Lost and Found

Luke 2:41-52


Today’s passage is a story that has been told many times, and in many ways. The Christ-family fulfill their annual obligation as people of the Jewish faith by journeying to the temple in Jerusalem for their Passover Festival. Most scholars believe that by this time in Jesus’ life he has at least a few siblings, maybe 2 or 3, maybe more. But Jesus is the oldest child of the family, and is at the age where his Bar Mitzvah would be coming up, so to him more responsibility, as well as more freedoms, are given.

Jesus would also be at the age where a Jewish young boy’s family would have to make a decision. As it would have been with all boys of his age, Jesus would have been taught the histories, laws, writings, and words of the Prophets in the Tanak; the Hebrew Bible. However, if the family wanted his education to continue, to grow deeper in knowledge of the Jewish faith’s doctrine of his time, 2 things would have had to happen. First, they would need enough money to pay for a Rabbi to teach Jesus. Then a Rabbi would actually have to choose Jesus to follow him and learn that Rabbi’s doctrinal interpretations and traditions, which would have been passed down to him by his Rabbi, and so on.

The one other path which Joseph and Mary could choose for Jesus is that Jesus would learn his father’s trade in order to best provide for his future, or the future of his family if anything happened to his father. This is the setting in which we find ourselves in today’s passage. It’s also a setting in which Luke gives us an insight into what kind of an upbringing Jesus would have in his young adult years; the ages between 13 and 30.

That upbringing, which was most likely chosen by Joseph and Mary, would be one where Jesus would learn to become a wood-worker, as his father, and by doing so would live a safe, sheltered life. The role of Jesus’ parents in this passage honestly tells us what family life was like for him and what Mary and Joseph saw as their role in the care-taking of the Christ-child.

I read a commentary by Bishop Craig Satterlee which asked the question, “Why did it take them three days to figure out that Jesus must be in his Father’s house and about his Father’s business?” He precedes this question with what his reaction to his lost child would be after finding him; he would have exploded at the child. But Mary only says “Child, why have you treated us like this? Listen! Your father and I have been worried. We’ve been looking for you!”

This, after searching for him in the city for 3 days. They didn’t pull him by his arm, they didn’t threaten to punish him, they didn’t blame him for any of the anxieties they just went through. They only said that he worried them.

This statement made Bishop Satterlee wonder about 2 things. Why were they not angrier, and why did it take them 3 days to look in the temple for the son of God? After all, they of all people knew where Jesus came from, and to whom Jesus truly belonged, didn’t they?

The answer to the Bishop’s questions are simple, and ring true as to why sometimes the world can’t find the Christ-child even as Christmastide goes on.

A lot of time has passed between the glorious birth of Jesus with angels making appearances and shepherds adoring the child, and Magi giving expensive gifts. So much time that family life for Mary, Joseph, Jesus and anyone else in the family would have become ordinary and routine. Isn’t that the way we sometimes feel right after Christmas Day. The lights seem to fade away, the shiny ribbons get tossed out, and the pretty wrappers are torn and thrown away. The Christmas shows on TV have all finished and the songs we sang along with on the radio have all stopped.

It’s as though Christmas ended on December 25th, instead of it just beginning.

Also, while Mary and Joseph knew what Jesus was destined for, they thought that time was still far off, certainly not while Jesus was still a child. But, Jesus wasn’t a child anymore. He was about to enter into adulthood, and Mary and Joseph had failed to notice that their child, their Jesus, had grown up. Jesus was showing more independence, showing more of an interest to things other than life with his family, as do most 12-year-olds.

Perhaps, then, Mary and Joseph had been simply going through daily life and hadn’t really noticed that Jesus was grown up. Sometimes that’s one of the things Christians are guilty of as well. There’s a tendency to celebrate Jesus’ birth, then moving on as quickly as we can to his death, forgetting to take a look at the man Jesus has grown up to become – a man filled with a passion for justice, a yearning to unite people of all walks of life as one, and someone who told everyone he met about the love of God that never ends and never fails.

So, when Jesus is finally found, after having been lost, he is no longer the same Jesus which Mary and Joseph thought they knew. Maybe that’s why when he heard his mother’s voice call out to him, he only asked, “Why were you looking for me? Didn’t you know that it was necessary for me to be in my Father’s house?”

Jesus points out what Mary and Joseph had always known, but had somehow forgotten; that Jesus had a purpose.

About a week before school ended for the semester, our Academy held mock interviews for our students. We invited professionals from the business community who would ask the 16 and 17 year olds a pre-selected group of questions. The young men and women were expected to dress in business attire suitable for Hawaii and had to prepare their own resumes as well as gather 3 business references. It’s the first of 2 mock interviews we do with them, the second of which will be with actual people in the hospitality business who may be looking to hire a few of them.

The students were nervous, as one might expect. More so the Juniors, as the Seniors had already been through these interviews last year. It’s always a blast to watch these men and women as they try to look their honest best, make sure their resumes and references don’t get wrinkled or dirty, and fidget as they wait for their turn to interview.

During one of the breaks we walked around and spoke to the interviewers who were varied in their professions. There was a psychiatrist, a social worker, a retired naval officer, and an actual human resources person who did interviews for a hospital.

They all had praises for our students, and we all felt a sense of pride for our Academy. They told us of how some of the students came across as extremely nervous, but for the most part they were well prepared and confident. The human resources person then told us a story that just about summed up what would be our hopes for today’s teenager generation.

She had an appointment with a recent college graduate who was applying to be a lab assistant in the oncology department. The position called for someone with unparalleled organizational skills, extremely effective communication skills in both speaking and writing, and a willingness to work under extremely pressured situations and circumstances. In other words the perfect super employee.

The person being interviewed, otherwise known as the candidate, had done everything right in the application process. He had called to ask if the position was still available and to whom the application, resume, and references should be sent. He had emailed the human resources department to thank them for the opportunity to interview and when he got his appointment he sent another email and made another phone call to verify the date and time as well as thank them once again for the opportunity.

The day before the interview, the candidate called to confirm the appointment and on the day of the appointment he called to let them know he was on his way, and if he was late it might be because of unforeseen traffic situations. Which is why when the candidate was more than 30 minutes late the interviewer began to worry.

She called the candidate to make sure he was still on his way, and when he answered his voice was less enthusiastic than she would have imagined. He told her he was lost. She asked him where he was, maybe she could help him find the right street to turn on so he could find his way. He replied to her that he wasn’t lost on the roads, he was lost in the hospital. She didn’t know how to respond except to tell him to stay where he was and they would find him.

Find him they did, and she showed him to the human resources office where they held their interview. During the interview she noticed that the young man had a social awareness disorder, similar to Asperger’s, but in a high functioning way. She didn’t ask him about it, doing so would go against policies, but she was sure he had something similar as it became more obvious during the interview.

The interview was over, and she thanked him for his time. He apologized for getting lost and being late, and for any discomfort she may have felt because of his mannerisms. She told him everything was all right and they would be in touch within the week.

She told us that there was something there she couldn’t quite understand. It was as though this young man was absolutely perfect for the job on paper, but when they met in person she had her doubts. Not enough doubts, however, and she hired him, mostly because of a gut instinct.

He grew into his job, learning quickly what was expected from him and finding ways to go beyond those expectations. About 6 months into his new job he was assisting one of the lab doctors with a patient’s blood sample. The doctor was tired, having been in the lab for almost 12 hours. So, when the young man pointed out that the doctor was about to label the patient’s results wrongly, in affect saying that the patient had cancer when he didn’t, the doctor was very happy to have had him in the lab.

The interviewer told us that she and this young man became close, and that he did indeed have a social awareness disorder, one that at one point in his life made him feel lost and alone. But because he had great parents, great teachers, and a community of support through his life he found a way to overcome any obstacles in his life, where now he was one of that hospitals best employees.

Christ is that same way for us. He is born in our lives with high expectations. We praise him, follow him, do the best we can to understand him, but somewhere along the way he gets lost. Whether it’s because the glitz that is usually associated with the birth of the Christ within us has faded and we’ve allowed our lives to become too routine, or whether it’s because we’ve forgotten that the Christ that was born within us is growing up, has grown up, and we hadn’t noticed, somehow we’ve lost touch with who that Christ is within us and how we’re to share that Christ with the world.

