; we bear witness to Eleanor, Emily, and Anna and God’s blessings as children of God in community. We are blessed to be bound together in mutual responsibility – us taking care of these three girls as they provide an image of God for us. Through our relationship with them we shape their lives and they shape our life as a community in relationship with God. We also share in the foundation of a community of faith in action that leads to proclamation of/witness to Christ as evidenced in the actions of our youth. They serve our community with a helpful service while preparing to serve the wider community and the world. Their actions are self-empowering and enhance the world by helping others see God present in the here and now. The car wash also enhances the youth’s experience of community by working together for the common goal of God’s work and being in community.
But there’s still the elephant in the room – my departure. How do we engage my departure through Scripture? In the beginning of my service at St. Anne’s I had a vision of my life in God’s service in the Church. I freely admit that this community was instrumental in realizing and developing clarity in this vision. Along the way you have celebrated God at work in me. I have been deeply moved by your perception of God in your community and those who you minister with and to; you have let yourselves be shaped by the presence of the Holy Spirit in your midst. In the long run you have given me a new vision, a new beginning of carrying God forward. But that vision is leading us to work apart, your work apart from me, and in my work apart from you. Along the way, we have come to better understand what we are in God’s kingdom as ambassadors of Christ. Today, I see us as having come full circle. In the beginning I had a vision of my place with God. As we’ve lived through the transitions of the past 2 years we have found God present in each other, in this place, and in our community away from St. Anne’s. Yet we have faithfully returned to our starting place changed and enriched, ready to carry the little piece of each other and celebrate the blessing of life with and in Christ together. Now, the cycle restarts; it begins with my new ministry in a different but like place; it begins with a new Seminarian who will need the same care and feeding, the same life without walls that is St. Anne’s
In Benediction, St. Anne’s needs to keep moving forward without losing sight of where it has come from. I was recently told by someone who has watched me evolve over these past three years in Seminary and remind me that I need to remember to bring my “hat-man” - the person who keeps people smiling and looking for a bright spot in times of darkness - along with me to my new church. I am reminded that I need to be real, to be human like you have shown me that I can be accepted for who I am - a Child of God. I believe you need to remember where you’ve come from - the place where all are welcome and where we are a church without walls or barriers. By each of us faithfully living into our calls we can praise God, to show your presence in the world, and to make a difference for God in the world. In closing I share the words of the Psalmist when they say:
Let the peoples praise you, O God; *
let the peoples praise you.
The earth has brought forth her increase; *
may God, our own God, give us his blessing.
May God give us his blessing, *
and may all the ends of the earth stand in awe of him.
Psalm 67:5-7 BCP
Which leads me to remind you that… God is good, all the time… all the time, God is good!
Thanks be to God! Amen!Sunday, April 11, 2010
Easter 2 - Faithful Thomas
Saint Anne’s Episcopal Church, Reston Virginia
Easter 2C (RCL); April 11, 2010
Leslie C. Ferguson, Seminarian
Psalm 111; Acts 5:27-32; Revelation 1:4-8; John 20:19-31
What a busy time the last 2 weeks have been, especially here at church. This season is a special time in the Episcopal Church – between Palm Sunday and today the church has had liturgies and lectionary entries for 16 distinct services, celebrations, and commemorations. During these two weeks we’ve experienced every imaginable human emotion; triumphal entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, bitter rejection on Maundy Thursday, immense sadness on Good Friday, bleak abandonment on Holy Saturday, joyous celebration of the resurrection on Easter, and a little fear the week after Jesus’ crucifixion. Yet in the week between Easter and today all the Disciples and others close to Jesus have met Jesus “in the flesh” with the possible exception of Thomas who meets the resurrected Jesus today. Ironically, by all accounts almost everyone did not initially recognize Jesus after his resurrection.
It is our human nature to want explicit proof and factual presentations. We hear it in our mottos like “the proof is in the pudding;” “100% satisfaction guaranteed or your money back;” and “30-day risk-free trial.” From my perspective, the need for explicit proof was no clearer than in my 22 year career in the Navy. From the outset I was encouraged to test everything for veracity – “the information is not real or true unless you can see it, touch it, taste it, and feel it.” The other mantra instilled in me, and something I passed on to those who followed me, was don’t do anything wholly new, if you found something that worked in the past (either your own efforts or the efforts of someone else) don’t change lest you fail in your endeavor.
