Sunday, July 12, 2020 - 6th Sunday After Pentecost

Rocky Soil

The heat of these past few days left much of the soil, grass, plants and trees parched and yearning or water…until he heavens opened overnight on Friday and brought welcome relief of both heat and humidity. The soil cracked and dry, the grass mostly brown with a few green patches, will now revive as it drinks the living water into its cells and reinvigorates.

For our gardens and farmers fields, water is critical. as too is the quality of the soil. Rich fertile soil can produce great yields, feeding all who rely upon it to sustain them.  Yet without enough precipitation, that same soil becomes hard, dry, cracked and craggy, the top layer blows away revealing a rocky base that offers  little to plants trying to survive or new ones tying  to root..the soil becomes rocky, it becomes hard to work, and hard to nourish… as the dryer the soil, the less receptive it is to absorbing the very water it so desperately needs to once again be able to nourish life.

As Spirit tries to nourish us, tries to reinvigorate us, what kind of soil are we. Are we fertile, open to embracing the healing love that emanates form Spirit, are we interested in exploring the way of Jesus, a unique way of moving in the world, or are we dry, craggy and uninterested in learning anything new…interested only in what serves us at any particular moment. Such a way, I suggest is not life giving.

Can new ways of being be plated upon our heart, and souls? I suggest to you that this is always a possibility, if we set such an intention…an intention to allow nurture, to allow new ideas, to allow self-examination, then embark upon it

Like the farmer who discovers that the soil is too acidic for particular crop. Once the crop rotation is changes, the plants bloom and flourish.

Our gospel today tells us of a parable Jesus shared with those gathered ‘round him. Tossing seeds about, some root and grow strong, others hold their own for a little bit, others wither quickly. He talks about the quality of the soil and the difference it makes to the seeds.

Rocky soil is rocky soil..nothing grows…or does it?

I grew up in Nova Scotia….early years, summer were spent at the cottage in Shad bay, the shore was rocky and rugged, with a small sand beach at the bottom of what seemed like an enormous hill….as well thee would an annual  day trip to Peggy’s Cove, about a half hour drive away. There we would see massive glaciated rocks, with little ponds in between, scraggy trees…very little grew…yet in between the rocks as you hopped from section to section, sometimes you find the beautiful tiny tree or flower. 

The fearsome winds had blown soil into the crack between the rocks….a seed had also been caught by the wind and dropped on this very spot as if by miracle, and amongst these awesome giant boulders that were as tall as two story buildings, was this petite green tree or bright purple flower.

In the midst of all these uninhabitable boulders and rocky granular soil, that appeared impenetrable…the wind had gathered enough fertile soil to allow a singular seed to root.. and something to grow, standing strong in the salty air.

If we but open ourselves ever so slightly, to the possibility of spiritual growth, something happens, a little seed of faith and hope finds a corner in which to root, and when nourished begins to grow. Two thousand years later Jesus offers us the same opportunity that he offered the seeds as they scared across the soil…those that root in fertile grown, will flourish and grow, those that do not have  secure footing will flounder and shrivel up

We need to examine what type of soil we are…are we rocky and  craggy, not really interested in growing In new ways, or are we receptive to exploring new ways of being, welcoming the presence Spirit in our lives. For when we open ourselves, ever so slightly, interesting things may happen, the light of Christ creeps Into some of the those dark places where we like to hide and illuminates a new path for to journey upon, a path of healing and love of light and joy, a place where we allow ourselves to experience being embraces by Spirit each and every day. Amen.

Sunday, July 5, 2020 - 5th Sunday After Pentecost

How Heavy is the Yoke?

In our gospel reading  Matthew calls us to take up the yoke of Christ, for it is not heavy and in the doing, our burdens will be lifted and be discovered to be light…for it is there that we will find rest for the travails of daily life. Inviting Jesus to walk with us, to hold us when we need support, to let us run when we feel strong, courageous, and wild….yet connected to our source of life…by a yoke of faith…

Matthew also speaks of important things that have been hidden from the wise and learned. These have been  offered instead to the little children who had gathered…Matthew explains that it is through Jesus, that the Father, the creator, is revealed.