Jesus had a purpose, even at the age of 12. His parents didn’t see it, neither did the rest of the world even as he grew into a man and walked this earth, trying his best to fulfill that purpose. So, instead of arguing with his parents he did what every 12-year-old boy would do, he went home with them and did as he was told. But, he never stopped growing up, he never stopped learning, he never stopped understanding what his purpose in life was: to bring about justice and to unite people under the one love of God.

The question for us in this Christmastime is this: as the Christ-child is once again born in us, how will we grow with him to fully understand what our purpose in this life is?

God is with us all.  Amen.

On This Night - Christmas Eve 2015

Luke 2:8-20

6 years ago, while I was between ministries, I held a full-time job selling language-learning software out of a kiosk in Ala Moana Shopping Center. It was a decent job that helped pay the bills and let me be outdoors a lot. I met many interesting people who were trying to learn a language to improve their lives in one way or another, as well as many other interesting people who were passers-by and was simply in need of conversation more than learning conversational Japanese.

There was one thing missing from my life at that time, though –  my relationship with God felt like it was put on hold. I don’t blame any one particular thing, certainly not the job itself. Nor do I blame the people I worked with or the people I met every day. I was just in a place where my life felt empty and without purpose.

One day, as I was opening the kiosk, I noticed a young man sitting on a wall close by. The mall wasn’t open yet, so I figured he was just waiting for one of the stores to open. I smiled over at him and said good morning and he replied with a good morning. As I slid open the sidings which covered the kiosk and turned on all the equipment, I couldn’t help but notice that his eyes were fixed on me.

I’ll admit it started to get a little creepy, but he seemed friendly enough, and there were people around so I felt reasonably safe. Just in case, I paused in opening the cash drawer to count the day’s starting cash.

The kiosk was open, but the mall still had another 20 minutes or so before they opened, and the mall management didn’t allow for the kiosks to begin any kind of selling process before the actual starting time. So I did what any good employee would do; I pretended to clean.

As I was fidgeting with our display boxes, I once again caught the eye of that young man who was still sitting on the wall by our kiosk, and who still had his eyes fixed on me. I smiled at him, and he smiled back. Then, a real serious look came over his face as he asked me, in what seemed to be a voice that took every ounce of courage he had, “Do you know Jesus?”

I smiled, not so much because of the question he asked, but because of how this young man was seemingly building up the bravery to start an evangelistic conversation. I told him I did in fact know of Jesus and he let out a breath of relief. He asked me, “Do you mind if we talk for a while?”

I knew I had at least 20 minutes to spare, so I told him I would be more than happy to talk with him; it beat fidgeting with display boxes.
He told me about how he came to Hawaii from the west coast in the hopes of finding a new life. His life back home was one of making wrong choices which always led him into a lot of trouble. He wasn’t sure why he chose Hawaii, but it seemed like as good a place as any to start a new life, but soon after he got here he realized it would be a lot more difficult than he thought to get a life started.

He stayed at the YMCA at first, but because he couldn’t find a job he ended up living on the beach and in the parks when his money ran out. He told me how appreciative he was of the many programs and organizations that tried to help the homeless in Honolulu; especially those who fed them and showed them places they could do their laundry and get a day’s rest off the streets.

It seemed like he needed someone to talk with, so I sat next to him and listened.

He asked about my life and how it was going, which surprised me. I told him how I had just finished serving a church in youth and young adult ministry, and was going to seminary to become a pastor. He wanted to know more about my church and what the youth ministry was like there. I found myself opening up to this young man in a way I hadn’t opened up to a stranger in a long time.

I checked the time and it was almost time for the mall to open. I stood up to excuse myself when he asked if we could talk for just 5 more minutes. It really seemed like he had something to say, so I sat back down and listened more.

He told me that the reason he was so interested in my ministry is that 2 weeks before he had met a church group who was serving meals in the park. While he was eating, the pastor of that church came around and introduced himself, taking a little time to meet as many people as he could. But he hasn’t seen that church or that minister since, and wondered if I knew of anywhere close by he could go to church. He said that pastor and his brief conversation touched him in such a way that he finally understood what was missing in his life.

He then looked me in the eyes and said these words which I will never forget. “I used to have a lot of things – money, women, toys, friends – and for me that was enough. But all of that got taken away, and I didn’t know why until a few days ago. I now believe that God had emptied my life of everything materialistic so that I would have room for God in my life.”

When he was done saying those words he asked if he could pray with me and after that prayer was done we hugged and he walked away, never to be seen by me again.

I thought about his words all day. I thought about how he faced his new life with an openness of heart and a willingness of spirit. I also thought about where my life was currently. The more his words filled me, the more I realized what was missing in my life. I truly, deeply missed the ministry. I enjoyed sales, but what I wanted more than anything was to be back in the church, doing God’s work.

My encounter with that young man happened almost 6 years ago to the day, during the build up to Christmas in a secular world. That conversation helped put into priority the things, or one thing, that was important in my life: living in a world centered on God.

To this day I believe I was visited by an angel who spoke to me the words I needed to hear in the way I needed to hear them. To this day I believe that the young man who crossed my path for a brief moment shone a light so bright that I could once again find the path God had put me on.

It was an unexpected but very welcomed Christmas gift indeed. That visit by a messenger of God revived my hope in a life in ministry, filled me with the joy and peace of making the decision to finish my studies and pursue ordination, and brought back into my life the knowledge that I have always lived and will forever live within the love of God.

In many ways the Christmas story we heard tonight is the same. There are visits from angels who tell those they visit not to be afraid. There are visits by family members who reassure loved ones that everything will be okay. There is even a proclamation that God will surely work through a specially chosen person who will bring to life a son, a son whose own life will change the world.

Through these visits we hear words of hope as we wait for the Christ-child to be born; a child who will fulfill the promises of God. These are promises that were told of by ancient prophets for which generations of the people of Israel waited. Imagine the things you are waiting for to come true in your lives, then imagine that through the simple birth of a child all those things can come true.

Promises of a life lived free of emotional pain and free of living in an oppressive situation can all come true if, and when, we allow the Christ-child to be born within us. But, the Christ-child isn’t promised only to us. No, the Christ-child yearns to be born in all of humanity. And the way that happens is through us, through those of us who are sitting here tonight.

The child of which the angel promised wasn’t promised only to Mary and Joseph, nor was he promised only to the shepherds in the fields. God’s promise of being present in human form is made for all people, through all time. Just as Mary and Joseph were chosen to care for the child until he was ready to be shared with the world, so are we asked to be the same caretakers of that promise; the same caretakers of the light of Christ which shows the path into God’s never-ending, all-encompassing love.

Earlier this week, Ann and I went to the Post Office to mail a box to my family in Oregon. I fully expected the experience to be less than enjoyable, but what I actually experienced was nothing short of enlightening as to how humanity can be if we really allow the light within us to shine.

As you might imagine the lines were long and the building was filled with a lot of people and a lot of boxes. I stood at the back of line, watching as those in line ahead of me patiently waited for their turn to move forward. If you’ve ever been in the Post Office when people are trying to mail multiple boxes, you would know how the line-shuffle works; people place their boxes on the ground and as they move forward they use their feet, legs, and hips to slide their boxes on the floor ahead of them.

Except that on this day the shuffle wasn’t happening as much. There was a security guard standing in the room and she suggested that those who had multiple boxes could move their boxes to the front of the line where she would watch them. Almost immediately 2 or 3 younger people volunteered to move boxes for the elder folks, for which the elders were thankful.

That was just the beginning of niceties. A woman had a large stack of boxes on a hand truck she was trying to take out of the Post Office, but it didn’t fit through the door. Another woman noticed she was having a difficult time and took the top box from the pile, the one that was keeping the rest of the stack from going through the door, and carried it to the woman’s car. A young man was trying to open the door while at the same time balancing a stack of no less than 5 boxes. An older gentleman saw his struggle and not only opened the door, but carried half his stack to the front of the line.

