From the street

Yesterday, as my friend and I had breakfast together and chatted about our work, our kids, our life in general, I had this overwhelming sense of God's presence. Not because we talked about God per se, but because somehow I knew that God was in our conversation. It was holy - as holy as any moment has been.

I went to the hospital to visit a new friend and once again had the sense of God's presence. My new friend is recovering from a terrible accident and the plan is to have him home for Christmas. This, too, was holy.

Meeting with the Young Adult Gathering last night and talking about God's feminine images in Scripture was interesting and fun, too. Sad, Scripture is full of feminine images, but we never get to explore them in church...maybe a sermon series is forthcoming, who knows? but holy, it was holy.

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From the Street

I was at the maul yesterday (no this is not a mistake...my friend Steve K. put this on his own FB page...and I concur with the sentiment) shopping for Christmas gifts. I was at Macy's and was making my purchases at one of the many jewelry counters.

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The young man who helped me was on his first day!

He was very kind, and so apologetic for being slow. I didn't mind a bit. I was there before 1pm and so my extra $10 discount was secured. We chatted while he scanned and put in the codes and he told me that everyone had been so nice to him as he learned the ropes.

I told him that he seemed very bright and that it would soon feel very familiar - all that he was doing.

He smiled and his eyes softened as he thanked me for my kind words.

How much effort did that take - on his part, or on mine? And yet, in the hassle of the season, we added a tiny bit to each other's Christmas peace.

I wish him well and I will look him up again, the next time I head to the maul.

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Gmail - Inbox (1) - pjschallis@gmail.com

Gmail - Inbox (1) - pjschallis@gmail.com

Been thinking a lot lately about style of worship and reading Mark Pierson's book "The Art of Curating Worship" as my text. I haven't completed the book, but there's something here that makes me ponder...

Is worship for God?

Is worship for those who produce it?

Is worship for those who participate in it?

Is worship a collective whole, for God, for the producers, for the participants?

If it's only for God - the honest truth is God doesn't need worship, we do.

If it's only for the producers of worship, then worship can happen in a vacuum - producers only

If it's only for participants, then we who produce are only putting on a show and we might as well pay professionals to entertain.

If it's collaborative, collective, then the mess begins! It may not be elegant, excellent, but it will be our best human effort held in God's loving hands. We, together, offer to God what we feel, see, sense, know, and God holds it as a precious gift - just like I imperfectly did when my children made me something because they loved me.

It doesn't mean we dont' do our best.

But it does mean we won't be perfect or totally polished. Roughness will show.

And isn't that just chic?

That They May Be One

Grace, mercy and peace be unto you from our Triune God. Amen

If I could transform John Chapter 17 into a hymn, the chorus would be words found in verse 11, and again in verses 21, and 22, and 23: They are? "That they may be one."

Let’s set the scene…Jesus is in the Upper Room with his disciples. He's about to go out and be arrested, tried, and crucified. It's the last night of his earthly life. And what's on his mind, and in his heart? "That they may be one." That his disciples, then and today, that we through all time and all ages, be as close to one another as Jesus was to God.

Why?

Why was the unity of his disciples so important to Jesus?

Perhaps because Jesus knew what was ahead for them. The authorities were about to crucify him and do you think they would hesitate to do the same or worse to his followers? Jesus knew that if they were to survive his suffering and their own to come, they had to stick together.

Jesus prayed so fervently for our oneness because he knew we could not make it alone. And, sisters and brothers, we don't even need to try. We need one another.

Jesus also prayed that we may be one because together we can better carry out the commission he has given us. When we come together and pool our resources, we can do things together we never could alone. We do amazing things when we recognize and live into our connections – like being a part of the ELCA. Together we have created and supported colleges, universities, seminaries, hospitals, homes for children with special needs, and senior citizens. We engage in many local and world-wide relief ministries through our disaster response organizations - and so much more. Only working together as one could we accomplish these things. This is a big reason why we are part of the ecumenical movement.

We also get a real insight in verse 21 about why Jesus prayed for our unity:

"I pray that they may be one. May they be in us, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they be one SO THAT THE WORLD WILL BELIEVE YOU SENT ME."

Perhaps our most powerful witness of the power of Christ is our unity. This world is a broken place - racially, economically, nationally, divided in countless ways. What a tremendous witness we give this shattered world when it can see that we, as diverse as we are, are united by love, a power far greater than that which would divide us! Our unity, our love for one another, our coming together to serve honors Christ sends a powerful message to the world.