These passages pose some interesting and important questions to the reader and listener…a direct and most important one being…. Where do you see yourself in this story? Which group do you fall into? Which group do you desire to be in? Are you counted amongst the learned and wise, the ones who were put aside? The ones from Jesus hid things? Or do you find yourself within the favoured group…those names as the little children…If so, what does it mean to move as a little child, even though we are adults?

Do we have the freedom of expression, the joy, the courage  to trust and as well the faith of a child? If we do not, are we actively seeking them out? Seeking to build our faith…seeking to learn to trust with the heart and soul of a child.

We must also sort out what we understand is a yoke to be… is it a good thing or a bad thing…how does this metaphor function in 2020? …Does it hold up well and do the heavy lifting that it should? Or are we simply tired and worn out…

In 2020 we surely don’t need anymore burdens…With COVID 19 I suspect we all believe we have had enough, and cannot take one more ounce of stress…especially for those who have lost loved ones…or those who have fallen gravely ill…enough of the burdens and lets have a bit of fun… What might it be to be yokeless in today’s world?

Drop the yoke and do what we please without a thought for anyone else. Move and dance about as if we do not have a care in the world…what does it matter? How we move matters. Our willingness to invite discipline into our lives matters.

The willingness to live a faith filled life helps shapes the world….it opens the doors of care, compassion, peace and love. For these are intentioned actions…. not deeds of chance

We need not look far to see what yokeless behaviour looks like…gaze south of our border…tens of thousands of people dead….so many more ill…even more in imminent danger of becoming ill as a captain less boat rocks too and fro…

This is what happens when the yoke or restraint is removed…all too soon..chaos reigns….people suffer.

So what  are some of the ways that we can engage or draw a yoke upon ourselves that may be beneficial or helpful. A yoke is not usually super light, yet it is bearable….it places a modicum of restraint upon the bearer…yet they are still able to move forward.

Perhaps not as fast, or at a slower steadier pace…yet movement is still possible… the relief when the yoke is removed, somewhat joyous.

This I find helpful as we examine what the Christian enterprise is about. It is about restraint and discipline… it is about taking the time to sort out that which guides us on a path of wellness, vs following our emotional whims, doing whatever we want, only to be saddled with an unnecessary weight of suffering as we stray from out intended direction.

Christ calls us to be responsible for our lives, to be responsible for the choices we make, to live into our actions with heart and compassion…and when we fail to do this, we will discover the weight of the yoke. When we rest within the embrace of Christ, much is possible, difficulties and challenges we thought we could not face, become navigable…this is not to say painless…we are human creatures and will feel the emotions of the difficult moments…

Yet the yoke is light when the comforting hand of Jesus rests upon the yoke, lifting some of the weight, that we might see more clearly, that we might take time to set course and choose where we are headed and sort out why we are going where we are going.

The yoke grows light, the burden less heavy, and the grace and mystery that is Spirit begins to move in our life as it has always moved in creation, gently leading us to a more fulsome, faith filled life.   

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.

Amen.

Sunday, June 21, 2020 - 2020 Indigenous Day of Prayer

The Seven Grandfather Teachings

Imagine living in harmony with Creation, the animals around and with each other, before strangers came to your lands. We had a belief system that helped us to live a good life. Without trying to understand our beliefs the newcomers condemned this belief system and our people as barbaric, demonic, hedonistic, and savage.

Imagine you have a certain way of doing things. It’s always the way you’ve done it as long as you can remember, and then someone comes along and tells you a different way you should or have to do it.

For example: I like doing my dishes a certain way. I wash the cups and silverware first, the saucers and bowls, the big plates next, followed by the serving bowl, and then the pots and pans last. My sister does the pots and pans first and then all the rest.

Thankfully we don’t interfere with each other’s way of doing them: a simplistic example of living in harmony with each other. That’s how our ancestors, grandparents, and parents lived. They each had their role in the community and didn’t interfere with each other. They lived a very simple life.

Some of the teachings we lived by were the Grandfather Teachings, which consist of Love, Respect, Courage, Honesty, Wisdom, Humility, and Truth, teachings you also find in the Bible. Before contact these teachings were taught freely and daily in our communities. The mothers spoke of them to their unborn children. They were the first lessons a child was taught that were repeated throughout their lives. After contact the teachings were presented in secret and taught very subtly.