Changing how you do things presents risks and takes confidence. Today’s gospel presents a contrast of risk and confidence in the face of change. We hear,
25 So the other disciples told him [Thomas], ‘We have seen the Lord.’ But he said to them, ‘Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe.’ 26 A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you.’ 27 Then he said to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe.’
John 19:25-27 (NRSV)
It is easy from the last portion of this passage to figure out why Thomas gets hung with the “Doubting Thomas” moniker – Jesus tells him to “not doubt but (only) believe.” Surely, there is a good reason to call Thomas doubting, Jesus did – right? Personally, I don’t like calling Thomas doubting; let’s face it, he’s looking for information at a time when the world as he knows it is spinning out of control; his Jewish sensibilities have been crushed and the one that he has come to love in the past 3 years is gone. Lots of reasons to question life and the way the world works.
Thankfully I’m not alone in my questioning of equating Thomas with a doubter. The writers of our gospel didn’t choose to imply that Thomas doubted Jesus’ resurrection. Scholars claim that Thomas was more skeptical than doubting and they point out that the scriptures convey Thomas’ desire to believe but that his reasoning about life and death was stretched to the point that it didn’t make rational sense anymore. The scholars also intimate that Thomas uses language that belied a distinct and long standing Jewish perception of life after death and the resurrection. As a faithful Jew, Thomas’ belief about death was being called into question by Jesus. It can be said that Thomas knew what a recently dead person looked like since he had seen Lazarus – so he was qualified to verify Jesus’ death and resurrection and make sure it wasn’t just an image like a ghost.
Thomas wanted to believe but found it hard to bring about the change of faith. His faith and all he held sacred was shattered and rattled by Jesus’ resurrection. In my opinion, Thomas was no different than any of the other Disciples – he needed to see Jesus with his own eyes. Thomas may have been colored by the reports that the other disciples didn’t recognize Jesus at first even though they felt they should have recognized him. Things didn’t work like they always had – the rules had changed. He wasn’t prepared to call his impression of a faithful life into question.
Yet we see a model of an appropriate reaction to a skeptic in this same passage. Jesus, the model of right practice and right action, sets a high bar for those who will follow him. How does Jesus do this? He models presence and perception in his interaction with Thomas. By our society’s rules it would be easy to dismiss Thomas – to send him away because he didn’t believe “correctly.” Jesus could break relationship with Thomas because Thomas hadn’t changed his perspective of what it meant to be the risen Son of God. I know I could be tempted to go there.
But this isn’t where Jesus went in his relationship with Thomas. Jesus came to Thomas in his questioning and skepticism; Jesus met Thomas where he was even though Jesus wanted him to be someplace else – a place of faith based on relationship not proof based on facts. Jesus met Thomas in the place where he was; not the place where others, especially us and the Disciples, thought he should be. In love, Jesus ministered to Thomas’ disbelief and transformed his skepticism into a commission – to become a bridge between the old ways of faith and the new way of belief in the risen Christ. Thomas was the bridge to the future world of God in Christ, one where Jesus was not physically present and the old ways had to be rethought and re-visioned.
It can be said that Thomas is more of an image than he is a person. Thomas was the image of the old ways; he was all that was good and proper in the Jewish faith centered on the covenant with יחוח. The “image Thomas” can be viewed as one that is stuck in its way, the tried and true practice that is fixed and steady (but maybe stagnate). Today we see Jesus as an image leading to a change in the way the world of faith worked; a change that wasn’t momentary but forever. As understated as this may sound; Jesus’ resurrection turned reality on its ear and upset the religious structure and society for eternity. The imagery of Thomas is one that marks a change; a change of perspective in our faith. Thomas shows us that we can either choose to be held and comforted in the old ways of our belief – in a place that is comfortable and secure but not moving forward; or we can move forward in a new way, looking for God’s direction and revelation; movement into a new place.
A poignant illustration of this type of journey can be found within 20 miles of St. Anne’s; a life-changing place for many people. I am talking about Virginia Seminary. In my class alone there are 47 people who have changed the outward trajectory of their life’s journey. They have “given up” their past security and dependability and moved to a new, life changing place. Many have given up steady employment and financial security to pursue their calling by God. They have chosen to attend Seminary with no surety about what is laying ahead on the road to God’s kingdom.
