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My heart beats for love. I want to be different. I want to be who I am called to be. WORTHY and LOVED!

Sunday, November 27, 2011

Strength for the Journey: Mary of Nazareth

We are entering one of my favorite seasons of the year. When I was little, there were aspects of the holidays that captivated my attention – putting up the Christmas tree, unwrapping all of the decorations from the previous year and releasing their scent, being with family, the list goes on and on. But some of my most fond memories are within the church. Hanging ordainments on the Chrismon tree. Being asked as a family to light the Advent wreath. The Christmas pageant and brown bag dinner that preceded it. And holding my candle on Christmas eve.

But it wasn’t until much later that I actually understood what this season – the season of Advent was about. Advent is the season that calls us to wait and prepare for the coming of our Lord, Jesus. And on how my preparations reflected anything but a spirit of waiting. From wanting to get from one activity to the next, or attempting to fit Christmas preparations into my existing schedule, or wanting to play certain Advent and Christmas hymns on the hand bells as fast as I could, my actions reflected an attitude of haste – one of simply adding Advent on top of everything else – instead of one of waiting.

It wasn’t until a few years ago that I really started to think about how Advent calls us to slow down as we prepare. A good friend of mine started a tradition in his apartment at college. He and his roommates would not use any overhead lighting during the season of Advent. At night they would gather around the advent wreath or additional candlelight for devotions. This was a bit of a disruption to their schedules, which were so busy during the day that they would study at night. They quickly found that certain activities including studying and cooking, by limited candlelight do not tend to go well, so they had to shift their priorities and rearrange their schedules – preparing – so they could actively wait for the coming of the Lord each evening.

As much as I admire my friend for this celebration of Advent that he has carried with him into his new life with his wife, I haven’t quite got to this point of preparing and waiting in my own life. But his dedication to preparing and waiting started to get me to think about Mary. Mary may be one of the best Biblical examples there is for preparing and waiting. Mary was probably thirteen years old when a messenger of the Lord named Gabrielle came to her to announce that she was pregnant. Mary’s life up to this point had been one of waiting – waiting to become a mother and a wife. Preparing herself to bring honor to her family in these roles by practicing household duties for many years. Because this was quite an educational undertaking in and of itself, she probably never had any education outside of the home.

Mary was now actively preparing for marriage. As was Jewish custom she would be engaged to her soon to be husband, Joseph, for a year. This would give him time to make the proper arrangements as well; carving out another room in his family’s dwelling for them to live in. It needed to be big enough to accommodate them, and the one child they expected to create each year of their marriage together. Mary was preparing herself not only to be a good wife to Joseph, providing for his needs, but a good mother to as many children as she could bear successful. Mary hoped and prayer that she would be able to provide Joseph with a male offspring and survive the multiple births.

Mary was preparing for the day, gathering water at the local citrine, probably not her first trip of the day, when this messenger appeared to her. Mary was going about her ordinary tasks of preparing when she was interrupted and told that another period, a new period, of waiting would begin. This one would last nine month – the time it would take to give birth to a baby boy. Mary knew how babies came to be and questioned the angel how she – one who had never known a man – would give birth. But the angel told her that the Holy Spirit would come upon her and she would bear a son, to be named Jesus, who would be the Son of God. For nothing is impossible with God.

Mary had to be thinking, why me? Why a common girl from a town so small and insignificant that it wasn’t even counted as being part of Galilee by her neighbors. Why not someone older? Or someone from Seppohris, the next town over, with so many thousands of people to choose from? Why someone from Nazareth – where everyone knew everyone and the total population could not be more then 400? Why her? Why here? Why now?

But despite all of Mary’s questions and her fear, she responded, yes, here I am a servant of the Lord. Let it be for me as you have described. Mary knew the consequences. She knew that if she was discovered to be pregnant while being engaged, but not married, to Joseph that the law said she was to be stoned to death. She knew that if she could not wrap her mind around being a pregnant virgin, then her family, Joseph, the town, would not understand it either. But something that this angel had said had caught her attention. The child she was carrying would be the son of God. Not a son of God, the son of God. Wasn’t this what her people had been waiting for? Isn’t this what her very town had been named for. Netzer – a branch or shoot. A new tree would grown from the stump of where another tree had died. Isn’t this what the prophets had predicted? That a shoot shall come up from the stump of Jesse and a branch shall grow out of its roots? She would be carrying the promise of hope within her womb, and that hope was greater then any of the consequences.

Friends, if Mary could say yes to such a great risk at the age of thirteen what are we willing to risk for Christ today? Is there room in our hurried schedules to actually prepare the way of the Lord, or is Advent and this holiday season more about preparing our homes for the holidays then preparing our hearts for the Lord?