My great-grandmother was my teacher. She was very subtle in teaching them. She had to be to avoid being thrown in jail for practicing her way of life. She was so subtle in the teachings that I was totally unaware that I had them within my being until I took a life skills program in 1986.

The instructor had a woman come in to teach them to the class. Back in that time I had no voice and could barely speak up. As I listened to the woman present the teachings I apparently made a “humph” sound.

She asked if I had something to say. It took some coaxing on her part, but I was finally able to tell her that I knew all of what she was teaching and I didn’t learn it off any blackboard.

There are seven Grandfather Teachings or Laws our people lived by daily.

Love: To know love is to know the Creator, therefore it’s expected one’s first love is for that of the Creator or Great Spirit. Creator is the parent of all children. The love given to the Great Spirit is expressed through self-love; if you can’t love yourself how can you love anyone else?

The Great Spirit chose the eagle to represent love because the eagle soars the highest of all creatures in bringing pure vision to the seeker. Although love is the supplier of the greatest and most powerful medicine, it can also be the most elusive of the teachings as it depends on a world that acknowledges the importance of spirituality.

Colossians 3:14 states:
And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

Respect is the condition of being honoured. Respect is represented by the buffalo. Through giving its life and sharing every part of its being the buffalo showed the deepest respect it had for people.

No animal was more important to the existence of our people. Its gifts provided shelter, clothing, and utensils for our daily life.

Our people believed we were the true caretakers of the herds and developed a sustainable relationship with the buffalo that resulted in a relationship of true respect. I remember all the teachings my great-grandmother gave us in regards to respect; a few of them were:

·        Respect our Elders by listening to what they said and do what they told us to do. In teaching my own children, I taught them to do only what felt right and respectful. I did this to teach them to protect themselves from sexual abuse.

·        Give your seat up to Elders. It is considered very disrespectful to see a young person seated and an Elder standing.

·        Respect your siblings, and your parents.

·        1 Peter 5:5 teaches:
Likewise, you who are younger be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

Courage is the ability to face danger, fear, or change with confidence and bravery. The bear teaches us courage with many lessons in the way it lives. Courage is the most important teaching the bear offers. The true definition of courage is a mother bear’s ferociousness when it comes to her cubs being approached, very much like a human mother when she comes to her child.

This same ferociousness is needed to have the moral and mental strength to overcome fears that prevent us from living our true spirit as human beings. Living in the heart and spirit is difficult. The bear’s example shows us how to face any danger to achieve courage in our lives.

2 Timothy 1:7 speaks of the spirit:
God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.

Honesty is speaking and acting truthfully, thereby remaining morally upright. The Sabe (Sasquatch) represents honesty. Long ago, there was a giant called Kitchi-Sabe. It walked among the people to remind them to be honest to the law of the Creator and with each other.

The highest honour bestowed on a person was the saying, “There walks an honest man, he can be trusted.” Keeping the promises one made to the Creator or to others and self was to be truly honest. The Elders said live true to your spirit, never try to be someone else.

Ephesians 4:25 says what our ancestors passed down long before Christianity came to our people:
Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body.

Wisdom is the ability to make decisions based on personal knowledge and experience. The beaver teaches us wisdom. Community is entirely dependent on the gifts given to each member by the Creator.

The beaver’s example of using its sharp teeth for cutting down trees and branches to build its dams and lodges expresses this teaching.

If the beaver didn’t use its teeth in this way, the teeth would continue to grow until they became useless, ultimately making it impossible for the beaver to sustain itself. The same can be said for human beings.

One’s spirit will grow weak if it is not fulfilling its use. When used properly, one’s gifts contribute to the development of a peaceful and healthy being and community.

James 3:13 says:
Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom.

The beaver is wise and understanding in knowing he has to use his teeth for them to be productive.

Humility is recognizing and acknowledging that Creator is a higher power than people. This is truly humbling. True humility is being humble and not arrogant. To capture true humility one must express deference or submission to the Creator, through the acceptance that all human beings are equal. The expression of this humility is manifested through the consideration of others before oneself.

