Above you'll find a video of my homily for Sunday, June 28. (If you don't find a video, click here!) Here's the gospel on which my homily is based and below you'll find the text of my homily.
Perhaps the most important word in the gospel we just heard is: WHOEVER.
Jesus says some very strong things here…
He calls us to love him - more than we love our mother and father… and to love him more than we love our own sons and daughters.
And he calls us to take up whatever might be the cross (or crosses) in our lives and to carry them, to deal with them, to work with them: honestly, generously, and lovingly.
And whom does he call to do all of this? WHOEVER.
All of us.
He calls WHOEVER would be his disciple.
Your very presence here this morning tells me, tells the Lord, that YOU want to be his disciple. He asks all this of:
WHOEVER asks for God's mercy to forgive our sins, great and smooth;
WHOEVER pleads for God's healing touch in those places where we find ourselves wounded and hurt;
WHOEVER longs for some peace, some joy, in the midst of loneliness and suffering, and pain;
WHOEVER desires to know the truth, in the midst of doubt and confusion, whoever reaches out for courage and strength in the midst of fatigue and weakness.
WHOEVER prays for God's help and grace in the midst of worry and trouble;
WHOEVER desires life – forever - in heaven - with God.
WHOEVER… and that includes, of course, all of us.
And that's not even ALL he asks of us.
Jesus also calls me to be willing to lose my life for his sake, to be willing
to give up,
to give away,
to let go,
to sacrifice,
to distance myself from,
to disengage from
anyone or anything
that might come between me and my God.
And THAT'S not all!
Jesus calls me to welcome the PROPHET. And let's be clear here. Jesus isn't talking about somebody who tells the future. No. In the scriptures, the prophet is the one who stands up and speaks the truth about – now; about the moment we're in. The prophet is the one who speaks the truth that no one really wants to hear. And the prophet speaks it when no one wants to hear it. The prophet is anyone who holds up a mirror in which we see the truth of who we are - and who we are not. The prophet is the one who says OUT LOUD what many are afraid to admit… or acknowledge - or even whisper.
The prophet is the one who tenderly COMFORTS THE AFFLICTED, and who boldly AFFLICTS THE COMFORTABLE. All for the sake of, in the name of - God.
And THAT’S not all!
Jesus calls all of us (WHOEVER) to all of this - all of the time. There is no vacation for whoever might call herself, might call himself a follower of Jesus. There's no time off. We're called to give of ourselves at all times. Whenever we see or meet or discover a brother, or sister, or neighbor: alone, or in need, in need of our presence, our help, our love. --- Even, says Jesus, even if that's only someone who's thirsty for a cold cup of water…
And when Jesus gets that specific, we need to pay attention. He's not writing a point-by -point handbook for discipleship here. What he IS doing is setting a standard, a high standard, a demanding standard, a standard against which we are called to measure our lives as his disciples. WHOEVER would follow Jesus is called - in big ways and small ways - to lay down their life for others. WHOEVER… and that means all of us here this morning: you and me.
Sometimes, the scriptures’ message is a hard saying - and that's what we have today. And there's no way for me to, responsibly or neatly, tie all this up and make it something simple. It isn't. It's hard.
So let me suggest that there are two ways we might respond to Jesus' words here.
- I can either measure my life by his words,
see how incredibly far I fall short -
and give up.
Too much! Can't do it!
OR...
- I can measure my discipleship by his words,
see where I don't measure up -
and pledge, beginning now, this morning,
here in St. Ann Church
pledge to make a conscious effort
in the week ahead
- to lose myself for his sake...
In the week ahead, to pledge, to be willing
to give up,
to give away,
to let go,
to sacrifice,
to distance myself from,
to disengage from
anyone or anything
that might come between me and my God.
I’d like to let you know that you're a preacher this morning - as he wrote those words - I'll tell you exactly what came to my mind. So I'm wondering - rhetorical question - what came to your mind about what you might need or be willing to give up, give away, let go, sacrifice, disengage from, distance yourself from anyone or anything in your life. that might be coming between you and your God.
And if THAT’S too daunting… how about this?
Could we think about losing at least a LITTLE more of myself in the week ahead - than I did in the week this past? To lose a LITTLE more of myself: for his sake, for the sake of my neighbor, for my own sake - for the sake of my relationship with Jesus - as my hope, for life, forever, with him in heaven.
And if THAT’S too daunting, then just try to keep your eyes open this week, and look for someone who's thirsty…
Someone who's thirsty for some company,
for some help, some assistance…
Someone who's thirsty for some support…
Someone who's thirsty for a kind word…
Someone who's thirsty for you…
And then...
find a way to give that one person
- a cup of cold water.
