St. Mark's Church
The 10^th Sunday after Pentecost
Year C
August 8, 2004
Beverly Van Horne, Intern

Genesis 15:1-6; Psalm 33; Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-16; Luke 12:32-40

One of my favorite movies is Ground Hog Day.  It is the story of a self absorbed weather man sent to cover story about a weather forecasting "rat" (as he calls it). This is his fourth year on the story, and he makes no effort to hide his frustration. On awaking the 'following' day he discovers that it's Groundhog Day again, and again, and again. He comes to the realization that he is doomed to spend the rest of eternity in the same place, seeing the same people doing the same thing EVERY day.  In a sense he is in hell.  His life is all about him, his needs and his wants, and it doesn’t change until he finally puts the wants and needs of others before his own.  At that point he finally wakes up on February 3^rd, and we assume he has been permanently transformed as he rides off into a snowy sunset with the girl he loves.

With a little imagination we can see the parallel between this story and today’s Gospel. To paraphrase--sell your stuff and be compassionate.  Put on your work shoes and stay physically fit.  Be ready 24 hours a day/7 days a week for that unexpected hour when you will be called to respond to a friend in need, a hungry stranger or a world torn by violence. 

In her book, The Spiral Staircase, Karen Armstrong writes that in most traditions “faith [is] not about accepting 20 impossible propositions before breakfast, but about doing things that change [us]…If [we] behave in a certain way, [we] will be transformed…The myths and laws of religion are true … because they are life enhancing.”

Armstrong also talks about how the other two great Abrahamic religions, Islam and Judaism, spend very little time “imposing an official doctrine” and promulgating a creed.  Rather they are very much about and emphasize “orthopraxy”—right action, rather than “orthodoxy”—right belief. 

It is not our creeds that compel us to act for justice and peace—Jesus had nothing to do with the writing of those documents—he would be horrified at the energy and expense it takes to debate them.  All our haranguing over the interpretation of scripture and doctrine in the attempt to make sure we all believe correctly goes on at the expense of little children who are ill and starving and families who are victims of violence and war.

Jesus tells us not to be afraid, not to be anxious, and then he tells us to sell our possessions and give to the poor.  Can this possibly make sense in our consumer driven world where stuff and lots of it is a sign of achievement and success?  Is it likely that we could be less anxious by concentrating on providing for others rather than ourselves?

The Good News is we will be transformed when we do what Jesus tells us to do.  We cannot wait until we feel like doing it.  We have to start.  We live in covenant with God—God is our shield; the architect and builder of our lives.  We are the embracing arms and the tireless feet of Jesus in this world. 

I love the windows in this church.  They remind me that the lens Jesus wants us to use when looking out of them is the lens of compassion and justice.

We are to be at work in a world that is broken.  The cure for our anxiety over too much or not enough stuff and all our other troubles is to provide for others and work for justice and peace.  Our communities need our attention and our wealth.  In the process of working to meet the needs of others we are transformed into the likeness of God, in whose image we are made. 

We become more loving by loving others; we become more generous by giving generously.  Each time we forget ourselves—our fears and our self interest—as individuals and as a church—and we reach out in love to give aid or work for justice—we grow a little more into the life Jesus calls us to.

The church is not a haven for solace—it is a place for renewal. Passive faith will not transform us.  Active faith—doing for others, loving others as Jesus loves us—that is how we are changed into the person God calls us to be.  That is how we guaranty we will have a future in this community.  We have to get up off our knees and get about the work of the church.  That is what it means to receive God’s promises and the kingdom God is pleased to share.  Are we ready?

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