When I was little and it came to be Christmas pageant time, there was never a shortage of little girls who wanted to be Mary. But Adam Hamilton, author of the book The Journey: Walking the Road to Bethlehem, on which this sermon series is based, asks a thought-provoking question, would Mary want to be Mary? She had to give up so much and take on a burden that many cannot fathom, but she still clearly answered, “Here I am. A servant of the Lord’s.”

I firmly believe that waiting and preparing are paired with giving of ourselves, as Mary gave everything to give birth to baby for a world in need. I also believe that part of preparing and waiting is sacrificing. One of the most celebrated times of waiting in the life of a family is waiting for the birth of a baby. Yet, like Mary, there are many women living right here in Centre County, for whom this time of waiting is filled with great risk, uncertainty, and fear. I graduated college a semester early and had to decide how to best use my time for Spring semester and summer before I entered seminary. I found myself working for my church, and as part of that job, working for the local women’s shelter that the church wished to partner with. While working there, a woman, we will call her Mary, came into my life. Mary was having a child outside of wedlock. She had no idea how to care for a child, though the shelter was teaching her new skills each day for childcare. But Mary had nothing for her child, not a single blanket or bottle – she simply could not afford one. And without a supportive family, Mary had no one to help her prepare during this period of waiting for the baby to be born. I approached the Sister who ran the shelter and asked if I could throw a surprise baby shower for Mary. The Sister was astonished that I wanted to help her prepare for this child – a woman whom I did not know, and a baby whom I may never meet. What happened next was only through the grace of God. I took the list of supplies that Mary would need for her baby and gave it to my church. I explained what we were doing and how we only had about a month for collecting the items. The church not only collected enough items to get Mary and her child through the first year of their life together, but enough to help seven more women throughout the county who were in need of help preparing. Who are you willing to help prepare this season? Would you be willing to drop your spare change into these bottles for the Women’s Resource Center to help women prepare for their coming child? And as you put your change in, can you be reminded that Mary did not have the support that many of us experience today when she agreed to carry the Lord?

What are we willing to risk as we prepare and wait for the Lord this holiday season? Our preparations may not be as drastic as my friend spending four weeks in evenings by candlelight, but can we give something, anything, to women in our community who are in need? Can we make Advent not something that we simply add, but that which we focus our time on the birth of Christ and what that actually means to our lives? Are you in a place in your life where the Lord could speak to you? Where a messenger of the Lord could meet with you, or are you so busy that you wouldn’t even notice or have the opportunity to respond as Mary did? Can we offer ourselves to God this season, risking everything for an unrealized and unknown hope? And can we sing Mary’s song even in the midst of the risks that we are taking as we prepare and wait. May this season of waiting be filled with blessings for you as you place yourself in the position of Mary to listen and respond to the invitation of the Lord.

Monday, November 14, 2011

Rev 7: 9-17 - All Saints Day!

I may have been 20 years ago, but I still remember that robe. The white robes with the high collars that were assigned to the younger choir. It didn’t have a fancy name back then – it was simply the children in elementary school who attended the church and wanted to sing. You had to be at least five years old to join. Oh how my friends and I anticipated joining choir. Our chance to just sing – or at least make a joyful noise considering it was more screaming then singing at that age. My robe was too big. Since I was young I tended to be shorter then the rest of my classmates. For the longest time, my white robe dragged on the floor when I went up to the front steps of the sanctuary to sing. The hem would continue to drag until I graduated to the green robe, and then the gold robe, as I got older. But of course those hems dragged as well. We also had these gold painted crosses, with long chains, that sparkled against the clean color of the robe.

I can still remember the first song we ever learned. A curly haired, elderly woman, named Mrs. Webster gathered us each week to learn a song. She had a patience that passes all understanding in my mind, since we were the largest group of kindergartners to go through the church is quite some time. Yet, she ushered us all into a classroom with a piano and taught us a song with hand motions. It went something like this, “The church is not a building, the church is not a steeple. The church is not a resting place. The church is the people. I am the church. You are the church. We are the church together. All who follow Jesus, all around the world, yes, were the church together.” It took us several weeks to learn the song and to get our little hands coordinated with the motions. But when we did, we dawned on the white robes, fresh from the dry cleaners, and sang. What a beautiful moment.

As I consider today’s scripture passage, this early memory from my life came to mind as an example of the beauty of what it will be like to worship the Lord in Heaven. As I’ve grown older, I’ve attended many different churches, and have had many different people tell me that this passage scares them, because they believe that it will be boring to stand before the throne, in white robes, waving palm branches and singing to God. For many of the people making such comments, their ideas of what such worship would look like is directly related to their experience of worship on Sundays. Perhaps they were told to be quiet as a small child. Or don’t find worship stimulating as an adult. Maybe they disagree with the formal nature of robes or really don’t enjoy singing. But I think the chief reason there is resistance to the idea of worshiping God through all eternity is because when approach worship on Sunday morning with a “what about me” attitude. In other words, I have come to get something or needing to feel a certain way before I can truly be in worship. And the laundry list of things that people need for worship to be meaningful goes on and on: the right music, the right tempo, a person to pray a certain way, the pastor to give a message that engages them, but doesn’t challenge them. When we approach worship is such a manner it becomes about being entertained, so it is no wonder that there is hesitancy about worshiping God throughout eternity – because it might not be entertaining to you.

