Choosing the Fruits of the Spirit.

Listen to the sermon.     

Our lessons are full of symbols (or signs) today – from the rainbow in our Old Testament lesson, to the dove in our gospel lesson.

They give us hope in a world that does not always appear very hopeful.  We often struggle in this world to make sense in the things that happen around us.  And we are not perfect - as much as we would like to be.  We often do not come up with the best solution to the problems that face us on a daily basis.  We often do not react in a Christ like manner when we are confronted by problems that remind us of the past.  More often than not, we react out of our brokenness – the history we try to leave behind, but can’t because our healing has not yet been perfected.

At one conference I went to, the question was asked, how many have gone through some life changing experience that had shaped us and formed our lives.  The reference was to an experience that moved us toward the understanding that ultimately we are not in control of our own destiny.  One man talked about his daughter’s attempted suicide, and how that event had changed him forever.  We have no idea of the things that people around us might be dealing with on a daily basis.  And we need to understand that we are not always in control.  

But going back to our symbol - here in the beginning of Mark’s gospel we see some of the glory and power of God – “the heavens torn apart” and the Spirit descends – but not like thunder or lightning.  The Spirit descends like a dove – a gentleness that is not normally acknowledged in association with God.

But remember Elijah, fearing for his life and hiding in a cave, he hears the voice of God – not in the earthquake, fire or wind, but in the stillness he experienced the gentleness of God.  Or look at Jonah sitting on the hillside overlooking Nineveh, mad at God for not destroying the city.  God takes pity on him and causes a bush to grow to shelter him from the heat of the sun.

And so with Jesus, this same Spirit that descended with the gentleness of a dove, also drives Jesus out into the wilderness – to be tempted and to face his worse fears and nightmares – . . .   And only now, after learning firsthand about the hardships of life and standing firm and trusting on the Lord, Jesus comes through the ordeal and the angels minister to him.  He is ready to partner with God – knowing that it is not his own power, but God’s grace that will carry him through to the end.

It is only after John’s arrest that Jesus comes proclaiming the good news – the message goes on, repent and believe and follow me.  God has drawn near – he has come down - to deal gently with broken and needful humankind – as Isaiah says, “to bind up the brokenhearted, to free the captives, to set at liberty those who are oppressed.”

This Lenten season let us enter into our own period of wilderness experience – inviting God in – to teach us something new – or just to remind us of what we already know – that God himself is with us and is willing to partner with us as we journey through this life.  

I was reminded the other day of Trish Schlegel, who, a number of years ago, said that she chose joy for her Lenten discipline.  Joy is one of the Fruits of the Spirit.  In Galatians 5:22-23 we read, “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.”  What if each of us chose one of the fruits of the spirit as our Lenten discipline?  How could we, embodying that fruit, have a positive effect on the world around us?  

We (mostly) have no idea of the kind of pain, or anguish, the inner turmoil or hopelessness that any person we meet might be facing.  

It might be dealing with a child who is ill or unruly or failing in school.  It might be dealing with a parent or other loved one who is dying or suffering dementia.  It might be worry over how to provide food for their children that evening.  I can’t even imagine what kind of pain would cause someone to take their own life; or to go into a school or other venue and begin to shoot innocent people.  What if some small kindness could give them pause, to think maybe there is hope in this world; maybe someone does care!

I was surprised earlier this week to have a deputy sheriff pay for my meal at the McDonald’s drive-thru.  I decided to “pass it on” and paid for the person behind me.  The whole experience set the tone for the rest of my day.   An act of kindness does not go unrewarded, even if only in the feeling you get when you have done something to make someone else’s day just a little brighter.  You may never know the difference your kindness might make to another soul, especially when they are sad, or depressed, harried or stressed or just having a rough day.

God calls us to reach out to others in a positive way, to make a difference in the world around us.  Truth be told, if we look around us, to see how we can make someone else’s day a little better, it will often make our own day brighter and our problems seem much smaller.  With a smile or a kind word, some small gesture, the love of Jesus might spread further and wider than this year’s flu.  I invite you to allow God’s grace to flow through you and reach out to others through acts of love, or kindness, or generosity, or patience, or any of the Fruits of the Spirit.  We might not be able to change the world, but with such small measures, we can spread a little joy to the joyless corners of the world - or at least here in Alvin.  So I ask you - What Fruit of the Spirit could you take on as your discipline, and share to help make someone else’s life just a little better today?

Are you ready?

When I was a student at Sam Houston University, a friend of mine named Nancy had a date with an Aggie.  Well, Nancy and her date came in early and so we found a fourth and played a game of Hearts.  Contrary to my normal performance at Hearts, I actually won that night.  Several days later, I got the card from A & M from this guy.  It said, "Someday your ship will come in."  You open it up and it continues, "And you'll be at the train station."  

Now most of you know that my name is Nan.   It's not Nancy, it's not Nanette, or any of the other possible variations.  Now, the problem was, this card was addressed to "Nancy Lewis."  So we never figured out if it was intended for me or for Nancy, but we both decided that he was the one who missed the boat.  He just didn’t pay attention – not unlike the five foolish bridesmaids in our gospel lesson today.  They just didn’t pay attention either.