And, sadly, when we are divided, we dishonor Jesus and destroy our witness to the world. For why should this broken world come to the church that cannot even get along with one another? My nephew’s powerful Facebook comment this morning brought this home for me. He said, “Never have I felt so unwelcomed in my own church. I felt invisible, no wonder why I don't like going there anymore. I feel outcasted by the youth group.” To which a friend of his replied, “I know what you mean. I don't understand how churches can have cliques and crap. It is supposed to be a place to escape from the world and it's not anymore.” That’s a powerful message to the world, all right. But, I’m not sure that’s the message we want to be sending.

It seems that we Christians are acting like islands. To be an island it has to be separated by water. Islands can be far apart. They can be close together and have totally different climates and cultures! If we make this analogy to the church we can say that there are so many denominations, so many churches, and we seem so far apart from one another, not seeking or desiring much contact, much connection. An average non-church person must be really confused when he or she looks at how very divided the church is today.

I see as never before the growing realization that the church is like a tree. We all are the branches on this tree. Jesus is the trunk - the source of our life, the One who holds us up. We are to bear fruit for him. Fewer churches are saying or thinking, "We're the only branch on the tree!" We are beginning to see that Christ has many branches and each one is needed.

I see a willingness as never before to look more at what we have in common than concentrating on our differences, more at what unites us than separates us...

Our faith in one God, the Creator...

Our love for one Lord, Jesus the Christ...

Our dependence upon one Spirit, the Empowerer...

Our realization that we truly must love one another like Jesus loves us if the world is to know that we are his disciples.

There are differences between denominations and even within denominations - and we should not gloss over them as if they do not matter. But this must not keep us from learning to look first for what we have in common - for those "essentials that unite us." When we do that, even when our differences do seem so great - they become easier to accept and maybe even appreciate.

We have throughout our country groups of clergy & laity from all denominations that meet each week to read and discuss the Scriptures, to pray together, to plan ways to serve together. I drive to the Antelope Valley every Tuesday to be part of such a group. We have come to know one another, to care about and care for one another, and we have discovered that our differences actually enrich us.

I believe the prayer of Jesus that "they may be one" is beginning to be answered. For we are beginning not just to see ourselves as islands forever separated by great distances and differences. We are beginning to realize that even the islands, if you look beneath the surface of the ocean, all are connected to one foundation, one earth.

We in the ELCA have led efforts for some time to bring the various denominations together to promote understanding and to unite in service together. Just think about it: all Christians on this planet working together! What things we could accomplish for the Kingdom of God! And, sitting here this afternoon experience and enjoy the connection we have to the Episcopal church….a connection that began 10 years ago with the Call to Common Mission…which states that we accept and embrace the unity we share with the Anglican Tradition by being able to not only share table fellowship (which means take communion together) but also that we will embrace each other’s clergy and could call them to serve our congregations. We can and have opened joint mission starts. This decision was the first of many we have made…with the United Church of Christ, the Presbyterian Church, The Reformed Church in America, The United Methodist Church. And, we are continuing to make. We have begun discussions with the African Methodist Episcopal Church – a predominantly African American church to center around the things that really matter - we are already one.

Rooted, grounded, and connected forever by our common threads:

Our faith in one God, the Creator...

Our love for one Lord, Jesus the Christ...

Our dependence upon one Spirit, the Empowerer...

Our realization that we truly must love one another like Jesus loves us if the world is to know that we are his disciples.

As a teenager, we sang a song that – though it does not have “that they may be one” as the refrain, it does have as its first verse, “We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord; we are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord; And we pray that all unity may one day be restored.” The chorus is: “And they’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love, Yes, they’ll know we are Christians by our love.”

Make us one, dear Jesus, make us one. Amen

Bullying

Was just at synod assembly for the Southwest California Synod. I had the privilege of speaking about something that is personal, powerful and awful...bullying. Here's the speech I gave, for what it's worth. Part of this speech is from the Lutherans Concerned North America resolution on bullying.

I am here to speak about a matter that hurts my heart, bullying. As a child who was always fat, who was born fat, I was bullied mercilessly as a child - due to my weight. As I suffered, I through some amazing help from my church’s youth minister, I realized that there are other people who suffer, too, because of who they are and how they are put together. Through my own pain, I became an advocate, a friend, and maybe to some, I hope, an ally.