People began to look for opportunities to help one another, actually going out of their way to open doors, hold places in line, carry heavier boxes, and so on. The people in that room began to spread the joy of Christmas one person at a time. That, my friends, is how the light of Christ is spread throughout our world. The example of love being shared on an afternoon in the Post Office almost seemed out of place in a time when most people would be too busy to care. But, you know, that’s what sharing the light of hope which the Christ-child brings can be like – out of place in a world that is desperately seeking peace, joy, and love.

On that day, people found ways to be angels of love.
Soon we will be honoring 2 traditions of Christmas Eve at Ewa Community Church. The placing of the Stars of Remembrance is a way for us to share our personal journeys into God’s love. We will be writing the names of those we want to remember at this time of year. Perhaps there is a loved one who is alone on this night, or who has no reason to celebrate in the joys Christmas brings. Perhaps it’s a family member who is having a difficult time with their finances or battling illness. Perhaps it’s someone you don’t even know, such as people living in or trying to flee from war-torn countries. Either way, you will be asked to write their names on a star and place them on the tree.

The second tradition will be the sharing of the light of Christ with one another. Both traditions are meant for us to not only share the Christ-child as he is reborn within us on this night, but to remind us that when tomorrow comes, when the morning finally brings Christmas, we will once again commit to letting Christ fill us so completely and to overflowing, that we cannot help but to share that light with everyone we meet.

The world is waiting for the promises of God to come, the promises which we can bring to them as angels of love. And as those angels we will bring the message of God’s love to all.

God is always with us.  Amen.

Prepare The Way Of Peace

Luke 3:1-6

(Singing) Prepare ye the way of the Lord.

That song has been in my head all week. So has the scene from the movie; the opening scene to Godspell. I’m not sure how many of you have seen that movie, but if you did then you’ll remember the scene. John the Baptizer’s voice can be heard echoing through the streets of New York City, calling to everyday people as they go through their everyday lives.

One by one we watch as a waitress, student, dancer, and others listen to that call and merge at the fountain for one of the best baptism scenes I’ve ever watched in a movie. As the new-found friends splash and dance with pure joy in that fountain, I can honestly see how their escape from the everyday doldrums of their previous lives bring a renewed meaning, a renewed purpose. They are born anew with a sense of peace which can only come from being in the presence of Jesus Christ – which they are after he enters the fountain to be baptized by John.

That opening scene from Godspell does a really good job at showing how hearts and lives are changed because it was important enough for one person, the Baptizer John, to truly want God to forgive people’s sins; to reconcile people with one another as well as with God.

In a way it can be said that the everyday people who heeded the call of John found a way to make straight the paths of their lives. Paths which were crooked, and filled with deep valleys and high mountain passes. The paths these people traveled separated them from one another as well as from God; so John did what all Christians are called to do: help people overcome the obstacles in their lives which make it difficult to live out Jesus’ great commandment to love one another as we love ourselves and to love God above all else.

These paths, which in today’s society really seem to be crooked and filled with high mountain passes and deep valleys, are once again upon us, don’t you think? It seems that all we hear about or see on the news is talk about the negative things in our world. If I didn’t know better, I’d say that the path which leads to God is getting more crooked and difficult to travel every day.

But, I do know better. Not a day goes by when I can’t see, hear, or feel God at work in the world today. Especially through the heroes of this world. I’m not so much talking about the first responders to an act of public violence or about those who fight for our freedoms around the world or here at home, just everyday people who do and say extraordinary things which help humanity see an easier path into God’s peace.

One such hero is Mattie Stepanek.

Mattie just so happens to be among my top 2 or 3 heroes of all time. The things this young man did to promote peace around the world amazes me to this day.

Matthew Stepanek was born in 1990 and suffered from a rare form of muscular dystrophy called dysautonomic mitochondrial myopathy. It’s a disease which shuts down the muscles at the cellular level. He shared this disease with his 3 older siblings and his mom

At the age of 3, Mattie began writing poems as a way to cope with the passing of one of older brothers. Most of his poems had to do with finding peace within one’s self and those around them. By the time Mattie was age 13 he had written 6 volumes of poems, known as “Heart Songs”, all of which became national best sellers. A book called “Just Peace”, a collection of essays on the topic of peace was also published and made the national best sellers list as well. That book also included a collection of email correspondences Mattie had with President Jimmy Carter, who said of Mattie that he was “the most extraordinary person whom I have ever known.”

Mattie was a very spiritual person. He was baptized a Catholic and at the age of 9 began serving as a Minister of the Word, reading from the Bible during weekday and Sunday Masses. At the age of 10 he began teaching Sunday school to 6 year-olds and at the age of 11 he began teaching Sunday school to 6th graders.

Many of Mattie’s poems and essays reflect his friendship with God.  While he embraced Catholicism, he also respected and studied the diverse faiths of people around the world, believing that God creates and loves all people, and that a message of hope and peace is a gift to be offered to everyone.

Mattie believed that we are each born with a “Heartsong” — or a reason for being and a purpose in life. He shared and celebrated that “Hope is real, peace is possible, and life is worthy!” — if we each choose to embrace such truths in attitude and action, for ourselves and for our world.

Mattie envisioned a world at peace, and saw humanity as a “mosaic of gifts, to nurture, to offer, to accept.” He said “peace is possible” and that while ending war matters, “peace begins within each person when we have our basic needs met.” He said that when we have access to what we need to survive — food, water, shelter, healthcare… — and also access to what we need to thrive — education, trust in others, hope for some next moment… — then we are able to choose to be “okay with who and how we are as a person.” When we are able to be okay with who and how we are, we can then choose gratitude, and turn our thoughts and attention and resources outward, and tend to the needs of others – “our neighbors around the block and around the world” — so that despite differences, they, too, can be okay with who and how they are as people.
Such wisdom, such an amazing insight, and all from a boy who is barely an adolescent.

Mattie died in 2004, a few weeks before his 14th birthday, but not before his message of peace for our selves and peace for the world could be shared. Mattie called out from his wilderness, which was a wheelchair, hooked up to tubes that basically kept him alive, and did his best to straighten the paths of those who would listen to his message, a path which in his heart led directly to the peace God intended for all of humanity.

My absolute favorite poem by Mattie was written by him at the age of 11, on September 11, 2001. It’s a poem which cries out for our world to find the calm, peace, acceptance, and understanding we will all need during such a difficult and trying time. His words ring just as true today as they did then.

For Our World
By Mattie Stepanek 

We need to stop.
Just stop.
Stop for a moment...
Before anybody
Says or does anything
That may hurt anyone else.
We need to be silent.
Just silent.
Silent for a moment...
Before we forever lose
The blessing of songs
That grow in our hearts.
We need to notice.
Just notice.
Notice for a moment...
Before the future slips away
Into ashes and dust of humility.
Stop, be silent, and notice...
In so many ways, we are the same.
Our differences are unique treasures.
We have, we are, a mosaic of gifts
To nurture, to offer, to accept.
We need to be.
Just be.
Be for a moment...
Kind and gentle, innocent and trusting
Like children and lambs,
Never judging or vengeful
Like the judging and vengeful.
And now, let us pray,
Differently, yet together,
Before there is no earth, no life,
No chance for peace.

The prophet Isaiah says there will be a voice crying out in the wilderness, calling people to prepare the way for Jesus Christ; a voice that will plead for all of humanity to make our paths straight and to flatten the deep valleys and high mountain passes that divide us. In this Advent season that voice, my friends, belongs to us. Let us be the voice which shows the way that leads to the Christ child; a voice that cries out for peace within humanity.

(Singing) Prepare ye the way of the Lord.

God is always with us.  Amen.

Hope Sprouts Eternal

Luke 21:25-36

Happy New Year!

Yes, that’s right. I said Happy New Year!

Today is the first Sunday in Advent, a time when we prepare ourselves for the birth of the Christ child; and it is also the first day of the Christian Calendar. So, while the rest of the world begins their countdown towards Christmas and the end of the calendar year, we begin to count up towards Christmas and the rebirth of all things.

