The Fifth Sunday of Easter: Father Bill's Farewell Sermon

May 18, 2022 Andrea Schmid

by Fr. Bill Garrison

Please note that the following sermon text was provided prior to the audio recording. The two versions may differ substantially.

John 13:31-35

At the last supper, when Judas had gone out, Jesus said, "Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him. If God has been glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself and will glorify him at once. Little children, I am with you only a little longer. You will look for me; and as I said to the Jews so now I say to you, 'Where I am going, you cannot come.' I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another."

Among other things we are going to be talking about love today so I thought I would start off with a little humor on the subject.

There was a couple whose marriage had gone a little stale and they knew it. So they decided to go on a couples retreat to gauge how they were doing and perhaps find a way to spice things up a bit.

When they arrived, they really liked the setting and saw a number of other couples that were joining in the retreat. After a bit everyone was invited to a get-to-know each other event.

After everyone had gathered in the main meeting room the leader said he was going to ask a few questions. And so, he asked the first.

“Gentlemen, what is your wife’s favorite flower?”

The husband turned to his wife and whispered in her ear. “This is an easy one”, he said with a grin. “Your favorite flour is Gold Medal, isn’t it?”

In the gospel today Jesus gave an interesting and important commandment to his followers. I will quote him.

“I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another."

We have heard this before, many times. And each time we have heard it we wondered if carrying out this commandment is even possible. It sounds good for sure. But loving everybody else just doesn’t seem reasonable. We sure can’t love like Jesus did. He is God and we are not.

So, let’s think about that. Jesus said to love as I have loved. That sounds pretty daunting, doesn’t it? But wait. Love as is what he said, not like. Jesus does not ask us to love like he did. We can’t do that. But we can love as he did. Loving as means just plain old loving instead of not loving. It means choosing to love as we are capable of loving. Jesus is only asking for what we are capable of doing. And we are capable of loving as much as we are able rather than not loving at all.

Tomorrow, St. Matthias will begin a period of transition. There will be an opportunity to think about the past and perhaps mourn what is lost. Then there will be time to analyze this church as she is. Who are we and what are we? There will be a time of nervousness. What is going to happen to our church? Will things be a lot different? Will we still be happy here?

And then a plan will be developed, a plan that contains hopes regarding the attributes of the new leader. I don’t need to speak to these attributes. I imagine each of you could delineate them as well as I can. The lists of them seem to be pretty much the same no matter the congregation.

But I would submit to you that this new person isn’t the important part. You are the important component of the future.

More importantly that whom is chosen, I believe, is your relationship with each other. Are you following the commandment of Jesus? Are you loving each other as he loves us? This holds the secret to success for the future.

Today, I can testify that you do love each other in the way Jesus commanded. I can happily testify this truth to anyone listening on your behalf. You do indeed love each other as Jesus loves us. This is the most remarkable thing about this congregation. You do love each other and it’s obvious.

And it’s not like the members of this congregation are all alike. Nothing could be further from the truth. I have talked many times about social location and I will tell you that I don’t believe we have two worshippers here from the same social location. We are separated by sex, age, income, ethnicity, sexual orientation, political beliefs, religious backgrounds, theological understandings, how we grew up, where we grew up, livelihoods, language, and many other differences too numerous to mention.

And yet the love and comfort afforded every member of this congregation is obvious to any eye, trained or untrained. For the most part this is a congregation that does not judge others, but instead accepts people how and where they are, even embracing and celebrating the differences.

When I first met the search committee that was charged with finding the new rector over eleven years ago, I immediately understood that everyone on that committee was committed to every other member in a really unique and loving way. I couldn’t help but wonder if the rest of the congregation acted in the same manner. When I met the vestry, it became obvious to me that that group was a close group too. Later, when I met the congregation, my hopes were fulfilled. This was indeed that unusual church that worked together. Rancor and schisms were completely absent.

When preparing to meet with the search committee I had done my homework. I knew this was a church with good bones. The buildings might need some loving care but they were there and had potential. The church had a parking lot. The sanctuary itself was lovely and well prayed in. The music ministry was excellent. The history of the church was outstanding. And then I discovered the love this congregation has for each other and I knew we couldn’t fail as we looked to the future.

Well, soon you will be seeking my replacement. If the love and acceptance you have for each other continues, all will be well. The Holy Spirit is at home here. This is an address for the Kingdom of God. You love each other as Jesus commanded. You do the loving thing. I beg you to jealously guard those values as time passes. If you do St. Matthias will continue to be a lighthouse in this city. It’s guaranteed.

The Fourth Sunday of Easter: The Lord is My Shepherd

May 16, 2022 Andrea Schmid

by Fr. Bill Garrison

Please note that the following sermon text was provided prior to the audio recording. The two versions may differ substantially.

Psalm 23

1 The Lord is my shepherd; *
I shall not be in want.

2 He makes me lie down in green pastures *
and leads me beside still waters.

3 He revives my soul *
and guides me along right pathways for his Name's sake.

4 Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I shall fear no evil; *
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

5 You spread a table before me in the presence of those who trouble me; *
you have anointed my head with oil,
and my cup is running over.

6 Surely your goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, *
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

The metaphor of shepherds and sheep as instruction for our relationship with God is a big part of our conversation today. So, before we get serious, I thought I would share a little story with you.

A big city police officer stopped a man in a car with a sheep in the front seat. “What are you doing with that sheep in your car? You should take it to the zoo, or at least a sheep farm where there are other sheep,” the officer said.

The following week, the same police officer saw the same man with what looked like the same sheep in the front seat. Both of them were wearing sunglasses. The police officer pulled him over.

“I thought you were going to take that sheep to the country or the zoo!” the officer said.

The man replied, “I did. We had such a good time we are going to the beach this weekend!”

We have heard the 23rd Psalm so many times most of us can almost recite it in our sleep. I wonder though how many of us have taken the time to get to know it beyond a surface understanding. It sounds great, and it is comforting, but what is meant by a good shepherd? Let’s take a few minutes to think about it, because it’s important. The good shepherd is after all an abiding metaphor telling us a lot about the nature of God.

This ancient scripture, dating back several centuries before the time of Christ, speaks volumes. During the first century, the time of Jesus, the metaphors carried within it would have been deeply understood since shepherds and sheep were everywhere in this agrarian society. Today we are not as knowledgeable about shepherds so I hope this explanation will bring more meaning to the psalm the next time you say or hear it.

The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not be in want. As the psalm begins, we see very clearly that the writer is telling us that we are like sheep and God is the shepherd. We understand this is a metaphor from the opening lines.

He makes me lie down in green pastures. The shepherd knows the nicest places for the sheep to eat and leads them there. The shepherd will only lead the sheep to this best of all grazing area when they are tired and ready to lie down. Interestingly enough at the Feeding of the 5000 we are told that Jesus had the people sit down on the green grass.

Photo by Paul Seling: https://www.pexels.com/photo/selective-photography-of-white-lamb-on-hay-891607/

He leads me beside still waters. Simply put sheep are afraid of water that is running fast and making noise. They will not approach it, much less drink from it. The good shepherd knows this and takes the sheep to water that is not moving or at least moving quietly.

Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death. This is more than just a metaphor, it exists. It is a route on which shepherds walked their flocks in order to move to better pastures. It consisted of a steep hill on one side and a drop off on the other.

Your rod and your staff, they comfort me. The first and most obvious use for the rod and staff is to protect the sheep. They are weapons. But they are more than that. They are also used to rescue sheep and to guide them.

You have anointed my head with oil, and my cup is running over. These are beautiful images. At the end of the day the sheep are brought back to the sheep fold and inspected carefully by the shepherd. If a sheep has hurt himself the shepherd puts oil on the wound and if a sheep appears to be thirsty the shepherd dips a cup into a water jug till it is overflowing and a sheep will drink from it.

Aren’t these wonderful images? Jesus used the image of the shepherd constantly when he was describing himself and when he was describing God. Jesus said the sheep know the sound of his voice. I’d like to tell you a quick story that illustrates the point beautifully if I may.

During the Palestinian uprising in the late 1980s the Israeli army decided to punish a village near Bethlehem for not paying its taxes (which, the village claimed, simply financed their occupation). The officer in command rounded up all of the village animals and placed them in a large barbed-wire pen. Later in the week he was approached by a woman who begged him to release her flock, arguing that since her husband was dead the animals were her only source of livelihood. He pointed to the pen containing hundreds of animals and humorously quipped that it was impossible because he couldn’t find her animals. She asked that if she could in fact separate them herself, would he be willing to let her take them? He agreed. A soldier opened the gate and the woman's son produced a small reed flute. He played a simple tune again and again-and soon sheep heads began popping up across the pen. The young boy continued his music and walked home, followed by his flock of twenty-five sheep.

Nice story, isn’t it? There is a reason the image of shepherd and sheep have been used for over three thousand years to describe the relationship between God and God’s people.

In the gospel today we heard Jesus continuing a long speech to the authorities that had gathered around him. Out of the crowd comes someone to ask him a question, trying to trap him. If I might paraphrase, here is what he said.

Why do you keep us in suspense? Are you the messiah or are you not? A simple yes or no answer would be nice. Instead, you keep beating around the bush talking about signs.

The trap he was setting was this. If Jesus said yes, he was the Messiah he would be guilty of blasphemy, and they would be free to stone him to death. If he said no then he would be guilty of lying.

Jesus saw the trap and refused to bite. He said again to look at the works and make up your own minds about who he was. Then using the sheep/shepherd metaphor he said that his sheep knew his voice and if you didn’t believe then you obviously had not become one of his sheep. He said that his sheep were his. God had placed him as the shepherd. He would never lose them. Finally, he said that he and God are one and the sheep will never be lost.

This world in which we live can be a tough one. I don’t need to give you examples. It was tough in the time of Jesus and it is tough now. The people in the first century needed the shepherd, and we need the shepherd more than ever today. The shepherd, if allowed, will tend our needs and guide us in right paths if we will but listen.

The shepherd reaches out to us in our prayer life, in the scriptures, in our community of believers, and in our common worship. We in the Kingdom of God are never alone, and need never be afraid when we listen to our shepherd and follow him to green pastures. And when we do find ourselves surrounded by other sheep, we know all we need do is listen for the sound of his voice. He will take us home.

Easter Sunday: The Joy of the Resurrection

April 18, 2022 Andrea Schmid

by Fr. Bill Garrison

Please note that the following sermon text was provided prior to the audio recording. The two versions may differ substantially.

John 20:1-18

Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him." Then Peter and the other disciple set out and went toward the tomb. The two were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent down to look in and saw the linen wrappings lying there, but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen wrappings lying there, and the cloth that had been on Jesus' head, not lying with the linen wrappings but rolled up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; for as yet they did not understand the scripture, that he must rise from the dead. Then the disciples returned to their homes.

But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb; and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had been lying, one at the head and the other at the feet. They said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping?" She said to them, "They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him." When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?" Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, "Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away." Jesus said to her, "Mary!" She turned and said to him in Hebrew, "Rabbouni!" (which means Teacher). Jesus said to her, "Do not hold on to me, because I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and say to them, `I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.'" Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, "I have seen the Lord"; and she told them that he had said these things to her.

There was a boy who worked in the produce section of a super market. A man came in and asked to buy half a head of lettuce. The boy told him that they only sold whole heads of lettuce, but the man replied that he did not need a whole head, only half.

The boy explained that he would have to ask the manager and so he walked into the back room and said, “There is some jerk out there who wants to buy only a half a head of lettuce.” As he finished saying this, he turned around to find the man standing right behind him, so he quickly added, “And this gentleman wants to buy the other half.”

The manager Okayed the request and the man went on his way. Later on, the manager said to the boy, “You almost got yourself in a lot of trouble earlier, but I must say I was impressed with the way you got out of it. You think on your feet and we like that around here. Where are you from, son?”

The boy replied, “Minnesota, sir.” “Oh, really, why did you leave Minnesota?” inquired the manager. The boy replied, “They're all just loose women and hockey players up there.”

“My wife is from Minnesota”, exclaimed the manager. The boy instantly replied, “Really! What team did she play for?”

That young man will go far.

