IM, September 13, 2009

WE ARE a self-fulfilled, self-actualized, prosperous people. Whereas the readings for this morning call us to see what is HOLY. CALL us, to know that God knows us better than we know ourselves. As much as we are accustomed to believe that if you make THE Right decision, the right purchase of the right product, if we find our soul-partner for life; if we could go to the right pre-school so as to go to the right elementary starting at the age when we were ready, and went on to the right preparatory school so as to go to the best colleges and Universities and have all knowledge so as to be learned; STILL we will not understand, because faith is not a single one-time linear decision, faith is a life-time pursuit of relearning what we thought we already knew, learning what is too familiar.

We are a Christian people, named for Jesus Christ. But as much as we think we know what being Christian is, as much as we believe we understand who Christ is, this is only the beginning. We have come to use “Christ” as if Jesus' last name, as if we could assume we know what it means to be The Messiah, the Son of God! Do not misunderstand, to know Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah, Son of God is a powerful claim and realization, for that is what Simon Peter came to affirm, that is the point of Baptism. They were walking along the road, having been Called by Jesus, having been together to see many miracles, having heard his teachings, when Jesus asks them to consider “What is my reputation? Who do people say I AM?” King Herod thought Jesus was John the Baptist back from the dead! Some knew the Old Testament Scriptures that prior to the end of the world, Elijah the Prophet who had not died but had been carried up by God in a whirlwind was to return. Still others thought he was a Good Man, a Rabbi, a Prophet. So Jesus gets personal and asks: “Yes, but who do you say that I AM?”

How many remember that moment in 9th Grade Geometry, when you had learned that 2+2 = 4, and 4 X 4= 16, you had learned square roots and basic Algebra; when one morning you were given formula for calculating the distance around the perimeter of a circle, and using that, you suddenly understood the quantity that could be held by a cylinder? There is that moment, when you believe a Lightbulb actually appeared above your head, when suddenly you know! That is Simon Peter: Jesus Called us, Jesus fed 5000 people with one child's lunch, Jesus walked on Water and calmed the sea, Jesus heals the sick and teaches us what never before was revealed, Ding, Ding “Jesus IS the Messiah!” And Jesus says YES BUT, you do not yet know what that means. Because the Messiah, the Son of God, the Christ, MUST suffer, must die for all the world to be saved, in order for Resurrection to occur there must be a Crucifixion and for that there must be betrayal, and for betrayal to be real, there must be trust and love, not only as we each have known, but to TRUST and to LOVE and to be BETRAYED for all Humanity. For the Resurrection of Easter to be a reality, the Son of God must be the representative of all the world the SON of MAN, who suffers for all Creation, who atones for the Whole Cosmos, Once and For All.

Christendom made everyone believe we knew what it is to be Christian, you go to church, you are Baptized, you sing the hymns, you go to Sunday School, you serve on a committee, you pay an offering you receive Communion, and WHAM BAM: YOU ARE A CHRISTIAN. Suddenly, for Simon Peter and for Us, it is as if that “lightbulb of realization” overheated and explodes. FAITH IN GOD is not a matter of going through the motions, of showing up for life, of doing what others always did, but challenges us to live out our Calling, to live our faith, to choose to make things happen, because you care, because you must, not for your sake, but to make a difference for others.

The Great Patriarch, MOSES, Moses who led the people to the Promised Land, Moses who brought to the people the 10 COMMANDMENTS of God, Moses who parted the Red Sea, was not always known as such. Moses had witnessed a great injustice, and got involved, for which an Egyptian was dead, and Moses was known to have taken a life. In reaction to which, Moses went away, got married and took up a new life. Not as part of Pharaoh's Court, not as a leader, not as a Savior, but blending in as a common SHEPHERD, not even as a Prominent Son, but the Son-in-law of Jethro a Levite, the Priest of Midian. We each naively believe that we define who we are. Our parents begin this by giving us a name, yet as soon as we can we change from being called Matthew to our wanting to be Matt, from being given the name Gustavus to being Gus. We choose whether we want to play sports and with whom we want to be known. We choose what schools we attend. We choose our career. We choose where we want to live and who we marry. We choose what we want to put on a resume, how we want to be called, and who we want to know us on Facebook. We choose who we give our email address to, and who has access to us for Instant Messaging. Moses was herding sheep for his Father-in-Law, when GOD CALLED his name.

Faith is not a matter of choice, but a matter of conviction. God knew Moses, before Moses knew God. God had a plan for Moses to do. In the midst of what was routine and common, God called Moses to see what was Holy. Moses tried to turn God down. FIVE TIMES God told Moses what he must do and each time, Moses tried to claim something else, some one else. “Get my brother Aaron, he is a better public speaker.” God allows that Aaron can share in this, but Moses is still CALLED BY GOD.

In desperation, Moses says, “So IF, and I am not saying I will, but IF I Go to the People and say God Called, and the people ask Whose God, the God of the Perrizites, the Amonites, the God of the Trees, the God of Lightning and Thunder, the God who makes Snow, the God of Love or the God of War?” And God responded “I AM”. Our kids know IM as Instant Messaging, staying connected with your every thought of what you are doing, when. While familiar to us, the Name God gave to Moses comes from the Verb “TO BE”. I Have Been what I Have Been; I Will Be What I Will BE; I AM What I am. As much as to say, that as Creator, everything that exists, everything we can imagine, everything that has ever been and all that will ever be, GOD is Part of.

The struggle of reason that explodes that lightbulb over our heads, is that if all that IS is because of God, then What do we do with the Holocaust? How do we understand the Cancer? Why did 9/11 happen? If God is all Knowing and al powerful... “Was God impotent to make a difference?” “Did God allow these human devastations to happen?” “Did God cause them?” Is God worse than Adolph Hitler and Saddam Hussein and Ossama Bin Laden and Bernie Maddoff all rolled into one? There is something to Moses argument, of saying “No Thank You” to Faith.
Personally, I believe that there are be it by fate or design, or the presence of evil in the world Horrible Tragedies that will happen. The question of faith is what we will do, who among us is called and to do what.

That day, eight years ago, there were at least four planes. Two of which were flown into the Trade Centers. One was flown into the Pentagon. One, the people on board IM-ed friends and family to give them their love, then the passengers, the shepherds going about their business took control.
I remember that day, at the local factory, As people asked if this were the end of the world? If this were the presence of Evil in the world? I recall that afternoon, sharing with strangers, that I have two sons who would be draft age, and the fears of parents, the fears of us all at the war that would come. I recall that evening, as this Sanctuary was filled beyond capacity, as we described that nothing is as it was yesterday. I recall people over the next many weeks asking: Why would people hate so much? Strangely, this year, on September 11th one couple chose to marry and another to have their rehearsal for their wedding, not that this had become just another day, they were intentional it was not, BUT that this day could be redeemed, reclaimed as not being a day of tragedy.

Of all the healing stories, this one in Mark is unique, because Jesus touches the man and asks if he can see, and he is healed but not completely, only half-way, so people look like trees walking. And Jesus touches the man a second time, and encourages him to look intently, in essence to look Deeper. We can approach life, as ordinary or we can look deeper. We can be healed from blindness, from paralysis, from cancer, from hate; but there is also a deeper healing, spiritual healing of redeeming life, resurrection knowing what was is dead and we are called to live anew.