Episcopal Church of the Messiah

Worship Service Sermons

Proper 28C,  November 18, 2007

 The Reverend Canon Brad Karelius

Perspectives

As we move toward the end of the Church Year, the scriptures direct us to the end of time. The Gospels are especially interested in the timing of the end point and the signs that announce its coming. The People of God are called to be watchful, ready and willing to suffer.

The followers of Jesus share this expectation, but they want to know when and where, so they can be better prepared. Jesus advises: don’t overreact. Things that look like signs are not and don’t give in to the panic peddlers. The end will be unmistakable. I will be with you in whatever comes.

It has happened to you already or it will some time come to you. A medical test returns and you sit in the doctor’s office. There is a serious look on the physician’s face. More tests or there needs to be surgery or there is some other urgent treatment. The words hit you like a slap across the face. At this moment you will feel fear and the fragility of life will be palpable.

You return home and Google the diagnosis. You read about information from medical sources and bloggs from other persons with this medical situation. You read statistics and outcomes. For some of us, having the information and perspective and hearing from other people who have been in our shoes help us face the uncertain future.

Ellen Langer did a recent study. Her group tested two different coping strategies with patients about to undergo major surgery. They give one group statistical data about pain and recovery that would help them predict what they were going to experience.

With a second group of patients, they worked on helping them to have a positive lens, a frame through which to see their upcoming surgery. Then both groups were tracked after their surgery.

It seems that this 2^nd group faired significantly better.

She writes:
"These results indicate that although factual preparation and training in reframing both emphasize prediction as the key to an experience of personal control, the type of prediction offered by individual experience is distinct from the prediction offered by group data. Whereas prediction based on statistics assumes some correspondence with reality, prediction based on individual experience enables individuals to give meaning to their own future experience." (The Power of Mindful Learning, Ellen J. Langer.)

Knowing the meaning of what will happen may be more important than knowing the statistical details of what will happen.

The way of knowing the meaning of the future respects the future as an unknown reality.

Jesus gives us a vision and perspective of the future and promises that he will be with us in all things.

Without an anchor in this vision of Jesus, our fears can overwhelm us with despair.

I am reminded of Ed, a beloved parishioner at St. Mary’s Laguna Beach. The year was 1976. He was a wealthy, gifted, energetic OC entrepreneur. But his life took a bad turn. His business partner ran off with most of the assets and Ed felt that his life was over. We tried to talk him through to a place of hope. But the next day Ed called us from a phone both near Fashion Island. He said he was going to shoot himself in that phone both and told us where he was so the police could find his body. We called the police, but Ed was dead when they found him. Two months later, Interpol in Germany found Ed’s business partner and the money was restored. Ed did have a future, but he couldn’t see it.

Jesus is preparing his disciples for his death and passion, and for their own suffering as a consequence of following him. I think Jesus was trying to prepare them to understand the meaning of their suffering. In all that was ahead for them, Jesus urges them to cling to the transcendent love that ultimately holds them.

And Jesus reminds us that true religion is not: Believe in me, do this, and nothing bad will happen to you. But rather: Follow me, the things you are afraid will happen likely will happen to you, but they are nothing to be afraid of. I am with you.

Finally Jesus urges his followers and us to always live in the present. If you knew that the world was going to end, what would you do differently?

Jesus does not need followers who live in anxiety and fear and guilt, with heads up in the sky looking for the end. God needs lovers, delighters and positive builders in these end times.

These scriptures remind us that our own life has an end point. Sometimes it takes a close call in a life event or health issue for ourself or a loved one to teach us to live alive and joyful in the present. I know that our son Erik has taught us this lesson well. Our minds can drift in fear to an end point for him, but what we have for sure is this present moment, this present breath, this present heartbeat.

When you live as if your life is passing before you, no single thing is really that important. This morning, in Jesus' teaching about the end of days, he is giving us perspective about those things that give us so much grief in our life.

Richard Rohr writes;

When you realize that in this present moment, this present breath, this present heartbeat, everything is important and precious, and yet it is all passing away, then no individual event matters so much. You can let it go.

Jesus is preparing to meet his Passion. It is not something he is going to do, but he is letting go to what is going to be done to him: his suffering and death on the cross. It is this passion of Jesus that liberates us to live hopefully and joyful in each moment of life that we have.

Amen

Sources used

Richard Rohr, The Good News According to Luke

John Shea, The Relentless Widow.