I think celebrating Easter every year is so very important because it gives us a chance to get back to the basics of our faith. We ask ourselves important questions which help us gauge how we are doing in our walk with Jesus. How much of our lives are we spending in partnership with Him? Is God truly receiving the majority of our attention or are we only peripherally aware of the grace we receive every day? Are we, like the man trying to purchase a half a head of lettuce, half in or are we all in? Has God truly got our attention?

It seems to me that we struggle between Easter and Good Friday. We struggle with which is the reality of life. And as we arrive here this morning, we have to admit that Good Friday is everywhere we look, every news story we hear.

The pandemic isn’t over yet in this country. We live with the awareness that more people are going to die before it leaves us.

The horrors in Ukraine are constantly before us and we can’t help but wonder how many more must die before the killing stops.

The media is having a field day with the reality of inflation as they predict doom for the economy.

Gun violence has reached epidemic proportions and there is so much of it that only the most heinous examples make the front page of the paper.

And it has become almost impossible to discern whom we can trust with power.

I could go on but it isn’t necessary. This is what Good Friday looks like in the world within which we live and frankly it gets a lot more play than Easter does.

Mary Magdalene went to the tomb on Easter morning before dawn with no expectations other than to tend to the body of Jesus with spices. She was still suffering from the loss of her teacher. She was still in a Good Friday frame of mind. What she found was an open tomb. She was instantly afraid Jesus’ body had been stolen. Here Good Friday feelings instantly grew even darker in that fear.

As the story continued Peter and another disciple raced to the tomb and found the wrappings lying in the tomb but no Jesus. Hmmm, what could that mean? They returned home wondering about it.

Mary remained at the tomb and encountered a man she mistakenly assumed was the gardener. But when she heard his voice, she instantly knew it was Jesus, risen from the dead. Resurrection. In that moment her Good Friday feelings evaporated and her Easter joy began. Resurrection had changed everything. She and her followers were soon shouting the good news for everyone to hear.

Now please understand. Nothing had changed in the world around them. The Romans were still in charge. Life was still incredibly hard. But how one encounters the world, the Good Friday world if you will, had changed. Where joy had made no sense before the resurrection, now joy was the only feeling that did.

Resurrection has no meaning unless others talk about it. Resurrection has no purpose unless others talk about it. Resurrection only has meaning if we share the good news of Easter with a world living Good Friday. Resurrection only can have meaning for those living as Easter people. Our job, as Easter people, is to tell others about resurrection and to keep reminding ourselves about it too.

So go and tell the world human beings no longer need fear death.

Go and tell the story about the life of Jesus Christ.

Go and tell the story about Jesus’ blueprint for living.

Go and tell the story about the Kingdom of God, right here, and right now.

Go and tell others about the joy found in doing the loving thing.

Go and tell the world that Good Friday is never the end. Resurrection is on the way.

This Easter my we open our whole selves to the meaning of resurrection. May we feel the love of God every day in our lives. May we commit ourselves to God’s work, following Jesus into our futures, knowing the joy, hope, and power found in his resurrection.

Hallelujah, Christ is Risen!

Palm Sunday / Sunday of the Passion

April 11, 2022 Andrea Schmid

by Fr. Bill Garrison

Please note that the following sermon text was provided prior to the audio recording. The two versions may differ substantially.

Luke 19:28-40

After telling a parable to the crowd at Jericho, Jesus went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. When he had come near Bethphage and Bethany, at the place called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of the disciples, saying, "Go into the village ahead of you, and as you enter it you will find tied there a colt that has never been ridden. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks you, 'Why are you untying it?' just say this, 'The Lord needs it.'" So those who were sent departed and found it as he had told them. As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, "Why are you untying the colt?" They said, "The Lord needs it." Then they brought it to Jesus; and after throwing their cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus on it. As he rode along, people kept spreading their cloaks on the road. As he was now approaching the path down from the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice for all the deeds of power that they had seen, saying,

"Blessed is the king
who comes in the name of the Lord!

Peace in heaven,
and glory in the highest heaven!"

Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, "Teacher, order your disciples to stop." He answered, "I tell you, if these were silent, the stones would shout out."

Luke 23:1-49

The assembly of the elders of the people rose as a body and brought Jesus before Pilate. They began to accuse him, saying, "We found this man perverting our nation, forbidding us to pay taxes to the emperor, and saying that he himself is the Messiah, a king." Then Pilate asked him, "Are you the king of the Jews?" He answered, "You say so." Then Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds, "I find no basis for an accusation against this man." But they were insistent and said, "He stirs up the people by teaching throughout all Judea, from Galilee where he began even to this place."

When Pilate heard this, he asked whether the man was a Galilean. And when he learned that he was under Herod's jurisdiction, he sent him off to Herod, who was himself in Jerusalem at that time. When Herod saw Jesus, he was very glad, for he had been wanting to see him for a long time, because he had heard about him and was hoping to see him perform some sign. He questioned him at some length, but Jesus gave him no answer. The chief priests and the scribes stood by, vehemently accusing him. Even Herod with his soldiers treated him with contempt and mocked him; then he put an elegant robe on him, and sent him back to Pilate. That same day Herod and Pilate became friends with each other; before this they had been enemies.

Pilate then called together the chief priests, the leaders, and the people, and said to them, "You brought me this man as one who was perverting the people; and here I have examined him in your presence and have not found this man guilty of any of your charges against him. Neither has Herod, for he sent him back to us. Indeed, he has done nothing to deserve death. I will therefore have him flogged and release him."

Then they all shouted out together, "Away with this fellow! Release Barabbas for us!" (This was a man who had been put in prison for an insurrection that had taken place in the city, and for murder.) Pilate, wanting to release Jesus, addressed them again; but they kept shouting, "Crucify, crucify him!" A third time he said to them, "Why, what evil has he done? I have found in him no ground for the sentence of death; I will therefore have him flogged and then release him." But they kept urgently demanding with loud shouts that he should be crucified; and their voices prevailed. So Pilate gave his verdict that their demand should be granted. He released the man they asked for, the one who had been put in prison for insurrection and murder, and he handed Jesus over as they wished.

As they led him away, they seized a man, Simon of Cyrene, who was coming from the country, and they laid the cross on him, and made him carry it behind Jesus. A great number of the people followed him, and among them were women who were beating their breasts and wailing for him. But Jesus turned to them and said, "Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. For the days are surely coming when they will say, 'Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bore, and the breasts that never nursed.' Then they will begin to say to the mountains, 'Fall on us'; and to the hills, 'Cover us.' For if they do this when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?"

Two others also, who were criminals, were led away to be put to death with him. When they came to the place that is called The Skull, they crucified Jesus there with the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. Then Jesus said, "Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing." And they cast lots to divide his clothing. And the people stood by, watching; but the leaders scoffed at him, saying, "He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Messiah of God, his chosen one!" The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine, and saying, "If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!" There was also an inscription over him, "This is the King of the Jews."

One of the criminals who were hanged there kept deriding him and saying, "Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us!" But the other rebuked him, saying, "Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed have been condemned justly, for we are getting what we deserve for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong." Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." He replied, "Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise."

It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon, while the sun's light failed; and the curtain of the temple was torn in two. Then Jesus, crying with a loud voice, said, "Father, into your hands I commend my spirit." Having said this, he breathed his last. When the centurion saw what had taken place, he praised God and said, "Certainly this man was innocent." And when all the crowds who had gathered there for this spectacle saw what had taken place, they returned home, beating their breasts. But all his acquaintances, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things.

We are invited today to relive Holy Week in one quick service. A little while ago Jesus entered into Jerusalem in great fanfare and excitement. The crowds were elated and were convinced Jesus was riding into the city in triumph. Their worlds would be changing swiftly and for the better.

Now it’s five days later and all their hopes and dreams have been crushed. They think it’s the end of the story. All hope is lost. Their dreams have been dashed. The world is dark, lonely, and dangerous. They walk with their heads down, crying tears of hopelessness in their anguish. It’s all over. The dream that seemed so real, so possible, is as dead as their savior.

It’s a bleak scene, isn’t it? Those closest to Jesus are retreating to be with each other, to talk about him, to wonder what has happened. How could this be? What do we do now, they wonder? Head back to Galilee perhaps? Go back to their old jobs, the old way of being? Their depression is massive and terribly heavy. It’s hard to put one foot in front of another.

I would venture a guess that almost everyone in this room has experienced feelings like this in our lives. I know I have.

Many years ago, I had reached what I was sure was the end of my life. The psychic pain was palpable and agonizing. Death felt preferable to what I was experiencing in those moments. What my problem was is immaterial at this time. Just take my word for it. I was hurting and hurting badly.

I found myself at my friend’s house, someone that had opened his home to me. It was about two in the morning as I recall. I lay there in pain. I was convinced I couldn’t take it for another minute. That’s when I reached out to the creator of the universe.

In that instance I experienced a soothing peace I will never forget. If I was to give it a color it was blue. It felt cool. I felt loved like never before. My pain was not completely removed. But I knew I would live. God had resurrected me from the hell in which I had been placed. I knew that once again I had a future.

The followers of Jesus were three days from their own resurrection with Jesus. They don’t know that today. All they can feel is the pain in the moment. They too wonder how anything can hurt so badly. They too reached out to God I am quite certain for relief.

The good news is that we know they hung on till Sunday. Jesus rose from the dead. And in that shining moment the pain ceased, the celebration began, and once again they had a future.

The Fifth Sunday in Lent

April 4, 2022 Andrea Schmid

by Fr. Bill Garrison

Please note that the following sermon text was provided prior to the audio recording. The two versions may differ substantially.

John 12:1-8

Six days before the Passover Jesus came to Bethany, the home of Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. There they gave a dinner for him. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those at the table with him. Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure nard, anointed Jesus' feet, and wiped them with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (the one who was about to betray him), said, "Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor?" (He said this not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief; he kept the common purse and used to steal what was put into it.) Jesus said, "Leave her alone. She bought it so that she might keep it for the day of my burial. You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me."

Harry and Martha drank their coffee as they listened to the morning weather report. "There will be three to five inches of snow today. You must park your cars on the odd-numbered side of the street." Harry got up from his coffee to move the car.

Two days later, they sat down with their cup of coffee and listened to the weather forecast. "There will be two to four inches of snow today. You must park your cars on the even-numbered side of the street." Harry got up from his coffee to move the car.

Three days later, they tuned in to the weather report. "There will be six to eight inches of snow today. You must park your cars on the... ." The power went off.

Harry said to Martha, "What am I going to do now?"

Martha said, "This time just leave the car in the garage."

Were you ready for that? It kind of snuck up on me and I imagine it did you too. Here is something else that surprised me.

Have you ever priced cosmetics? Most women know that there are lines of cosmetics that cost incredible amounts of money. Most men have some slight grasp of that fact, but we really aren’t all that well acquainted with how much we are talking about.

One time when my mother was visiting, she ran out of a couple of her Merle Norman cosmetics products. I see a couple of you ladies shaking your heads. Yes! That stuff is expensive.

Anyway, I found a Merle Norman store on the internet and drove over there and bought the two items in which she was of need. I was handed two very small little jars and charged well over one hundred dollars. I almost fainted. “Are you sure?” She assured me she was with a big smile on her face. I couldn’t believe it.

Well, if you want to know about expensive cosmetics how about the jar of Nard that Jesus was anointed with by Mary in today’s gospel story we just heard? Nard, for the uninitiated, comes from the Himalaya Mountains. It’s processed from a flowering plant that grows there. And it costs a lot of money. According to the gospel writer the jar of nard which anointed Jesus was worth three hundred denarii. Let’s put that in perspective. A Denarii was approximately a day’s pay for the common man. That means this jar of nard was worth three hundred days pay. In today’s terms that’s probably over forty thousand dollars. Holy Cow you say. No wonder Judas was upset by what happened.

On the face of it, what Mary did was of no practical sense. Judas was right. The nard could have been sold and something more practical done with the money. The writer of the gospel says that Judas wanted to steal the money, and that was his real interest. But the fact is that Judas had a point. The money could have gone for a more practical purpose other than anointing Jesus and making him smell nice. When Judas stated his feelings about it, Jesus snapped at him. There are two versions of what Jesus said, one in John which we read a bit ago, and one in Mark. In John we heard “"Leave her alone. She bought it so that she might keep it for the day of my burial. You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me."

