Genesis 15:1-12, 17-18
Philippians 3:17--4:1
Luke 13:22-35
Psalm 27
Close your eyes and visualize a warm summer Sunday in July in the year 2010.
It's around 8:30 a.m. and The Rev. Cedar Morrigan is just arriving at St. Stephen's for the 9:00 a.m Eucharist. The homilist for this Sunday is The Rev. Randy Welsand, well known in these parts for his sensitive and "down to earth" sermons. Deacon Johanna Morrigan is at Good Samaritan in Sauk Centre this Sunday with The Rev. Rob Cavanna as well as intercesor and organist Cynthia Ann. Maren Kay is with them too. Our liturgist, Lu, is at the church of Our Savior in Little Falls with the other members of the team -Doris, Zippy and Hariette.
Open your eyes now and think about St. Stephen's in Paynesville. There's a sense of excitement and anticipation in the air as this is the day for Bishop Jim's visitation. St. Stephen's is filled with 65 people of all ages. Children are among those gathered this morning as a successful Sunday school program has been operating for about 5 years now along with a very dynamic Adult Education program.
A similar scene is repeating itself this morning in Good Samaritan in Sauk Centre and at Our Savior's in Little Falls. A thriving and active Hispanic ministry is alive and growing in both churches. A marvelous transformation and spiritual revival has taken place in all these three churches and it's due to "an ever nurturing, protecting God" as well as the willingness of the people who in spite of evil and despair lurking in the guise of a fox have pulled together and stood up to this "fox of defeat and pessimism."
Yes, in today's Gospel Jesus went on to Jerusalem. He wasn't killed by Herod. He was killed there as the prophets had been killed and He rose from the dead on the third day!
Our third day is here and now! It's time, I believe, to act on this dream and help make it a reality. It's time to say: "blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord." Now is the time to gather the chicks and show our love to the world as a mother hen does to her babies.We have all been doing many of these ministries some without even knowing we're doing them but it's good to remind ourselves of them and to recommit ourselves to them. To help make this dream a reality, I think we need to ask ourselves some very poignant questions and also pray about them too. Our proactive responses to them will help shape not only our own personal spiritual future but also the future lives of the Spirit of the Heartland churches.
Don't you think now is the time to bring a friend or neighbor to church whether they're 26 or 86!?
Don't you think now is the time to get rid of the "foxes" of maintenance and pessimism?
Don't you think now is the time to tell all the world who we are as Episcopalians and be proud of it?
Don't you think now is the time to go out on this journey with Jesus for "today, tomorrow and the next day I must be on my way?"
Don't you think now is the time to open the Spirit of the Heartland churches to blood drives, art exhibits, concerts, plays and community functions?
Don't you think now is the time to speak out publicly against injustice, discrimination, and racism in our communities?
Don't you think now is the time to reach out to the poor, the destitute, the lonely, and the abused?
Don't you think now is the time to do things which may seem stupid but which we know are right because they aren't safe and comfortable?
Don't you think now is the time to open our doors and our table to to all who are hungry and need feeding?
Don't you think now is the time to gather all God's children together for safety and solace?
Don't you think now is the time to minister to our chicks - the homeless, abandoned, orphaned and neglected children?
Don't you think now is the time to continue to minister to the aged, sick and infirm?
Don't you think now is the time to bring Christ's love to those in prison?
Don't you think now is the time to feed the hungry and poor?
Don't you think now is the time to reach out and raise monies for abused men and women and those in shelters?
Don't you think now is the time to comfort and serve the unchurched?
Don't you think now is the time to offer healing to all those hurt or alienated by the church?
Don't you think now is the time to show by example respect and dignity for every human being?
Don't you think now is the time to accept risk and be open to change?
Don't you think now is the time to reaffirm our call "as faithful witnesses of Christ Our Lord?"
Don't you think now is the time to look beyond our doors?
Don't you think now is the time to shake off the dust of the past while at the same time putting on "new clothes" for the future?
Don't you think now is the time to renew our Baptismal covenant and to open our hearts to God's grace and truth?
Don't you think now is the time to lose our shyness and proclaim by word and example the News of God in Christ for indeed "people will come from the east and the west, from north and south and will eat in the kingdom of God. Indeed, some are last who will be first and some are first who will be last."
After all, isn't now the time to show true and unconditional love to all we come in contact with everyday and to bring them to St. Stephen's, Good Samaritan and Our Savior's where God's spirit will surround and embrace them just as a mother hen will care for and love her chicks? If we pray and think seriously on these questions this Lent, our vision of the year 2010 will become a reality. We wouldn't want it any other way now - would we?