How does this illustration lead us as we reflect on Thomas? The message from today; we have a choice. We can live like the image of Thomas – wedded to a life of security and the old ways of doing things and believing. Or we can move forward into the new and often scary ways where God is calling us out of security. If we choose the latter we will be charged, like Thomas was, to carry the message of Christ forward and help others live into their understanding of the Holy Spirit in and around them. We will need to be open to a new life as an “Easter Person.”
Where is our challenge? Where is God challenging us – our personal lives and the life of St. Anne’s as a community of Easter People? We believe we hear God’s call to proclaim equality and fair treatment for all people, not just those who are in the majority; those who meet the old standard of “normal.” But we are called to meet others who don’t share our perception about God’s call to action; we are called to love the “other” and honor their position and perception of equality and fair treatment. We are called to mutual ministry – sharing our story and working in community.
Likewise, we are called to grow spiritually without losing sight of our heritage. St. Anne’s came into existence over 40 years ago as a church without walls. As we continue to move forward from this time we need to keep our eyes open to change without losing sight of the bedrock of our communal existence. By living authentically and in consonance with our past we will be able to work together and move forward with a sense of trust and belief that God is present and will provide for our needs – if we but strive to do God’s work – to remain a church without barriers to Christ.
Last, we need to be a loving congregation of searchers. We live out our perception of God’s call in community and are called, like Thomas and the Disciples, to remain in community as each of us searches for the “right fit” between our recognition of God’s plan and God’s actual plan. And that support is for all people in our midst; not just the ones who habitually need our support – Seminarians, Postulants, and Aspirants in our midst; our support is demanded for each other and for our clergy as they continue to form their lives after God’s call.
When the going gets rough we need to take comfort, like Thomas, that we will not be nor ever have been abandoned by God – even in our doubt. God will never cast us aside, even if we try to create God in our image of God or make “him” play by our rules. We are blessed to be able to love and care for those who have doubts and lapses of faith in their walk; we need to walk with them; we need to hold their hand when they are scared and deeply challenged by their perception of God.
As Easter people, in the spirit of Thomas, we are called to question our past in light of what we’ve been told about the present with an eye towards the future with God.
Easter 2C (RCL); April 11, 2010
Leslie C. Ferguson, Seminarian
Psalm 111; Acts 5:27-32; Revelation 1:4-8; John 20:19-31
What a busy time the last 2 weeks have been, especially here at church. This season is a special time in the Episcopal Church – between Palm Sunday and today the church has had liturgies and lectionary entries for 16 distinct services, celebrations, and commemorations. During these two weeks we’ve experienced every imaginable human emotion; triumphal entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, bitter rejection on Maundy Thursday, immense sadness on Good Friday, bleak abandonment on Holy Saturday, joyous celebration of the resurrection on Easter, and a little fear the week after Jesus’ crucifixion. Yet in the week between Easter and today all the Disciples and others close to Jesus have met Jesus “in the flesh” with the possible exception of Thomas who meets the resurrected Jesus today. Ironically, by all accounts almost everyone did not initially recognize Jesus after his resurrection.
It is our human nature to want explicit proof and factual presentations. We hear it in our mottos like “the proof is in the pudding;” “100% satisfaction guaranteed or your money back;” and “30-day risk-free trial.” From my perspective, the need for explicit proof was no clearer than in my 22 year career in the Navy. From the outset I was encouraged to test everything for veracity – “the information is not real or true unless you can see it, touch it, taste it, and feel it.” The other mantra instilled in me, and something I passed on to those who followed me, was don’t do anything wholly new, if you found something that worked in the past (either your own efforts or the efforts of someone else) don’t change lest you fail in your endeavor.
Changing how you do things presents risks and takes confidence. Today’s gospel presents a contrast of risk and confidence in the face of change. We hear,
25 So the other disciples told him [Thomas], ‘We have seen the Lord.’ But he said to them, ‘Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe.’ 26 A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you.’ 27 Then he said to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe.’