I am particularly fond of Mark’s, and here I quote it. “Let her alone; why do you trouble her? She has performed a good service for me. For you always have the poor with you, and you can show kindness to them whenever you wish; but you will not always have me. She has done what she could.”

Isn’t this interesting? We have two reactions to Mary’s act. Mary has shown Jesus her love for him through this tremendously wasteful, and frankly worthless, act. But he appreciates it. Judas, who is the practical keeper of the community funds, The Treasurer for the community if you will, on the other hand does not appreciate what Mary has done at all. In fact, he thinks it’s stupid.

And so, we ask ourselves the most important question of all. What does this story have to do with us? What is the lesson we learn from this?

Well, let’s remember we don’t think like God. Let’s start there. God’s priorities are not our priorities. As we have discussed before we have a bad habit of projecting our thoughts onto God. So please forgive me as I live dangerously and think about the nature of God for a bit based on my encounters with God in scripture.

God created the cosmos and everything that is in it. God speaks things into existence. Probably God thinks things into existence too, but I don’t know. Maybe God’s speaking and thinking are the same thing. In any event God is able to produce anything that God might desire for the cosmos out of nothing, In God’s world there are no shortages. The idea of shortage as applied to God makes no sense at all since God is capable of creating anything at any time.

Jesus is the mirror image of God. Know Jesus and then know God. I assume that same statement works the other way too. Know God and then know Jesus. Jesus speaks thing into existence too. Think about the loaves and fishes when he fed everyone in the crowd. Think about the miracles he performed. So, the idea that Jesus isn’t particularly impressed with the value of Nard doesn’t surprise us, does it? Fifty cents or five hundred dollars are of no consequence to Jesus. He is interested in other things. In this case he is interested in the welfare of Mary. He seeks to protect her.

We live in a world of plenty. I have heard that to irradicate hunger would only cost thirty or forty billion dollars annually. I am talking about eliminating hunger for the whole planet. Yet people won’t share what they have. Instead, we hoard. Some of us having incredible riches and others less than nothing. God created plenty, much more than any of us need. The problem is we just won’t share. I imagine the idea of not sharing is as abhorrent to God as not being concerned about the price of beauty products is to us.

What God appears to be most interested in is relationship with each of us. I submit Jesus’ relationship with Mary is a great example of that. And I would also say that his relationship with Judas is equally important. You see I am certain Jesus knew Judas was stealing from the common purse. Jesus probably didn’t like that but he continued to trust Judas while hoping for the best. He wouldn’t give up on him.

Don’t you think God has a similar relationship with us? God has left us in charge of creation. If we are honest, we could be doing better than we are taking care of the planet don’t you think? People are starving because those with much are unwilling to share with those who have little. Yet God leaves us in charge. Maybe that’s where the phrase hope springs eternal comes from. God never gives up on us. God just loves us too much to do that.

Today perhaps our invitation is to give God’s love for us some thought.

The Third Sunday in Lent: Projecting

March 21, 2022 Andrea Schmid

by Fr. Bill Garrison

Please note that the following sermon text was provided prior to the audio recording. The two versions may differ substantially.

Luke 13:1-9

At that very time there were some present who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. He asked them, "Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way they were worse sinners than all other Galileans? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish as they did. Or those eighteen who were killed when the tower of Siloam fell on them--do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others living in Jerusalem? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish just as they did."

Then he told this parable: "A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came looking for fruit on it and found none. So he said to the gardener, 'See here! For three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and still I find none. Cut it down! Why should it be wasting the soil?' He replied, 'Sir, let it alone for one more year, until I dig around it and put manure on it. If it bears fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.'"

One day a young man was visiting the fair. Over to one side was a small tent, with a sign that said “For 20 dollars I'll teach you to be a mind reader! Apply within.” So, the young man thought that he'd give it a go, and went inside. Behind a small table inside was an old man, who looked up when the young man entered and said, “Ah, you must be here for the mind reading lessons.”

“Well, yes” the young man said.

“Well, follow me, and I'll give you your first lesson.” Then the old man went out the back of the tent and walked over to a hose, and picked up one end.

“Here, hold this hose.”

“Why?” said the young man.

“It's part of the lesson,” replies the old man, “Now, look in the end and tell me what you see.”

So, the young man looked into the end of the hose, and only saw darkness. “I don't see anything,” he told the old man.

Just then the old man turned on a tap, and the hose shot water into the young man’s face, “I had a feeling you'd do something like that!” the young man shouted at the old man.

“You are now a mind reader!” the old man replied, “That'll be 20 dollars.”

Have you ever been at a busy counter attempting to buy something? And it appears the clerk is ignoring you? They wait on others but not you. It doesn’t even seem like they are aware you exist at all. What the heck is going on here?

Photo by **Andrea Piacquadio** from **Pexels**

Do you attempt to guess what this person is thinking? Or why they do what they do? I do, and I bet you do too. For me it’s often about something that has disturbed me. I often come to a conclusion about why they did what they did. Usually for me it has something to do with my hurt feelings, or my assumption that I don’t matter in a certain situation having just been ignored. So, I tend to decide that the person was in fact ignoring me and didn’t care if my feelings were hurt, meanwhile thinking something or someone was more important.

Now as we think about it, that’s crazy, isn’t it? What we are doing is guessing what the other person is thinking. We don’t really know what they are thinking we must admit. So, we use a little logic. If we had done the same thing our reason for doing it would be that we didn’t care about the person and that something else was more important. So, then we project that understanding on to them.

Now honestly, we don’t know what anybody else is thinking do we? We can only guess, and when we guess we are probably projecting our own way of thinking and being on them. And, a tremendous percentage of the time we would be completely wrong.

Well how often do we also think we understand what God is thinking? How many times have you heard people speak for God? How often do you think they are projecting their own ideas onto God, or their ideas about what God should be thinking? Certain phrases that assume this knowledge really bother me, sort of like fingernails on a chalkboard. I’d like to share a small sampling of sayings that assume we know what God is thinking and that we can speak for God.

Here we go. It was the will of God that something happened to somebody. If I can be holy enough God will make sure that my life will be great. Everything happens for a reason. You are exactly where God wants you to be. Heard enough?

The gospel today contains a couple of stories that attest to the fact we should not be speaking God’s mind. In the first story Jesus is being asked if some Galileans deserved to be punished by God because they were worse sinners than other Galileans? Jesus’ answer is simple. No. Then he referenced a tower falling on eighteen people and asked if that happened because God was upset with them. Again, Jesus said no, God didn’t cause that. The tower just fell down and they happened to be under it.

Then Jesus told a parable. A tree wasn’t producing fruit and the owner wanted to cut it down. But the gardener interceded and said let’s put some manure around it and perhaps it will produce fruit next year. Jesus, of course, is the gardener in the parable. Remember, Jesus is the mirror image of God. The parable tells us that God protects life.

Jesus is making a point. God doesn’t destroy. Sometimes people destroy. Sometimes stuff happens. But God isn’t behind death and destruction. God gives life and protects life. That, Jesus is telling us, is the nature of God.

We human beings would run the cosmos in a vastly different way than God does. Things would have to be earned. Bad people would be punished. Good people would be rewarded. There would be rules and if you followed them good things would be awarded to you, and if you did bad things, you would be punished.

But we aren’t God and God follows a different set of principles. So perhaps we might think about ceasing to project our thoughts onto God. Just like we ought to try to stop projecting our thoughts onto other people. The truth is we don’t know what others are thinking and we certainly don’t know what God is thinking. Isn’t it enough to know God loves us and gives life to the world in spite of what we think?

The Second Sunday in Lent: One Thing We Can Count On

March 14, 2022 Andrea Schmid

by Fr. Bill Garrison

Please note that the following sermon text was provided prior to the audio recording. The two versions may differ substantially

Luke 13:31-35

Some Pharisees came and said to Jesus, "Get away from here, for Herod wants to kill you." He said to them, "Go and tell that fox for me, 'Listen, I am casting out demons and performing cures today and tomorrow, and on the third day I finish my work. Yet today, tomorrow, and the next day I must be on my way, because it is impossible for a prophet to be killed outside of Jerusalem.' Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! See, your house is left to you. And I tell you, you will not see me until the time comes when you say, 'Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.'"

It seems we spend our lives seeking things we can count on. When we first arrive in this world and are young everything seems permanent, but then as we begin to be polished by the wheel of life and time passes, we learn that almost nothing is permanent. We learn these lessons the hard way.

Before we get too serious, I want to tell you about a farmer who decided there was one constant in his life. This farmer’s name was Joe and he was out plowing one day and accidentally ran over an old stump that had never been fully removed from his field. As a result, his tractor tipped over throwing him out into the field and he was knocked out by the blow. The next thing he knew he was looking up into the face of his loving wife Agnes. “Agnes, here you are,” he whispered as she gently massaged his aching head. “Something bad has happened and here you are.”

“Agnes, do you remember when I was out fishing on the river a few years ago and fell in? I just about drowned and when I came to after struggling to get out of the water, there you were. And remember when I fell out of the tree when I was working on the kid’s play house some time back? The first thing I saw when I came too was your face looking down at me. And Agnes, remember the time I was up on the roof working on the leaks and accidentally rolled off? Sure enough the first thing I saw when I woke up from the fall was you.

Agnes, you are bad luck!”

Albuquerque - Daniel Schwen, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

As a child my father worked for the government and we moved a lot. I won’t bother you with all the places we lived but one of those places was Albuquerque, New Mexico. We lived there three times and the last time was during a very formative time in my life, High School and a couple years of college.

I loved my life there and I loved Albuquerque. I still do. But it isn’t the same today as it was then. I thought for years I would move there when I retired or sooner if I could, but no more. It has become a place to visit not live for me.

Some of my favorite things are still there, but for the most part the city has changed. As an example, I went to an all-boy’s school and a few years after I graduated, they started admitting girls. The parts of the city I wouldn’t mind living in have moved west, east, and north. Other parts of town, some of my favorites in my younger years, have changed and not for the better.

Another loss I have been thinking a lot about is the loss of the Christian church I had as a kid. I don’t mean the one specific church I might have been attending at any given time, wherever we might have been living since we moved a lot. I’m talking about the fact that Sundays were days when everyone went to church. That’s what you did if you were a decent person and didn’t want the neighbors thinking badly of you. You got up on Sunday morning and went to church with your family. I mean, you might as well go to church because businesses certainly weren’t open and you felt a little guilty being seen in public away from the church.

Of course, as we know, those days are gone too. Now Sunday morning is no big deal in our society. Most people think the week starts on Monday, not Sunday. Kids get scheduled to play sports and do other activities on Sunday morning rather than go to church. It never occurs to other organizations anymore that Sundays might be anything other than another day to schedule something for people to do. All the stores are open, many 24/7.

In the gospel this morning we heard that Jesus is in danger. Herod wants him dead. Some Pharisees have approached Jesus to warn him that he better be careful and move on out of the city before something bad happens.

Jesus replies that he has other plans. “Tell that old fox that I am busy today and tomorrow healing and driving out demons and in three days I will be finished with what I am doing.” In other words, Jesus has an itinerary and he is not going to deviate from it for Herod or for anybody else. There are people counting on Jesus to be there for them over the next three days and Jesus is committed to being there. Jesus had an agenda. Jesus would not deviate from it. If you had business coming up with Jesus you could count on him being there.

Now here’s the important point. Jesus had an agenda. It didn’t change because of problems with Herod. It undoubtedly did not change because of anyone else either. It was not an agreement. You do this and I will do that. No, Jesus was going to do what he intended to do regardless of anybody else.

Jesus is the best image of God we have. Jesus has the same characteristics as God. Study Jesus and know more about God. God has an agenda too, just like Jesus had.

We hear so often that we must do things in order for God to do something. It’s as if God is sitting around waiting for us to make a request or to act in a certain way so that God can act. Isn’t that ridiculous as you think about it? The creator of the universe is waiting for us to ask for God will to do something.

We hear things like we need to pray more and maybe we do, but not for God’s best interests. We hear we need to go to church more, and I’m sure we do, but again, not for God’s best interest. God doesn’t have a good or bad day depending on us. God has an agenda and things are going to happen God’s way in God’s time.

