Saint Andrew’s Church
Lake Worth, Florida

The Eve of Pentecost XXIV [Nov. 13, 2004]
Canon Richard T. Nolan

“ CAN THERE BE ANY COMFORT IN TODAY’S CHURCH AND NATION?”

         The Gospel reading tonight (below, Luke 21: 5-19) is categorized as “apocalyptic,” that is, a type of literature that arose periodically during times of suffering and persecution. From Luke we heard of Jesus’ concern for Jerusalem and the climactic events coming upon it. Nonetheless, God will eventually establish a new social order, namely, his everlasting Kingdom. In the meantime, faithful disciples must be prepared to suffer under civil and religious authorities, while remaining confident of God’s ultimate victory. Even while suffering, they are not to withdraw from conflict, but see their situation as an opportunity for witnessing to the liberating Good News of Christ. The faithful are called to persevere, in harmony with Christ’s word and wisdom, and to witness to the promise of justice and peace. The Gospel warns that the specific time of the End and complete establishment of God’s Kingdom is uncertain. The heart of this apocalyptic message is not a timetable for the End of the world; instead, it is a summons to hopeful work for the fulfillment of peace.

       Somewhat similar in tone to the Gospel reading are Charles Dickens' words, "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going to heaven, we were all going direct the other way."

        Throughout history most pundits have commented very negatively about their own eras. Today you and I probably experience the Christian Churches and our nation similarly. Permeating our ecclesiastical and sociopolitical life are aggravations and major disappointments, corruption and mismanagement, conflicts and betrayals, extremists who want to preserve the past or who want to reinvent the wheel, authoritarian executives and passive followers, and more. We might absorb these depressing realities directly as well as by disheartening information from pulpits and the media.

       Unless we as individuals are masochists or malcontents, unless we want to excel at cynicism, we need a health-giving degree of solace or comfort to balance so many gloomy factors directly related to our religious and national communities. While the Kingdom of God will ultimately prevail, until then, life ’s troubles could be overwhelming at times.

       I suspect that the only way to fend off personal despair and cynicism is to intentionally cultivate a center which will provide perspective and personal strength to cope with it all. You and I need a solid, reliable, life-giving, and joyful context within which we deal with the harmful and depressing input we often take in from church and state. We need personal boundaries with a buffer between our innermost selves and external assaults. We need a sense of self, an inner identity, which can reliably sustain us.

      Although I have been an Episcopalian for my 67 years, I do not see an Episcopalian when I look in the mirror. That’s not who I am fundamentally. The divisions and discord within today’s Episcopal Church, indeed the whole Anglican Communion, are disappointing to me, but they really don’t affect me significantly. For some of you, the effects may be different. I realize that the Episcopal Church along with every other version of Christ’s Way is imperfect and still evolving. Nonetheless, I have experienced many wonderful aspects of this Church’s evolution. Especially in matters of gender and sexuality, progress has been remarkable during my lifetime - even while preservers and pioneers continue to oppose each other. With women bishops and now an openly gay, partnered bishop, the Episcopal Church continues its slow journey – gradually maturing in those matters as well as in racism, anti-Semitism, and so many other issues of justice. Still, I do not see an Episcopalian when I look in the mirror, and I’m not distraught by the Church’s failings.

      Also, for 67 years, I have been a citizen of the United States. Yet, I do not see an American citizen when I look in the mirror. That’s not who I am fundamentally. The divisions and discord within the United States are disappointing to me, and some policies do affect me significantly. Some of you may be seriously impacted. Whatever the case may be, my partner of 49 years has little legal standing in my life. Although it has not happened yet, we could be kept apart in medical crises. We cannot share in Social Security benefits and, I’m told, over a thousand other benefits provided married couples. However, I realize that like the Churches, the United States is imperfect and still evolving. Nonetheless, I have experienced many great aspects of this nation’s evolution. Especially in some matters of gender and sexuality, progress has been noteworthy during my lifetime - while preservers and pioneers continue to oppose each other. Even with women on their way to greater equality with male citizens and with a small measure of protection for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender persons, the United States continues its ever so slow journey – gradually maturing in those same matters as well as in racism, anti-Semitism, and so many other issues of justice. Still, I do not see an American citizen when I look in the mirror, and I’m not inwardly devastated by the nation ’s failings.