John 19:25-27 (NRSV)
It is easy from the last portion of this passage to figure out why Thomas gets hung with the “Doubting Thomas” moniker – Jesus tells him to “not doubt but (only) believe.” Surely, there is a good reason to call Thomas doubting, Jesus did – right? Personally, I don’t like calling Thomas doubting; let’s face it, he’s looking for information at a time when the world as he knows it is spinning out of control; his Jewish sensibilities have been crushed and the one that he has come to love in the past 3 years is gone. Lots of reasons to question life and the way the world works.
Thankfully I’m not alone in my questioning of equating Thomas with a doubter. The writers of our gospel didn’t choose to imply that Thomas doubted Jesus’ resurrection. Scholars claim that Thomas was more skeptical than doubting and they point out that the scriptures convey Thomas’ desire to believe but that his reasoning about life and death was stretched to the point that it didn’t make rational sense anymore. The scholars also intimate that Thomas uses language that belied a distinct and long standing Jewish perception of life after death and the resurrection. As a faithful Jew, Thomas’ belief about death was being called into question by Jesus. It can be said that Thomas knew what a recently dead person looked like since he had seen Lazarus – so he was qualified to verify Jesus’ death and resurrection and make sure it wasn’t just an image like a ghost.
Thomas wanted to believe but found it hard to bring about the change of faith. His faith and all he held sacred was shattered and rattled by Jesus’ resurrection. In my opinion, Thomas was no different than any of the other Disciples – he needed to see Jesus with his own eyes. Thomas may have been colored by the reports that the other disciples didn’t recognize Jesus at first even though they felt they should have recognized him. Things didn’t work like they always had – the rules had changed. He wasn’t prepared to call his impression of a faithful life into question.
Yet we see a model of an appropriate reaction to a skeptic in this same passage. Jesus, the model of right practice and right action, sets a high bar for those who will follow him. How does Jesus do this? He models presence and perception in his interaction with Thomas. By our society’s rules it would be easy to dismiss Thomas – to send him away because he didn’t believe “correctly.” Jesus could break relationship with Thomas because Thomas hadn’t changed his perspective of what it meant to be the risen Son of God. I know I could be tempted to go there.
But this isn’t where Jesus went in his relationship with Thomas. Jesus came to Thomas in his questioning and skepticism; Jesus met Thomas where he was even though Jesus wanted him to be someplace else – a place of faith based on relationship not proof based on facts. Jesus met Thomas in the place where he was; not the place where others, especially us and the Disciples, thought he should be. In love, Jesus ministered to Thomas’ disbelief and transformed his skepticism into a commission – to become a bridge between the old ways of faith and the new way of belief in the risen Christ. Thomas was the bridge to the future world of God in Christ, one where Jesus was not physically present and the old ways had to be rethought and re-visioned.
It can be said that Thomas is more of an image than he is a person. Thomas was the image of the old ways; he was all that was good and proper in the Jewish faith centered on the covenant with יחוח. The “image Thomas” can be viewed as one that is stuck in its way, the tried and true practice that is fixed and steady (but maybe stagnate). Today we see Jesus as an image leading to a change in the way the world of faith worked; a change that wasn’t momentary but forever. As understated as this may sound; Jesus’ resurrection turned reality on its ear and upset the religious structure and society for eternity. The imagery of Thomas is one that marks a change; a change of perspective in our faith. Thomas shows us that we can either choose to be held and comforted in the old ways of our belief – in a place that is comfortable and secure but not moving forward; or we can move forward in a new way, looking for God’s direction and revelation; movement into a new place.
A poignant illustration of this type of journey can be found within 20 miles of St. Anne’s; a life-changing place for many people. I am talking about Virginia Seminary. In my class alone there are 47 people who have changed the outward trajectory of their life’s journey. They have “given up” their past security and dependability and moved to a new, life changing place. Many have given up steady employment and financial security to pursue their calling by God. They have chosen to attend Seminary with no surety about what is laying ahead on the road to God’s kingdom.
How does this illustration lead us as we reflect on Thomas? The message from today; we have a choice. We can live like the image of Thomas – wedded to a life of security and the old ways of doing things and believing. Or we can move forward into the new and often scary ways where God is calling us out of security. If we choose the latter we will be charged, like Thomas was, to carry the message of Christ forward and help others live into their understanding of the Holy Spirit in and around them. We will need to be open to a new life as an “Easter Person.”