But please, I am not saying God is ignoring us. Nothing could be farther from the truth. And sometimes God does change things when we ask. Just like Jesus had an agenda, yet went out of his way to love and compassionately heal people, God does the same. Jesus was incredibly present while going about his business. God incredibly present too.

And here’s the part of all this amazes me. We know that the world is constantly changing, that the things we thought we could count on we can’t. We can all name things we thought at one time were permanent, but turned out not to be. Yet the creator of the cosmos, the prime mover of all of life, the most powerful force that ever could be and ever will be, will stop and pick up the phone when we call. Every time we call, God is on the other end of the line. Isn’t that incredible? Just think about that for a minute. God is on the other end every time we reach out.

So, I guess there is one thing we can count on after all, isn’t there? God will be there wherever we are.

The Seventh Sunday after Epiphany: Handling Change

March 14, 2022 Andrea Schmid

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.

The Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany: A Foundation for Faith

February 6, 2022 Andrea Schmid

by. Fr. Bill Garrison

Please note that the following sermon text was provided prior to the audio recording. The two versions may differ substantially.

1 Corinthians 15:1-11

I would remind you, brothers and sisters, of the good news that I proclaimed to you, which you in turn received, in which also you stand, through which also you are being saved, if you hold firmly to the message that I proclaimed to you--unless you have come to believe in vain.

For I handed on to you as of first importance what I in turn had received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures, and that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers and sisters at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. For I am the least of the apostles, unfit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me has not been in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them--though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. Whether then it was I or they, so we proclaim and so you have come to believe.

Luke 5:1-11

Once while Jesus was standing beside the lake of Gennesaret, and the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, he saw two boats there at the shore of the lake; the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little way from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat. When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch." Simon answered, "Master, we have worked all night long but have caught nothing. Yet if you say so, I will let down the nets." When they had done this, they caught so many fish that their nets were beginning to break. So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both boats, so that they began to sink. But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, "Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!" For he and all who were with him were amazed at the catch of fish that they had taken; and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. Then Jesus said to Simon, "Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching people." When they had brought their boats to shore, they left everything and followed him.

The gospel this morning has a famous story about catching fish so I thought I would tell a tale about fish too.

A woman was walking on a beach in Texas carrying two Redfish in a bucket. A game warden walks up and asked to see her fishing license.

“I don’t have a fishing license,” said the woman.

“You know it’s illegal to fish without a license, right?” asked the warden.

“I wasn’t fishing, officer. These Redfish are my pets.”

“Your pets?”

“Yes, officer. They like a little exercise, so when the weather’s fine, I take them to the water and let them swim around. Once they’re done, I give them a whistle and they jump back into my bucket and we head home.”

The officer wasn’t buying a word of it, so the woman said “Don’t believe me? Watch!” and she threw the fish into the sea.

The warden waited for a minute then said, “Alright, now whistle to your fish and make them jump out of the water.”

The fisherwoman turned to the officer and said, “What fish?”

I hope you will forgive me for jumping around a little bit. Something happens in the gospel that has always fascinated me since I learned the meaning of what Jesus has done. Specifically, he gets into a boat and has it pushed a small way away from shore, sits down, and then begins to teach the people on shore. Why would he do that? Isn’t there room for him on shore? Is the crowd too big?

No. Jesus is making an amphitheater so that the listeners can hear him better. The boat, water, and shore have formed a natural amphitheater. There are no sound systems in antiquity. They smartly created their own to augment their natural voices. I think that is really interesting and tells me something else important about Jesus.

The rest of the gospel is a miracle, a fish story. They caught a bunch of fish and Jesus laid out for them what their futures looked like. They would be catching people, not fish. They would be following him.

Now let’s go to the New Testament lesson. Here is where I would like us to concentrate. Paul is speaking. “For I handed on to you as of first importance what I in turn had received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures, and that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers and sisters at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me.”

I have spoken about this passage before. I will speak about it again in the future, I am sure. Personally, this passage is the foundation of my faith.

Paul wrote a letter to the folks in Corinth, this letter, from which we just read an excerpt, about year 55 or so of the First Century. That would have been about 20 or so years after the death and resurrection of Jesus. Paul never thought this letter would become part of history, but it has along with the six others he wrote that we find in the New Testament. (I know there are more than seven credited to Paul but scholarship has shown only seven of them were truly written by him.) These letters open a window into the reality of the first century. Again, they are historical in nature not just a nice story.

So, let’s hear again what he said. I will pick out the facts in the narrative. After his resurrection from the dead Jesus appeared to Cephas; that’s the nickname for Peter. He appeared to the Apostles. He appeared to more than five hundred men and women at one time, most of whom were still alive at the time of Paul’s writing. Then he appeared to James the brother of Jesus. And he appeared to Paul.

Folks I would be willing to wager that the risen Jesus was experienced by a ton of people. Probably if you hadn’t seen him yourself in the holy land you knew someone who had. The question of the day wasn’t whether Jesus had risen from the dead. People knew he had. The question was what exactly did it mean?

I remember one Easter when a fellow said to me, “You mean Jesus coming back from the dead really happened? Wow, that’s very cool.”

Yes. That’s very cool.

So, here’s our invitation. As human beings of the 21st century we have doubts about everything from time to time. We wonder if the resurrection is true, because if it isn’t we are all fools indeed as Paul states in another passage. So, don’t be afraid to reassure yourself. Look this passage up. Read it again, as many times as you need. Then feel once again the historical truth of the resurrection, and think about how much it means to each one of us. The resurrection of Jesus Christ makes everything different and everything so much better. Eternal life for each of us and Jesus’ formula for living is found there. It can’t get any better than that.

The Third Sunday after the Epiphany: Seeing Clearly

January 23, 2022 Andrea Schmid

by Fr. Bill Garrison

Please note that the following sermon text was provided prior to the audio recording. The two versions may differ substantially.

Luke 4:14-21

Jesus, filled with the power of the Spirit, returned to Galilee, and a report about him spread through all the surrounding country. He began to teach in their synagogues and was praised by everyone.

When he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, he went to the synagogue on the sabbath day, as was his custom. He stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written:

"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,

because he has anointed me
to bring good news to the poor.

He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives
and recovery of sight to the blind,
to let the oppressed go free,

to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."

And he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. Then he began to say to them, "Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing."

Here’s a funny I haven’t shared in quite a while and this quick story seems like a good place to start our conversation this morning.

Late one night a police officer saw a young fellow intently searching the ground near a lamppost and pulled over to ask him what was he looking for? Had he lost something? The you fellow replied that he was looking for his car keys. So, the officer decided to help him out and searched with him for a few minutes without success. Then, having not found them, he asked his new young friend where exactly he had dropped them.

The young man replied, “oh about thirty feet that way down the block.”

“Then why are we looking here?”, asked the officer.

“Because the light is much better here than it is way over there.”

Now we laugh at this joke and what makes it funny is how dumb this young man appears to be. But I wonder. Is he so different from most of the rest of us? Do we too spend a lot of our time looking for important things in places that make no sense? Hmmm. Let’s think about that for a moment as we review today’s gospel.

Jesus was visiting his home town, maybe his home synagogue. And since he was visiting the leaders asked him to read and teach a little bit. So, he opened the Isaiah scroll and read. Let’s hear it again.

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me

to bring good news to the poor.

He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.”

Then Jesus handed the scroll back to the attendant and spoke these words. “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”

Now think about being a person sitting in the room and witnessing what just happened. “What did he just say? Does he mean what I think he means? This guy is a carpenter’s son. We have known him since he was a kid. Now he thinks he’s the messiah? What? I don’t know if I am angry with him, or fearful for his sanity.”

And so, if we read the various accounts of this story, we find the crowd is not pleased with Jesus in any way, shape, or form.

Twenty centuries later we recognize the hometown folks missed the boat. Jesus was exactly the person being described in the Isaiah scroll. He is God’s great gift to the world. This fact he said was confirmed in their hearing. The folks in the room couldn’t accept it.

Let’s think about those in attendance. I am quite sure their goals in life were much as ours are. They wanted to live in a nice home with someone they loved. They wanted to have children and set their children up for successful lives. They looked after their parents in older age. When they went to their place of work, they wanted to be successful at what they did. Whatever appliances were available at the time to make their lives easier were something they hoped to have. They wanted good health and a rapid recovery from any illness that befell them. They wanted to be safe from harm. They wanted to know that the next day’s food wasn’t going to be a problem, that it was available. Friends were important, I am sure. Keeping the government and the police at bay was probably a priority, and not falling behind on their taxes was as important then as it is now. And most important of all they were looking for a system for living that would insure them of all of their necessities, hopes, and dreams.

This all sounds familiar, doesn’t it? Have you noticed how loudly people are promoting their particular panaceas for living today? Whatever issue you may have there is someone ready to tell you how to solve it or how to avoid it in the future. There are plans for everything I mentioned that concerned the people twenty centuries earlier and still concern the people of today. Just check out the billboards as you drive by, the ads as you watch television, the beliefs shouted at you from the radio, the self-help books in the stores, and the professionals for hire that promise to lead you down the correct path to their version of nirvana. Yet we, like those folks of old, struggle with the question of to whom to listen.

When I was a chaplain at St. Margaret’s some years ago, I was preaching a sermon to the high school kids and their teachers. I made the following statement during my chat which sent a few folks over the edge. Here is what I said. “I don’t care what name you use for God; every religion is worshipping the same God.”

Man, some people were mad at me. The idea that we all worship the same God, but sometimes in radically different ways, was just too much to accept. Most even went so far as to say there were different gods. I wonder what would have happened if I had mentioned that Jesus was always a Jewish male and never a Christian. In fact, Christianity didn’t even exist until well after Jesus’ lifetime.

But I digress a little bit. Here’s my point. A huge majority of the planet has some way of worshipping God. We Christians are lucky in our worship because Jesus gives us such great insight into the nature of God, and through Jesus we have eternal life. Yet we must also remember that every other major religion in the world thinks they have the best understanding and path to God too. And the common point? A huge majority of the world is worshipping the same God.

And so, as we move through our lives constantly bombarded by folks telling us how best to live those lives, do we realize we too are missing the obvious point? Jesus was in front of his hometown folks who could not see him for who he was. We seem often to have the same problem, a problem the entire planet seems to share. God, the creator of everything that exists, is seeking to be in relationship with every one of us. But perhaps God seems too familiar, just as Jesus seemed too familiar to the folks in his hometown, to be taken as seriously as God should be taken. So perhaps I will borrow the words of a fellow I used to coach football with. Perhaps once in a while we need to shake our heads a few times and get our eyes unstuck and recognize what’s right in front of us.

Christmas Eve

December 29, 2021 Andrea Schmid

by Fr. Bill Garrison

Please note that the following sermon text was provided prior to the audio recording. The two versions may differ substantially.

Luke 2:1-20

In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. All went to their own towns to be registered. Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David. He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for see-- I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger." And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying,

"Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace among those whom he favors!"

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us." So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

James and Neil were fortunate enough to have season tickets to watch their favorite football team play. They could not help noticing that there was always a spare seat next to them and they had a friend who would love to buy a season ticket, especially if all three could have seats together.

One half-time Neil went to the ticket office and asked if they could buy the season ticket for A16, that empty seat. The ticket agent said that unfortunately the ticket had been sold. Nevertheless, week after week the seat was still empty.

Then on the first Sunday after Christmas, much to James and Neil's amazement, the seat was taken for the first time that season. Neil could not resist asking the newcomer, 'Where have you been all season?'.

'Don't ask' he said, 'the wife bought the season ticket last summer, and kept it for my special Christmas present.'

I have a confession to make. Christmas Eve is my favorite Christian celebration of the year. I know! It should be Easter, and I completely understand why. But ever since I became aware of Christmas Eve as a church service, not just as a night to get through until morning so I could open my presents, this service has remained my favorite.

The first place I remember celebrating Christmas Eve was at St. Marks-On-The-Mesa Episcopal Church in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Southwest architecture lends itself to making memories. If you are unaware, many of the buildings in that part of the country have flat roofs. Yes, they do and they appear to be of adobe construction even when they aren’t.

At Christmas time many people outline the buildings with Luminarios. Those are sacks containing sand and a candle which is lit at night. They also place them at other prominent places such as walkways. I know it sounds dangerous, so I imagine many of the lights were actually battery-operated electric lights, but either way the look is magnificent.