Bullying is still around. Some surveys show that over 3/4 of students are bullied mentally, physically, emotionally sometime in their life.

And now it’s found in ever more pervasive means. We have social media sites and cell phones that can make a person’s life a living hell. It is estimated that up to 25% of children are harassed, bullied, emotionally harmed due to social media outlets.

The ELCA Social Statement on Education, which was passed in 2007, expects communities of learning and teaching to be safe places. We recognize that school safety is an issue for all students, staff, and teachers. Unfortunately, incidents of bullying, intimidation, and other forms of violence are not unusual. We affirm that personal safety and security are essential for optimal teaching and learning”

The most recent research I could find (based on 2009) indicates that somewhere between 20-35% of children are bullied in some way every day. The worst time for this to happen is in Middle School – right when we traditionally teach the catechism in our churches! When our youngest child was in Middle School, she missed two weeks of school due to a bully’s threat. Statistically, 8% of students miss at least 1 day per week due to bullying.

Students with disabilities or special needs are at a higher risk of being bullied than others. Students are also bullied at a higher rate around issues of sexual orientation, non-conforming gender behaviors, and dress. I saw this in my own small town school and did my best, even as a fellow student to stop it. When I taught school, whenever I caught a student bullying another student, they were disciplined to the fullest extent that the code of conduct would allow.

Just recently, in the Antelope Valley, a young person took their life due to bullying. And although we have seen increased media attention to the tragic consequences, including youth suicide of bullying, we seem to want to just wring our hands. If steps are not taken to prevent bullying, harassment, and other related forms of violence, where will it stop?

The voice of the church can rise and begin addressing the intersection of race, economic status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, and physical ability. This is a powerful witness to the healing and life affirming the Gospel promise for everyone! It was at my church that I felt the overwhelming love and acceptance of God, of my peers, and of the adults in my church that kept me from doing harm to myself. I encourage all leaders of children and young people, especially in the Middle School time of children’s lives to be aware and to take action to stop bullying within your churches and schools.

We are a denomination with many resources and partnerships. I would encourage that we expand on those partnerships we already have within every congregation and also to begin to explore new partnerships among our congregations, the synods, the Churchwide Organization, outdoor ministries, campus ministries, Lutheran School Associations, Lutherans Concerned/North America, Lutheran Social Services organizations, public schools, counseling centers and other governmental organizations in order to support and offer preventative programs addressing bullying, harassment, and other related violence, especially with higher risk populations.

I would also encourage every congregation to explore programs within your community that already exist which:

a. utilize positive, inclusive, empowering and developmentally appropriate materials,

b. raise participant’s awareness about the issue,

c. focus on prevention,

d. seek to change bystander behavior into ally behavior,

e. create partnerships between youth and adults

It is only through working together, ensuring that our congregations are safe, bullying free zones of acceptance for ALL of God’s people, that we can keep our kids alive and well, and bullying free.

Gmail - Inbox - pjschallis@gmail.com

Quick look at John

Grace, mercy and peace be unto you from God who is Creator, Christ and Comforter. Amen

When I was in seminary, I had to choose which Gospel I would concentrate on for a semester. I chose John. It is the one Gospel, we use every year, though certainly in bits and pieces. It is the one Gospel, which was written apart from the other three – Matthew, Mark and Luke – and it does not use a source text that scholars have dubbed “Q.” John’s gospel is different, way different, and worth some time to unpack, even if it’s just a bit today.

There is one major concept, and a couple foundational words that need to be understood when you read this gospel.

First, the incarnation as both the major concept and a foundational word, is essential! John 1:1 makes this point very clearly. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The fact that Jesus IS God, Jesus came from God, and Jesus will go back to God is not to be disputed, misunderstood, or made insignificant. The incarnation, the fact that God becomes flesh and blood like you and me, and yet, never losing the fact that Jesus is God, has to be in our minds and remain there whenever we read anything from John. This foundational principle of incarnation, helps us when we read John’s gospel to realize that this dual nature of Jesus – fully human AND fully God – makes him able to say things, do things, know things, endure things, that most humans would not.