Where is our challenge? Where is God challenging us – our personal lives and the life of St. Anne’s as a community of Easter People? We believe we hear God’s call to proclaim equality and fair treatment for all people, not just those who are in the majority; those who meet the old standard of “normal.” But we are called to meet others who don’t share our perception about God’s call to action; we are called to love the “other” and honor their position and perception of equality and fair treatment. We are called to mutual ministry – sharing our story and working in community.
Likewise, we are called to grow spiritually without losing sight of our heritage. St. Anne’s came into existence over 40 years ago as a church without walls. As we continue to move forward from this time we need to keep our eyes open to change without losing sight of the bedrock of our communal existence. By living authentically and in consonance with our past we will be able to work together and move forward with a sense of trust and belief that God is present and will provide for our needs – if we but strive to do God’s work – to remain a church without barriers to Christ.
Last, we need to be a loving congregation of searchers. We live out our perception of God’s call in community and are called, like Thomas and the Disciples, to remain in community as each of us searches for the “right fit” between our recognition of God’s plan and God’s actual plan. And that support is for all people in our midst; not just the ones who habitually need our support – Seminarians, Postulants, and Aspirants in our midst; our support is demanded for each other and for our clergy as they continue to form their lives after God’s call.
When the going gets rough we need to take comfort, like Thomas, that we will not be nor ever have been abandoned by God – even in our doubt. God will never cast us aside, even if we try to create God in our image of God or make “him” play by our rules. We are blessed to be able to love and care for those who have doubts and lapses of faith in their walk; we need to walk with them; we need to hold their hand when they are scared and deeply challenged by their perception of God.
As Easter people, in the spirit of Thomas, we are called to question our past in light of what we’ve been told about the present with an eye towards the future with God.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
You are but dust... Ash Wednesday 2010
St. Anne’s Episcopal Church, Reston Virginia
Ash Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Leslie C. Ferguson, Seminarian
Isaiah 58:1-12; Psalm 103:8-14; 2 Corinthians 5:20 b-6:10; Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21
“He remembers that we are but dust…” More years ago than I care to admit my wife and I were at an Ash Wednesday service in California. The service had started like most of the Ash Wednesday services I had been to before that; just like we are getting started on the service today. I vividly remember the scene as it came time to impose ashes; the Rector began the ritual, dipping his thumb in the container of ashes, citing the formula at the imposition of ashes, “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” Except that he mixed up the formula with the portion of the Psalter we recited that day, “Remember that you are but dust.” And to compound the misstatement he put a pause into the middle of the recitation as he looked down to dip his thumb, making the statement, “Remember that you are but dust…” and started again; “Remember that you are but dust…” My wife leaned over and asked me, “is but dust like belly button lint?” We spent the rest of the time trying not to smirk every time he said that phrase – with little luck I might add.
Looking back, I might think that people thought that we were being disrespectful of the moment (and we may have been). I know that it is hard to find anything humorous in the Ash Wednesday service or the season of Lent. Many also fail to find a humorous story like that worshipful, holy, or sacred. But there is something to be said about the touch of humor and how that impacts our relationship with God and our community. It is interesting how that experience has stuck with me all these years and how I’m compelled to remember that day quite frequently. Not specifically because it is humorous but because it is a reminder of the day and of what Lent is about; not just taking things on or giving things up but making the season holy and sacred; preparing ourselves to live our lives as faithful believers and followers of Christ.
In a few moments Mother Jackie will ask us to spend time in silence as we prepare ourselves for the observance of a Holy Lent. Whether this is the first time you’ve been to an Ash Wednesday service or, like some this is one of countless services, by stopping and preparing yourself for the observance of a holy Lent you will be joining countless Christians around the world and throughout eternity who have affirmed their belief in Christ’s resurrection as the event that pays for our sin and separation from God’s intended kingdom. This is and will be an awesome event yet it can be one that is a little overwhelming.