The wolf teaches us humility; it bows his head in the presence of others in deference, and once it has hunted the wolf will not take any of the food until it can be shared with the pack. The wolf’s lack of arrogance and its respect for its community is a hard lesson, but in our people’s way.

The wolf’s actions bring to mind Chief Marie-Anne Day Walker-Pelletier, who has been Chief of Okanese First Nation since 1981. Whenever there was a community meal taking place she always waited till the last to eat to ensure all the people were fed first.

Proverbs 18:12 says:
Before a downfall the heart is haughty, but humility comes before honor.

I believe the wolf and Chief Marie-Anne Day Walker-Pelletier are true examples of humility and honour.

Truth is to know and understand all of the original laws given by the Creator and to remain faithful to them. The turtle teaches us about truth. It is said that in the beginning when the Creator made humanity and gave them the Sacred Laws, the Grandmother Turtle was present to ensure that the laws would never be forgotten.

On the back of a turtle are the 13 moons, each representing the truth of one cycle of the earth around the sun. The 28 markings on the turtle’s back represent the cycle of the moon of a woman’s body.

The shell of the turtle represents the body’s real events as created by a higher power, and serves as a reminder of the Creator’s will and teachings.

1 John 5:20 teaches:
We know also the Son of God has come and given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true. And we are in him who is true by being in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.

Sunday, June 14, 2020 - Second Sunday after Pentecost

SHEEP WITHOUT A SHEPHERD

Like a shepherd He feeds his flock
and gathers the lambs in His arms,
holding them carefully close to His heart, 
leading them home.

The words of Bob Dufford…a song I heard and sang often when I was in the chapel during my university years. I did not know then, that 40 years later I would be preaching these words, rather than singing these words. Nor did I ever imagine it would be in an on-line service delivered via my lap top computer from my how home.

As a sheep, I had no idea what was in store for me as I set out upon the adventurous path outside the chapel door. I had no idea it would lead me back to the same place…reaching out to my most trusted shepherd, Jesus. Nor did I imagine that anyone would ever offer me a flock to lead as shepherd.

The image and metaphor of sheep and shepherd reach back to the oldest prophets. Jeremiah, Isaiah, Ezekiel, Amos and Joel are but a few in the first testament. We also hear a tremendous amount about sheep and shepherd in our gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John . There are also half a dozen psalms that make use of the same images, phrases and metaphors.

SO is it a big deal to be a sheep without a Shepherd? Or a Shepherd without sheep? Context can be very important. The amount of danger or potential for injury or getting lost matters. Where we are in our life journey can also matter. Thee are times when we are a bit fearless and tend to wander off onto un-trodden and known roads, not caring about the consequences. There are joyous endings, learned lessons and sometimes tragic consequences.

There are times when we must also step out of our sheep suit and take charge as would a shepherd protecting the flock. There are times when we must take on the wolf,  for sake of self, for the sake of another. With horrific images of George Floyd being choked to death etched forever upon our hearts and minds, protests, both peaceful and violent, rage across North America. The supposed shepherd or is it actually the big bad wolf  in a shepherds suit, continues to hide in his white house.

The word shepherd has the wooly image attached to it. However it also means to care and protect, to safeguard and ensure the wellbeing of each and every member of a flock, large or small. In biblical narratives we often hear of shepherds carrying the lambs, the newborn, the vulnerable.

As a lamb, or as a full grown sheep, when we imagine or believe that we can move through the world flying solo, with no guidance, with no one to keep an eye on us, with no one watching over us, with no restrictions or fences, at some point we may very well run off the rails. Hopefully only a few bruises and scratches and no great harm done to another, or tragic results, injuring both ourselves and others.

Within the pasture, watched over by a good shepherd, the sheep can frolic and run, learn and explore, and should they wander off, the shepherd comes looking, not wanting to sleep until all are accounted for. And so it is with Christ.

Always present, always willing to gather us and embrace, to pick us up when we stumble, to lead us home once again to the safety and shelter of God’s eternal love. This is not to say that we can just hang out, not do anything and be taken care of. There is a relationship between the sheep and a shepherd. Implicit is trust.