Second thing we need to know is that we don’t know who wrote this book, just like the other Gospels. The author left us clues, and for the people for whom this book was written at first, those clues were enough. Scholars all seem to agree that this person, on whom the gospel is based, had a first-hand account of Jesus – and is referred to in chapter 21:20 as “the disciple whom Jesus loved.” It was assumed that this was John the Beloved, who took Jesus’ mother, Mary into his house as Jesus was dying. That has been debated long and hard and it is now believed that none of the disciples ever wrote a Gospel. But, because we need a name for a book, and there is no reason to mess with tradition all the time J, we use John as its title. John’s gospel, as best we can date it, was written much later than the other three, somewhere in the later part of the first century CE, or AD as you may know it.

Third, John’s use of Greek is simply amazing! When trying to translate this book from Greek in class, we all soon realized how incredibly adept the author was. So many times, a word that has significance in a passage could be understood in Greek to have multiple meanings – and John meant every one of them! So, how do you translate that into English, and have proper grammar, syntax, and meaning, and not make the book itself weigh 5 pounds? That’s always the issue with translation! You have to choose a word and there is not always an equivalent.

There is, for today, one more key word to understand, in this amazing book of hope. The word is μένω, (meno) which, depending upon context is translated abide, dwell, remain. In this gospel, “meno” is used over 40 times, and considering this book is only 21 chapters long, you get the idea that it’s an essential word and understanding for John!

Looking at our text then, we see Jesus in John chapter 14, talking to the disciples and he says, “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places.” The root for the word dwelling, is “meno.” To understand this significance, let’s briefly look at how houses were put together in the 1^st century. Houses were constructed mostly of mud bricks and then thatch for roofs. If there was space on the family’s land, other houses were built and attached to the original house – usually for married daughters and/or sons, but also for aunts, uncles, grandparents, etc., forming a family compound of multiple generations. As long as there was space, these 10 X10 houses were added on ad infinitum.

So, when Jesus says there are many dwelling places, the disciples instantly can conjure up in their minds the large family compounds they have either lived in themselves, or have seen in their everyday lives. All attached, all connected, all part of the original home and all necessary for the existence of that family unit.

But, even deeper than that, by John using the term “meno” – and our English translations of “meno” to be: remain, abide, dwell - we can ask some bigger questions. What does it mean to remain someplace? To abide someplace? To dwell someplace? There is no sense of hustle, or hurry is there? There is this sense of slowing down, of staying, of being there - perhaps forever!

Abide here, take off your shoes, hang your hat, have a seat. Remain here, don’t go off to somewhere else, but stay put. Dwell here, put down roots here, no need to hurry off. Put down roots and let them go deep. Get invested in the community. Stay. Be. Dwelling places, as Jesus speaks of them, equals a permanent home!

So, Jesus is going to prepare a place where we stay, abide, remain. And though he promises to come back to show us, Jesus also says we know the way! But do we?

Harold Camping certainly thought he did - and had us all heading there yesterday!

But, before we make too much fun of him, let’s see if the disciples who actually walked with, and talked to, and touched Jesus got it. Looking at the passage, nope! They didn’t. Listen to this: Thomas says, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” Jesus then points out that he, himself, is the way, the truth and the life. Right back to that first essential point of John’s gospel…Jesus is the INCARNATE WORD. God in the flesh! Look at him and you’ll get it!

Or…not!

Because then we hear Philip say, “Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.” OK, let’s unpack that a bit. What does Scripture say about seeing God? If you see God, you die! There are a couple of exceptions to that, Moses, Elijah, but really? After those two men…no one else! And what does Philip get as a response? Right back to that first essential point of John’s gospel…Jesus is the INCARNATE WORD. God in the flesh! Look at him and you’ll get it!

Or…not!

There is also an agricultural understanding of this word, meno. It is used when grafting one plant into another. The idea of grafting is that you take two different plants and make one new plant that bears characteristics of each parent plant and yet is something totally new. When the graft has taken, there is no separating the one from the other without killing the plant. Once they are a part of each other, that’s it – we have a new entity, a new plant.

This takes us to the end of our text for today. Jesus tells Philip, “The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own; but the Father who dwells in me does his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; but if you do not, then believe me because of the works themselves.” You see? Grafted. Incarnate. There is no separating God from Jesus or Jesus from God. They are one.

And here’s the kicker for us today. Jesus goes on to say, “Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do, and in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father. I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If in my name you ask me for anything, I will do it.”

That’s why we end our prayers with the phrase “in Jesus’ name” so we ask that Jesus will indeed do what we’re praying.