I’ll admit, it can get a little confusing, but what isn’t these days. We have Black Friday deals that start on Thanksgiving Thursday. We walk into stores before Halloween and see Christmas decorations lining the halls and Christmas toys lining the shelves of our favorite stores and malls. Then there’s that whole “Do we call it Christmas or do we call it the holidays so as not to offend anyone” thing. I say Christmas, others might wish me a Happy Hanukkah or a Merry Kwanza; either way I understand that we’re all celebrating one thing at this time of year – The hope that all the world will find the peace, joy and love that all of humanity is desperately seeking.

It also doesn’t help that today’s Advent reading comes from a Jesus who is facing the end of his days here on earth. As United Church of Christ Theologian Kathryn Matthews puts it, “While we set up Nativity scenes with a sweet baby Jesus lying in a manger, we hear from the grown-up, just-about-to-die Jesus, standing in the Temple, teaching about the coming catastrophe – the destruction of [the] Temple by the Romans” She goes on to add, “But Jesus seems to be talking about even more than that: the end of all things, the End of Time itself.”

It is in this place we find ourselves this morning; at the beginning, yet contemplating the end. In a place where Jesus speaks of all things coming to an end, and the Christian calendar reminding us that we are at the beginning of all things yet to come.

The intent of The Gospel of Luke in today’s passage is not meant to confuse us, rather it is to remind us that before there can be a beginning, there must be an end. Luke’s purpose, as well as that of the Christian calendar, is to remind us that with new beginnings come change. We are also shown through the words of Jesus that with change comes the message of hope.

As we heard earlier with the lighting of our wreath, Advent means “coming.” It’s more than that, however. Advent is the coming of a special event or the visit of a high dignitary or person of importance. To Christians, Advent is the time when we look towards the coming of the Christ child.

Sometimes it seems that as the years go by it gets more and more difficult to look towards Christmas as the celebration of when the Christ child is born. Our lives become busier, our jobs become more challenging, there seems to be more and more demands placed on our time. Not to mention how overly-commercialized that day has become. The stores and television commercials remind us that Christmas is a time to celebrate by making sure we get that perfect gift for that special person, and it is right after Thanksgiving when that message goes into high gear.

How are we supposed to find time to focus on our own well-being, let alone focus on the coming of the one who changes and renews our lives?

World events are also taking a toll on the message of the coming of the Christ child. Terrorist bombings, escalating violence around the world, and politics that seem out of touch with the basic needs of our country all compete for our worries about the world in which we live.

How are we supposed to find the time to focus on the peaceful joys of this world, let alone focus on the promises of God the Christ child fulfills?

By not being a part of that world, that’s how.

I want to focus on 2 parts of today’s passage. Verse 26 says that “The planets and other heavenly bodies will be shaken, causing people to faint from fear and foreboding of what is coming upon the world.” The word used for “world” in this passage is oikoumenē, not the usual word, kosmos which literally means the world, the entire earth. Oikoumenē, by contrast, is speaking of the political and economic world of the Roman Empire.

Jesus is telling those who are listening that the world which will be falling apart, the world which will be coming to the end of its time, is that of those who live in a world consumed by power and money. Jesus is warning the people of his time that everything they hold dear to them, which unfortunately has become not the things of God, will be destroyed.

Yet, Jesus tells those who are gathered that when those things begin to happen, they should stand up straight and raise their heads, because their redemption, their liberation, is near.

We also look towards our redemption, our deliverance, our liberation from the things which cause us to lose focus on what the birth of the Christ within us is supposed to be. All we need to do is stop and look for the signs of hope which surround us every day. Just as Jesus reminds us in verses 29-31.

Jesus says, “Look at the fig tree and all the trees. When they sprout leaves, you can see for yourselves and know that summer is near. In the same way, when you see these things happening, you know that God’s kingdom is near.” Jesus points out that the things which show us a glimmer of hope may be as small as new buds on a tree, but if we know to look for them and we allow the bud of new life to sprout within us, surely the hope that Christ brought into this world will fill us to overflowing – so much so that the light of hope from our Savior will overcome all that tries to extinguish it.

About 2001 I took part in a Youth mission trip to Washington, DC. It was during the spring break, sometime in March when the weather is still cold, at least for us Hawaiians. The purpose of the mission trip was to work closely with the homeless people in DC, while at the same time do some self-discovery on where we were in our relationship with God through Christ.

We walked the streets to meet homeless people and learn their stories. We worked in a soup kitchen and met a few homeless people in more intimate settings so we could ask questions about how they became homeless and what being homeless was about to them. It was a view into lives we’ve never experienced before that trip.

We also saw some of the great sights DC has to offer. The museums, the Library of Congress, the National Mall, the really cool post office and all of its carved stone columns were some of the places we got to visit. We also visited the National Cathedral and got to hear their grand organ, an experience I’ll never forget, and were treated to a contemplative walk along a path through the woods.

It was on this walk we experienced what a reborn relationship with God could be like.

Before we walked along the path, most of us noticed that the trees and bushes were very bare and asked why. Being from Hawaii we hadn’t experienced how plant-life faded away during the winter, so to see empty branches of trees that were still alive intrigued us. Instead of telling us of the bleak winter conditions, our guide told us to focus on the blossoming of new life and the budding of new leaves along the path as that is what spring is about.

Halfway through the walk one of our young men began to cry, which quickly became a sob. Because our main instruction for the walk was that nobody talk to or touch or in any way communicate with our fellow walkers, we could do nothing but watch and listen as this man bared his soul.

When we reached the end of the walk, and were able to speak and touch and interact with our fellow travelers, the young man was surrounded with so much love. Hugs and whispers of how things are okay filled the space we were in. It was enough to bring everyone to tears.

When asked why he cried so hard, his response brought the Spirit of God into our group with a message that still carries to this day. He said to us, “I realized that our world is like this path. It’s filled with so much death, so little beauty. But then, out of nowhere, I could feel God say to me that there is more to this path than I was letting myself see.” He paused to cry for a moment then continued, “I looked closer at the plants along the path and I noticed one tree in particular, a tree that had a very small green leaf coming through its dead, brown branch. It was then I realized that God’s presence is like that leaf – It’s there if we just look for it.”

Amid the turmoil of simply being a teenager and witnessing for the first time the hardships of others, this young man realized that the hope of God can sometimes be as small as the new leaf of spring, but is always present nonetheless.

That, my friends, is what the promised hope of the Christ child brings; new life amid the turmoil of that which surrounds our lives in other ways. Such is the redemption of the Christ child; that we are freed from that which holds us captive to the love of power and money. Such is what Advent and its promise of hope brings; a life reborn within us where instead of being consumed with the politics and economics of this world we are consumed with the never-ending, all-encompassing, all-inclusive love of God.

Humanity’s history is filled with people who have peered into God’s promise of a better future. From Moses to Martin Luther King, Jr. we have been told that the challenges of present-day troubles are not only endurable, but also filled with hope. It’s in the Christ child we can keep a watchful eye amidst the setbacks, disappointments, or worries of this world to look for the signs of hope our God shows to us every day. It is then, when hope is all we see, that we know with certainty that our redemption is near.

God is always with us.  Amen.

Thankful Giving

Mark 12:38-44

“Has given everything she had, even what she needed to live on.”

I’ve been thinking about this phrase all week. What does it mean to give everything we have? More so, what does it mean to give the things we need to live on?

Today, we come to the final installment of our journey through the Gospel of Mark. It’s been a great 3 months, or so, in which we learned about discipleship, walking with Christ as our guide, and remembering that we never travel alone as not only is God always with us but so are fellow travelers which God has put on our paths. We heard stories about not hindering other’s approach into God’s love and to be as welcoming to the outcasts and the unwanted in our communities as we are to Jesus himself.

Mostly, though, we heard story after story of how Jesus calls his followers to do what is right in the eyes of God: to love one another with the same unconditional love God has for us and to love ourselves in the same way and above all to love God with all we are. I think it’s that same unconditional love we here at Ewa Community Church have for one another and for those who live within, as well as beyond, our community; one look at this chancel speaks louder about that than any words I can say.

As I watched you bring your gifts forward, I thought to myself, “This really is a great church. We are mission-oriented and do what we can to provide for the well-being of others. We might not be a big church, but we most certainly give all that we have.”