The sheep have an expectation that the shepherd will safeguard their well being, and that the love and care is unconditional. We have the same expectation of those with whom we are in relationship. However, like sheep, we do get to choose which path we shall take. That is not to say that we can also be dealt a very difficult hand, with challenging circumstances that place good and healthy decisions far out of reach.

Thus the importance of relying on a good shepherd, a mentor, a guide. Care and compassion, healing the wounded, carrying the vulnerable to ensure they reach safety. Shepherds lead and gather. They bind a flock together with unconditional love that is ever present.

Like a shepherd He feeds his flock
and gathers the lambs in His arms,
holding them carefully close to His heart, 
leading them home.

Amen

 

Sunday, June 7, 2020 - Trinity Sunday

Making Disciples…

That is what Jesus did… that is what Jesus asked the disciples and his followers to do… that is what Jesus asks of us. It is a tall task…it is a small task… it is a joyful task…it is an arduous task….it is a life long journey

So what is the recipe? A little bit of joy…a touch of faith… a sprinkle of tragedy…some humour… a supportive mom and dad…or just lot’s of luck?

There is no one magic or distinct formula or way of doing it…it is  way of being …lead by example… stepping up to the plate…taking responsibility for self and others…holding and living into the joy and success of others…holding each other when we struggle…

How do we or might we shape or invite someone to become a disciple, a believer, a follower of the Jesus way? I suggest that it is no more difficult or simple than moving in the world with a joyful, thankful heart…moving, walking, being, as if you are in conversation with Jesus each moment of your day… for then we will mind our manners, hold our tongue, show empathy and compassion for others, stand up for silenced voices and demand that every man woman and child be treated as equals before the law and before God…for this is the Jesus way… the way of the followers of The Christ, the son of man, the Saviour of the world.

It means being a beacon of light for those around you. It means insisting that the light of Christ is a source of healing, love and care. That Jesus can and does offer healing to all those in need…to all who open their hearts and lift the veil.

In our first reading  we here the iconic words of genesis…we hear the beginning of the beginning….it unfolds for us the power and majesty of our creator God. These words also affirm the abundance with which humankind has been blessed…the geography upon which we live, the air and water that sustain us….

The unifying force in our Trinitarian theology  is also described and laid before us. Father Son and Holy Spirit…Creator God, Christ among us and the Spirit that binds us. It is important for us not to get caught by specific, literal language. These texts stretch across the centuries for good reason… they have something to offer every age. The language in Genesis does not justify in our world attitudes of injustice or inequality based on race or gender. U urge you to bring you life experience to these texts and discover where your journey intersects with them. How they lift you up and inspire and move you. Like a great concert heard by many, each every person will have a different lived experience of the music; influenced by our life’s journey, family experience, the very country into which we have been born or chosen to live.

We are human, we have much in common, we have many differences…however the path laid before us, upon which we are invited to journey with Christ is one that invites us to be one, united in Spirit, inspired by the teachings of Christ and the prophets before him, caretakers of creation. And when we stray from this path, we often discover the world to be overwhelming, unfair and unjust.

We discover that power over other people has become a goal and virtue…this is not the way of Jesus… The strong quiet voice, calling for peace and reconciliations, calling us to listen to one another, calling us to seek out a consensus as to how we can be together instead of dominance: care and compassion, empathy and heart…

For when we open our ears with our heart..when we open our eyes with our heart.. when we open our minds with our heart….those around us will feel the power of spirit, hear the message of Jesus in our voice and recognize that we are but caretakers of God’s great and amazing creation…

Then we are making disciples…for we are leading by example… we are letting spirit reach through us to others…we are leading others to the edge of the path, that they might set a foot upon it and discover a new way of travelling in the world…The way that disciples of Jesus: care, compassion, empathy and love… echoing a call of justice and equality for all.. for that is the Jesus Way. Amen

Sunday, May 17, 2020 - Easter VI

The Spirit of Truth

Our first reading today from 1 Peter, offers us a great deal to ponder upon …..Psalm 66 instructs us to make a joyful noise , to praise God, our Gospel from John 14 brings us full circle and calls us to live into the pledge of our baptism…

the pledge of a clear conscience toward God…

A call to live in the Spirit of Truth…

This takes courage… this take determination…. This takes faith! We see and hear this in the teaching of Jesus and the disciples. Especially in the Gospel of John

I am the way, the truth and the light…

We do not connect to the divine by doing and saying whatever words are driven by the emotion of the day or a particular moment. Such words rarely serve us well, nor do they draw us to the path of Christ… The Jesus way.

