Easter 2; John 20:19-31; March 29-30, 2008
Grace and peace to you from God our Creator, our Lord and Risen Savior Jesus the Christ, and the Holy Spirit our Sustainer.
Imagine how they felt.  The disciples, that is.  Locked up in a room.  Terrified.  Stunned.  Overcome by despair.
Jesus was dead—brutally dead.  This was the third day and he was really dead.  They must have been sick over it.  With a giant hole in their hearts.  How to endure the death of one so dear?
Everything they’d grown to know to be true, to trust—all gone!  They weren’t ready to let him go.  They’d have to get used to a new normal.
I think I have an idea how they felt.  Four weeks ago, my Mom died, although the circumstances were ‘way different from Jesus’ death.  Mom was ninety, lived a very full life, and desperately prayed for its conclusion.  Still, we weren’t ready to let her go.  Now there’s a giant hole in our hearts.
On the third day, we weren’t locked up in a room, terrified of the authorities.  On the third day, she didn’t miraculously appear to us.  No, on the third day, we were at the funeral home, gazing at Mom’s lifeless body in a box.  Like the disciples, we were stunned, couldn’t believe Mom is gone, trying to figure out how to live in the new normal.  We have an idea how those disciples felt.
This is where the disciples’ story takes a turn.  This is when everything changes.
Holed up in their hideaway, the disciples were in for an even greater shock.  Holed up in their hideaway, despondent and afraid, suddenly, Jesus appears among them. Alive!  Locked doors could not keep him out.  As always, Jesus greets them with the words, “Peace be with you.”  Jesus always brings peace in the midst of our agitation and distress. 
Imagine the meteoric rise in the disciples’ spirits, the churning of their emotions as they realize their Lord, so recently lying cold and still in a borrowed tomb, now stands in their midst.  Transformed.  But definitely alive.  The proof in his wounds, so fresh, so visible for all to see.
Jesus lives!  He is among us still today.  In the waters of baptism, we are drawn into his family and offered his gift of peace. 
Jesus lives!  He comes to us every day.  We have tangible evidence.  Jesus is here!  In the bread and wine/body and blood of Holy Communion, we receive his living presence.  An ongoing experience of Christ always with us; always near; always at the ready.
Today [tomorrow] we welcome eight young people into this wondrous experience of Jesus alive and here with us.
We don’t see the punctures in his hands and feet, nor the wound in his side.  We do experience his body and blood—through our senses:  sight, smell, sound, touch, and taste.  And that experience is sufficient.
Jesus the Christ joins us in our own space and time, claims us for himself, offers us his own peace which the world cannot give, and promises us life eternal with him. 
It’s been four weeks since Mom died.  Her body still rests in a box in a grave in Queens.  Our hearts are still raw and we miss her so much.  But we are not left comfortless.  We are not abandoned to grief and loss.
Jesus stands among us.  Jesus comes to us and, in the bread and wine of Holy Communion, offers us his own peace.  And a promise:  A promise of life.  A promise of hope.  An assurance of comfort to get us through the roughest of times. 
Jesus lives!  Amen.

 

 

THIRD SUNDAY OF EASTER
April 6, 2008

HE HAD BEEN MADE KNOWN TO THEM IN THE BREAKING OF THE BREAD
Luke 24:13-35

          Today marks an interesting liturgical departure.  Since this is year A of our three-year cycle, we should expect to hear an account from St. Matthew.  And yet here we are in Luke.  Why?  Because this is the only Gospel that records the encounter of some of the early disciples with the recently resurrected Lord.

          And is so appropriate that we consider this account because it deals with a critical time of transition as the Resurrected Christ prepares for His ascension into heaven.  Things are shifting rapidly.  And these early followers wonder where the future lies. And so the resurrected Lord again leads this way.  By now, we can see where this is going.  It is nicely summarized at the end of our Gospel.  34They were saying, “The Lord has risen indeed, and he has appeared to Simon!” 35Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he had been made known to them in the breaking of the bread.

          Now bread is critical for two reasons.  In the first place this bread is the Body of Christ.  Take and eat, Christ commands us, this is my body.  And so we receive our Lord in the sacrament of Holy Communion as His Precious Body, broken on the cross, is distributed to us.

          But the importance of the breaking of the bread also points the way to our involvement and witness to the world by providing for the world’s physical as well as spiritual needs.  Thus we highlight the growing ministry of our food pantry.  To help Jane Jackson, one of our pantry’s coordinators offers some personal reflections.

          Jayne, to begin with, can you tell us a little about the current activities of our food pantry?
Current activities include meeting with all of the clients to update our records for the Monmouth Ocean County Food Bank.  We also are setting up a separate phone number that will be helpful to both our clients and us.

The biggest change has taken place with our system of bagging and distribution. We are now open every Tuesday evening and every Saturday morning.  As clients arrive, we have them assist in the packing of their own bags.  This provides more accurately to their needs.

          What does involvement in the food pantry mean to you personally?
My involvement is a way of giving back.  God has always been so gracious to me.  I grew up and am still living in a loving supportive family.  I am so thankful for this family, for my health, the roof over my head, my safety, my freedom living in this country, and the over abundance of food.  God has given me the opportunity to share my time and all my abilities to reach out to a community with needs.

The food pantry is more to me than handling groceries.  It’s a way of life.  I’m always thinking of the needs that are out there.  I am always thinking how to approach ways to improve someone’s situation.  As time allows, I try to absorb opportunities to learn about other organizations that provide services.