We don’t do so to show others how great we are, or to bring attention to ourselves in any way; instead we give from a place within ourselves that speaks as loud as silence, the same kind of silence with which the poor widow in today’s story spoke.

Today we find Jesus in one of the in-between places Mark is known for. The presentation of the child to his disciples in Capernaum and the stroll through the villages by Caesarea Philippi are recent examples we have seen of those same kind of in-between places; places where Jesus’ more intimate teachings take place.

Today’s passage takes place between the grueling interrogation by the temple elite and Jesus’ moment on the hill across the temple. If we recall last week’s message, Jesus had just finished a debate with some of Jerusalem’s smartest religious and legal counsels. He then stepped out of the city and away from the temple where he warns that bad things have to happen before the people fully understand what he is trying to teach.

Before they leave the city, though, Jesus sits down right outside the temple, in full view of the collection box to watch how people give their money. After all, he did just say something about people who long for places of honor in the synagogues and who like to show off by saying long prayers. Jesus just thought it would be interesting to see if any of his words were getting through.

My guess is it didn’t. Jesus watched as person after person came to the collection box, haphazardly tossing in money, throwing it in without a thought as to what their contributions meant to the building of God’s Kingdom. However, in contrast to those who give without a thought, the poor widow approaches the collection box with pride and dignity, willing to give everything she has.

The widow gave to the temple not out of duty, nor does she give with the hopes God will somehow rescue her from her dire situation. The widow gives because of her faithfulness to God, and God’s faithfulness to her. She is devoted to the fact that God is in her life, regardless of where she is on life’s journey and for that she is thankful – so much so that she comes into the temple during one of their people’s largest festivals in order to give what she can, which is all she had, to thank God for everything God has done in her life.

The widow is being a good steward of the gifts which God has given her and as such is retuning that gift to God so that God’s Kingdom will be stronger.

In a recent article, author Benjamin Corey said a few things about the Kingdom of God. He said that the Kingdom of God is not concerned with building walls, but tearing them down and that the Kingdom of God is not concerned with having more, but giving more. Those are interesting words to ponder in the place Mark’s Gospel has us today.

It seems as though we’re living in a time when some people would rather put up barriers, or as Mark’s Gospel describes them, stumbling blocks, instead of making the path to God’s all-encompassing love easier. It seems that we’re living in a time when most people are more concerned with their self-interests than they are about the lives of those who are seeking a chance at life, literally. It seems as though the Scribes, Pharisees, and Sadducees of which Jesus warned us are once again cheating widows out of their homes.

But, it only seems that way if we let it be such. There was also one more thing Mr. Corey said in his article: The Kingdom of God exists to help those in need. It’s in helping those in need we are reminded about today.

Stewardship is defined as an ethic that embodies the responsible planning and management of resources. It is the blending of 2 words; stig which means house or hall, and weard which means guardian or keeper. Stewardship, then, is a set of moral principles with which one manages and plans how to utilize that with which they are entrusted.  

Biblical stewardship is doing the same with the gifts God has entrusted to us. Oftentimes when stewardship is mentioned in the church we think of money. Yes, helping to finance the work of the church is important, but that’s not the whole thing. Financially, I’m sure we all do what we can. It’s with the other gifts God has entrusted to us that we should truly be considering.

Some of us are gifted with great organizational skills and could help with planning events for our church and the Ewa community in which we live. Some of us are gifted with being able to moderate a group discussion and could lead a church study group. Some of us are gifted with making crafts or baking cakes and cookies and could make things to sell at our mission fairs. Some of us have good leadership skills and could help facilitate one of our committees. Some of us are good at being a caring presence for others and could visit our members who, for whatever reasons, cannot attend church on a regular basis.

We each have something we’re gifted with and it doesn’t matter if the gift you have is small or big. What does matter is how you give that gift to better the Kingdom of God and to do so with the same outlook our widow in today’s story has: thankfulness. A thankfulness that God is in our lives and a thankfulness that we are able to do what we can in order to help others realize that God is in their lives as well.

Her gift to the temple also highlights one more thing that needs to be mentioned. We are told by Jesus to beware of the legal experts who do things only to make themselves look better, the same people Jesus says do so at the expense of the widows of the world. Yet the widow gave anyway. Jesus tells his followers that the poor woman is a direct recipient of all the things the religious figures of his day had created – division between different classes of people, the inability for the unclean to re-enter God’s presence, and the separation of the church from the people who needed it the most; but none of that mattered to this woman, she gave anyway.

Her faith in God and how God would use whatever gifts she brought to the temple to better the lives of those around her was more than enough for her to give all that she had, everything she needed to live on. Perhaps she also gave out of a sense of hope. In ancient Israel, the “poor” were not required to give; they simply did so because they believed in the goodness of the institution, the goodness of its leaders, and the need for the religious institution to remain. Her hope was that her gift would be used to better the lives of others, even if she herself had nothing left after giving.

I want to tell you a quick story which was posted in Facebook by a childhood friend of mine.

It was this time of the year 4 years ago, I was sitting at a stop light next to Honolulu Hale, when I witnessed a homeless couple crossing the street. They wore torn dirty clothes, Their hair uncombed, skin unwashed. They held each other’s hand as they used the cross walk to make their way to the other side as the traffic waited for the light to change.
Then. . . unexpectedly, in the middle of the street the man turns to the woman and ever so lovingly and gently kissed her, and in full view of the waiting traffic gave her the most incredible embrace as if to say " My Love, let others watch. I will use this moment to bear witness to the world that although I have nothing to offer you, from now until breath leaves my body for the last time, I am yours and shall always love you with all my heart".
For a few seconds, I couldn't see a homeless couple, but instead I saw a man and woman deeply in love with each other.
For those in love, a blessing that your love grows and endures.
For those looking for love, a prayer and a blessing that the Heavenly Father will grant you the love you are looking for. . .
Happy Thanksgiving to all my friends!

What an amazing gift for my friend to be given. That couple had nothing of which to call their own except for the love they shared with one another; a love so strong they didn’t mind sharing it with the rest of the world. Such, my friends, is the love of Christ.

When we read on from today’s passage we will find Jesus entering his final days here on earth. He is going to be betrayed by those closest to him, lied about and made to endure a trial of mistruths and falsehoods. In the end, all Jesus will have to offer as a gift is his life – which he does without so much as a complaint because it’s in that gift he hopes we begin to understand the depth of his love for us.

Thanksgiving is this week. It’s that special day we set aside as a people to be thankful for all that with which we have been entrusted. It’s also a day we can reflect on all we can give back to God with that same gratitude. It’s only when we are able to give of ourselves as freely as did Christ, that those around us will be able to understand the love we have to share. A love which comes from God and flows through us and into the world.

A world where God is ever-present and where God’s ever-present love lives. A world where Ewa Community Church can remain to be a beacon of hope and a path towards rebuilding relationships within our community. All of which is possible because of the gifts you have been entrusted with and are now able to give back to God to help make God’s Kingdom a better place for all.

God is with us all, and a very Happy Thanksgiving to you!  Amen.

The End Of A Bad Day

Mark 13:1-8

We pick up today’s story from Mark at a time when Jesus and his followers have had a few very busy days. It was only a couple of days ago that Jesus rode through the gates of Jerusalem as people laid leafy branches and their coats on the ground for the colt to step on as shouts of “hosanna” and “blessed is the one” rang through the air.

Mark tells us that by the time Jesus entered the temple that day it was late, so he and his followers leave Jerusalem and head for Bethany, a town that was maybe an hour’s walk away. The next morning Jesus and his followers return to Jerusalem, where upon entering the temple he sees how it’s been turned from a place of worship to a place where tradesmen hawk their wares for profit. This upsets him and he turns over their tables and drives out the buyers and sellers from what has become a marketplace.

It’s here when we’re told the temple elite have finally had enough and look for a way to kill Jesus. What I find interesting, and good for another day’s discussion, is why the chief priests and scribes wanted to kill him – because they regarded him as dangerous due to the fact that people were becoming captivated by his teachings.

The end of that day comes and Jesus and his followers once again leave the temple and head towards Bethany. The next morning as Jesus tries to enter the temple, the chief priests and scribes stop him at the door to inquire as to what authority Jesus has to teach in the temple. This begins a day where Jesus is tested over and over by those who profess themselves to be experts in either the law or religion.