Let’s back up a bit. Jesus talks about works that we will do- works that are greater than what Jesus did. What works are we supposed to do? As Lutheran Christians, sometimes this sends our “works righteousness” alarms ringing! There is NOTHING we can do to earn our salvation - that is for sure. Our salvation is a gift straight from the hand of God. Period.

There are things we are to do. Love each other. Care for the orphan and the widow. Seek justice and peace. Nurture our planet.

The work we do here is simpler…and harder than those things. We are to believe. Believe that Jesus is the INCARNATE WORD. God in the flesh! Look at him and you’ll get it!

And, because Jesus is no longer physically here in the flesh, by believing…we are, we become, the incarnated presence of Jesus in this world.

You are the incarnated presence of Jesus, in whatever way you can be. Wherever you go, you are Jesus.

You are the one who shows Jesus to the world. You are the one, who when you reach out your hand, when you speak, when you act, you are Jesus in the flesh.

Whatever does that look like? Think about that for a minute, then share with your neighbor.

Spend some time, dwell, remain, “meno,” in the presence and knowledge of God’s amazing, saving, redeeming, loving presence. Be with God. Know you are grafted, adopted, bound to God.

And then? Be. Do. Go.

Amen

The Sheepfold

The Sheepfold

The Rev. Adam Thomas deserves credit for a lot of this sermon. Thanks, Adam!

Grace, mercy and peace be unto you from God who is Creator, Christ and Comforter. Amen

Yesterday, Dave and I went to the Los Angeles Zoo right after I picked him up from the airport. We arrived before the zoo opened and as we gathered, I couldn’t help but notice the gates that kept us out until they were ready. Big, tall iron bars firmly welded together and then fastened to the ground by iron bars that went into the concrete. They were there for protection and safety – of that there is no doubt! But the gates, being iron bars, you could see right through them and because of that, begin to build anticipation of what lies inside. It felt a bit like being sheep, but this time outside the gate!

John chapter 10, Jesus employs the imagery of first-century shepherding practice in an attempt to reveal his own identity and his relationship to us. I grew up in the Midwest, out in the country and a few of my friends had sheep. But, quite honestly the way they farmed sheep is very different than the way 1^st century shepherds did. But, in England, one can get a glimpse, perhaps, of shepherding Jesus-style.

So imagine with me a rolling plain, dotted with humps and hillocks. Dusk descends, and the shepherds lead their flocks into the sheepfold. One of the hillocks has been hollowed out, and the sheep huddle inside next to the sheep of several other shepherds who share this particular fold. A pair of piled rock walls extends out a few feet from the sides of the hill. One shepherd lies down in the space between the low walls, effectively sealing the enclosure. Thieves and bandits and wolves will have a difficult time getting in with the shepherd’s on guard. The sheep are safe in the sheepfold.

When the shepherd arises the next morning, as Jesus explains, "He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice." The sheep can't spend their whole lives in the sheepfold, no matter how safe the enclosure may be. There's no food in the fold, after all. There’s no water. The sheep may be comfortable and safe, but the sheep must follow the shepherd out of the fold in order to find sustenance, in order to live.

Jesus' choice of words here is telling, but our translation into English hides the special word that Jesus uses. "When he has brought out all of his own, he goes ahead of them," says Jesus in the version we use in church. In this verse, this is a very weak rendering of a Greek word έξάϒει (exagei) that appears over and over again in the Gospel. We hear this word every time Jesus casts out a demon. We hear this word when Jesus makes a whip and throws the moneychangers out of the temple. We hear this word when Jesus speaks of driving out the "ruler of this world." In every instance of this word in the Gospel, Jesus is doing some sort of battle: he is pushing, pulling, throwing, yanking, driving, exorcising, casting out. But in this instance about the shepherd and the sheep, the translators decided a nice, safe, neutral translation was better. The shepherd simply "leads" his sheep out of the fold.

Now, perhaps those dimwitted, wooly animals trod placidly from the fold every morning at the beckoning of the shepherd. But Jesus is, of course, not talking about real sheep. He's talking about us, about you and me. He's talking about calling out to us - about speaking the word that will bring us forth from our own sheepfolds, from those places of comfort and safety that we have built up around us. The seductive force that pulls us into these personal sheepfolds tells us that everything will be okay as long as we keep quiet and stay put. Play another hour. Have another drink. Watch another show. I don't know about you, but I need to be pushed, pulled, thrown, yanked, and driven out of that place of stagnation and dormancy every time I start settling into my comfortable enclosure.