          What has been one of the most meaningful personal encounters through the food pantry?
My most meaningful personal encounter was the realization of myself.  I’ll   get back to that.  There are many encounters with clients, donors, and outside people.  What I am reflecting on is what I call divine intervention.  Each one always amazes me.   Here are two rather recent:
While distributing flyers for food donations in our town, I pressed the decision to add one more street that wasn’t on the original plan.  It was that street that led me to a person I had never met before and now that person is joining our congregation and has experience and talents in coordinating drives and services over the last few years.

The other, a few months ago, occurred while at a store where I usually don’t shop.  A friend gave me several cake mixes to put in the food pantry and I had them on the front seat of my car.  I happen to park next to a woman that was leaving the store at the same time.  She noticed the cake mixes and joked that I must be baking quite a bit.  I told her their purpose and she immediately wanted to know more details.  She had no idea we were there and planned on dropping off food.  She gave me a hug and asked God to bless all our work and me.

          Do you have any final thoughts?
Back to the realization of myself. I must say I am strengthened by the stories of some of our clients.  Most people would be surprised when I say I admire and respect someone in need.  I could only hope that I would be blest with the same amount of courage, strength, faith, tolerance, patience, and acceptance of the individuals I meet.  To hear some of their stories of tragedy, rejection, complications, poor health, inconveniences, fear, unfairness.  I don’t know if I’m that strong.   That’s why I do this, it is teaching me all of those virtues.

 

FOURTH SUNDAY OF EASTER
April 13, 2008

INTIMACE CHRISTIANITY
John 10:1-10

          We affectionately call this Sunday “Shepherd Sunday” because of its basic theme.  I suppose there is something wonderfully pastoral about shepherds.  I love visiting the Metropolitan Museum of Art.  There one can see pictures and sculptures of shepherds in every nook and cranny.  But this is not the case in modern life.  I don’t think I have actually met a shepherd.  Thus our Gospel in particular requires some historical perspective if we are to appreciate the lessons of our Lord.  So let’s see what we can learn.

          We should begin by saying despite all the romance surrounding them by the time of Jesus shepherds were regarded as being different.  The truth be known, they were regarded with no small amount of suspicion.  Just what were they up to out there spending time with few if any companions and all those sheep?  Dark rumors were always circulating.  You did not want your child to enter into this profession or marry into a shepherding family.  It must have come as quite a shock when Jesus calls himself “the good shepherd.”  This is the only time our Lord identifies Himself with a given occupation.  On this “Shepherd Sunday” therefore we are reminded that Jesus always seems to push the envelope.  He seems to escape our carefully crafted expectations of Him.  Which is probably just as well, since, to quote George Bernard Shaw, “If God created man in His image, man was quick to return the favor.”

          I am the gate for the sheep. This characterization of Jesus always puzzled me, until I read a commentary about shepherding.  It seems that at night, the shepherds put their sheep in a protective but open shelter.  It often was a circle of stones.  The problem was that if a wolf or other predator jumped the barrier, the protection now entrapped the sheep who would quickly fall as victims.  A regular gate would not do because in the confusion and darkness, shepherds could not get it opened quickly.  So they came upon a novel solution.  The shepherd would sleep with his own body lying across the opening.  When a commotion arose, the shepherd would spring up and the way would automatically be cleared for the sheep to escape.  Literally, the shepherd became the gate.  So what is the meaning for us today since we usually do not have to block the entrance to an animal enclosure?  For me, it is a very moving reminder of the importance of the incarnation.  In Christ we have a good shepherd who is with us day and night.  When we are in Christ Jesus, we are never alone.

          A concluding thought.  In reading the parable and studying the context of the times, it is obvious that the shepherd and the sheep enjoyed a unique bond that helped to preserve the world.  As is so often the case, there is sharpness to this parable of Christ.  For if the image of a shepherd is not overly complementary, neither is that of sheep.  Actually sheep are not the smartest of God’s creatures.  In fact they are pretty dumb.  On first glance, our Lord does not seem to be doing us any great favor by comparing us to sheep.  Still together, the questionable shepherd and the intellectually challenged sheep were one of the foundations of ancient society. 

This is not a bad image for the church in the world today.  Let’s face it; the often-secular world looks upon the church, the ecclesia, literally the “called out” as being rather strange.  Our leaders dress up in ancient outfits, we sing lustily to a God who we have never seen directly, we assist people who in all likelihood will never be able to return the favor.  And yet, in our own peculiar often faltering and always sinful way we help to hold the world together because of our unique ability to bring the intimate relationship we enjoy with God and those around us. 

Several days ago, I attended Ministerium Day and heard Dr. Mark Powell speak on the beatitudes.  A seminary professor for many years, he always tells his students that they will make life better for hundreds of people in their future pastorates.  He also suggested if one person could change the lives of so many; consider what a whole faith community, a congregation, could accomplish.  I wish all of you could spend an entire week here at Reformation and attend all the meetings and services that take place.  Together, led by the Spirit of God, this flock of sheep, even though we are sometimes hopeless clueless, are still struggle to listen to the voice of the Great Shepherd, and so are making lives better for thousands of people.

Thus, may we continue to raise our ears to that blessed voice that in so doing we may come to fully understand his final words in this beloved parable, I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. Amen