The Pharisees, defenders of the traditional written Mosaic laws, ask him if it is lawful to pay taxes to the Emperor. Sadducees, who the great historian, Josephus, described as boorish and rude keepers of the law, asked Jesus about the resurrection, a subject they themselves did not believe in. The scribes, who copied down the laws and taught them to others, asked Jesus what was the first commandment from God.

Mark’s gospel goes to great lengths in chapter 12 to show us the hypocritical positions of those who were considered the temple experts, and he does so quite well. Those who are interrogating Jesus in the hopes to catch him in what we would call a “gotcha moment” in today’s vernacular, leave Jesus in the temple without so much as a reason for those who have gathered to be taught by the great Rabbi to doubt anything Jesus is teaching.

The chief priests, Pharisees, Sadducees, and scribes each try to trap Jesus with their questions, and in the process only bring those who Jesus is teaching, the common people of Jerusalem, closer to understanding God’s truth about what the law is supposed to represent: God’s unconditional love for us and the hope that we would have this same unconditional love for others as well as ourselves.

This brings us to the end of another day – a long, grueling, difficult day for Jesus. It’s one of those days where one isn’t sure if any of what was done had a meaning; whether or not the words and actions which were said and done fulfilled a purpose.

Jesus must have been showing his unsureness from the day’s events. I’m sure he was showing at least some fatigue, having just been in grueling arguments with some of Jerusalem’s brightest minds for most of the day. I can just imagine as he and his followers come out of the temple after the day he just had when one of them, apparently trying to lift Jesus’ spirits tries to point out the beauty of the place they were just in.

“Teacher, look! What awesome stones and buildings!” he says to Jesus. He attempts to get Jesus to look at the great craftsmanship, to look at the exquisite stones used to build that place, to look at the artistic carvings each column and wall had to offer. “Look”, he says to Jesus, “look at the beauty of this place.” While thinking, “I wish I could somehow make Jesus feel better.”

If we’re true to Mark’s version of Jesus’ story we almost immediately see his eyes sadden and his head drop a little. He has just spent a full day teaching and repudiating attacks from others when one of his disciples, those who have followed him through every land and walked every path of this journey with him, those who should have understood Jesus the best by this point in the story, tries to cheer him up with something of material value.

That disciple might as well have said, “Don’t worry about speaking God’s truth to the people who need to hear it the most, look at the pretty walls.”

I can almost hear Jesus, tired from a long day, say in a slightly subdued voice, but still matter-of-factly in its tone, “Do you see these enormous buildings? Not even one stone will be left upon another. All will be demolished.”

It’s like Jesus saying to that disciple, “Really?! After the day I had you want to talk about things that don’t matter now, nor will again ever matter?” His disciples just don’t understand.

Jesus then finds a spot he can be alone with his thoughts. A place high atop a hill across the temple, probably with a great view of the buildings he just left. As his head contemplates the words which were spoken that day, and his heart lay heavy knowing that he doesn’t know how to reach the people he feels called by God to reach, he is approached by 4 of his followers – Peter, James, John, and Andrew.

They ask him a question, “Tell us, when will these things happen? What sign will show that all these things are about to come to an end?” It is a question Jesus never answers. You see, it isn’t important when or how or why the temple will be destroyed. It isn’t important what will bring the temple down. It really doesn’t matter who will be responsible for the stones of that great building being thrown down and demolished. The thing that is important is that from this point forward Jesus’ followers understand that things will become extremely difficult and that they hold on tightly to the words and actions Jesus has taught them along their journey together.

It is here I feel a need to remind you that Mark was written at a time when people of the Jewish faith as well as Christians were being persecuted. Mark would have a keen understanding that the temple which stood for all that Israel holds close to its heart would soon be torn down. Mark would be living through a time when his people would once again be dispersed throughout the land and the one place in which they found refuge in God would no longer exist.

Mark was also being written in a time when many others who called themselves the true prophets of God roamed the towns and villages. We know this from Paul’s writings, which were written before Mark or any of the other Gospels. Paul warns the churches in Ephesians, Corinth, and Rome about such teachers and preachers. He reminds those churches about the importance of keeping their focus on the one who is truly sent from God to speak and teach God’s truth, Jesus our Christ.

Mark’s Gospel continues in today’s passage with that same idea. “Watch out” he says, “that no one deceives you. Many people will come in my name, saying, ‘I’m the one!’ They will deceive many people.” Mark’s Gospel, by linking these two points – the destruction of the temple and the caution to stay true to the words of the one true Christ – warns his readers that regardless of how much the world around us falls apart, if we strongly hold on to the words and life of Christ we will break through whatever is hindering our journey.

On Friday evening, a small group of 7 men exploded bombs and shot innocent people in their misguided war against those who don’t agree with their ideologies. It’s an ideology which no rational human being can agree with. Ideologies which include the oppression of woman, the detachment of hands or feet for not doing as one is told, even death for any who will not swear allegiance to what these ideologists consider to be the one and only way.

A misguided ideology because the doctrine from which these ideas are taken teach the words of prophets who speak only of peace, hope, joy, and love. Yet, just as these people currently misuse the words in their version of a bible so have many others from humanity’s history.

My intention is not to defend another’s religion, or another’s way of life. My intention is to speak about how, even in the face of fear and terror, even in the face of imminent death and the destruction of all you believe, it is our faith which pulls us into the safety and security which the one Creator wishes for all people.

I don’t know how many of you were glued to the constant news cycle of the last few days; a cycle which spoke of how terrorists took almost 130 lives around the life-filled city of Paris, France. We heard witness accounts from survivors who spoke of people falling around them and how they feared for their own lives. We heard stories from France’s government swearing they will find whoever did this and bring them to justice. Yet, there seemed to be more questions than answers.

Within hours the world responded. France’s national colors began to light monuments across the world. While the Eiffel Tower sat in darkness, the arch over Wembley Stadium shined with the Blue, White, and Red. The sail-shaped canopies which cover the Opera House in Australia shined with the Blue, Red, and White. The Empire State Building in New York City; The CN Tower over Toronto, Ontario, Canada;  the High Roller, a 550-foot Ferris Wheel in Las Vegas, and The White House all shined with the Blue, Red, and White to show solidarity with the people of France.

Of all the world’s monuments, however, the one that made me really stop and think, no, more than that, the one that brought truth to my heart was the Christ of the Redeemer, the 125-foot statue of Jesus Christ with his arms spread open, inviting all to him while at the same time keeping watch over the people of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Seeing our Christ shining with the light of solidarity, glowing with the light of unity, radiating with the light of harmony told me that all things will be fine.

It is in the light of Christ I found my peace. It is in the light of Christ I know the people of Paris will find theirs. It is in the light of Christ I hope you will find yours as well.

When people from around the world want to share something on social media they use what is called a hashtag. For those my age, or older, it’s the symbol on the push-button phone that looks like the symbol for number or pound. In fact, it used to be called the pound sign. In the past few days a hashtag has been created in order for the world to share their thoughts with the people of Paris. I’d like to share some of those with you now.

#PrayForParis: I will never understand what makes a person think they can take another life away. Life is precious and they have no right.
#PrayForParis: can't stop thinking about little ones who woke up today with no mommy, no daddy, big brother or sister
#PrayForParis: Because of God we are: Found, Saved, Hopeful, Inspired, Forgiven, Blessed, Stronger, Optimistic, Loved.
#PrayForParis: "Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear..." -Is 58:8
#PrayForParis: "When the city of light goes dark, the rest of the world lights up for them"

When people turn against people and battle lines are drawn it begins to feel like our world is falling apart. Sometimes those things must happen in order for us to fully come to understand what Jesus’ life was truly about. Jesus asks us to hold tight to his words; words which shine brightly on our love of neighbor regardless of who they are; words which shine brightly on loving ourselves in the same way; and words which shine brightly on the love for a God whose own Light came into this world, not to condemn it, but so that all people might find the joy of peace through him.

All we have to do is share this Light as it shines brightly in our lives and in our hearts.

God is always with us.  Amen.