In fact, I know people who choose not to attend Ash Wednesday services, not because they don’t believe that Christ lived, was tempted, and died for our sins. Rather, they choose not to attend because the gravity of the admonition can be overwhelming and a bit damning - too many reminders of a Roman Catholic or Evangelical “you’re a worthless sinner” mentality. But there’s more to living a holy life and observing a holy Lent than berating yourself as a “worthless sinner.” That’s not the implication of Jesus’ birth, life, death, and resurrection. The fact that we are of worth, even though we are sinners, is the true reason that Christ will suffer through the coming weeks of Lent.
Let’s unpack the phrase “a holy Lent” a little to shed some light on where we should focus our attention during the upcoming season. First, the object of the phrase is the word “Lent” which the church sees as a time of preparation for Holy Week, Easter, and Jesus’ Ascension - pretty clear. The modifier in the phrase, “holy,” is where I think the focus of our attention should be directed. What does it mean to be holy, especially when most of our lives are less than holy or pure? To be holy, something needs to be set aside; made sacred or directed towards God; or made worshipful. I see this as something that doesn’t happen all at once; rather we become holy through practice and in relationship with God our creator, redeemer, and sanctifier.
Today’s lessons should be helpful as we move into a holy place and a holy relationship with God. But I find a mixed message between today’s scripture and what many people do on Ash Wednesday. We are called in scripture to not do things that aren’t the practice of our lives; not do things in a special way to bring attention to ourselves. Yet, what are our practices today? We place the marks of the cross on our foreheads that signifies our relationship with God to the world - not just those we are in relationship with but everyone who we meet for the rest of the day. Some are participating in a fast, maybe something that won’t be seen by others but I know that when I actually fasted two years ago my stomach was making so much noise by the end of the day that everyone on campus knew I hadn’t eaten anything in a while. Probably most notable and noticed is the fact that we have come to church at a time we wouldn’t normally come to church. And for many of us, we will have taken time from our normal routine to come here for service.
I know that I’ve been led to get focused on a portion of the scripture today that makes me miss the point of Ash Wednesday. That scripture tells me to do the opposite of the things that I have done today that will be seen and noted by others. Many focus on the admonition to not do things so that others will know what you are doing so that God in heaven will reward you for your faithful actions. Our gospel starts with Jesus telling his followers to, “Beware of practicing your piety before others in order to be seen by them; for then you have no reward from your Father in heaven.” Now we may not practice our piety for others to see but it would be unreasonable to believe that that outward sign would not be seen by others. We are called to do things for God to see so that God will reward us at our final accounting; so that we can build our relationship with God.
In the mix today we miss the invitation from God related by Isaiah to, “remove the yoke from among you, the pointing of the finger, the speaking of evil, if you offer your food to the hungry and satisfy the needs of the afflicted, then your light shall rise in the darkness and your gloom be like the noonday.” Isaiah reminds us that we are supposed to fast, serve the Lord, and be humbled before God. But Isaiah also tells us to life the burden of our society, to return ourselves to a right relationship with God and our community. We’re supposed to restore ourselves and become the person that God calls us to be. We’re not called to be anything or live any other way than the way God made us to be.
We are supposed to proceed on our Lenten journey with an eye on God’s call; the way that we’ve been ordained to live in community with God, other Christians, and our world. That begins with being honest about who you are and what makes you who you are. It is through our honesty with God and our self that we begin to live a holy life; a life focused on being worshipful; on being set aside for God’s plan; and living in sacredness, always living life in search of God in the present moment.
Living our lives in an honest manner can and should encompass many different things. We are called to live our lives consistent with who we are. God wants us to be genuine with him and with others, both Christian and non-Christian. We should laugh, tell jokes, love, and share our joys with others and God. Likewise, we should cry, be emotion-filled, and push back when necessary. We should strive to be quiet in our soul, not so much without speaking or sounds but limiting the “noise” of our lives that gets in the way of our search for God’s true kingdom on earth. We will be expected to not carry extra or superfluous burdens, those things that are barriers to us living a life with God - this might be what it means to give up something during Lent. Likewise, we are expected to carry the load that God calls us to carry; to be intentionally burdened with the things that make God’s kingdom become present and recognized here on earth - this might be what it means to take something on during Lent.