Combining the lights with the cold, crisp air, the greenery inside the church, and the incredible music we hear at this time of year, you have an experience never to be forgotten. At least I never have. I set the scene clearly in my mind’s eye all these many years later.

The second place I have great memories of at Christmas Eve is in Bartlesville, Oklahoma at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church. The building sort of reminds one of a Cathedral, but shrunk down to church size. It’s a very beautiful church. The look remains magnificent inside, and it definitely feels like a special church the moment you enter.

Normally it’s pretty cold there on Christmas Eve, sometimes ten degrees or below. For some reason I only remember clear skies with stars so close you believe that reaching up and touching them is entirely possible. They are there shining when you enter, and there when you leave. Sometimes there’s a little snow on the ground making the night a little bit brighter. And the service is spectacular. The music is fabulous. The camaraderie is wonderful. You know you have been someplace special when the service is over.

And I have fabulous memories of previous services here at St. Matthias too. Our church is beautiful at Christmas Eve. Just take a moment and look around. And as you know, and have experienced so far this evening, the music is incredible.

You are wonderful people. It’s truly a pleasure to be with you this evening or any other time.

Now I know I have heard a sermon every time I have been in church on Christmas Eve. I can even tell you about some of the people I have heard speak. But honestly, I can’t remember a thing they said. And one more admission – I can’t remember much of what I have said either on those occasions when I was the preacher.

As I think about it, Christmas Eve isn’t a time for great oratory. It isn’t a time for important theological treatises. It’s a time for feeling, for experience, for the awareness of God and the Holy Spirit. It’s a time of beauty. Words almost get in the way other than the words we say together as a congregation within the service. Those words said together seem to rise in the air and become one with the presence of the almighty.

So, I am not going to take up any more of your time tonight. Instead, I am going to suggest we take a few minutes together and soak up our surroundings. Let’s make memories to be carried forward to the next Christmas Eve and the ones after that. God is with us and will be there too.

The Second Sunday of Advent: A Sign Pointing the Way

December 7, 2021 Andrea Schmid

by Fr. Bill Garrison

Please note that the following sermon text was provided prior to the audio recording. The two versions may differ substantially.

Luke 3:1-6

In the fifteenth year of the reign of Emperor Tiberius, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was ruler of Galilee, and his brother Philip ruler of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias ruler of Abilene, during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness. He went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah,

John the Baptizer, fresco from Gračanica Monastery, Kosovo, c. 1235

"The voice of one crying out in the wilderness:

'Prepare the way of the Lord,
make his paths straight.

Every valley shall be filled,
and every mountain and hill shall be made low,

and the crooked shall be made straight,
and the rough ways made smooth;

and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.'"

You know I just love taking car trips. I suppose I am an introvert because for me there is nothing better for getting away from the stress than getting out on the open road. I love the seeing new things, stopping at gas stations (well maybe a little less than I used to considering the price of gas), finding a roadside diner that looks like it might be good. I like finding motels and talking with people I know I probably will never see again. I like the way the weather can be on the road. I like driving at night. In short I like everything there is about traveling by car. Ok maybe I don’t like the flat tires that occasionally show up. One of my dreams is to travel the country when I have the time and health to do it, God willing.

Speaking about traveling let me tell you a quick story about a group of monks who were traveling together after many years in their monastery. They had decided to take a trip for a vacation in Florida.

While traveling along a highway patrolman pulled them over. He knew immediately by their dress that they were monks.
Cop: "Brothers, this is a 65 MPH highway -- why are you going so slow?"
Monk: "Sir, I saw a lot of signs that said 22, not 65."
Cop: "Oh my goodness, that's not the speed limit, that's the name of the highway you're on!
Monk: Oh! Silly me! Thanks for letting me know. I'll be more careful.
At this point the cop looked in the backseat where the other monks were shaking and trembling.
Cop: Excuse me, brother, what's wrong with your friends back there? They're very pale and shaking terribly.
Monk: Oh, we just got off of highway 119.

About a dozen years ago we took a car trip of about four weeks. I loved every minute of it. Now how did we figure out where we were going each day? We used old fashioned roadmaps. We knew where our ultimate destinations were but we didn’t know exactly how we wanted to get there. We tried to avoid major interstates as much as possible so we looked each day for a route less traveled, usually a two-lane road. It’s amazing what you can see from a small highway as opposed to a massive interstate.

Well one of the things we saw were towns, and lots of churches in those towns. I have no idea how many churches we saw, but one thing I can attest to is that there are tons of churches in this country. Not only are there a lot of churches but there are all different types of churches, hundreds of denominations it seems.

As I traveled I got to wondering how it was possible for all these different churches to have so many different understandings of how to worship God and attain salvation. I expect each of them was sincere in their theological doctrines. I am equally sure every one of them felt that they were right in some important respect and that the rest of us were either wrong or misguided. Each of them was, metaphorically speaking, following their own roadmap. I have, since that trip, thought a lot about all those churches and all those ways of understanding the same Jesus and the same God.

The gospel we heard a bit ago is the beginning of Luke’s well documented account of John the Baptizer. John was a very famous figure and had an equally famous father. He was also completely unorthodox in his dress and lifestyle.

Now the life roadmap for John, since his father was a priest, was pretty well laid out for him even before he was born. The expectations were that John too would be a priest, and that he would conduct himself in an expected way.

But John shocked a lot of people and traveled down another highway. He wound up in the wilderness at the Jordan River, dressed in camel hair, with a leather belt around his waist. He ate bugs and honey and called everybody to account for their sins in a very old-fashioned, Hebrew Scriptures, prophetic way.

John wasn’t nice about it either. He called those in power the worst of all the sinners, and what he offered was an opportunity for redemption through baptism. His actions eventually landed him in prison and unfortunately his head on a platter.

Now John was famously often asked who he was. His answer was simple and let me paraphrase in travel terms. John said he was a sign, a sign sitting on the side of the road as we travel along. He was a sign that points to the coming Messiah. He was baptizing with water but the one coming was going to baptize with the Holy Spirit. The one coming was going to change the world. We are told that Jesus in a short time came to the Jordan for John to baptize him. I’m sure that was a huge day for John.

Now I return to all those churches I saw on my trip and all those different roadmaps to an understanding of Jesus Christ. I imagine all of them start in the same place. It works like this. John is pointing the way to Jesus Christ. When all of us arrive, and we get to know Jesus, we are introduced to his life. We learn he was smart, compassionate, and did some incredible things. The most incredible of course being his resurrection from the dead, insuring each of us eternal life.

We can argue about everything that happens in between starting with John and arriving at the cross and the resurrection all we want. And it’s fun to think about the things that happen along the way, and great fun to debate them with each other. But the basics remain the same. That’s why we all celebrate Christmas, and why we all celebrate Easter.

Folks it’s Advent. God is on the way. A special baby will soon be born.

Christ the King Sunday: "What is Truth?"

November 22, 2021 Andrea Schmid

by Fr. Bill Garrison

Please note that the following sermon text was provided prior to the audio recording. The two versions may differ substantially.

John 18:33-37

Pilate entered the headquarters again, summoned Jesus, and asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” Jesus answered, “Do you ask this on your own, or did others tell you about me?” Pilate replied, “I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests have handed you over to me. What have you done?” Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not from this world. If my kingdom were from this world, my followers would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not from here.” Pilate asked him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.” Pilate asked him, “What is truth?”

Interior of Cathedral, Pécs, Hungary - Photo by Takkk

Welcome to Christ the King Sunday. Every year I wonder how Jesus would feel about that title. In any event we will be concentrating on the last line of the gospel read just a moment ago. Pilate asked this question. “What is truth?” It’s a question that rings as loudly today as it ever has, I suspect.

Let’s start off with a funny I haven’t thought about in quite a few years. A businessman was interviewing job applications for the position of manager for a large division. He quickly devised a test for choosing the most suitable candidate. He simply asked each applicant this question, “What is two and two?”

The first interviewee was a journalist. His answer was, “Twenty-two”.

The second was a social worker. She said, “I don't know the answer but I'm very glad that we are having the opportunity to discuss it.”

The third applicant was an engineer. He pulled out a slide rule, something you don’t see every day anymore, and came up with an answer, “somewhere between 3.999 and 4.001.”

Next came an attorney. He stated that “in the case of Jenkins vs. the Department of the Treasury, two plus two was proven to be four.”

Finally, the businessman interviewed an accountant. When he asked him what two and two was, the accountant got up from his chair, went over to the door, closed it, came back and sat down. Leaning across the desk, he said in a low voice, “How much do you want it to be?”

He got the job.

There was a time in my life that I thought the truth was the truth. That was a long time ago. Now I recognize the truth in one instance may not be the truth in another. In fact, I am now aware that people, especially many important people, recognize that the truth can be hard to pin down and use that fact for their own advancement. They purposely lie in order to achieve their own goals. Fomenting confusion about the truth, and promoting lies in its’ place, is now an often-accepted method of communication.

We live in a world in which up and down have meaning. That is true because we stand on the earth and are held down by gravity. Also, the sun progresses across the sky in a certain way so we can tell East from West, and since we can do that, we are also able to discern North from South. There is a lot of truth to be found in these simple understandings.

Imagine for a moment you are in space millions of miles from the earth. Suddenly up and down, along with the rest of the directions we count on make no sense. We would be completely disoriented. It would be much like being under water with no idea where up or down is, much less any other direction we might be familiar with.

Therefore, we realize that our position in the universe is entirely dependent on our relationship with other objects, objects we can count on. When we lose awareness of them, we lose ourselves. We become directionless. We have absolutely no idea what direction by which we should proceed.

It seems to me that modern life has become something like this. Many of us have metaphorically lost our ability to know our position in the universe of human contemplation and action. We are often confused about what is right and what is wrong. We have lost touch with the truth. Through the loss of long understood fundamental guideposts, and the insistence from others that we take up new understandings that they support as real, life has become filled with confusion.

As Pilate asked Jesus. “What is truth?”

As I think about how he asked the question I hear sarcasm. He was a politician. He was accustomed to what we are talking about. He knew the truth could be manipulated. I can see him rolling his eyes as he spoke. “What is truth?”

Jesus, just before Pilate’s question, said this to him. “For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.” Pilate’s question was in response to this statement. I often wonder if Pilate later in his life thought about what Jesus had said, and even more importantly remembered what his response had been. I hope he did.

Jesus said he testified to the truth. We understand this to mean the truth he and God shared about the universe, and more importantly about us, the people on this earth. So, specifically what did he mean? Let’s take a look at some of what Jesus spoke about and represented.

He talked about having a loving relationship with God and loving our neighbor as we love ourselves. He demonstrated compassion in his words and actions. He spoke about the need for common sense when interpreting the scriptures. He taught us about prayer and even gave us one as an example. He talked about servant leadership – if you want to be the greatest you must choose to be the least. He described the Kingdom of God and how it has come close to each of us. He opened the gates of eternal life.

Isn’t this the star we can use to find ourselves? Isn’t the life of Jesus Christ and the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob the place to find where we are in the universe? To help us to move in a meaningful direction and avoid running in circles or following guideposts that just aren’t real? The Trinity provides us with a metaphorical up and down, an east, west, north, and south.

Our invitation is twofold I think today. First of all, let’s decide to spend time remembering what we have been taught in scripture about God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. What advice do they give us for living? What signposts do they provide for finding our way? They are the light in the darkness that enlightens our paths if we will but pay attention.

And second, we are invited to use what we already know and are continuing to learn to examine whether what others tell us is the truth. Does what they say match the truth found in the Kingdom of God? Is what we are being told loving, compassionate, and filled with the Holy Spirit? Does it fit within what we find in the commandments of the creator? Does it serve our neighbors or tear them apart? Does it bring us closer or push us away from each other?

This morning we know we have the tools to find truth. Let’s use them and encourage others to do the same.

All Saints Sunday

November 9, 2021 Andrea Schmid

by Fr. Bill Garrison

Please note that the following sermon text was provided prior to the audio recording. The two versions may differ substantially.

John 11:32-44

Lazarus Come Forth - Harold Copping (Public Domain)

When Mary came where Jesus was and saw him, she knelt at his feet and said to him, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died." When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her also weeping, he was greatly disturbed in spirit and deeply moved. He said, "Where have you laid him?" They said to him, "Lord, come and see." Jesus began to weep. So the Jews said, "See how he loved him!" But some of them said, "Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?"