This is not to say that those around Christ did not have doubts. Thomas has been labeled with his own saying…when someone acts in an unsure way, or whoever is not on board with whatever the plan is, they frequently receive the label of being “a doubting Thomas.”

Yet must our faith be blind? Uncensored by the ability to think and reason clearly…. uncensored by a discerning heart and soul?

Like the disciples, sometimes we do not see clearly; at times we do not hear with our heart. At times we do not speak in a manner that respects…

the pledge of a clear conscience toward God…The call to live in the Spirit of Truth

Not to dwell for an extended period of time on politics… however these are interesting and uncharted times. As the tragedy of COVID 19 continues to unfold here in Canada and around the world, we see leaders who move with care and compassion, doing their very best to live into the Spirit of Truth; that is before them. It is a pandemic of epic proportions that cuts across all social economic classes and kills without regard. Yet the vulnerable have paid a horrific price with their lives.

In some countries, the regard and sanctity of life and the role of science is pushed aside. The most prominent of these being Brazil and the United States. In Brazil, Nelson Teich, their health minister of a month, has resigned. He dared speak the truth about what it will take to keep people safe. In the Portuguese news, he used strong language; suggesting that president as lethal a virus as the COVID 19 virus.

South of our border we had unprecedented steps taken in the media yesterday. There is a long standing policy that former presidents do not comment on sitting presidents and their work. We saw President Obama brush this aside with graciousness and some humor, speaking into the truth of what is at play in his country. People are needlessly becoming ill and dying because of lack of leadership… and because of a lack of truth.

These are the words of someone who can rest no more…Obama is in a position to call to task those who are not speaking into the Spirit of Truth, and he has done so.

The question I pose to you is:

How hard should we push to honour the pledge of a clear conscience toward God?

Do we become the village tattle tale, naming every offence, positioning ourselves as the judge and corrector of all truths? Perhaps not, as that would become super annoying and by the end of the day or week, no one would talk to us or have us near. This is about setting the intention to move with a truthful heart, to move a sincere way of being in the world, for there walks Christ, and we with Him. Amen.

Sunday, May 3, 2020 - Easter IV

“A Joyous Entrance through the Shepherd’s Gate”

In our first reading and in our Gospel this morning we are charged with many difficult tasks and options that may not have much appeal to us….options that, in a northern climate, may not make a lot of sense

“They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need.”

This is a theme that is heard many times in the New Testament…giving away our possessions so that others might have what they need. Clearly it does not make much sense to give away one’s only winter coat or warm boots. We would surly freeze to death or end up with frostbite on our feet. However we must wrestle ourselves into the question: “ How much is enough?”  Have we sorted out the difference between need, want and desire?

The call in our first reading is to share. To break bread with each other; to share what we have so as to ensure there is enough for all. The abundance of creation actually does provide enough for all, it is we humans who have created an unbalanced equation on our planet.

Jesus is unequivocal in his statement

I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

How do we understand a life that is full. If it is simply having lots’ of stuff, all that we want to eat, all of our favorite toys and music and art and leisure activities and houses and cars and a high paying job….we have missed the boat. We have not seen the “ open gate” that leads to a life that is balanced and full… a life filled with Sprit, led by the example that Christ put before us.

I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture.

In Christ we will find peace, a way balanced with grace and stillness, a joyful way of being in the world.

The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep.  The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice.

So…are we listening? Have we heard the shepherds voice? Have we sought out the gate to the pasture that is Jesus? It takes discipline and intention. It s a life long journey. The cool things about the gate…is that it is always open.  we are free to come and go as we please. We can dance in the pasture, we can enter joyously or hide in the shadows… the choice is our to make. It does not need a huge banner or trumpets in the sky to announce that we are ready to enter his gates with  thanksgiving.

