Readings
for Proper 6:
Exodus 19:208a; Psalm 100; Romans 5:6-11; Matthew 9:35-10:15
June 12, 2005
The Rev. Mary B. Blessing
St. Jude the Apostle Episcopal Church, Cupertino,
CA
Today is the day we celebrate those who are graduating--moving on to new life experiences. If you are not a graduate, please join me in celebrating these young people. Perhaps you can reflect upon your own life accomplishments. Consider how God works in your life, and offer our young people words of encouragement.
Most graduates are elated to finish high school—filled with joy; they breathe a sigh of relief! But, not everyone. Some are filled with doubt about what the future holds. Some are afraid. Whether happy or fearful, to all, I say, “Let us give thanks you have come this far.” This summer, I pray you take time to stop everything and HAVE FUN!!??
These kids truly have been working hard. Now it is time to lighten up, at least for the summer, and take a Sabbath rest. As I prepared this sermon, I asked some young adults in their 20’s to comment about what THEY think is important to tell people who are about to be launched into adulthood. One De Anza student immediately said—high school graduates are “on top of the world”; they look forward to experiencing “their new freedom.” He said I shouldn’t preach a lot of heavy topics, like 9-11 and such. [Collin] They already know the world is difficult. Right now it is time to relax.
OK, but along with relaxation and new found freedom, I want to encourage our graduates to take time to reflect upon their lives. To truly stop and just look around at their homes, sit at the dinner table with family members and reminisce, go on a hike with a friend, or grab a picnic basket and head for the beach! And here’s an idea: come over to St. Jude’s some lazy, hazy day in the summer, and just sit in a pew and think. Think about what life has brought you so far. Think about how your family at home and your church family here at St. Jude’s have helped to shape you into the person you are today. Just sit and listen. Give it time. Maybe bring a notebook or journal to jot down memories or new thoughts that come to you. Just listen, and hear what God is calling you to do for the rest of your life.
You don’t have to be a graduating high school student to do this. Whoever you are, you are invited to listen to where God is in your life. Listen to what God is calling you to do. Come any time. Our sanctuary is open 24/7.
Perhaps you can pull out a Bible and reflect on the Gospel we heard today in Matthew. It is a story of Jesus calling his apostles into service for God. Not all followers of Jesus are asked to be an “apostle”. An “apostle” is an ambassador, an envoy, or a messenger. The word “apostle” comes from the Greek word “to send”. Early Christians took a secular term that means “a person who is sent forth with a message”, and began using it as a title, or office. Apostles are those who are especially called to go forth proclaiming the Good News, or the Gospel, of Jesus Christ. These “apostles” were given special spiritual gifts of healing, teaching and preaching in the name of Jesus. They were trained and commissioned to represent Jesus in the world.
In this passage the apostles are given instructions to go into towns and villages of the people of Israel. There they are to evangelize, or witness, to the truth of Jesus’ as the Messiah, the anointed one whom Israel awaited. Matthew probably knew that other followers of Jesus were being sent to the Greeks and other gentiles, but Matthew wants to remind the reader that Jesus reached out to the people of Israel. The people of Israel are not to be forgotten; they, too, are to hear Jesus’ good news, and be invited to accept it with peace.
Jesus’ apostles responded to this call to spread the good news in different ways. Peter went for broke. He gave up family, his business, everything he had, and immersed himself in a complete life of healing, teaching and preaching. He is called the “Prince of Apostles”, showing strong leadership, risking his life converting the people of Jerusalem to follow “the Way” of Jesus Christ. Peter is also credited with starting the church in Rome, and is believed to have been crucified “head down” at his martyrdom—he did not feel worthy to be crucified as Jesus was.
Other apostles went to Greece, Asia Minor, Syria, Armenia, India, North Africa, even Spain and points between, spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ. St. Jude the Apostle, our patron saint, was said to have gone into what is now Northern Iran to heal a dying King. St. Jude’s power of healing in the name of Jesus was so great, he became known as the patron saint of desperate causes, or, “an icon of hope.”
I believe some of you are called to be apostles. Some of you are called to be trained and commissioned to go out into the world to teach, preach, and heal in the name of Jesus Christ. In today’s terms, to be an apostle in the church may mean to live a vocation, such as a priest—totally committed to serving God and God’s church. Very few of us are called to risky missionary work in foreign lands; but maybe some of you are called to that, also. In the Episcopal Church we need more priests: the number of retirements in the next 10 years is expected to outpace the number of ordinations. Also, we need YOUNG priests. Right now, at age 51, I am “under the average age” for an Episcopal priest [average 52, TLC,p. 30]. Please, if you have a call to ordained ministry, do not be afraid to start your call young. Just as Matthew knew the apostles needed to witness to Israel, we need you to witness to our church.
I believe God calls each of us to serve in a way that fits our personality, but are we are willing to follow that call? Maybe one or 2 of us has a special call to risk all, like Peter did, to give up “normal” life for a complete life of apostleship. But most of us are called to integrate our Christian life into a “normal” life in the world. In any case, each is called to live our Christian life fully--mindful that in our baptism we “have been marked as Christ’s own, forever.”
This brings me back to comments by my various young adult friends, who grew up at St. Jude’s or came here as teens or young adults. They stay in touch mostly through email and cell phones. [What would Jesus say in sending out today’s apostles: take no laptop, carry no cell phone...?] Let’s hear their advice about how to live a Christian life.
A 21 year old at UC San Diego, says “the thing about moving out into the world is not necessarily to stand on a street corner and try to preach to the crowds. You could probably do this, but I doubt a lot of people would be ‘moved’. …life offers many opportunities to share God through our own decisions and actions… you are given new opportunities, new freedom…use them carefully.” [Arianna]
Another UCSD student says, “although it seems like a cliché, ‘remember who you are and what you stand for’ is a quote that “can keep you grounded in so many levels; you’ll find people will respect you…it might not always be the ‘cool’ thing, but you’ll look back and be thankful if you’ve been yourself.” [Darya] An Azusa Pacific student is pragmatic, “be open minded, try new things, but remember, you are at college to work- don’t procrastinate.” [Jen]
A young man in his second year in the U.S. Navy agrees: “…remain open to new things and stay positive…being out of your element is tough, but it’s when we are taken from our comfort zone that we really learn who we are.” [Kernan] One who has graduated from college and is out working, says, “Trust what you’ve learned so far, so that you can answer [new] questions with confidence…the basis of my faith is always with me.” [When someone does something to harm me] I hear “LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF”, and when I’ve been disappointed and start down a road of depression, “GOD HELPS THOSE WHO HELP THEMSELVES”, but “in the end, I trusted in God and what I learned was right…” [Nichole]
These young adults have learned that the foundation of their faith is what strengthens them as they confront the world beyond home. As long as they go back to God as the source of comfort and hope, they are sustained.
No matter what, the sailor goes on to say, “…coming home is awesome …everything has changed…the kids you used to babysit are taller than you, and the parish has so many new faces. [But] as you walk up to…the door of the church, you see it’s still the same place you left behind.” [Kernan] And one of the San Diego students says, “Our St. Jude’s family will always be a family and it’s a comfort to know we will always have somewhere to come home to.” [Arianna]
AMEN
| Updated 6/27/05 |
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