Then Jesus, again greatly disturbed, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone was lying against it. Jesus said, "Take away the stone." Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, "Lord, already there is a stench because he has been dead four days." Jesus said to her, "Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?" So they took away the stone. And Jesus looked upward and said, "Father, I thank you for having heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I have said this for the sake of the crowd standing here, so that they may believe that you sent me." When he had said this, he cried with a loud voice, "Lazarus, come out!" The dead man came out, his hands and feet bound with strips of cloth, and his face wrapped in a cloth. Jesus said to them, "Unbind him, and let him go."

As you know I often start our talks with a joke. But today, All Saints Day, doesn’t feel like the right time for a joke. Instead, how about a very short little story? It’s a story that could be the whole sermon truthfully.

A nine-year-old child lived next door to an elderly gentleman who had recently lost his wife. Upon seeing the man cry, the little boy went into the old gentleman’s yard, climbed onto his lap, and just sat there. When his mother asked what he had said to the neighbor, the little boy said,

‘Nothing, I just helped him cry.’

As a priest of some experience, I can tell you we do nothing more important in our lives than what that little boy did. We can sit with people that are hurting, and be there with them as they cry.

As I get older, I get softer and softer. It seems sometimes that I cry at everything. I cry at the end of books. I cry during movies. Wherever people are hurting I cry. Maybe they don’t know it, but I do.

Right now, I am thinking about the movie “Gladiator.” I am sure most of you have seen it. The ending gets me every time. I know it’s coming, but I just can’t stop myself. When Maximus lies dead on the floor of the coliseum the sister of the emperor says these words that ripple through me. I can hear her now.

“He was a soldier of Rome. Honor him.”

It gets me every time.

Or in “Field of Dreams”. That movie wasn’t five minutes old and I knew I was in trouble. The scene in which the son asks his long dead father to play catch with him moves me every time. It reminds me that I would give anything to play catch with my father once again. I am sure some of the folks here today would like to do that too, wouldn’t you? Or at least do something like it that means much to you.

Right now, I can see my grandmother sitting in the corner of her living room at the farm working a crossword puzzle. Oh, how much I would like to see her one more time, to hear her voice speaking to me. I’m positive you know what I mean. Maybe it moves you to a tear or two?

The gospel today is fascinating, isn’t it? Jesus and Lazarus have a date to do something special. Jesus is going to raise him from the dead. The fact that it actually happens overwhelms the rest of the story. In my book we overlook some really special things as a result of this fabulous miracle. Let me reread the part that echoes through my mind every time I think about the story.

“When Mary came where Jesus was and saw him, she knelt at his feet and said to him, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died."

When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her also weeping, he was greatly disturbed in spirit and deeply moved.

He said, "Where have you laid him?" They said to him, "Lord, come and see." Jesus began to weep.

We ask ourselves why was he weeping? He knew he could and would raise Lazarus from the dead, so he isn’t crying because Lazarus was gone. And so since he could resurrect Lazarus, he wasn’t crying for either himself or Lazarus. So why was he so deeply moved?

The obvious answer is that he was deeply moved by the pain being suffered around him, by Martha and Mary and the others who were crying. Their suffering moved him to tears. Jesus was crying for them, not for himself. He was feeling what they were feeling.

And then, out of his compassion, Jesus gave Martha and Mary their brother back. Their pain filled him and he returned their brother to them. Lazarus walked out of the grave and back into their lives.

Jesus cries with us, and not for himself. Jesus suffers as we suffer. He feels our pain deeply. Like the little boy in the story, he helps us cry. And, as you know, because of the resurrection, suffering isn’t the end of the story. Life goes on.

Today we celebrate All Saints Day. It’s the day we remember those that have gone before us. We are invited to think about our time with them. We are invited to cry a little bit in our loss and in their stories.

And it is also time to think about the future when because of Jesus, we will see them again. Just as Martha and Mary were reunited with Lazarus, we will be reunited with those that have gone before us. We will see them again. Think about that. What a joyous day that will be.

Why don’t we take a few moments to quietly think about that day? Who do you want to see? What would you like to say to them? Let’s take a few minutes in our imaginations to think about what is coming. I will let you know when it’s time to move on. So go in peace to be with those you love for a little while.

Thanksgiving in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen

The Twenty-first Sunday after Pentecost: “What is it you want me to do for you?”

October 17, 2021 Andrea Schmid

by Fr. Bill Garrison

Please note that the following sermon text was provided prior to the audio recording. The two versions may differ substantially.

Mark 10:35-45

James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came forward to Jesus and said to him, “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.” And he said to them, “What is it you want me to do for you?” And they said to him, “Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.” But Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?” They replied, “We are able.” Then Jesus said to them, “The cup that I drink you will drink; and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized; but to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared.”

When the ten heard this, they began to be angry with James and John. So Jesus called them and said to them, “You know that among the Gentiles those whom they recognize as their rulers lord it over them, and their great ones are tyrants over them. But it is not so among you; but whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you must be slave of all. For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.”

Jesus Discourses with His Disciples - James Tissot (Public Domain)

I heard a story about a person who has spent a lot of years working in corporations small, large, and massive. He has climbed the corporate ladder and has arrived at some rules for advancement that are invariably true. Here is one of those stories.

One day, a turkey was walking down the road. He looked up, and saw a raven sitting on the upper branches of a tree. He looked at the raven, and said, "Hey Raven... It must be nice to be all the way up there. I wish I could get up there too, but I'm just too tired".

The raven replied, "well, Mr. Turkey, there's some bologna on the ground right at the bottom of the tree that a child dropped when she didn’t finish her sandwich. It's got a tone of nutrients. Why don't you peck at that for a while and see if you get more energy?"

So, the turkey pecked at the bologna for a while, and with his strength up, was able to hop / fly up to one of the higher branches on the tree.

After a little while, a farmer came around. He saw the turkey sitting up in the top of the tree and took out a shotgun, and blasted the turkey and took him home for dinner.

What's the moral of our story? Bologna may get you to the top, but it won't keep you there.

A few minutes ago, we heard about “The Sons of Thunder.” Who is that you say? Why that’s the nickname Jesus gave the Zebedee brothers. “Sons of Thunder”. Please don’t tell me Jesus didn’t have a sense of humor.

We wonder how they came to receive that nickname. Were they somewhat bombastic? Were they captains of industry? Were they an example of success to those with whom they encountered? Did they have the right haircut, the right clothes, the right sandals, know the right people, ride the right donkey, sing with fabulous voices? Were they experts in Torah studies?

We know they wanted to succeed in life because of the question they asked Jesus. “Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.” That’s a pretty huge request. It might be like being the next in line in a huge corporation, only bigger, I guess.

The brothers have tied their futures to him. He is the real deal. He is the son of God as far as they can tell. He speaks well, is incredibly intelligent, wonderfully compassionate, backs down to no one, I mean he is questioned by Pharisees, Sadducees, priests, and everybody else in power and he makes them all look silly. Tying one’s future to Jesus is definitely the way to go! The future is so bright they must wear sunglasses.

Now let’s take a moment and think about these fellows. Don’t we all have a little of this same desire for success they have? Wouldn’t we like to sit at the top and enjoy the fruits of our journey to get there? Haven’t you imagined what it would be like? Who have you hooked your future to?

Every modern organization has a mission statement that defines it in a sentence or two. We will make the finest widgets in the world. We will be an address for the Kingdom of God. We will be the finest teachers of business methods. As people we too have mission statements whether we are aware of it or not. I want to be the richest person around. I want to be a great author. I want to live my life in a certain way. I want to be a successful, fill in the blank.

Now what I find really interesting and more important than the mission statement for our discussion today is the mission question that generally goes unstated. If I commit myself to one of these organizations, or to a leader of some sort, or a lifestyle of some sort what is in it for me? That’s the big question today: what is in it for me? If I am going to sacrifice and give up other options, what is in it for me? If I am going to be your friend what is in it for me? If I am going to have a relationship with you what is in it for me? If I am going to go to church here what is in it for me?

What is in it for me? I cannot imagine a more common or a more dangerous question. This is the question that ruins friendships, strains and breaks relationships, and turns church goers into Christian consumers. Think about it. Life becomes transactional. The question is all about me, me, me. Life is lonely and there is never enough. The hole in one’s chest becomes impossible to fill. Nothing, and no one, is ever good enough.

As usual Jesus has a better idea which he models for us. His question is completely different. Rather than asking what is in it for him he asks a better question. “What is it you want me to do for you?”

Now before we go on, we must remember that Jesus was not an open check book. When the brothers asked Jesus to be beside him, he told them it was not his to give. On the other hand, when those truly in need told him what they needed he gladly gave it to them. He discerned the needs of each person and gave what he was able, and called to give, each time. Jesus was an incredibly intelligent and brave man. He was not a sucker. I am quite certain if he felt the loving answer was no that is what he said. Jesus would ask nothing more or less of us.

Jesus invites us to leave the life of never-ending deals and grasping and take up another life, a life of service. If we can step on board with Jesus, even for a little bit at first, we discover another world opening in front of us.

I think most of us realize that service as a way of life is far more meaningful than a transactional lifestyle. Great good comes from emptying oneself rather than grasping and hoarding. Giving away and helping leads one to feelings than cannot be experienced in any other way. Through this way of living, we discover that abundance already exists. The cosmos refills us with goodness and joy faster than we can empty ourselves. We find that through giving what we have away, somehow, we wind up lacking nothing.

Yes, it’s counter-cultural. Yes, we must test the waters some before we dive into the deep end of the pool. But when we do get our feet wet, we discover a feeling of satisfaction that cannot be found in any other way.

What do you want me to do for you?

Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost: On Compassion

October 3, 2021 Andrea Schmid

by Fr. Bill Garrison

Mark 10:2-16

Some Pharisees came, and to test Jesus they asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?” He answered them, “What did Moses command you?” They said, “Moses allowed a man to write a certificate of dismissal and to divorce her.” But Jesus said to them, “Because of your hardness of heart he wrote this commandment for you. But from the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female.’ ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.”

Then in the house the disciples asked him again about this matter. He said to them, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her; and if she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery.”

People were bringing little children to him in order that he might touch them; and the disciples spoke sternly to them. But when Jesus saw this, he was indignant and said to them, “Let the little children come to me; do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs. Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it.” And he took them up in his arms, laid his hands on them, and blessed them.

This morning Jesus is talking about a couple of things in the gospel we just read. The first and perhaps most important is compassion, and the second is the gift of the Kingdom of God.

To get things started about compassion here is a little funny.

There were three guys talking one morning in a coffee shop. Two of them were talking about the amount of control they have over their wives, while the third remained quiet. After a while one of the first two turned to the third and said, "Well, you haven’t said a word. What about you, what sort of control do you have over your wife?" The third fellow said, puffing up a little, "I'll tell you. Just the other night my wife came to me on her hands and knees." The first two guys were amazed. "What happened then?" they asked. "She said, 'get out from under the bed and fight like a man'."

If you will recall, today’s gospel started off with Jesus being tested by some Pharisees in public. By definition, in those days, asking a question in public was always treated as hostile. The normal thing to do was to answer a question with a question and we will see that Jesus does that.

They were testing Jesus’ knowledge of scripture. So, they asked Jesus this question. “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?” Now under Roman law divorce being brought by a woman was a possibility, but under Jewish law and custom only a man could seek a divorce. And the truth of it was that it wasn’t really a divorce as we would experience it. If you check the Greek, it was actually called a dismissal, a rejection, an expulsion. These are ugly words for an ugly reality.

Here is an example of the difference between a divorce and a dismissal. Think about the Blessing of the Animals. You bring an animal to be blessed. They had no say in the decision. They even have no say if you decide you don’t want them around anymore and decide to take them to the pound or give them away. They are property, just like a chair, or anything else you might own. Now you aren’t supposed to mistreat them, but other than that you can do as you please. This is pretty much the relationship between men and women in the first century. Women in the Holy Land had no right to seek a divorce. Men could dismiss a woman whenever they chose, for any reason, and I mean any reason. Women could not. They were a possession.