However each time we spend time in prayer, offering care and kindness, moving with compassion in the world world, acting without judgment, placing others first….we are dancing in the pasture…we have made yet another joyous entrance through the shepherd’s gate.

It is a life long journey

Sunday, April 12, 2020 - Easter Sunday

Love One Another

Once again I would like to welcome everyone and thank them for being with us this morning. By this time we would usually have completed our first service and had an Easter breakfast together. These are not usual time. This is an Easter unlike any other we all have journeyed through. The parallels with COVID 19 and the world within Christ moved on a daily basis have much to teach us.

Tragedy and high death due to disease were not uncommon…to have many without access to medicine, to have shortages of food and basics need to sustain life….the descriptors ,equipment and foodstuffs may have changed, but out basic needs have not….

I offer daily prayers of thanks that I/ we are blessed to live in Canada, knowing or imagining that if I or one of our congregants were to fall ill, they would be offered the very best care that is available, regardless of which neighborhood we call home, that the ambulance will take us even if we don’t have private insurance or a visa card with a $10,000 limit…in this matter we are truly blessed

Yet we can do more…. we can do better.

There are vulnerable sections of our population who are at risk, many who provide us with essential services have risked much these past weeks…at first not having gloves and masks or partitions in grocery stores at the cash….our front line health care workers in hospitals’, long term care facilities , shelters not having the PPE to work safe, keep safe and ensure their clients and patients are kept safe.

Now is a time of care….now is a time of extraordinary generosity…the weeks and months ahead will strain us…yet we must press on, sharing our stories, listening with both heart and ears, little gestures really count…each piece of kindness that you can add to the abundance of good will is a joyous event. Check up on each other…check up on family, neighbours and friends, minimize our travels and keep safe distance. Our patience is being tested….Jesus did not give up on us…we must not give up on each other

Jesus laid down his life for us, and in this extraordinary gesture he called upon us to love one another…we have no time to wait…the time is now….love one another….be creative…be thoughtful….rejoice…for Christ is Risen this day. It is an extraordinary day and we are so blessed with your company and care. Amen

Sunday, April 5, 2020 - Palm Sunday Worship

palm cross 2 ver 3.jpg

Envy and Fear

Isaiah sets the stage for the ministry and crucifixion of Christ in 6 short verses: we are told that he will challenge the people, he will teach the people, he will show them wisdom that will sustain, he will open us to hear in new ways, he will open my eyes to see that which was before me that I simply had not noticed before.

Isaiah lays before us a major tenant of the Ministry of Jesus…turn the other cheek…be fearless in your pursuit of faith…no matter what you do you will not lose face or the grace of God because the Spirit is with you.

The fire and passion of faith will ignite in others simply by being in the presence of Christ or having faith in and like him.

I shall set my face like flint…

Courage and vindication to those who believe…God is always near…God is the vindicator…

Then a question is posed…who will bring charges against me? Who is the accuser?

This is followed by affirmation. God is always there to help!

It is the sovereign Lord who helps me.

What will happen to the accusers?

They will all wear out like a garment; the moths will eat them up.

The images and words engaged by Isaiah to share his prophecy are vivid and full of life…they are full of things familiar to people of his time…yet still ring true centuries later…this is inspired writing…writing that dances upon our ears, hearts, souls, eyes and minds…stirring a yearning for understanding…a wondering of who this amazing one will be.

I offered my back to those who beat me, my cheeks to those who pulled out my beard; Then He wakens me morning by morning, wakens my ear to listen like one being instructed.

So I pose the question to all here and for all to hear; have we allowed our ear to be woken…have we continued to “that one more thing” that is asked of us…even when we are tried and grumpy…even when we have said: “Lord I cannot bear one more thing to go wrong in my day…”

Isaiah has set the grand stage for the coming of Christ with inspired words that teach and instruct… with inspired words that open our very being to that which is in front of us and that which will transform us; that which will keep us connected to the divine.

In our reading from Matthew we hear the story of Palm Sunday…the jubilation and joy…which we shared at the beginning of our service…re-imagine the walk through Jerusalem…palms in the air and upon the ground…we sought to reflect this is our words and songs this day as we gathered.

