On my way home from visiting my in-laws this weekend, I started to wonder...did I need more time to say goodbye? A friend of mine announced her departure 2 months in advance of leaving, while another gave 3 weeks notice...how are we to know what’s too long, just right, or not enough? I guess there isn’t a magic formula, although I wish there was.
Now, before the liturgy police come to haul me away for not preaching the lectionary, I'm going to do it just this once. Because on the drive home, I started thinking about all the times during Lent I’ve preached on Jesus’ farewell departure. Every year I feel like saying, “ok, wrap it up, we know that you’re leaving...we just want to get to Easter”. In the Gospel of John, the discourse goes from chapters 14-17 and it covers a lot of important material that Jesus wanted to make sure the disciples understood before his crucifixion. If you were to read it all at once, you’d notice that there are four parts to his farewell…
So while I may feel a bit snarky about how long Jesus goes on in his farewell discourse, when read in its entirety, I understand it as a beautiful love letter to his friends...and while I am definitely NOT Jesus, I am inspired to give you my own prayer. My prayer for the Gorge community is that you continue to work to preserve this beautiful place; that you care for the rich and the poor alike and that you continue to be strong in your commitment to justice and peace. My prayer for the Diocese of Eastern Oregon is that you continue to be courageous in the building up of the Kingdom of God; don’t allow scarcity to be the motivating factor, but see yourself as a learning lab for new clergy, for new ideas, for new partnerships, and new leadership. My prayer for St. Mark’s is that you continue to be the hands and feet of Christ at work in the world. Be a source of solace for those in our community who feel broken. Be a source of joy for those in our community who need to celebrate. Be welcoming and hospitable, courageous and bold, and love one another. And more specifically, for all of you here today, I pray that you know that you are loved. Know that you are loved. You are a beloved child of God. You are stronger than you think you are. You matter more than you think you do. You are standing on the precipice of transformation. In his farewell discourse, Jesus told his disciples, “You did not choose me, but I chose you.” They followed him to sea shores, into towns where there were lepers, on to hillsides where people were hungry...both physically and spiritually. Like those early disciples who followed this itinerant preacher to the very end, you too have been called to go into unknown territory together. I truly believe, with all my heart, that you are going to do great things together as long as you remember to be guided by love. Back in June, I told you about my six word stories...one liners composed of six words that explained who we are...elevator speeches if you will. Now, I’m going to give them to you...with a few more and a few less words. You can’t say no to God. You can only say yes to God. You are standing on the precipice of transformation. You are a beloved child of God. You are loved. I love you.
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AuthorI don't know what the future of the church is, but I know that we will continue to be a place of sanctuary and hope, working towards healing in the world. Archives
October 2017
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