And so, what would happen if a woman was dismissed? She couldn’t return to her family. They would be ashamed of her. Her options for survival were pretty limited. Being dismissed could literally wind up being a death sentence for a woman if she was unable to accept a life of begging or prostitution. If she was lucky she might find a man that would accept her.

Jesus answered the question he was asked with a question of his own. “What does the law of Moses say?”

“Well”, said the Pharisees, “a man may present her with a scroll of dismissal.”

The compassion of Jesus comes through clearly in his reply to their answer. He told them that Moses only said that was ok because he knew how hard hearted the men were that sent their wives away. Jesus was very aware of the fate awaiting a rejected woman and simply states to these Pharisees that Moses was wrong and the system was unfair.

Male and female were created in God’s image. What God had joined together let no one pull apart. The Greek says yoked together, not joined.

Later when Jesus and his disciples were alone, they asked him to explain further what he had just said. They were probably a little surprised by what they have just heard him say. So, Jesus nailed it down for them. He gave equal rights to both the man and the woman in a divorce saying that if either married another they were committing adultery. What God had yoked together was not to be torn apart.

Now let’s not get all caught up in whether divorce is ever appropriate. That’s each of our decisions to make and every situation is different. I firmly believe there are times that divorce is the only option.

What I really want us to think about are a couple of things. First of all, what Jesus has said is about compassion as much as anything else. It is not ok to hurt another human being as women were being hurt when a man dismissed her. Second, Jesus was raising the status of women toward the level of men. Again and again, we see Jesus standing with the oppressed in scripture

And now we get to the rest of today’s gospel. It says that people were bringing children to Jesus for his blessing and the disciples were trying to stop them from doing so. If we remember from a couple of weeks ago people did not see children in the same way we do today. Jesus said to bring them to him because he had a point to make.

Jesus said something in the context of children that looms large. He said that whoever does not receive the Kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it. I don’t know about you but every time I think about this sentence, I concentrate on what it means to be child-like. And then I think about the word receive. Receive is a gift word. Receive means we somehow acquire or become the receptacle of something.

In this case Jesus is telling us that we receive the Kingdom of God. We can’t earn it because we are told we must be child-like to receive it. We can’t control it for the same reason. So, by definition the Kingdom of God is something freely given to those who cannot possibly earn it, qualify for it, or control it.

You know when I speak with others about God, I am amazed how we never cease attempting to be in control of our relationship with God just like we try to control everything else in our lives. We are constantly attempting to earn our way to God’s love and salvation. The idea that God’s grace is freely given is almost impossible for us to get our minds around. Yet Jesus could not be stating that case more clearly than he is in this gospel. We receive the Kingdom of God. We don’t earn it. We can’t earn it. It is freely given and we are the receptacles.

Is it any wonder that Jesus took the attitude he did when asked about a man dismissing a woman? In the Kingdom of God people are not treated like possessions. In the Kingdom of God, the love of God and God’s grace abounds. How can we, who receive the Kingdom of God at no charge, who in fact receive the Kingdom of God as little children, freely given to us in the most delightful ways, possibly justify domination or abuse of others?

This is Jesus’ point. This is where it all ties together. We are not in control. We will never be in control. This is God’s world. The Kingdom of God cannot be earned, and is freely given to God’s children. All we are ever asked to do is to love God, and to do the loving thing with others. This includes our spouses, our families, our friends, our associates, and everyone else we may run across. Hmmm.

Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost

September 26, 2021 Andrea Schmid

by Fr. Bill Garrison

Please note that the following sermon text was provided prior to the audio recording. The two versions may differ substantially.

Mark 9:30-37

Jesus and his disciples passed through Galilee. He did not want anyone to know it; for he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, “The Son of Man is to be betrayed into human hands, and they will kill him, and three days after being killed, he will rise again.” But they did not understand what he was saying and were afraid to ask him.

Then they came to Capernaum; and when he was in the house he asked them, “What were you arguing about on the way?” But they were silent, for on the way they had argued with one another who was the greatest. He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, “Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all.” Then he took a little child and put it among them; and taking it in his arms, he said to them, “Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes not me but the one who sent me.”

I often look back at sermons I have preached in the past to refresh my understanding of the gospel for the coming Sunday. Some gospels, like the one you just heard, I have spent a lot of time with, and am grateful for that. The gospel this week, among other things, speaks about children in the first century. It has much to teach us. So, in that vein I thought I would share a story about learning something from a child.

One day, a wealthy family man took his son on a trip to the country so he could have his son see how poor country people were. He wanted his son to learn to appreciate all that they had.

They stayed one day and one night at the farm of a very humble farm family.

When they got back home the father asked the son, “What did you think of the trip”?

The son replied, “Very nice Dad.”

Dad said, “Did you notice how poor they were?”

“Yes”.

“So, what did you learn from this trip?”

“I’ve learned that we have one dog in the house, and they had four. We have a fountain and imported lamps in our garden. They have a stream with no end and the stars in the sky. Our garden goes to the edge of our property. They have the entire horizon as their back yard.”

The father was speechless.

Then his son said, “Thank you Dad, for showing me what true riches really looks like.”

Isn’t that a great story? The young often have wisdom beyond their age and are able to see things we cannot so readily see.

The gospel today is a uniquely special one in my books. It speaks to an important way of being in the world and with each other. Let’s take a look.

First of all as we heard, Jesus tells those listening that he will be killed and be raised from the dead on the third day. They of course cannot get their heads around this announcement as he is still with them, and people do not routinely come back from the dead.

But we have a different perspective. We know the rest of the story, and we recognize two things. First, because of his sacrifice on the cross we have eternal life, which frankly is as hard to understand today as his coming resurrection was for those listening in the first century. Second, we have an incredible example of servant leadership in his willingness to die on our behalf. More on this in a little bit.

Then we heard the two brothers who had been arguing about who was the greatest. We are unsure about whether they were talking about each other or the group, but we recognize that this was a normal subject of conversation in the Roman Empire. (As an aside it seems to have become a normal subject of conversation in this day too.) Yet, when Jesus asked them about what they were talking they did not easily answer him. We assume they were probably ashamed.

When they got home to Capernaum Jesus had something incredibly profound to say. “Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all.” Think about that for a moment. Step back and hear Jesus. In his day and ours this is completely counter-cultural. Instinctively we know he is right. His is a better way. If we are honest, it probably makes us uneasy, but we know he is right.

To illustrate, and flesh out his message, he took a child and, placing his arms around the child, said to them. “Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes not me but the one who sent me.”

I have no doubt that children were loved in the first century by their families. How could they not have been? In scripture we hear fathers and mothers seeking out Jesus to help their kids in time of need and demonstrating the love and care we are sure they possessed. Yet we must also remember that children were thought of in entirely a different way than we in this room contemplate them.

Children weren’t welcomed in the first century in the same way they are welcomed today by most of the populace. They were tolerated instead, and thought of as a commodity waiting to mature. For an example women had to get pregnant at least seven times just to keep the population from declining. Children had a 50-50 chance to live to age 17. Women generally gave birth until they could no longer do so or until they died in childbirth.

I am sure children played like all kids do, but children were primarily an economic asset, able and expected to work very early in life, much earlier than we would put them to work in our culture. They were property until they were either old enough to own property themselves — the boys that is — or sold in marriage to another male — the girls. They were expected to become their parent’s economic security in their old age as there was no social security in that day.

Children couldn’t speak for themselves. They had no power whatsoever. They were in fact the lowest rung on the ladder of influence and power. Nobody was lower.

And yet, Jesus is telling them and us that to welcome a child is to welcome him and to welcome him is to welcome God. Put another way, put children and all others ahead of yourself if you want to be the greatest.

If you wish to be the greatest you must choose to be the least. Jesus himself put an exclamation point on this when he chose to be executed so that we might have eternal life. He made himself the least, and we would say that by doing so he became the greatest.

This is a special Sunday for me. My first Sunday here was September 18, 2011, ten years ago. Much has happened since then in this church, much of which to be proud, but perhaps the most important idea has been the fact that we remind ourselves to do the loving thing on a regular basis. We do it every time we are about to reenter the world around us. Doing so comes directly from today’s teaching and others like it from Jesus.

I would submit to you this morning, in the 21st century there is no more important and life-giving idea. If all the people who have heard Jesus express this simple concept could sincerely attempt to follow his advice, imagine what might happen. It’s mind boggling, isn’t it?

Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost: Seeing Jesus Clearly

September 6, 2021 Andrea Schmid

by Fr. Bill Garrison

Please note that the following sermon text was provided prior to the audio recording. The two versions may differ substantially.

Mark 7:24-37

Michael Angelo Immenraet: Jesus and the Woman of Canaan

Jesus set out and went away to the region of Tyre. He entered a house and did not want anyone to know he was there. Yet he could not escape notice, but a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit immediately heard about him, and she came and bowed down at his feet. Now the woman was a Gentile, of Syrophoenician origin. She begged him to cast the demon out of her daughter. He said to her, “Let the children be fed first, for it is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.” But she answered him, “Sir, even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.” Then he said to her, “For saying that, you may go—the demon has left your daughter.” So she went home, found the child lying on the bed, and the demon gone.

Then he returned from the region of Tyre, and went by way of Sidon towards the Sea of Galilee, in the region of the Decapolis. They brought to him a deaf man who had an impediment in his speech; and they begged him to lay his hand on him. He took him aside in private, away from the crowd, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spat and touched his tongue. Then looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, “Ephphatha,” that is, “Be opened.” And immediately his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly. Then Jesus ordered them to tell no one; but the more he ordered them, the more zealously they proclaimed it. They were astounded beyond measure, saying, “He has done everything well; he even makes the deaf to hear and the mute to speak.”

Have you ever not seen what was right in front of you? And then someone else tells you it’s there, points it out to you, and it pops right out at you? Then you wonder why you didn’t see it before? Well, today this is what we are talking about, seeing what we haven’t seen before, or perhaps reseeing what we have seen before but do no longer.

I think this might be a good example. I borrow the story from another pastor.

After services one Sunday morning, Brian, a member of our congregation, asked me a hypothetical question. He said, “Pastor Ray, if you were stranded on a desert island and could only have one book, any book in the world, which book would it be, and why?”

As a minister, I thought the answer to his inquiry was very apparent. I said, “Brian, if I could only have one book, I would want the Bible because it would help give me spiritual strength in getting through the challenge of being stranded on a desert island.” I believed that my answer had a great deal of merit. Especially since it was Sunday morning and we had just completed church services.

Expecting him to reinforce my answer, I asked Brian the same question; “If you were stranded on that island, which book would you want?”

With a smile on his face his answer was immediate. He said, “If it were me, I would want a book titled, 'How to Build a Boat.'“

Have you ever noticed that in scripture the folks that fully recognize Jesus, or are doing the loving thing, are often the ones we wouldn’t expect to do so? Here are some examples: the Good Samaritan, the Roman Centurion, the only one of the nine lepers that turned back to thank him for healing them, Mary Magdalene and her seven spirits, the woman who was a sinner and washed the feet of Jesus, the tax collector, and many more. In fact, today’s gospel contains two of those stories.

The first story really grabs us. Jesus is in the region of Tyre, a famously gentile area despised by many of the Jewish people. Apparently, Jesus would like to rest a bit, but there is no hiding for him. A gentile woman has a sick child. She has the temerity to interrupt him and ask him to heal her daughter.

Now please think first century. Honestly, to some extent metaphorically think Taliban. Men were not to have anything to do with women in public. And that included talking, touching, or anything else that would bring them into some form of contact. During their interaction she and Jesus break every societal custom in the book. Any Jewish person watching would have been horrified.

His answer to her request is startling. “Let the children be fed first, for it is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.” Now I have to tell you I cannot explain why he said what he said. Something got lost along the way. He is clearly saying that the children are the Israelites and come first. The gentiles are the dogs in the metaphor and come second. I have heard all sorts of explanations and none satisfy me. So, I hang on to the word “first”. I take solace that the dogs will get fed along with the people of Israel.

It’s just that the children are to be fed first. I am also aware that Jesus was harder on the Jewish leadership than anybody else, including this woman. He told the “children” on more than one occasion that what was theirs would be given to others since they appeared to be rejecting the food that was represented in his teaching.