Our moods and emotions will shift through this week… On Thursday we will recall the Last Supper… the washing of the feet…powerful symbols of service offered to us… the importance of the Passover meal which is expressed in Christianity through the remembrance of the Last Supper. As believers in Christ who celebrate their faith in community, the sharing of hospitality is an important time for our community…a way of being together…nourishing each other through food as well as our presence for and with each other.

The story we hear in our Gospel from Matthew, is harsh and brutal. It is one that emanates from fear that which is not quite understood, fear of losing power and control…and envy…Jesus, this prophet and preacher from Nazareth, was gathering crowds …teaching and preaching…this was a task set aside for the elite of the day… the educated class who controlled the temples…Jesus was a threat to the system…He was upsetting the proverbial apple cart. He was the son of a poor carpenter… a nobody who should not be able to draw crowds and have followers and perform miracles… so they looked and watched and snarled and grimaced…jealously eating away at their souls until they could not stand it and had him arrested.

We must always remember that emotions are temporal things… anger… fear and jealously, while experienced as visceral and real… will pass…breathe it in… breathe it out…we must not hold them tight within our core being, as these particular Pharisees did…we must not live it…we must let it go…

We are human and will experience profoundly deep emotions that will drive us, taunt us and haunt us…control us …call us to act and do things that may not be helpful to our very well being… we are human, we have choice…the call of Christ from the cross is to seek out choices and ways of living that are life giving… that lift our spirits, voices and souls to the heaven; that connect us deeply to the divine life force that burns within us all…

Christ’s call to us to indeed, turn the other cheek…to drop everything that binds us and holds us back… to come and follow him…in life and in death…walking through the streets of Jerusalem with palms on the ground and palms in the air… to the foot of the cross…that is where our Palm Sunday Journey will take us. Amen

Sunday, January 26, 2020 - Following The Wind...

Sermon - January 26, 2020

Following The Wind…

1 Corinthians 1: 10-18 Matthew 4: 12-23

Gentle or strong, warm, chilly or cold….the wind is always with us…so too is our faith…so to is Christ…no matter what our mood or desire, Jesus does not turn from us…rather it tends to be us who make great choices, or not…who make choices that are rested and vested in faith… or not.

Yet many, if not perhaps all of us, have had moments when we would like to be like the leaf, or snowflake or kite…blown aimlessly wherever the wind might take us….the freedom of not making decision, of letting the wind pick us up and deposit us at our next destination without the hassle of  having to make an active choice….

Are there moments when we, as adults, still yearn for the teenage joy of throwing on a backpack, getting on a train or a bus, with no fixed destination? The joy of adventure, with relatively minor upfront commitment.

In today’s gospel we hear of such an adventure.

As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen.  “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” At once they left their nets and followed him.

And in a moment, without hesitation, Peter and Andrew were in the wind…they left their job…they left their family…they left their friends… they left their way of life…to start a- fresh…to start anew…to walk to foreign lands with strangers they did not know.

They were called to take flight…as we too are called to take flight…to follow the divine wind of faith that blows through creation each and every moment; yet is so frequently ignored…to tagged as something we will get to later…call me back…I might be interested next week…this week I am too busy to follow Jesus or be a faithful Christian.

Peter and Andrew did not wait…did not hesitate…did not chat….did not send a a text to friends…or check review on yelp or google…they did not tweet…or snap a photo for instagram…or contemplate the heading to go with the pic for their facebook page..

They dropped their nets and left….touched to the core by what they had heard and seen in the man from Galilee…Jesus the healer…the fisher of men and women.

To yearn for such a deep, instantaneous revelation that changes one’s life in such an extreme way. In a flash they turned their life inside out…

Sometimes we do need to follow the wind…to make dramatic change…to confess to ourselves and those around us that we follow a Christian path… that we yearn for connection to the divine and seek it out. This is what brought you through the door today…and will do so again…follow the wind. It will lead you to divine places…quiet places…joyful places…places to nurse your grief in times of sadness…places to be joyful for every minute with which we are blessed…follow the wind and discover the divine. Amen