Jesus is the gate for us the sheep. But again, in Greek, the word θύρα (thura) is not gate, but door. Which then makes Jesus the door TO the sheep…and the door TO God. What kind of door is Jesus? He’s the kind of door that when we follow where Jesus leads, he leads us to life – abundant life - for ALL of God’s people. But the false shepherds come, too. Jesus calls them thieves and bandits. And these bandits and thieves rob us of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, generosity, self-control and turn us into needy, greedy, selfish, people who think only of themselves and “their kind” who look like us, talk like us, walk like us, act like us. We no longer live like Jesus’ disciples who understand that we have a life-giving message for EVERYONE. The message is simple, “C’mon through the door and find LIFE in all its fullness!”

The message of the Resurrection is this: life cannot be conquered-- not by death, not by sin, not by the powers of darkness. Life happens--fully, intensely, eternally. Jesus tells us this afternoon: "I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly." The Resurrection of Jesus ripples out to touch every life, everywhere, for all time. The wonder of Easter morning shows us the absolute lengths that God goes to offer us abundant life.

And yet, while life cannot be conquered, life can be delayed, put on hold, made dormant. When we retreat to the safety and comfort of our own personal sheepfolds--whatever they may be--we refuse to participate in the fullness of a life lived in God. Of course, existing in the sheepfold is easier, less demanding. But it is existence…not life. Ease does not bring joy. Less demanding often means less fulfilling.

When I talk to non-Christians about being a Christian, it never ceases to amaze me what their preconceived notions of living this abundant, full life in Jesus is like. Dull, boring, bigoted, homophobic, closed- minded, judgmental, full of rules and regulations that keep you from having any fun, seem to be what I hear more times than not. And, if you look around, there certainly are Christians who fit that bill – like serving the God of life puts you behind those big iron gates I saw at the zoo yesterday. Life in Jesus is not anything like that! Life in Jesus leads you to seeing the world through eyes of love and grace. But the truth is, we have to get out of our own sheepfolds.

Because we cannot import into our sheepfolds the abundant life that Jesus offers us because the very fullness of that life cannot fit inside a safe, comfortable enclosure. Jesus drives us out of the sheepfold so that our lives have the opportunity to expand, that we may embrace God's unrestrained abundance. During this season of Easter, join God in the expansive life found in the Resurrection. Listen for the voice of the shepherd calling you by name, calling you out of complacency. And give Christ the chance to cast you out of your sheepfold so that you may find the fullness of a life lived in the abundance of God.

Let us pray. O God, your Son Jesus is the Good Shepherd of your people, grant that when we hear his voice we may know him who calls us each by name and follow him wherever he leads.

Never Alone

Never Alone

Grace, mercy and peace be unto you from God who is Creator, Christ and Comforter, Amen

I had never felt so abandoned. I sat in the chair of the Operating Room waiting room, where just minutes – or was it hours? – earlier I had given my child over to the nurses for surgery. As the doors of the OR swung shut and I watched from the window the nurse, with my precious child in her arms, walk into the surgical suite, all I could do was feel the emptiness of my own arms, and somehow trust that scripture that says, “the Spirit intercedes for us with sighs too deep for words to express.” Because I was beyond tears, first our son, and then our youngest daughter – two different times for two different events - were taken from my arms this way. So, I waited…alone - Dave caring for the other two children where they were safe and in a familiar environment – at home.

Jesus came to me those two different days of waiting. I felt his presence around me, his love supporting me as I waited for those OR doors to swing open. Although I was physically by myself, I really wasn’t alone. As I waited, I prayed…prayed for our son, prayed for our daughter, and for the doctors, the nurses and the OR staff as they operated. I knew Jesus was with me, and with our children. I remembered their baptisms and the promises that were made at that font in our church. I knew they belonged to God, were named and claimed by God, but I had such hopes for them yet and I so was NOT ready to hand them back to God! They were so young. As I sat there, I remembered their smiles, their funny ways, and their laughter.

