We Are Vulnerable

A Sermon for April 21, 2013 (4 Pascha, RCL C)

Offered by Nathan Ferrell for The Church of Saint Mary

Texts:             Acts 9:36-43; Psalm 23; John 10:22-30         

Primary Message:  vulnerability is a means of grace in our lives 

Call to Action:          trust God and do not build walls to protect yourself

Title:               We Are Vulnerable

My dear friends: what a tough week! It’s been yet another difficult week for our nation.

Innocent people enjoying one of the great traditions of New England – the Boson Marathon – attacked. Some killed, many maimed and injured. An entire city in lock down while a massive manhunt ensued.

And yet here we are gathered together this morning to celebrate.

In the Church, we call this “Good Shepherd Sunday”, the day each year when we pray the 23^rd Psalm and we celebrate with joy that Christ is our Good Shepherd.

How do we put these two very divergent realities together?

What does the shepherding of Christ have to do with senseless terrorism in the real world?

The day after the Boston bombings, LZ Granderson wrote an editorial at CNN.com expressing well the change reality of our nation.

LZ Granderson - It Can Happen Anywhere

“If September 11, 2001, was the day everything changed, then April 15, 2013, serves as another reminder of that change, of our frailties and of a new reality in which "it can't happen here" has been replaced by "it can happen anywhere."”

I feel this new reality and I know that many of you do as well.

We are vulnerable. And we will always be vulnerable.

Nowhere are we sealed off and isolated from the anger and hatred and violence which infects humanity.

So what do we do with this gnawing sense of vulnerability?

Last week, while driving in New Jersey, I saw a bumper sticker which read as follows: “To-Do List: Pray, Vote, Buy More Ammo.”

May I humbly suggest to you that this is not the way to go! It may perhaps be the most common response when people feel vulnerable or out of control, but it’s clearly misguided.

Don’t take this the wrong way. I’m not speaking of second amendment rights and the freedom of law-abiding citizens.

What concerns me, and what I know with certainty concerns God, is the state of our hearts.

If your sense of vulnerability leads you to buy weapons and to install security systems and to regard strangers with suspicion, then you have missed the boat!

I know that it’s not easy. Truly, we are vulnerable on so many different levels in life, in so many ways. I know that twisting feeling – I get it right here, just under my sternum – when I feel particularly vulnerable and defenseless and insecure.

It is not a good feeling.

It is not easy, but I know that we can live in our vulnerability without fear.

No, even more than that. We can embrace it, and see in our own weakness the birthplace of new life.

Just over 2 years ago, a TED Talk by Dr. Brene’ Brown was posted online and it quickly went viral – it became popular. ((TED Talk by Dr. Brene' Brown)

For those of you who do not know, TED Talks are brief talks given by remarkable people about their passion, their research, their experience.

These videos are available for free on the internet, and many of them offer amazing insights.

Well, this talk by Brene’ Brown was titled, “The Power of Vulnerability”.

Her research found that embracing our vulnerability is essential to a fully and healthy life. This is what she said:

“Vulnerability is our most accurate measurement of courage. Vulnerability is the birthplace of innovation, creativity and change.”

What about you? Do you want to push away anything that makes you feel unsafe, to guard and protect yourself from all danger? Or are you able to embrace the vulnerability of your life and to live with courage?

This is why faith matters. This is how trust in God makes a real difference in life.

It allows us to face an uncertain, unpredictable future with courage, with positive confidence that God is doing something, and will do something good, no matter how bleak or troubled things may look from our perspective.

After all, we are The Church of Saint Mary the Virgin.

Do you remember how vulnerable Mary was when the angel Gabriel spoke to her?

Of course, he had to re-assure her and say, “Do not be afraid”, because the message he brought to her was truly terrifying!

Do you remember how vulnerable a young woman is in that patriarchal culture when she is accused of adultery? And with no reasonable means of defense, she was completely and utterly vulnerable.

And yet, we see her as one full of grace – that is what is says right there in the stained glass, “Ave Maria, Gratia Plena = Greetings Mary, full of grace”.

That grace allowed her to embrace her vulnerability with hope and courage. And in that openness of heart, of spirit, she conceived the One we look to in love as the Messiah, the One we follow as our Teacher.

She is our template of how an ordinary human being can reject that spirit of fear which causes us to withdraw, to hide, to shield ourselves from the dangers of life.

She is our model of how we can embrace our native vulnerability, and in so doing, conceive of something beautiful and good and life-giving.

Jesus said, “My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of my hand.”

There is no protection from the basic reality of life on earth: we are vulnerable. Life is full of dangers. Life here is fragile.

Of course, our communities need to take common sense measures to provide security, to protect the innocent among us. But we must NEVER let that feeling of insecurity to creep into our hearts.

Instead, let us embrace the truth of our vulnerability and, by faith, know it to be true: nothing, and no one, can ever destroy that eternal life which Christ shares now with us.

And in that knowledge, let us live with openness and courage.

Let us conclude with a prayer offered this week by our Presiding Bishop, Katharine Jefferts Schori, in response to the attacks in Boston. Let us pray.

Gracious God, you walk with us through the valley of the shadow of death.  We pray that the suffering and terrorized be surrounded by the incarnate presence of the crucified and risen one.  May every human being be reminded of the precious gift of life you entered to share with us.  May our hearts be pierced with compassion for those who suffer, and for those who have inflicted this violence, for your love is the only healing balm we know. May the dead be received into your enfolding arms, and may your friends show the grieving [that] they are not alone as they walk this vale of tears.  All this we pray in the name of the one who walked the road to Calvary, [our Lord Jesus Christ]. Amen.