by Fr. Bill Garrison
Please note that the following sermon text was provided prior to the audio recording. The two versions may differ substantially.
Today we are thinking about life changes that happen to all of us. How we handle change can inform and decide how our lives are lived in many ways. Here’s a little story to underline that fact.
Fred came home from college in tears. “Mom, am I adopted?” he asked.
“No of course not,” replied his mother. “Why would you think that?
Fred showed her his genealogy DNA test results. No match for any of his relatives, and strong matches for a family who lived clear across town. Perturbed, his mother called her husband. “Honey, Fred has done a DNA test, and... and... I don't know how to say this... he may not be our son.”
“Well, obviously!”, was the reply.
She gasped. “What do you mean?”
“It was your idea in the first place! You remember, that first night in the hospital when the baby did nothing but scream and cry and was driving you crazy? You asked me to help you out and change him for you. So, I did. And I picked a good baby for sure!
Today we are blessed to have witnessed a baptism of father and son. We know that as close as they might be, this event will forever make them even closer. A change has happened in their relationship. You see my father and I were baptized at the same time so I can speak to what has happened here today first hand. I traveled to Milton Freewater, Oregon a couple years ago and actually saw our baptisms in the official record. It was an emotional experience for me. Today we are giving Matt and Makaio baptismal certificates commemorating this event. We will also place their names in the official record. So, like me, if either ever wants to confirm their baptisms the record will be available, and they will be listed together. The Holy Spirit has touched them both this day, and bound them even closer together for all time.
The other important event today is the celebration we will be having to highlight the ministry of Rev. Carole, and to send her to God’s next stop with a wonderful and enthusiastic St. Matthias send off.
I first met Carole as we were attending a class in Claremont on Saturdays. Several of us from St. Matthias were there taking that class from my favorite professor. Carole was there too as she was getting close to finishing her seminary education.
It turned out Carole needed to spend some time in a church getting some field education as part of her graduation requirements. She and I sat outside the classroom one afternoon and she asked me if we would be interested in having her join us for a semester or two.
Folks, I admit the idea of taking on a soon to be ordained person, much less an associate, was the farthest thing from my mind. Had anyone else asked me it would have been a flat no, not interested. But I sensed God in the idea, and I have learned to honor God and the Holy Spirit in my travels as a Christian and priest.
Why and how did I feel God’s presence you ask? Well, what God wanted was almost shouted at me. You see we both have roots in a very small town of about 30,000 people in northeastern Oklahoma. She grew up there and my entire family lived in this little town or very close. We both know the area and customs intimately. I had been in this area of Oklahoma multiple times every year of my life.
Carole had previously heard me speak on Facebook and recognized my voice from class. She said it jarred her. God’s presence in our mutual future was so obvious to both of us that we knew it had to be preordained. If we ignored the obvious, we did so at our own peril.
So, Carole joined with us for the women’s retreat during the summer of 2017 and participated in her first service on August thirteen of that year. I remember showing her how to tie a cincture. That’s the rope belt that goes around us. It’s pretty basic. All of us have had a great deal to do with her growth as an ordained person. I am certain she agrees.
Well time has flown. Carole finished her seminary education and was ordained to the transitional diaconate June the second of 2018, and to the priesthood on January twelfth, 2019. Tim Adams carried the St. Matthias flag in the procession that day.
Carole has made a difference here. She has been my partner in ministry and has done much to add to the welfare of this church. I am proud of her and I am proud of the people of St. Matthias as you have taught her, and been taught by her.
And God isn’t finished yet. God has more for her to do. She has been called to become the Priest in charge at St. Thomas of Canterbury in Temecula. We are sad to see her go, but we also recognize we are not in charge. God is in charge. She will be the leader those folks need. She will be loved and she will love them. But who knows what the future holds after a time there? Gods knows and God will reveal God’s plans in God’s time.
You see life change is more common than most of us think. In fact, I would say that change is more common than anything else in life. Even the things we see as constants are constantly changing. Couples that have been married for decades are not the same as when they began. Buildings get older and are renovated. Towns and cities grow and change and sometimes fade away. Even the geography is constantly changing. Mountains wear down. Rivers change their courses.
God is in the middle of all of it. God is involved in every person’s life. God has hopes for each of us. God wants the best for each of us I truly believe. The question becomes not is change coming, but rather what is it that God would like us to do? Now understand. God doesn’t make anybody do anything. God is a gracious God. God asks, sometimes quite loudly, but never forces us to do as God wishes. It’s called free will.
So how do we listen to God? Well, the messages come to us in a variety of ways. For Carole and I it was pretty obvious what God wanted. At other times things may not be as obvious. We might have an idea or two about the future, but we are unsure. We need to discern God’s will.
I want to introduce you to a concept. It’s called Holy Indifference. In a nutshell that means we are not caught up in worry about the future. All we want to is to follow where God leads us. When we honestly reach that place within, and it sometimes takes some prayer and study to get there, things become more obvious. Doors begin to open almost by themselves. Objects and people blocking the way move out of the way. And soon it becomes obvious we are following the path God laid out for us.
Now please understand. As you probably already know change is hard and it’s scary. For some more frightening and painful than it is for others. So, here’s an analogy that I hope is comforting as we contemplate next steps in life and what God would prefer.
Think about a trapeze. There are two important people on it, the flier and the catcher. We are the flier. We know we have to let go. We know we are going to be in space, and when we look down, we don’t see a net. It’s terrifying. If the catcher doesn’t catch us, we are probably going to be severely injured or die.
The trapeze of life, of change, has one important component to it that we must remember as we let go, and the feeling of being alone in the world is overwhelming. But we have great news. The catcher waiting for us is God. God is going to catch us. We may feel alone and afraid, but God is on the other end of the journey. It’s going to be ok. We can trust our catcher.
So today, we know Makaio and Matt are going to be ok. We know that our beloved Carole will be fine. And so will we. We will be ok too. God is waiting and will catch us all as we move into the future. It’s where God wishes for us to go.
Rev. Carole celebrating Holy Eucharist on the first Sunday after her ordination. Photo courtesy of Bob Howe.