Trust, Obedience, Reconciliation

Ruth 3:1-5; 4:13-17

At the time Ruth’s story was being told, there was a law within the nation of Israel which prohibited women from owning any property. All of a family’s holdings – land, livestock, houses, and the like – were owned by the male head-of-household. The women of the household were completely dependent on their husbands, sons, brothers-in-law, or other male family members who were within the lineage of their husbands.

If a woman’s husband died, his inheritance went first to his sons. If he had no sons it would go to his brothers, beginning with the eldest. If he had no brothers it would go to the closest living relative who would publicly claim that the deceased male is a relative and who would also claim full responsibility for all of the man’s property; including his wife and, if he had any, his unmarried daughters or any other female left under his care.

If no one would lay claim to the property – the land, livestock and such – it would automatically be awarded to whoever was the highest religious or political authority in the area. If nobody laid claim to the women, however, they would be deemed widows and orphans and as such would be considered outsiders of the community and unclean in the eyes of the temple. This would mean that any woman whose husband died was truly at the mercy of any male relative who thought enough of them to care for them as part of the man’s own family.

Such is the place Naomi and her two step-daughters find themselves in today’s story.

During a time of famine, Naomi and her husband, Elimelech, moved from Judah to Moab in the hopes of finding a new life for themselves and their two sons. This had to be a difficult move for them as Moab was known as a pagan land where the one God which they worshiped in Judah did not exist. But, as it is now so was it then, the safety and security of their family outweighed all else, causing them to move into a life where they would do the best they could.

Unfortunately, Naomi’s husband dies while they’re in Moab, leaving her and her two sons alone in a foreign country. Of course, according to their laws, when they move back home to Judah the sons will automatically inherit their father’s properties, so they really don’t have anything to worry about.

There’s still a need for them to be in Moab as the famine which enshrouds their homeland of Judah is still in effect. So they stay there and take Moabite wives as women. This is a good thing as now there would be a way to ensure that their father’s inheritance would continue through their lineage.

As fate would have it, after 10 years of toiling away in Moab and trying to make a living for themselves and their families, Naomi’s two sons die. This one event leaves Naomi with nobody to continue watching out for her safety and security as she gets older. It also leaves the two women who married into the family with a decision to make. They are both Moabites, and according to Jewish laws at the time were unable to participate in any way with the traditions of the Judeans. This means that they also don’t have any of the safeties or securities being married brings.

However, because they are Moabites they are free to re-marry as they wish. So along the way back to Judah, where the famine has apparently ended, Naomi tells her two daughters-in-law that they are free to return to their place of birth in order that they might find a way to provide for themselves. Naomi understands that she is returning to a place where there are no guarantees for her livelihood and her wish is that they don’t share in the same possible fate.

One of them decides to return to Moab, while the other, Ruth, makes the decision to stay with Naomi and together face whatever may come.

Ruth and Naomi return to a land where fields are once again producing and where the people are living within the blessings of God. But, they neither have a place to live or a way to provide for themselves; so they glean. Gleaning is the act of following harvesters as they pick the wheat or other crops, gathering whatever might be left over in the fields. Naomi and Ruth, as well as many others, survived in this way.

Now, we’re not told about the well-being of Naomi’s husband before he passed away. We know absolutely nothing about what kind of a lifestyle Naomi had before the famine and before they decided to settle in Moab. What we do know is that at this point in the story Naomi has nothing – no home, no land, not even dignity in her self. What we also know is that Naomi held dearly to the truth that she had an undying loyalty from Ruth, and that God was in her life.

Those are two things that, when all else seems to be falling apart around us, we can also count on: we are loved by the people who are loyal to us and we are always in the presence of a God who never stops loving us.

When I first started in ministry I was blessed to work with young people. I say blessed because working with teenagers also gave me the opportunity to be in ministry with their parents, grandparents, cousins, uncles and aunties, and even their friends. I especially enjoyed talking with their grandparents who gave me a keen insight into life; not just those of their grandchildren or their families, but of life in general.

I remember when one of the youth I ministered to lost a grandparent. It was difficult for her, to say the least. She completely shut down, not knowing how to act or react to anything or anyone. One day, after church was done and youth group was winding down, I asked her to go outside with me so we could talk. We crossed the basketball court and sat on a wall by some classrooms where we simply sat quietly for a while.

She started to cry and I gently placed my arm around her shoulder. She leaned into me and started crying more. After a minute or so she calmed down enough for me to ask her what was going on. She told me how much she missed her grandmother and how empty life was without her. I turned her towards me and just listened.

She told me of all the times her and her grandma would bake, or go shopping, or just hang out and enjoy one another’s company. But now that she was gone, life didn’t seem worth living. I let her be silent again. I gently asked her to look up at me, and when she did I said to her, “I consider myself to be very lucky to have known your grandmother. She was a woman filled with life and love and gave hope to everyone she met. I miss her too.”

Then I said, “I especially remember one day when we were talking after church and she said to me, “Randy, life will always be good for me because I have love. Not just the love of those around me, but the love of God in my heart.”

Then I asked the young girl, “Do you believe you have love?”

She nodded.

“Do you believe there are people around you who love you?”

She nodded again.

“Do you believe that God still loves you?” She shrugged, then after a few seconds she nodded.

We talked more about the pain we feel when someone close to us has gone, and how much life will be different because of that loss. Then after a while she looked up at me and smiled. It was in that smile I knew she would be okay.

Naomi’s story reminds me of these kinds of moments. Moments when all seems lost, but because of our love for God and our trust that God is always at our side, we know that things will get better; just as things got better for Ruth and Naomi.

You see, Naomi had a relative of her passed husband in Judah; not just any relative but one with money. So when they get to Judah, Ruth tells her mother-in-law that she would like to glean in his fields in the off chance she might find favor, or be noticed, by the man. And get noticed she does. Boaz, Naomi’s relative, really takes a liking to Ruth, even so far as to allow her to walk among the young men as they harvest the fields, taking as much as she needed.

As the rest of the story goes…At the suggestion of Naomi, Ruth goes into Boaz’s room during the night, where she is discovered by him laying at his feet. Instead of punishing her as was custom to their laws, Boaz sends her away with enough barley to sell in the markets, not so much for her to make money, but in order for him to make right that which should be made right.

As Naomi and Ruth sit in the marketplace, Boaz has a meeting with his older brother, the one who is rightfully in line to gain possession of Naomi’s fields. Boaz tells his brother that he should purchase that field in order to take what is rightfully his – the land and all that is in it. However, Boaz also reminds his brother that as a part of the purchase he must also gain possession of Naomi, and the Moabite woman Ruth.

Boaz’s brother wants nothing of the deal. You see, a Moabite is regarded as an outsider, one who can never enter into the Kingdom of God. They do not follow the rules of the Jewish faith and by taking possession of Ruth he puts into jeopardy all of his own possessions. Instead of claiming what is rightfully his, Boaz’s brother denies claim and Boaz, being next in line to the inheritance, redeems what now becomes his and takes Ruth to be his wife.

The story ends well, with Ruth bearing a son wo is named Obed. Obed grows old and takes a wife who gives him a son, whose name is Jesse. Jesse grows old and takes a wife who gives him a son, whose name is David. David will grow up to become the greatest king of the Jewish people and it’s from David’s house the lineage continues until Joseph is given a son by Mary, who we all know as Jesus, our Christ.


It is in Jesus that humanity’s hopes are rekindled. It’s through Jesus we are all shown the way into God’s love.

My encounter with that young woman must have been 12 or 13 years ago and she must be close to 30 years old by now. I haven’t seen her recently, in fact I don’t think I’ve seen her for at least 8 or 10 years. I don’t know what she’s up to now, having lost track of her as she grew from a teenager into a lady.

I would like to think she’s doing fine. I’m sure her life hasn’t been all easy, nor am I led to believe she’s reached every one of her life’s goals; none of us really do. Somehow, though, I know that she is doing fine. I caught a glimpse into the woman she would become on that wall outside the church classrooms, and what I saw in her smile was a woman who knew that regardless of where her paths took her she would be surrounded by people her life to help her who would be there through the difficult times as well as share in her times of joy. I saw a woman whose faith in God was made stronger because for just a while it had gotten weaker. I saw a young woman who knew that regardless of her circumstances she would find a way into a better situation.

