2022 Homilies

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“Building the kin-dom of God must mean offering whatever gifts we have, to whoever may need them, whenever we are called to do so. […] We can’t afford to waste time wondering whether or not what we have to contribute is enough, or whether we are worthy enough to contribute to such a noble effort as building God’s kin-dom. The Spirit would never invite us to something we couldn’t do. She’s just like that.”

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“If Jesus was going to make a miracle happen, he could have just snapped his fingers and wine would appear on the tables. It could have been that easy. But he didn’t do that. He asked these folks to fetch the water first, and then bear witness to the miracle of watching the water turn to wine. The others didn’t get to see that. This miracle was the for the servers to see. It was their glory to behold.”

The man who thanked me for my love and I are part of the same body, according to Paul,
and we drink of the same Spirit. I can still feel the connection.

What changes over time? Or is it we who change? We who wake up gradually, eventually, 
at last to what has been true for ages?

Who said “I am doomed”? Isaiah. Who begged Jesus: “Depart from me”? Simon Peter. Who believed he was least of all the apostles? Saul, who became Paul. They felt unworthy, but they were willing.

“The miracle of Resurrection isn’t reserved for the end times. The miracle of Resurrection is a daily miracle, chosen time and again, with hope beyond hope that God will help to carry you through the weight of the daily deaths we face. Resurrection is “planting our tree by the river and thrusting its roots towards the stream.” It is rising up, every day. Choosing the Stream of Life is what keeps our tree from withering.”

Sometimes, when Jesus would teach, some of his listeners would walk away. We should stay, not because we always comply 100%, but because we know this is the best way forward.

Either, we are all blind because the mystery is beyond us, completely, absolutely, or, in the kindom, this is what it is like to see! We feel our way forward.

“This Lent, fast from that which increases your fear. Take a long loving look at what’s real in your daily life, and perhaps at something that doesn’t need to be there anymore. Something that fuels fear instead of love. Fast from that. It’s not the giving up that needs our focus, it’s what we can give when we have the space to see more clearly.”

The gospel knows risk and offers no security outside of a promise that love will endure, and the oneness that is born of that love is our consolation, now and forever. Amen. We have based our Community’s mission, whole and entire, on that premise.

One of our stated values at the Community is “Inclusivity: we are open and welcoming.”

 “So what is the story of the burning bush telling us? Linger. Look more closely. […] God is in-breaking constantly, using the world around us to show us what is beautiful and loving and generous and kind, and inspiring us to be part of that glory. But the choice to stop long enough to see it, to recognize it as God’s handiwork, to take off our shoes in awe, and to bear fruit, is all up to us.”

Reconciliation is the process that includes our asking pardon from the one we offended.

It begins with our pausing, lingering, looking a little more closely. Perhaps looking skyward to return a gaze to a loving, pregnant God, and feeling the grace. All creation eagerly awaits this awakening, this revelation of the children of God.

Prodigal means lavish, wasteful, words that describe both father and younger son.

I grew up thinking that my good deeds merited some recognition from God. A Prodigal God who loves this much is a scandal. A stumbling block we ought to imitate.

“When the Pharisees asked Jesus if they should hurt the woman like the law says to do, Jesus refuses to allow himself to fit into the box that they created. He slows down, looks to mother earth for inspiration, and is reminded of the creative Spirit that flows within us all. He realizes there can be a third way—one that models adherence to what’s best of the law, constant and radical compassion, forgiveness, and fellowship.”

What should we do when we find ourselves standing at the threshold of Holy Week? Come in.  For Passion Sunday, there was no homily.  The above recording link starts at the reading of the Passion of Jesus by members of the Community.

“Jesus didn’t question why he was to wash his betrayer’s feet. Just as he didn’t question his call to public ministry, though he must have realized at some point how it would end. He trusted that this demonstration of love was a directive from God, and so he followed it. When you meet God, in a bush, in a desert, in an act of service, or in a piece of bread, you let it change you. “

I think Jesus would prefer traffic circles over stop lights. Traffic circles and roundabouts are an option that allow us to keep moving. They feel better. They save time. But they expect more of us. We have to merge.

Tradition: there is continuity throughout. A common thread of faithful focus – a canvas of tiny intersections that held everyone’s contribution in place.

“In the Gospel, after Mary’s Good News, the disciple who reached the tomb first was not the one who entered it first. He needed a moment. He wasn’t quite ready. He gave us permission to take some deep breaths outside the threshold before entering. It’s okay if processing this story takes some time. If you need to sit with grief a little longer, if stretching towards hope still feels a bit out of reach. If you’re not quite ready yet to believe that the tomb can be empty. Come in when you’re ready. But, when you do, when you enter this story and that empty tomb, don’t stay there. Go forth.”

The disciples on the road to Emmaus were touched by God, and their hearts went from broken to burning.  The loss of Jesus in the flesh is the occasion for the soul-enriching "disillusionment" that opened their eyes to the living Christ. 

“Peter had [fears]. He didn’t want to be seen with and associated with Jesus. With the man on the margins. He feared what would happen to him if he was known for standing with that man. But then, Peter changed. Encountering a story of Love will do that to you. And after his encounter with that story, Peter stood proudly as a friend, as an ally, with Jesus. He wasn’t afraid anymore. “

As I have grown older, my concept of God has also grown, and with it, my appreciation of motherhood. No longer do I see a God who is only male gender, but One who encompasses all shades of gender, who recognizes and loves the full spectrum of gender that make up his creatures.

 “Can we do anything?” and “sorry I’m late” have been doing a do sa do in my head lately. We are eager to help, but we are busy with other things.

“And the last lesson on community I learned from these [First Communicants]? Surrender to joy. What we are doing here if not enjoying being in each other’s presence? The story of the sheep wouldn’t have been half as fun if we didn’t throw our socks in the air. Our gatherings aren’t as fun if you don’t sing out loud! It’s okay to find joy in this space. We should find joy in this space. There are certainly times when the Spirit flows through silence. But I have no doubt she flows through laughter, too.”

 I have said “all church is local,” but I believe all Spirit is universal: it is the one Spirit that moves the wind, measures gravity and allows for collisions in space, softens hearts and butter, enables bees to hover and light from blossom to blossom, abides within the chrysalis from caterpillar all the way to butterfly, keeps the temperature up in the compost pile, captures the attention between lovers, and changes hearts.

“We have to believe that the Holy Spirit, the Wisdom of God that has infused the world since before the world existed, is here with us on this earth, in this country, in this city, and in this community. We have to hope that she will see us through the hard times of the moment. If the Spirit of God isn’t fully present to us, how would we know the feeling of love, or companionship, the feeling of empathy, or that pull to do what’s right? We’ve felt these things, and feelings so pure can only come from Wisdom.”

(Father’s Day, Scott Sella’s homily offered by Martha and Bob in his absence due to illness)

   “It isn’t the way Jesus thinks”. What would Jesus, who ate with sinners, healed

outcasts, and welcomed strangers, think of his ministers refusing to give Eucharist to

people now?

“We must keep moving forward. Jesus told the traveler, ‘Whoever puts a hand to the plow but keeps looking back is unfit for the reign of God.’ There are folks out there longing to be part of what we have. [The one being baptized today] and his parents are proof of that. So we must not look back, but keep being pulled forward by the Spirit. Sharing what we have. This is how, like Paul reminds us, we ‘love our neighbors as ourselves.’ We share what we love with our neighbors, knowing that our neighbors include everyone.”