This multi-faceted approach to our lives of faith is what we are called to do as we observe a holy Lent. Yet we are reminded that there is no specific (by rote) action that will get us “closer” to God with the exception of spending time with God. By spending time with God we become more attuned to the reality of God’s presence in our lives; in the mundane, in the ludicrous, and in the emotion. As we spend time with God we will naturally find ourselves begin to free ourselves from distractions - not all at once but as part of the process of maturing with God. We will begin to find our hearts and eyes being opened to the presence of God in our lives and in our communities. And we will find ourselves caring for all of God’s creation - not just others but ourselves. As we spend time with God we will find struggles, “road blocks,” challenges, laughter, and joy. This mix of emotions and reactions are the things that are sacred and holy in God’s kingdom.
May we be encouraged to live a holy Lent and begin our journey to a deeper relationship with God; with an eye towards the death and resurrection of Christ. My prayer is that this journey might be punctuated with silence, joy, self-reflection, challenge, and a sense of community and a communal journey. And may the sign of an ashen cross mark our soul with that holy cross and reminder of God’s presence in our lives and in our actions. May our journey be one that encourages us and others into a deeper relationship with God.
To God be the glory through his son Jesus. Amen!
Ash Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Leslie C. Ferguson, Seminarian
Isaiah 58:1-12; Psalm 103:8-14; 2 Corinthians 5:20 b-6:10; Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21
“He remembers that we are but dust…” More years ago than I care to admit my wife and I were at an Ash Wednesday service in California. The service had started like most of the Ash Wednesday services I had been to before that; just like we are getting started on the service today. I vividly remember the scene as it came time to impose ashes; the Rector began the ritual, dipping his thumb in the container of ashes, citing the formula at the imposition of ashes, “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” Except that he mixed up the formula with the portion of the Psalter we recited that day, “Remember that you are but dust.” And to compound the misstatement he put a pause into the middle of the recitation as he looked down to dip his thumb, making the statement, “Remember that you are but dust…” and started again; “Remember that you are but dust…” My wife leaned over and asked me, “is but dust like belly button lint?” We spent the rest of the time trying not to smirk every time he said that phrase – with little luck I might add.
Looking back, I might think that people thought that we were being disrespectful of the moment (and we may have been). I know that it is hard to find anything humorous in the Ash Wednesday service or the season of Lent. Many also fail to find a humorous story like that worshipful, holy, or sacred. But there is something to be said about the touch of humor and how that impacts our relationship with God and our community. It is interesting how that experience has stuck with me all these years and how I’m compelled to remember that day quite frequently. Not specifically because it is humorous but because it is a reminder of the day and of what Lent is about; not just taking things on or giving things up but making the season holy and sacred; preparing ourselves to live our lives as faithful believers and followers of Christ.
In a few moments Mother Jackie will ask us to spend time in silence as we prepare ourselves for the observance of a Holy Lent. Whether this is the first time you’ve been to an Ash Wednesday service or, like some this is one of countless services, by stopping and preparing yourself for the observance of a holy Lent you will be joining countless Christians around the world and throughout eternity who have affirmed their belief in Christ’s resurrection as the event that pays for our sin and separation from God’s intended kingdom. This is and will be an awesome event yet it can be one that is a little overwhelming.
In fact, I know people who choose not to attend Ash Wednesday services, not because they don’t believe that Christ lived, was tempted, and died for our sins. Rather, they choose not to attend because the gravity of the admonition can be overwhelming and a bit damning - too many reminders of a Roman Catholic or Evangelical “you’re a worthless sinner” mentality. But there’s more to living a holy life and observing a holy Lent than berating yourself as a “worthless sinner.” That’s not the implication of Jesus’ birth, life, death, and resurrection. The fact that we are of worth, even though we are sinners, is the true reason that Christ will suffer through the coming weeks of Lent.
Let’s unpack the phrase “a holy Lent” a little to shed some light on where we should focus our attention during the upcoming season. First, the object of the phrase is the word “Lent” which the church sees as a time of preparation for Holy Week, Easter, and Jesus’ Ascension - pretty clear. The modifier in the phrase, “holy,” is where I think the focus of our attention should be directed. What does it mean to be holy, especially when most of our lives are less than holy or pure? To be holy, something needs to be set aside; made sacred or directed towards God; or made worshipful. I see this as something that doesn’t happen all at once; rather we become holy through practice and in relationship with God our creator, redeemer, and sanctifier.