In any event, this woman persuaded him to heal her daughter. She was absolutely sure he could. She bowed to him, and even said the dogs take the crumbs that fall to them. She impressed Jesus with her certainty about him, her recognition of who he was, and of what he was capable.

Why then didn’t those in power recognize Jesus for who he was? It’s an easy question for us to answer, but I warn you we answer it with some trepidation. They didn’t recognize Jesus because what he was teaching was counter-cultural and because it wasn’t in their best interests to do so.

The theology of Jesus was one of common sense. We heard last Sunday about hand washing. What comes out of a person defiles them, not what goes into a person. We hear often in scripture about the Sabbath. Was humankind created for the Sabbath or was the Sabbath created for humankind? Speaking of the Sabbath, when is it appropriate to come to someone’s aid? Jesus spent time with the outcasts of society, something those in power never would have imagined doing. Jesus even touched folks those in power would never have touched.

And, I wonder for those in power, if taking care of their own self-interests wasn’t even more important than their differences in theology. You see agreeing with the theology of Jesus shined a light on them that was way too bright. It exposed the flaws of their thinking, living, and their associations with each other, their fellow Israelites, and the world around them.

Now this is where you and I are required to sit up and take notice. Are we that much different from the Pharisees, the Sadducees, the Scribes, and those other folks of money and power that encountered Jesus? Have we compared our own lives and the theology that guides us with them? Is it convenient for us theologically, and in terms of our station in life, to follow him? Or do we build other theologies, ones that allows us to acknowledge Jesus in some form or other without really engaging with him and seeing who he really is? Do we fail to see what is right in front of us?

In order to see Jesus clearly, we must go back to basics. For me that means engaging the writing of scripture, and in particular the writings of Paul in the New Testament. And there is really only one question that needs to be answered. It is the lynchpin for the entire Christian theology, and reminds us who Jesus Christ was in this life and beyond. The question: was he more than just a great man?

Now I have beaten to death the reality of Paul’s writings. I have talked time and again about the seven letters he actually wrote that are historical documents. Documents of truth if you will. I won’t bore you with the background again this morning. It is here that we find the answer to this most important question.

Let’s go to First Corinthians, chapter fifteen, verse three through eight for the answer.

“For I handed on to you as of first importance what I in turn had received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures, and that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers and sisters at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to someone untimely born, he appeared also to me.”

Doesn’t that passage bring Jesus into focus? Doesn’t it help us to see him more clearly? Doesn’t it highlight who he is? And doesn’t it shine a light on our own belief systems, ones we are so careful to protect? Others on the planet already see him pretty clearly it would seem, but then they probably don’t have as much to protect.

Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost: The Story of the Eucharist

August 16, 2021 Andrea Schmid

by. Fr. Bill Garrison

Please note that the following sermon text was provided prior to the audio recording. The two versions may differ substantially.

John 6:51-58

Jesus said, “I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats of this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.”

The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” So Jesus said to them, “Very truly, I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life, and I will raise them up on the last day; for my flesh is true food and my blood is true drink. Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them. Just as the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever eats me will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like that which your ancestors ate, and they died. But the one who eats this bread will live forever.”

Food is an important part of human interaction. We get much more than physical sustenance from eating. In many ways it helps us move life down the road in our families, our businesses, and in every part of our lives. It’s certainly important in the life of a church. So, here’s a little story to start off a discussion about the importance of food.

A woman accompanied her husband to the doctor's office.

After his checkup, the doctor called the wife into his office alone. He said, “Your husband is suffering from a very severe stress disorder. If you don't follow my instructions carefully, your husband may not live out the year.

“Each morning, fix him a healthy breakfast. Be pleasant at all times. For lunch make him a nutritious meal. For dinner prepare an especially nice meal for him. Don’t worry about the calories for now. Remember that men derive great satisfaction from food.

“Don't burden him with chores. Don't discuss your problems with him; it will only make his stress worse. Do not nag him.”

“If you can do this for the next 10 months or so, I think your husband will regain his health completely.”

On the way home, the husband asked his wife, “What did the doctor say?”

Her response: “He said, I need to help you get your affairs in order, and to do so fairly quickly, in the next ten months or so in fact.”

We are talking about special food and its importance in our lives this morning. Jesus recognized the importance of food and gave us the gift of Eucharist, the worship service centered in bread and wine, to remember him. It reminds us of the sacrifice Jesus made for us. The symbolic representation of his body and blood are the centerpiece of our weekly worship service.

In the gospel read a moment ago we are well aware of the fact that Jesus is talking about Eucharist, communion if you like. He makes direct reference to his body and blood in this gospel. He makes concrete statements about the meaning of the bread and the wine. For the audience of the moment, they probably didn’t fully understand what he was talking about since he was still alive and in their presence. But we do.

Eucharist goes back to our Lord. For me that means the year 33 CE. Eucharist will soon be 2000 years old and has been celebrated ever since he instituted it on the night before he was crucified. Let’s look at some important history we can find in the New Testament.

First let’s examine the source of the information. The Apostle Paul wrote letters to congregations he had founded. Seven of those letters are in the New Testament. Paul never meant for us, or anyone other than the recipients, to read them. He had no special agenda other than to help the congregations to whom they were written. They are valuable historical documents. It’s like a special window into the first century.

Today we are going to look through that window, specifically the First letter to the Corinthians and the letter to the Galatians. Now let’s hear a small portion of the letter to the Corinthians, chapter 11, verses 23-26. Paul quotes Jesus and explains how Eucharist is done.

23 “For I received from the Lord what I also handed on to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took a loaf of bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, ‘This is my body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.’ 25 In the same way he took the cup also, after supper, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.’ 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes”.

Now you ask, how did Paul get this information? The answer is twofold. First, he says Jesus told him in some special and mysterious way, but if you don’t necessarily buy that there is another almost irrefutable way to be certain. Paul was with Peter, who was with Jesus that night on that last night, and Peter confirmed what Paul believed to be true. In fact, I am sure the two of them celebrated Eucharist together, probably several times.

Now let’s take a look at Galatians, chapter 1, verses 18 and 19. Paul is speaking. “Then after three years I did go up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas and stayed with him for fifteen days; but I did not see any other apostle except James the Lord’s brother.” In case you are unaware, Cephas was Peter’s nickname. Paul was with Peter, and James the brother of Jesus, for fifteen days. We just found a window through time to that event.

We have learned the history of the creation of Eucharist. Pretty cool huh? Later in Galatians chapter two Paul talks about going back to Jerusalem fourteen years later and confirming everything he had been doing with Peter and the Pillars of the growing church. They confirmed that he was right on track. I invite you to look it up yourselves if you are willing. It’s well worth the effort.

The church has a history surrounding Eucharist since our Lord initiated it. For the most part the debate has raged between the bread and wine literally becoming the body and blood of Christ on one end, and being completely symbolic on the other. For my money think what you want. Something is happening when we take communion. This much we know. And for me that is enough.

So why did I go through this? I wanted to underline the importance of Eucharist. It’s not just some ritual made up by priests to make everyone feel good or holy. It is a creation by the Son of God for our benefit. It is a way to be in touch with him, that we may not fully comprehend, but we feel it deeply within ourselves. When we participate, we know we have been fed with the food of eternity.

This reason above all others is why we need to be in church. Eucharist is the sustenance we need for living. If anything has taught us that, think about the last year and a half. Many of us have starved for the body and blood of Christ. Getting to finally partake again returns out strength. If you haven’t been here in a bit, please accept the invitation from your savior to return, to eat, to gain your strength for the road ahead. This gift of Christ awaits all of us.

No matter where you are on your journey with God, know that all people, without exception, are welcome here at God’s table. Won’t you please come?

Tenth Sunday after Pentecost: Where is God?

August 2, 2021 Andrea Schmid

by Fr. Bill Garrison

Please note that the following sermon text was provided prior to the audio recording. The two versions may differ substantially.

John 6:24-35

The next day, when the people who remained after the feeding of the five thousand saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they themselves got into the boats and went to Capernaum looking for Jesus.

When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, “Rabbi, when did you come here?” Jesus answered them, “Very truly, I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For it is on him that God the Father has set his seal.” Then they said to him, “What must we do to perform the works of God?” Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.” So they said to him, “What sign are you going to give us then, so that we may see it and believe you? What work are you performing? Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’” Then Jesus said to them, “Very truly, I tell you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” They said to him, “Sir, give us this bread always.”

Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.”

There’s a big question going around these days in some circles. The virus seems to be taking hold within our communities, especially among the unvaccinated. The political situation is dicey at best. The homeless problems continue to confound. The economy is incredible for some and torturous for others. And a lot of folks are wondering. Where is God? Has God left the building with Elvis? I’m reminded of that old line from American Pie. “The Father, Son, and the Holy Ghost took the last train to the coast, the day the music died.” We wonder if the music indeed has died.

Here is a quick story on that exact subject. Two young boys were terrible trouble makers. They were always breaking things, stealing things, lying, and making all kinds of general trouble. Their parents tried everything to get the boys to change, but to no avail. Finally, out of options, they asked their pastor if he could help. He said he would talk to the boys, but only one at a time.

The parents dropped off the youngest and went home, promising to return to get him soon. The young man sat in a chair across from the pastor's desk and they just looked at each other. Finally, the Pastor said, "Where is God?" The boy just sat there and didn't answer.

The pastor began to look stern and loudly said, "Where is God?" The little boy shifted in his seat, but still didn’t answer. So, the pastor began to get a little angry at the boy's refusal to answer him and said a little louder,

"Where is God?"

To the pastor's surprise, the little boy jumped up out of his chair and ran out of the office. He left the church and ran all the way home, up the stairs, and into his brother's room. Once there he shut the door and panted out the following words. "We're in BIG TROUBLE. God's missing and they think we did it!"

I do my best whenever I preach to attempt to convey something I truly believe, and I arrive at most of my conclusions primarily from scripture mixed in with some stories from life and prayer. In that light the gospel today may provide some answers for us to the huge question being asked. Let’s see. I am going to paraphrase quite a bit. Please bear with me.

Jesus and the disciples have just fed the 5000. Then they left town. These things were reported in last week’s gospel. They went home to Capernaum. The remainder of the crowd they left behind never went home and spent the night. Instead, they wonder what happened to Jesus and follow him to Capernaum.

When the crowd arrives, Jesus is not confused about why most of them are there. Jesus is well aware that his miracles often get in the way of his teaching. In Mark he even asks those he has healed not to say anything for that very reason. He understands the crowd wants something to eat. He has proven that he is capable of feeding them and food availability in that day was incredibly important.

They even ask him when he left. There is more to the question than those simple words. They probably feel abandoned. That echoes down to us today, doesn’t it? Where is God when we need God? When did God leave us? Why did God leave us? It’s lonely and scary these days.

Jesus continues to speak to them. You would be a lot better off he says if you would understand the signs that point to who I am. I am offering much more than bread. I am offering partnership with you and eternal life. God has sent me to you.

Now he has their attention.

“How can we know that you come from God? Our ancestors ate manna in the wilderness. Moses gave us bread from heaven to eat. What are you going to do to prove who you are? What sign will you give us?”

And Jesus said to them. “Listen: it wasn’t Moses that gave it to you, it was God.” I am the bread that God has sent to God’s people. This is a metaphor everybody. Understand what I am telling you. “Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.” This is more important than the bread I gave you yesterday, the miracle that was performed that blinded you. You are being offered so much more. Hear what I am saying to you.

I wonder if he would have liked to shake them. They could have understood who he was the day before, but they hadn’t. Were they going to today?

Folks, we are like the crowd in this story looking for the miracle of more to eat. We want the bread too. We are blinded by our hopes for a miracle, that God will intervene and solve some of our problems for us. We are convinced that God has gone on to Capernaum and we must go in pursuit.

Well, God hasn’t gone anywhere. The gift of life through Jesus has already been given. Yes, things are a mess. Yes, it would be nice if God would solve our issues. But it doesn’t appear that God works that way. Instead, God seems happy enough to walk the path we must walk with us, our partner, as we live our lives as we choose to do so, alongside us every step of the way. On top of that eternity is promised when we are done.

Like that crowd twenty centuries ago, Jesus asks another important question of us. Is this the day we finally understand, or will Jesus have to keep trying to convince us? Thank goodness God never seems to give up.