But when we shift our viewpoint and realize that we come to worship to gather together and worship God, our attitude can change. When we see worship as the opportunity to be fully present to the Almighty, even for one hour each week, we can become excited about the idea of being in God’s presence all the time when our life on this earth ends.

What makes this passage even more beautiful is the realization that the worship that John is describing in the book of Revelations is revolutionary. He is writing at a time of severe persecution, where the very act of worshiping the Divine and pledging allegiance to Jesus could get one killed by the Roman Empire. Yet, people worshiped zealously anyway, even to the point of being killed. Because worship mattered to them. Gathering together was with other Believers was central to the very being. Declaring praises to the God who deserved everything that they had. And they were truly put through a “great ordeal” to the point of being martyrs for the faith. But they believed that God would take care of them, and was worthy of their praises. And because they believed in the God whom they yearned to be in the presence of, “they will hunger no more and thirst no more. The sun with not strike them, nor any scorching heat; for the Lamb at the center of the throne will be there shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of water of life, and God will wipe every tear from their eyes.”

Those whom John pictures before the throne of grace, gave up their very lives to worship God, not because it was entertaining or it was their religious duty to worship the Holy One, but because they believe that the God whom they worshiped was the God of all, and they were simply lucky enough to realize who this God, even if it was only a glimpse, while they were still alive.

Today we are celebrating All Saints Day. This is generally celebrated the last Sunday of October or first Sunday in November, but due to our guest speaker last week, we are celebrating it today. This is the time to honor those saints, both whom we know and those whom we don’t, who have left this life of great ordeal and have joined those who are in God’s presence, worshipping daily. As Methodists we believe that all Christians are “saints”, not simply martyrs or forefathers and mothers of the faith. So today we celebrate all those who are deceased, and honor their memory. We honor those whom we know. We grieve our loses. We celebrate the lives they lived. We strive to embrace what they have taught us, so we can pass on the lessons of the faith.

Today we speak aloud the names of those who have impacted our lives as well as pray for those whom we never met, but are still part of the beautiful gathering worshiping at God’s throne. Today I want to honor the memory of one of my classmates from seminary, Esquire Holland. Esquire was a woman of great faith, who even in her short time on this earth worshipped God with her entire being. She made a laughter that echoed and a smile that was contagious. She sang in the gospel choir at school, ushering others into God’s presence through her voice and love for God. Esquire knew who she was and fully lived into her identity as a child of God. Even though we did not always see eye to eye, and could rub each other the wrong way from time to time, I miss her.

Brothers and sisters, who do you miss this day? Whose memory do you want to uphold and recognize as being a blessing in your life and the lives of others? They do not have to be someone who has passed this year, for often our grief cannot be contained by human time frames. Who do you both want to mourn and celebrate?

Last week we had an All Saints Service for the students at the Wesley Foundation at Penn State, many of whom had never celebrated this day in the church before. One of the young men got up, with tears glistening, and lit a candle for a loved one whom was still alive, but who had died to his old habits that separated him from the love of Christ. Friends, do you have anyone whom you want to lift up in prayer today, celebrating that they have come one step closer to recognizing the grace and love of Christ? Lit a candle for them as well.

As we prepare to celebrate the lives of those whom we love, a few final thoughts. First, everyone is a child of God, some people just have the blessing of recognizing that in this life. We do not just celebrate Christians today, we celebrate all of God’s children who have passed on. Second, this is but one hour during one week of the year. There are 176 other hours that we have lived this week, many of which I believe have been hard on us in the Penn State community. This is also our time to grieve. I truly believe that not all of our worship in heaven will be happy all the time, because God grieves some of the things his children on this earth go through. And surely if we are fully in the presence of God, even in heaven, we will lament in our worship as well. During this time of great ordeal for our community, may we turn to Christ in worship, the one who Shepherds us and promises to wipe every tear from our eye. Do not let this moment pass if you need to lament together, while being assured that we are still in the presence of God, no matter what the situation.

Brothers and sisters may we now prepare to honor those whom we love, knowing that whatever the circumstances are, this, the first day of the week, and particularly this day, as we celebrate All Saints Day, we have gathered to worship a God who has conquered the grave and has had victory over death. Though we may have come to worship today with weary and heavy hearts, we have a hope in Jesus that cannot be contained. A hope that has lead those whom have went before to sing to the one whom the love and the one whom calls them beloved, “Salvation belongs to our God and to the Lamb!” May we join in their song of praise in this act of worship to our great and mighty God. Amen.