When the doors to the OR finally swung open and the doctor came up to talk with me and to tell me that our son, our daughter, came through surgery just fine, that moment was filled with relief and thanksgiving. The wait for them to get to recovery wasn’t nearly as long or as empty a feeling. They were ok – not out of the woods, but ok! And, to see them, to watch them as they opened their eyes and said, “Mommy” and then to hold their hands, rub their backs as they drifted back into sleep were precious moments of hope - and answer to prayer. The tension in my own body, the adrenaline could begin to dissipate and then elation, exhaustion, thanksgiving, and joy, absolute joy! They were going to be ok.

The two of them walked along the road…dejected, sad beyond tears, hopeless. The events of the past week were still playing through their minds and they hardly noticed the road as they passed from Jerusalem, on their way home to Emmaus. Words had ceased between them and the two of them just plodded along – each lost in their own pain and disbelief. They had believed, they had followed, they were SO SURE that Jesus was the Messiah – the one who would overturn the oppressive Roman government, and re-establish Israel as a major power, in the goings on of the Middle East! And now? He was dead! And,to top it off, the women from the group came back from the tomb and said that the body was missing!

Who would do such a thing? They dared not answer that question aloud -for the answers could bring to them death as well. So, hopeless, and sad and abandoned, they went home.

Jesus comes up to the two on the road and meets them where they are – in their pain and disbelief. The four saddest words in all of scripture were spoken “But we had hoped.” “But we had hoped” they say, as they repeat the story to their Lord, not knowing who he was. Their pain is met and not dismissed as insignificant or unimportant. Their pain is acknowledged. The resurrected stranger, Jesus, does not leave them there, abandoned, rejected, full of sorrow. Oh no! He begins to share with them all of the history of their people starting with Moses and explains to them why all the events of the past few days had to take place.

They came to their home; Jesus was going to go on. The two disciples invited this stranger into their home – as is the custom of people in the Middle East when evening approaches. He joins them for dinner. But, instead of taking a seat as the guest, HE breaks the bread as the host! And it was then, only then, that the two SEE it was Jesus! He vanishes! They just can’t stay at home so they take off, bread still on the table, and return seven miles back to Jerusalem with amazing news, they too, have seen the Lord! The story is beyond all their hopes and dreams! Simon and Cleopas have seen Jesus!! They talked with him, had their hearts warmed by him, were fed by him, and now are propelled, compelled to share the story!! The joy, the absolute joy of that moment!!

Do you want to meet Jesus? Then, you are in the right place! It’s here, here in worship that we encounter the living Christ. It is here that we have the Scripture opened to us so that we gain understanding and deepen our relationship with the God of all creation, the ever present Holy Spirit, and Jesus, the resurrected one. And, this resurrected Jesus is not simply a rewind of the Jesus of Nazareth, he’s new – and yet the same. There is something about this resurrected nature that makes him different – so different than what we thought – or would have planned if we had been in charge!

So, we come…here…and try to make sense of the events of the week, as we walk together, talk together, and most importantly, meet Jesus. Or rather, Jesus meets us, where we are, as we are. He meets us, and talks with us, and listens to our pain and hope, and hosts a meal that is a meal of love and acceptance, of forgiveness and life and salvation. Filled with these gifts, it then propels us into the world in which we live that may have no idea that there is someone who loves them – where they are, as they are – and will not know unless you tell them!

It’s Mother’s Day. My mom’s and my grandmothers’ faith is what has brought me to this place. Their witnesses were not the loud, shout-your-faith-from-the-rooftop types, but they were the quiet, consistent and faithful women who in their witness and their practice showed me Jesus. It’s an honor to honor them by living my Christian witness here in this place by serving you.

Like the women whose pictures surround us today, I pray that we will be bold witnesses in the world in which we live and move and have our being. Whether that world be home, school, jobs, you are the only one who has your sphere of influence and acquaintances and friends. Be like Jesus, meet people where they are, as they are. Listen to them. Invite them to come to this place and meet Jesus. It may seem scary at first, but I promise it gets easier. Be bold in your witness, however that looks or feels. And remember, you are NEVER alone! Amen

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Thomas

In the gospel lesson for this day, we see the disciples cowering in fear, locked away in perhaps the same upper room of Maundy Thursday fame. There are ten of them, Judas is dead and Thomas, for whatever reason is absent.

Jesus comes. He breathes on them. They receive the Holy Spirit. Jesus goes. The disciples tell Thomas that they have seen Jesus!