      In the mirror I do see a person who has been embraced by the Creator as a unique child of God, an individual who is strengthened by this innermost identity which was conferred on me when I was baptized 67 years ago – although I didn’t grasp its meaning until I was in my 20s. Flowing from my identity as a child of God is my true vocation, that is, to touch people with love and to be likewise touched by them. From this calling there is no retirement. With this identity I am strengthened to fend off personal despair and cynicism (although I do have lapses now and then). With this intentionally cultivated center I am provided with a perspective and personal power to cope with disappointments, unjust limitations, and verbal assaults. In my baptism I was given a solid, reliable, life-giving and joyful context within which I process the harmful and depressing input often inflicted by church and state. Furthermore, by my baptism I was commissioned to love and be loved, not as a nice idea, but as a Way of life. (I admit to many failures in this calling!)

     Can there be any comfort in today’s often blundering church and conflicted nation? To a degree, yes. Nevertheless, ongoing, genuine comfort is a matter of one’s inner spirit. We are comforted amidst turmoil when we have a dependable, energized sense of self. Ironically, the troubled Church is a major guide to our inner baptismal identity and its healing Good News. Additionally, the imperfect Church offers continuing nurture of who we are through corporate worship – for example, when we hear such readings as tonight’s from the book of psalms (46, 121, and 23) and as we celebrate the Eucharist. Yet, as we are comforted, we are also called to contribute in whatever ways we can to the continuing advancement of church and nation; this is a responsibility we all share.

      The first-century, apocalyptic Gospel message is still applicable. There are all kinds of contemporary troubles, perhaps a new era of intolerance, but the Kingdom of God will eventually be established. In the meantime, we might keep in mind some of Dickens’ insights. As unlikely as it may seem, our current era just might be the best so far, it might be an age of wisdom as well as foolishness, an epoch of belief as well as disbelief, a season of Light as well as darkness, a spring of hope as well as a winter of despair; even so, we still have everything before us! Armed with the strength and comfort of our common baptism, you and I need to press on with even more sophisticated strategies to overcome ignorance and injustice, and to plant oases of love and understanding wherever and whenever we are able. Individually and collectively, we have an opportunity for witnessing to the liberating Good News of Christ; and, we are called to endure, with hope, as we witness to the moral values of justice and peace. The first step, however, might be the prayerful rejuvenation of an inner sense of our baptism, not just as a past ceremony or nicety, but as our interior, strengthening, comforting, heartfelt center!

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A READING FROM THE BOOK OF PSALMS

Psalm 46
God is our hope and strength, * a very present help in trouble.
Therefore will we not fear, though the earth be moved, * and though the hills be carried into the midst of the sea;
Though the waters thereof rage and swell, * and though the mountains shake at the tempest of the same.
There is a river, the streams whereof make glad the city of God, * the holy place of the tabernacle of the Most Highest.
God is in the midst of her, therefore shall she not be removed; * God shall help her, and that right early.
Be still then, and know that I am God; * I will be exalted among the nations, and I will be exalted in the earth.
The LORD of hosts is with us; * the God of Jacob is our refuge.

Psalm 121
I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills; * from whence cometh my help?
My help cometh even from the LORD, * who hath made heaven and earth.
He will not suffer thy foot to be moved, * and he that keepeth thee will not sleep.
Behold, he that keepeth Israel * shall neither slumber nor sleep.
The LORD himself is thy keeper; * the LORD is thy defence upon thy right hand;
So that the sun shall not burn by day, * neither the moon by night.
The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil; * yea, it is even he that shall keep thy soul.
The LORD shall preserve thy going out, and thy coming in, * from this time forth for evermore.

And, Psalm 23
The LORD is my shepherd; * I shall not want.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures; * he leadeth me beside the still waters.
He restoreth my soul; * he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his Name’s sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; * for thou are with me; thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me.
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies; * thou annointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, * and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

THE WORD OF THE LORD!

LUKE 21:5-19

When some were speaking about the temple, how it was adorned with beautiful stones and gifts dedicated to God, Jesus said, "As for these things that you see, the days will come when not one stone will be left upon another; all will be thrown down."
They asked him, "Teacher, when will this be, and what will be the sign that this is about to take place?" And he said, "Beware that you are not led astray; for many will come in my name and say, `I am he!' and, `The time is near!' Do not go after them.
" When you hear of wars and insurrections, do not be terrified; for these things must take place first, but the end will not follow immediately." Then he said to them, "Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and plagues; and there will be dreadful portents and great signs from heaven.
" But before all this occurs, they will arrest you and persecute you; they will hand you over to synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors because of my name. This will give you an opportunity to testify. So make up your minds not to prepare your defense in advance; for I will give you words and a wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to withstand or contradict. You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, by relatives and friends; and they will put some of you to death. You will be hated by all because of my name. But not a hair of your head will perish. By your endurance you will gain your souls."