Saugatuck Congregational Church, UCC
©Linda Bruce
February 22, 2015
Scriptures: Psalm 25:1-10, Mark 1:9-15
With great joy I stand before you and truly appreciate the gift of walking together on the Lenten path. A journey of stories. My first story comes from the book of Mark. In past sermons and Bible studies we have heard about Jesus being baptized by his cousin John although perhaps John is thinking, my cousin Jesus is special, he actually should be baptizing me; but I’m John the Baptist and it seems that there may be something else going on here, maybe there is a bigger story about to unfold (and a lot of theology).
Sure enough, as soon as Jesus is baptized he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him.
11 And a voice came from heaven, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.”
12 And the Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. And for forty days Jesus is tempted by Satan, hanging out with the wild beasts, helped by angels. He then returns to begin his three year earthly ministry…and crucifixion and Easter and…beyond.
We know this story. I want to re-wind a little bit and go back to that moment when Jesus got the call: “You’re it!” “You’re the one.” “You’re beloved.” “I am well pleased”
…..And the Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness.
….What? ….
Have you ever had that Aha! moment?…. That, I get this, that TA DA! ….Sun rays pouring down and it’s an enlightened moment, a sacred encounter..
“I have been called!”
“It’s so clear!”
… or maybe it’s just a quivering in your heart, an awakening of something that has been dormant, or the still small voice….only to be followed in the next moment by immediate trials. I know I have. Again and again.
That ephemeral moment when you say, Yes! Thank you God for showing me the way. This is the path, this is my call… and then BAM… more learning… ..
Teach me your paths says the Psalmist…
But sometimes it is so hard. We cry out! I thought I had it right! I thought I was on the right path.
Over the past several months, my chaplaincy work at Norwalk Hospital has led me to walk with people on their paths of doubt and questioning and finding hope in apparently hopeless situations. Time and again I hear “I thought I was doing okay and now this happened” or maybe it’s something along the lines of “I know I wasn’t in the best shape but I didn’t expect this.” Or with many patients and sometimes only with family members, “I didn’t expect it to end like this.”
These contemplations bring me to the thoughts of today. The first Sunday in Lent. A time for us to consider all the “this’s” the next things, the next this to deal with in our lives. It’s also a time to take stock of where we are now. Where is God’s path taking us? What is God’s path for us? Where do we even begin? I suggest that we remember the dust of Ash Wednesday. When I was at services at Yale on Wednesday I received “You are dust and to dust you will return” crossed on my forehead. I was a bit startled and my thoughts raced, “That’s not true!” “Love and Spirit are everlasting!” And isn’t that interesting? I jumped to Easter without acknowledging my mortality. Ash Wednesday reminds us of our short time on Earth. [Ancient practices of sitting in or smudging with ashes were a token of mourning or repentance.] This awareness is our beginning of Lent.
Every year, for forty days before Easter, we have the opportunity to focus on this serious and important time in our Christian faith and what it means for us as mortal beings. It is period where we can begin new spiritual practices, pay attention to big questions, become involved with deeper forms of corporate worship, or get involved with other community or larger faith or service projects. It’s a time when we are contemplative and ask God to guide us. It’s a time when we intentionally give up those things that we really like but really aren’t God centered in order to have more time for our discipleship as Christians. With dust still lingering on our foreheads, we know our time is short; we are called to do something with our God given humanity.
But what is that calling? What is The Way? Sometimes we think it is one thing and then we’re sent in a different direction. How do we negotiate the roadblocks, distractions and trials on our journeys? Enter the Psalmist: “Make me to know your ways, O Lord; teach me your paths.” I know it is not going to be a straight path, there will be bumps. When I stumble, pick me up: when I mess up, look the other way. It’s not necessarily going to be an easy path. Yet, we are asked to act faithfully and to continually learn God’s paths. Or maybe we are re-learning. We can take this time and have God tell us something we already know. That works beautifully in this case. We know the Christ story. We know of the resurrection. But there’s another little tweak that I want to highlight…
The Psalmist asks not to be”… put to shame; do not let my enemies exult over me.” Therein lies another tension of Lent. Jesus certainly knew shame and the trauma of the Passion, yet we rush through that trauma to get to the good part: to get to Easter. I don’t want to dwell on trauma and suffering and I certainly do not believe suffering is necessary for redemption although I do believe that redemptive meaning can be made out of suffering.
My personal story includes a constant reminder of the frailty of man and the shortness of a life. Accordingly I have followed a call but as the title next to my name in the bulletin indicates: I am a member in discernment. I’m pursuing an academic degree, ordination in the United Church of Christ through the sponsorship of my beloved Saugatuck Church and certification as a chaplain. I’m following a call full of twists and turns…
A member in discernment… but aren’t we all? Where is God’s call in our lives… Challenge and hardship are all part of life and make up the trials that many times follow our Aha! moments. We all have experiences individually and collectively that inform our beliefs. We all make mistakes but it’s important to constantly strive ahead, be soaked in prayer and seek God’s guidance for our actions.
Teach me your paths God. Peel back the layers of my heart so that I know what is distraction and what is your will for me.. guide me…. It is through spiritual awakening and human agency that we follow The Way.
We act with faith that we are being taught God’s paths… or that we are relearning paths that we have believed and maybe sometimes doubted but we need to hold fast to the truth of the resurrection…. Even though the road is surely bumpy with many distractions.. God this earthly journey I have to make on my own but I know that I am not alone, you are my teacher, my guide. Amen.
Scriptures
Psalm 25:1-10 – NRSV Translation
1To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul. 2O my God, in you I trust; do not let me be put to shame; do not let my enemies exult over me. 3Do not let those who wait for you be put to shame; let them be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous. 4Make me to know your ways, O Lord; teach me your paths. 5Lead me in your truth, and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all day long. 6Be mindful of your mercy, O Lord, and of your steadfast love, for they have been from of old. 7Do not remember the sins of my youth or my transgressions; according to your steadfast love remember me, for your goodness’ sake, O Lord! 8Good and upright is the Lord; therefore he instructs sinners in the way. 9He leads the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble his way. 10All the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness, for those who keep his covenant and his decrees.
Mark 1:9-15 – NRSV Translation
9In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him. 11And a voice came from heaven, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.” 12And the Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. 13He was in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan; and he was with the wild beasts; and the angels waited on him.
14Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God, 15and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.”