Sermon for Epiphany Last- B
Judy
Dear Friends,
This Sunday’s sermon is entitled “You Cannot Shake Hands with a Clenched Fist.’ (Indira Gandhi)” and deals getting ready for Lent. Here it is:
Did you hear about the Sunday school teacher who challenged her little first graders to write a letter to God? One little girl wrote: “Dear God, please put another holiday between Christmas and Easter. There is nothing good in there now except Valentine’s Day. Even if you don’t do as I say, you can still be my God. Love- Amanda” (Children’s Letters to God, compiled by Stuart Hample and Eric Marshall).
Actually there is a very important holy day- really HOLY SEASON between ChristMass and Easter, and without it, Easter really would just be bunnies, candy, and eggs. You know what I’m talking about- Lent (and it’s almost here now). I can’t believe it, but Ash Wednesday is this coming Wednesday, and with it- the beginning of Lent. As you know, Lent is our yearly reality-facing time. Lent is when we take a serious look at our lives and ask ourselves- “How’s it going?” Lent is when we remember that Jesus said he came to give us life, and we look at our lives to see how well we have accepted his gift. Jesus offers, but are we accepting? Are we actually choosing life? Test yourself out- if you found out that you had only today to live, how would you spend these precious 24 hours? What would be your regrets? What goals have you wished to achieve, but really haven’t given yourself fully to the effort? If life were the Olympics, would you be going for the gold, or just letting up when a bronze metal was in sight? Lent is “Get Real” time. This Wednesday, every single member should be in church (unless you’re sick or working) to get real with God, to face reality, to choose what life changes need to be made to become the real you, and then- at God’s altar- make that your 2015 Lenten covenant with God.
The Ten Commandments are good guides for us to follow to prepare for Lent. Each of the commandments warns of a particular kind of sin that will separate us from God. (1) God first. (2) No idols- not even money or family. (3) Don’t treat God’s name lightly. (4) Keep the Sabbath Day holy- i.e.100% church attendance every Sunday unless you’re sick or working- and that doesn’t count cooking or entertaining relatives. (5) Honor your parents and those in authority. (6) No murder or hatred. (7) No adultery- married means off-limits. Period! (8) No stealing- not even “borrowing” because they owe it to us. (9) No lying about someone or ruining another’s reputation with gossip. (10) Don’t be jealous of something or someone your neighbor has. If you’re doing any of those things- don’t be surprised if your life is a mess. Did you hear about the grandmother who mailed the family Bible to her son in another city? When she took the package to the post office, the clerk asked, “Anything breakable in there?” “Not really,” replied the woman, just the Ten Commandments- and people don’t seem to follow them anyway these days!” Sin blocks us from God and his blessings. Follow them. Lent is a perfect time to shape up and clean up our lives.
In the Gospel, we see Peter so amazed at his experience of watching Jesus transfigured before his eyes- that he tries to hold it forever by building altars. His understandable mistake offers excellent Lenten guidance for fullness of life- don’t try to hold on to the past. Live in the present. The only things that don’t change are dead. Choose life. So check out your life: What’s holding you back? Any bad habits? Any grudges, desires for revenge, negative thought patterns? Any negative companions? Are you using your time the way you really want, or do you simply allow life to happen to you? How much time do you spend hypnotized in front of the TV set or half- aware because you’re into the alcohol or another mind-blurring substance? How much are you shortening the gift of life God gave you with those cigarettes? Get real. Claim life. This Lent, see that garbage for what it is and get rid of it.
So this coming Wednesday is decision time. Will it be easy? No! Is it possible? YES! With God, all things are possible. Start this Wednesday, then make a firm decision to stick with it all Lent through. Every Sunday, bring your progress and defeats to the altar.
In closing, here’s a poem that sums up what’s possible as we strive to be the best we can be:
Two frogs fell into a deep cream bowl;
The one was wise, and a cheery soul.
The other one took a gloomy view
And bade his friend a sad adieu.
Said the other frog with a merry grin,
"I can't get out, but I won't give in;
I'll swim around till my strength is spent,
Then I will die the more content."
And as he swam, though ever it seemed,
His struggling began to churn the cream
Until on top of pure butter he stopped,
And out of the bowl he quickly hopped.
The moral, you ask? Oh, it's easily found!
If you can't get out, keep swimming around.
(Our Daily Bread)
For anyone who is interested, this sermon and updated African-American wisdom statements are posted on our parish’s web site under “Sermons & Stuff”. The address is: http://www.stpaulsepisag.org .
Blessed preaching,
Judy Boli
St. Paul's Episcopal Church
Saginaw, Michigan