You know, today’s gospel lesson could be compared to when a hurricane comes through.  Let’s say there were ten guys who bought new generators, but when the hurricane came along half of them realized too late that they forgot to buy extra gasoline to run them.”  So by the time they finally figure out that they need more gas than what’s left from when they tried it out, and they go to the station, the power’s already out and the pumps don’t work, and regardless of how sorry they are, or how much they are willing to pay, they can’t get the gasoline. 

Our five foolish maids came with that same mindset where they believed that all they needed was the lamp because this occasion would be just like all the other weddings they had been a part of.  It just never even crossed their mind that this time it might be different.  But it was different and they didn’t adapt to the change – they were unprepared for change.  And even when they began to get an inkling that this time might be different, they did nothing.  They could see that the others had brought extra oil – and now, with the groom’s delay, they had time to go get oil, but they still didn’t use this time for that purpose.  They waited until the end when the reality of the situation was unavoidable and then it was too late.

These were young women from the groom’s household who wait at some distance from the house to escort the groom and his new bride back to the house when he comes from collecting her from her father’s house – and according to one source, they not only light the way, but they also perform a welcome dance to honor the new bride who will be living among them.  

While these maids wait for the groom they grow drowsy and fall asleep.  Someone likened the five foolish maids to everyone’s worst nightmare…  Well, maybe not nightmare – but that common dream so many of us have – each our own versions – about not being prepared at the appropriate time.  My particular dream usually has to do with going to class to take a test – in my dream, not only have I not studied for the test, but I’ve never even attended the class and I’m not sure where it is.

These young ladies have participated in other weddings and they don’t expected this to be any different.  Like the foolish maids, we, too, may be resistant to change.  We often expect everything to stay the same – like there’s some kind of status quo that’s never going to change.  We do this in our personal life, in our professional life and even in our church life.  Maybe we have a good thing going, and we expect it to stay the same.  Then it doesn’t and like the five foolish maids, by the time we recognize that there is a problem, it’s too late to reverse the situation.  It’s like a wife (or husband) who doesn’t realize there’s a problem with their marriage until their spouse asks for a divorce.  Or like parents who overlook the signs of alcohol or drug abuse by their child until they are called by the police.  There could be any number of scenarios that we could imagine or name.  

Churches can be just as blasé about what is going on in their parish.  They can be just as resistant to change as individuals.  They like to see new people come in – but that causes discomfort if the new people are different.  One of the churches in our diocese decided that they needed some way to incorporate new people into their church family.  And sometimes it’s just too long to wait for the bishop to come, so they’ve come up with a service of “inclusion” – they call it the “Liturgy of Belonging.”  We have actually used this here in the past.  There is a little service after The Peace when a family has expressed a desire to become a part of the parish family.  Patterned somewhat after the Baptism service near the end, the priest turns to the congregation and asks:  

Will you welcome (name/s) into this family, embrace their gifts, their needs, and their dreams?  Will you recognize that their presence and participation will change the shape of the body and help it grow in new ways?  Will you support them in their journeys, and assist them in their ministries?

And the answer is:   Yes! Yes! Yes!

This is very intentional in the realization that when new people are added to a congregation, there will be change.  And it is very intentional in recognizing the need for new blood in the church and the change that will occur and the intention to accept that change.  I guess that you could consider it to be something like a marriage ceremony.

Like the maids in our story, maybe we’re waiting for something to happen in our lives.  The five wise maids anticipate a future that involves them and they want to be prepared.  We may be anticipating a change in our lives also.  We may be waiting for the birth of a child, or for a phone call that offers us a job…  maybe for our child to graduate from high school and leave for college...   news from the doctor’s office…  that special person to pledge to share our life with…  All these circumstances are going to create change in our lives.  We have to be prepared to face that change regardless of what it brings.  If we are not willing to grow and change, then we will stagnate and die.  

It reminds me of one of my favorite sayings: “all you have to do is suit up and show up and the Holy Spirit will take care of the rest.”  Well, maybe sometimes that doesn’t quite get it.  You have to be accepting of whatever is going on, and willing to fulfill your part, whatever that might be.  But it’s about being prepared and ready to do your part.    

Notice that this is a wedding feast – not a funeral.  It is a joyous occasion – an occasion for celebration.  And also notice that the participants are not alone – even in the waiting.  When things go slow, when nothing appears to be happening – when you wait for the future to reveal itself to you – you are not alone.  There is always someone there with you – with similar questions or doubts or struggles – but ready to sit with you and share what is happening.  It is not unlike what is happening here at Grace.  We know that a new rector is long in coming, but knowing that the vestry is now receiving names and preparing to go out, even this month to visit and interview, we have to be prepared.  We also know that a new rector is going to change the dynamic of Grace, and we each have to be prepared for that change. 

This whole story is considered to be somewhat allegorical.  Scholars are very careful to point out that we are not to consider it a complete allegory.  The difference between the two groups of bridesmaids is said to be their faith preparation.  It takes faith to wait – faith to sustain us during the long night watches.  It takes faith and courage to change when that is needed.  It takes knowing and believing that when the Lord calls us to wait or to make changes in our life, that he will give us the strength and the tools to accomplish what needs to be done, or to survive the changes that are made.  We prepare our lives, our hearts and our minds so that when the Lord comes, we may go in with him, rejoicing and may feast at the table that he has set for us.  Are you ready for the changes that are coming?