This is where Thomas starts to get the bad rap. He's called “Doubting” Thomas. Truth be told, Thomas simply wants what the 10 received. Visual confirmation that their friend, their teacher, was alive and well and walking on planet earth. It really doesn't seem like so much to ask, does it!?!

Thomas, as far as I'm concerned gets some of the best lines in the New Testament. In the 11^th chapter of John, Jesus has just told his disciples that Lazarus, their friend, is dead. The Jewish religious leaders were threatening to stone Jesus and now he's going back to where they are and Thomas gets the line, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.” From this line we can see that this man is not a doubter, but a realist. He knows and understands life at the bottom of the heap – and there's no sense in living into false hopes and dreams. Let's just make this thing happen and get it over with. He doesn't have any illusions about who Jesus is, but he also doesn't have any illusions about the power of those leaders, either.

A few chapters later, Jesus is waxing eloquent about God's house, and many dwelling places. And where he goes, they will come, too. Thomas again gets the great line! He says, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” In other words, stop all the metaphorical language and give it to me straight! And, Jesus does. He looks right at Thomas and says, “I am the way, and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you know me, you will know my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.” And, there you go. From then on, Thomas knew something that the others didn't get a clue about until much later.

What you may ask? What did he get. Well, let's listen again to the words of Thomas one week later. They're still in that upper room in Jerusalem, although this time Thomas is there, too. Jesus appears. He wishes them peace. And then he turns to Thomas and says to touch him...touch his hands, his side. Visual confirmation is confirmed! Thomas sees Jesus!

Listen to his line, this time, “My Lord and my God!”

These are the last recorded words of Thomas. Not too shabby, eh?

And, to top it all off, Thomas is the only one, the only one who gets it..who truly gets it. And, he's the only one to say it.

Jesus is God.

Jesus is God! And that makes all the difference! Jesus is God – connected in a mystical union that defies definition in an existence that goes beyond explanation!

Who here among us tonight wouldn't gladly trade places with Thomas? To stand in the presence of the risen Jesus and to have him look at us and speak to us so directly and with such compassion and passion! Who wouldn't gladly trade all our mislaid hopes and feeble attempts at faith to be where Thomas stood!

I know I would!

Although people have heard the next words of Jesus as rebuke of Thomas, I'd like to have you look at it a bit differently. Jesus says, “Have you believed because you have seen me?” Well, let's put this into perspective. The other 10 weren't any better! They didn't believe the women's witness, either, until Jesus stood in their midst the week earlier! And, if you recall, the Samaritan woman at the well's witness wasn't believed until the people heard and saw for themselves, either!

And Jesus goes on to say, “Blessed are those who have not seen me and yet have come to believe.” It's not condemnation of Thomas, but a blessing for us! John goes on to say that these stories he wrote down are for us! So that we can become believers, that Jesus is God's Son, the Messiah and that because we believe this we have life in Jesus' name.

And that's why we gather here! For some of us, believing in the resurrection is easy business – because somewhere along the way we, too, have had a face-to-face encounter with the risen Christ. For others of us, on a really good day, we might believe in the possibility of the resurrection. We have hope that the resurrection story really is more than a story. But, we, like Thomas long for that face-to-face encounter with Jesus – to touch him, to look into his eyes and see love and acceptance, hope and forgiveness.

We gather here, where we are on our faith journey, and have those around us remind us of the powerful witness of what God has done and is doing in the world. We glimpse a new reality of living!

For those of you who are Shakespeare fans, kind of like King Lear on the heath, coming out of his madness as Cordelia approaches. He expects vengeance and anger, rebuke and retribution. But what he receives is love and grace. He says, “Am I in France?” But, it's not his craziness that he speaks from, but the new reality of living that has begun.

Or from Les Miserables, where Jean Valjean steals silver from the Bishop and after being caught by the police, the Bishop states that the silver pieces were freely given. “I pull a new reality from your thoughts.” A new way of living has begun.

Resurrection living! I remember a pastor once saying that we should be able to be so bold as to stand on the street corner and proclaim the words of the Apostle's Creed with all our might, “I believe!” Or, as the Gospel of Mark tells about the man whose son had an evil spirit that convulsed him often said to Jesus, “Lord, I believe! Help my unbelief!” Or, to quote Donkey (Eddie Murphy), as he sings the reprise from the movie, Shrek, “I believe! I believe! I believe!”

I believe.

Amen

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