So That We Might Become - a sermon for Dec. 16, 2012

A Sermon for December 16, 2012 (Advent 3, RCL C)

Offered by Nathan Ferrell for The Church of Saint Mary

Texts:             Philippians 4:4-7; Canticle 12; Luke 3:7-18

Primary Message:  soul transformation is the way to combat evil

Title:               So That We Might Become                     

“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.”

These are the words of St. Paul appointed for us to read and consider this morning. I like this passage. It is a favorite of mine, but I confess that today my heart is heavy.

These are, typically, days of rejoicing, as we prepare for our Christmas pageant next week and our joyful Christmas Eve in 8 short days.

But I am not able to quickly forget about the tragedy that occurred on Friday in Newtown, Connecticut. Instead of concluding their celebration of Hanukah or making final plans for a joyful Christmas, twenty families there are now planning a funeral for their 6 or 7 year old child. Not to mention the other adults who also lost their lives.

How can we rejoice in the Lord always, even when faced with such malice, such horror, such evil?

What kind of hope can we cling to when confronting such pain?  

When horrible tragedies occur like this one, many people ask the question, “Why?” We ask, why did Adam Lanza commit this unspeakable act.

And people also ask, why did God allow such a thing to happen.

My friends: I have no answer to this question. I do not know why.

But I do know that evil is a powerful force in this world, and that human sin has infected every area of our lives. We are engaged in a struggle against this darkness, and this struggle is far from over.

I know that mental illness is serious, and treating such illness is a complicated affair. Just as it takes a village to raise a child, so it requires a network of caring people to assist those who are afflicted with mental disorders.

I also know that we need reasonable and intelligent gun control in this nation. I support hunting, and I even think that we would be better off if we had more hunters and sportsmen in our society. But no American citizen needs to have in their home a military-grade assault rifle, which is made only for the purpose of slaughtering human beings. 

And even more, I know that what we are doing here at Saint Mary’s matters and is vitally important.

Every time an incident like this occurs, I grow stronger and stronger in my conviction that the local church matters more than anything else.

Because what our nation needs most – more than new laws, more than new safety procedures, more than new medical guidelines – what we need more than anything else are communities like this one.

Communities where we teach every child that they are precious and loved dearly by God, and that God longs for each one of them to live a full and abundant life;

where our children can learn that violence against any part of God’s creation is abhorrent, and that each person is a being of infinite worth and value;

where we know and mentor our young adults, and guide them to find a good path in life, and we don’t let them fall through the cracks, but we make sure that they get whatever help they might need to be healthy;

where we care for one another and love one another, and support each other when facing tragedy and loss;

where we work together to make our world a better place.

Our nation, and our world, desperately needs more communities like that.

In a few short days, the Church throughout the world will gather to celebrate the truth that God chose to enter this world, to live life on this pain-filled yet beautiful planet as a human being, as one of us.

We call this the Incarnation, and in the Eastern Orthodox tradition, there is a saying which serves as a summary of what God actually intended to take place when the Son, the Messiah, became human. It goes like this:

God became what we are by nature, so that we might become what God is by grace!  (repeat)

God entered into this human life, shared all of our joys and our sorrows, experienced the wonders of friends and family and also felt the pain of loss, all so that we might become like God.

Becoming is never easy, and we ought not to expect a quick journey. But this is why we are here. This is God’s plan. This is the reason we gather as a community here in this beautiful place.

So that we might become what God is, by grace.

Make no mistake about it: the struggle against darkness, against evil, is real. But we do not engage this struggle with the weapons of war, but rather with the tools of the Spirit.

We press forward in this struggle by becoming a community where God’s light shines brightly, where God’s love touches each heart, where God’s compassion enfolds all those who are in sorrow.

May we never cease to push forward in becoming that kind of community, and may such communities of grace and love multiply throughout the world. Amen.

  

A Prayer in Response to the Tragedy in Newtown, CT

From Bishop Rob Hirschfield, Diocese of New Hampshire

O Source of all life, you destroyed death so that we might live in your Presence. You sent your Son Jesus into this fallen world, and in Jesus, you became vulnerable to sin, violence, and death. As we await the Christ Child's coming again this Christmas, we now hear the cries of your people, of mothers, fathers, friends, and colleagues. Help us remember that there is no place earth's sorrows are more felt than in your heart.

O Jesus, you held children in your arms, giving us a glimpse of our life with you in our eternal home. As the news of this massacre of children and teachers reaches us, may your embrace be wide and strong enough to gather our horror and grief, our confusion, our anger and our pain. As we behold you at risk in the manger and in agony on the Cross, assure us once again of your suffering-with-us so that we may be joined with you at your rising again. O come, O come, Immanuel.

O Holy Spirit, the Comforter, visit the parents, siblings, guardians, friends and colleagues. May they may know in some new way your power to draw us into your healing, peace, justice, and compassion. The darkness of our fallen world overwhelms us and burdens us with an intolerable weight. Give wisdom to lawmakers, emergency responders, pastors, and counselors. Enlighten and strengthen us for your service to one another.

O Holy Trinity, One God, may we know we are always in your Presence, especially when we are tempted to believe you are absent. May our lives, our homes, our churches and our communities reflect more and more the divine life that you enjoy as a fellowship of love and glory, now and forever.