Today’s lessons should be helpful as we move into a holy place and a holy relationship with God. But I find a mixed message between today’s scripture and what many people do on Ash Wednesday. We are called in scripture to not do things that aren’t the practice of our lives; not do things in a special way to bring attention to ourselves. Yet, what are our practices today? We place the marks of the cross on our foreheads that signifies our relationship with God to the world - not just those we are in relationship with but everyone who we meet for the rest of the day. Some are participating in a fast, maybe something that won’t be seen by others but I know that when I actually fasted two years ago my stomach was making so much noise by the end of the day that everyone on campus knew I hadn’t eaten anything in a while. Probably most notable and noticed is the fact that we have come to church at a time we wouldn’t normally come to church. And for many of us, we will have taken time from our normal routine to come here for service.
I know that I’ve been led to get focused on a portion of the scripture today that makes me miss the point of Ash Wednesday. That scripture tells me to do the opposite of the things that I have done today that will be seen and noted by others. Many focus on the admonition to not do things so that others will know what you are doing so that God in heaven will reward you for your faithful actions. Our gospel starts with Jesus telling his followers to, “Beware of practicing your piety before others in order to be seen by them; for then you have no reward from your Father in heaven.” Now we may not practice our piety for others to see but it would be unreasonable to believe that that outward sign would not be seen by others. We are called to do things for God to see so that God will reward us at our final accounting; so that we can build our relationship with God.
In the mix today we miss the invitation from God related by Isaiah to, “remove the yoke from among you, the pointing of the finger, the speaking of evil, if you offer your food to the hungry and satisfy the needs of the afflicted, then your light shall rise in the darkness and your gloom be like the noonday.” Isaiah reminds us that we are supposed to fast, serve the Lord, and be humbled before God. But Isaiah also tells us to life the burden of our society, to return ourselves to a right relationship with God and our community. We’re supposed to restore ourselves and become the person that God calls us to be. We’re not called to be anything or live any other way than the way God made us to be.
We are supposed to proceed on our Lenten journey with an eye on God’s call; the way that we’ve been ordained to live in community with God, other Christians, and our world. That begins with being honest about who you are and what makes you who you are. It is through our honesty with God and our self that we begin to live a holy life; a life focused on being worshipful; on being set aside for God’s plan; and living in sacredness, always living life in search of God in the present moment.
Living our lives in an honest manner can and should encompass many different things. We are called to live our lives consistent with who we are. God wants us to be genuine with him and with others, both Christian and non-Christian. We should laugh, tell jokes, love, and share our joys with others and God. Likewise, we should cry, be emotion-filled, and push back when necessary. We should strive to be quiet in our soul, not so much without speaking or sounds but limiting the “noise” of our lives that gets in the way of our search for God’s true kingdom on earth. We will be expected to not carry extra or superfluous burdens, those things that are barriers to us living a life with God - this might be what it means to give up something during Lent. Likewise, we are expected to carry the load that God calls us to carry; to be intentionally burdened with the things that make God’s kingdom become present and recognized here on earth - this might be what it means to take something on during Lent.
This multi-faceted approach to our lives of faith is what we are called to do as we observe a holy Lent. Yet we are reminded that there is no specific (by rote) action that will get us “closer” to God with the exception of spending time with God. By spending time with God we become more attuned to the reality of God’s presence in our lives; in the mundane, in the ludicrous, and in the emotion. As we spend time with God we will naturally find ourselves begin to free ourselves from distractions - not all at once but as part of the process of maturing with God. We will begin to find our hearts and eyes being opened to the presence of God in our lives and in our communities. And we will find ourselves caring for all of God’s creation - not just others but ourselves. As we spend time with God we will find struggles, “road blocks,” challenges, laughter, and joy. This mix of emotions and reactions are the things that are sacred and holy in God’s kingdom.
May we be encouraged to live a holy Lent and begin our journey to a deeper relationship with God; with an eye towards the death and resurrection of Christ. My prayer is that this journey might be punctuated with silence, joy, self-reflection, challenge, and a sense of community and a communal journey. And may the sign of an ashen cross mark our soul with that holy cross and reminder of God’s presence in our lives and in our actions. May our journey be one that encourages us and others into a deeper relationship with God.
To God be the glory through his son Jesus. Amen!
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