Somehow, I also knew that her trust in Jesus Christ would endure all things and that she would find a way to heed God’s call to better the lives of those around her; in the process being as Jesus was to many – a way into reconciliation with others, our self, and with God.

God is with us always.  Amen.

The Newness Of All Things

Isaiah 25:6-9

I have found that the more open I am about my faith at work, the more opportunities I have to share that faith. I enjoy conversations with people from all walks of life who both share and don’t share the same beliefs I do. It’s really good for my personal journey when I remain open and try my best to learn about what others have to offer me in order for me to continue growing in my relationship with God.

For example, I was talking with a fellow teacher about biblical healing. We were talking about how Jesus could easily heal with the touch of his hands or with words of compassion. We were in agreement with most things, not all things, but found within our mutual respect a spiritual growth in our relationship.

During the conversation, she had told me about her experience with the Sunday School she teaches. She has a small group of 5 year olds where she talks with them about how God loves them through stories from the Old and New Testament; stories about Noah’s ark and Moses being found by an Egyptian queen, stories about Jesus feeding thousands of people or what it means to be a good Samaritan.

Her class is getting ready to participate in their church’s Thanksgiving service, at which they will be performing a song about God’s love and how they can lean on his strength when they feel sad. She began to share the song with me, mumble singing it as she went through the movements she was teaching the kids in order to help them remember the song.

She wrapped her arms around herself to represent love and she held her arms in some kind of a muscle pose to represent strength. She pointed to heaven to represent God and to me and her to represent all of us. I wish I could remember the song and do it for you, but…yeah.

However, it wasn’t so much about the song she wanted to share with me, it was about the teaching moment that followed. She told me that as she was explaining to the kids what the song meant to her, about how through God we are protected and loved and how we’re to be thankful for all of that, she mentioned that it’s also through the people God puts in our lives we can share that same love and protection.

Then she told me something she was surprised came out through her words. She said, “Just imagine that if all those people we learn about in the bible could watch us and know that the stories they tell us really help us learn about God and Jesus, they would be so very happy with us right now.”
She could only describe that moment as a Spirit moment; where the Spirit of God took over and led her to say that all the people in our lives, even those from an ancestral past, are what makes us the people we are today; and a good people at that.

I shared in that moment with her, seeing how the many people God has put on my path has led me to where I am today. I’m not just talking about family and friends, colleagues and coworkers, or even professors and pastors. I’m also talking about those same people she was – Abraham, Isaac, Moses, Elijah, Isaiah, Peter, Paul, Jesus, and so much more. And not just them, but all of the others with whom we share stories; so many saints, so many stories, so many lives, so many opportunities for God to show God’s self to us.

But, you know, it isn’t just the people who are directly in our lives who help us to get to where we are. There are so many others we don’t know or have never heard of that helped us along the way as well. I’m sure we all have countless stories where our day isn’t going well and is made better by someone holding a door open for us, or smiling and saying hello, or letting us cut in front of them on the freeway.

Yes, God has surrounded us with so much love, and placed before us many opportunities to understand that love, that I can firmly say that the saints of our past are definitely looking down on us and smiling, knowing that they have made a positive difference in our lives.

The hope of God is that we continue to do the same for others.

As I read through today’s passage from Isaiah I thought about all of those saints, those people who are either directly or indirectly a part of our lives and where, if anyplace, our paths will meet. I thought about Isaiah’s words in the midst of the Prophet crying out about the destruction of the world and how the whole earth will dry up and wither away.

Isaiah says in chapter 24, “The wine dries up; the vine withers; all the merry-hearted groan. The joyous tambourines have ceased; the roar of partyers has stopped; the joyous harp has ceased. No one drinks wine or sings; beer is bitter to its drinkers. The town is in chaos, broken; every house is shut, without entrance. There is a cry for wine in the streets. All joy has reached its dusk; happiness is exiled from the earth.” Isaiah paints a picture where all joy is removed from life’s very existence.

He does this because the world he is living in is falling apart. The 2 kingdoms which make up his beloved nation are close to being destroyed. The enemies of Judah and Israel are at the gates and Isaiah knows that soon it will all be gone – if the people don’t stop living the way they are and follow the ways that were set before them by their ancestors.
His call is to a nation to remain unified under the one thing which was passed down from generation to generation to generation: faithfulness in God lived through righteousness.

Then, after prophesying about withered vines and the lack of joy in sharing wine, Isaiah has a promise: God will once again come and unite all people. It is that unification of all the saints, of all those whose stories from within the pages of the bible and of all the lives of our ancestors, that we are so beautifully told about, when Isaiah says, “On this mountain, the Lord of heavenly forces will prepare for all peoples a rich feast, a feast of choice wines, of select foods rich in flavor, of choice wines well refined.”

Isaiah then gives us a glimmer of what life on that hill will look like. “He will swallow up on this mountain the veil that is veiling all peoples, the shroud enshrouding all nations. He will swallow up death forever. The Lord God will wipe tears from every face; he will remove his people’s disgrace from off the whole earth.”


Wow.

It is for this unification, this newness of all things where all people will once again know peace, joy, and love that we have been shown the path we now travel. It is for this unification we also show those around us the same path; a path into God’s feast on the hill where all are welcome and all will live a life eternal.

As I said earlier, whether we know it or not God places people into our life’s journey so we can begin to see how we are all invited to the feast on the hill. It’s when we realize God has placed people in our lives when we least expect it, that makes those moments very special; just as those Sunday School kids might have understood what their teacher was saying or how she felt as that Spirit moved through them.

A very good friend of mine lost her son about a year and a half ago. It was unexpected and she’s been coping with the pain of losing a child as best she can. I admire her courage in the way she allows people to travel with her on the journey towards reconciliation. She is inviting to all who want to be with her, as much as she invites others to join with her.

She wrote the following letter to a couple of young men who were sitting behind her in the movie theater:

Dear Young Men Who Sat Behind Us in the Movie Theater Last Night:
My husband and I don't go out often. We don't travel as much as we used to do. We've been married for twenty-two years. We were able to have just one child together.
We enjoy going out to the movies and would have family date night for the three of us. For many years, my husband took the aisle seat, and I'd sit in the middle with our son to the right of us.
Our son died two years ago after completing the last day of his senior year of high school. Instead of seeing him go to senior breakfast, having his senior class group photo taken, and then attending graduation rehearsal we held his funeral and burial services.
So last night, my husband and I went to see "Bridge of Spies." It was a good movie about an American hero during the Cold War.
I listened to the two of you talk during the movie trailers about which films you'd see or not see. One of you had a distinctive, loud laugh. You liked the previews for comedies and for the new James Bond movie.
And then the movie started, and you both got quiet and intently watched the movie, and laughed at appropriate places.
I wanted to turn around and see what you both looked like, but I didn't because I didn't want to be obvious, didn't want you to stop laughing.
The movie ended and you both left in the darkened theater.
On the way home I told my husband the best part of the movie was listening to you and your friend. Forgive me for listening to your conversations. I told him it was like having our son and his best friend sitting behind us. It was like hearing our son have a good time. It was like hearing our son laugh.
So, thank you both for being yourselves. Thank you for providing me with a glimpse of what life could have been for my son. It was good to hear my son's laughter through your laughter. I prayed to Creator to provide you both with a good life free from anxiety and depression. May you both have happiness and great success in life always.

She goes on to say how much she misses her son and how she longs for the day they will be reunited in God’s house, tor s Isaiah would say, to sit at the table of God’s feast on the hill.

Our paths might be individual, each of us carrying that which we accumulate along the way. But when we take into account everyone with whom God has sent to be with us, we realize we don’t have to carry those things alone. There has always been and will always be someone willing to help us reach the goal by carrying some of our baggage for us, just as we will be there for others along their own paths. It is God who ultimately provides us with our fellow travelers and the strength to be a good companion along the way. As we head towards the feast on the hill which is filled with joy, peace, and love in a life of hope fulfilled, let us honor all those who have traveled before us, and remember to be with all those who will travel the path when we’re no longer able.

God is always with us. Amen.