[Propertalk] Fwd: [propertalk.topic] Being Blessed
Joseph Parrish
joeparrish at compuserve.com
Sun Jan 30 22:12:47 EST 2011
Begin forwarded message:
> From: "Frank Fisher" <f.fisher.obl.osb at comcast.net>
> Date: January 29, 2011 5:13:12 PM EST
> To: <sermonshop.sermons.topic at ecunet.org>, <PRCL-L at LISTSERV.LOUISVILLE.EDU>, <propertalk.topic at ecunet.org>, <midrash at joinhands.com>, <SBA at SBAbbey.com>
> Subject: [propertalk.topic] Being Blessed
> Reply-To: propertalk.topic at ecunet.org
>
>
> Here's the most recent draft of my sermon for Sunday.
>
> __
>
> Frank R. Fisher, Obl OSB
> www.ffisher.net
> Interim Pastor
> First Presbyterian Church of Kewanee, IL
> www.fpckewanee.org
> Elmira United Presbyterian Church
> www.elmiraunited.org
>
> aka
>
> Brother Oscar Romero
> Oblate of St. Benedict's Abbey
> Bartonville, IL
> www.SBAbbey.com
>
>
> "When you were born, you cried and the world rejoiced. Live your life so that when you die, the world cries and you rejoice."-Cherokee proverb
>
> ___________________________________
>
> Over the last year
> we’ve had some chances
> to get to know each other.
> And I bet
> some of you
> have begun to discover
> some things
> about my background.
> For instance,
> I was raised
> in a quiet and refined family.
> Not!
> More often then not,
> my family’s life
> resembled a Marx brother’s comedy.
> One liners
> constantly flew,
> rubber rattlesnakes
> inhabited the hall ways,
> and laughter
> filled the air.
>
> It’s no wonder
> I came out
> of such an atmosphere
> with some very strange
> resources.
> One of those
> is a favorite book of mine
> called
> the Complete Practical Joker.
> This book abounds
> with wonderful true stories
> about elaborate jokes.
> Among my favorite parts
> of the book
> is the story
> of the upside down room.
>
> The upside down room
> is supposedly located
> in an elaborate
> California mansion.
> All the room’s furniture,
> the chairs, tables, floor lamps,
> even the fire place
> hang upside down
> from the ceiling.
> The only thing
> left on the floor
> is a chandelier
> which is mounted
> pointing upwards
> in the middle of the room.
>
> The mansion’s owner
> was famous
> for lavish parties.
> Towards the ends
> of these parties,
> some of the guests
> occasionally
> had a bit too much to drink.
> These guests
> were relieved of their car keys
> and shown to a room
> where they could
> spend the night.
>
>
> In the morning
> some of these guests
> would become groggily awake
> in a different place.
> They found themselves,
> of course,
> in the upside down room,
> apparently hanging
> from the ceiling.
>
> There are a lot of times
> when we feel
> just like the people
> who found themselves
> in the upside down room.
> Times
> when our perception of reality
> clashes
> with something
> we encounter.
> And we’re left feeling
> like our world’s
> being turned upside down.
>
> That’s the feeling
> we often get
> when we’re reading
> today’s Gospel lesson.
> Now
> I don’t want you to think
> I equate this text
> with a crude practical joke.
> But something about its words
>
> doesn’t make any sense.
> Are people
> n horrific circumstances
> actually blessed?
>
> None of us
> want to be considered
> depressed
> or poor in spirit.
> And if we are,
> hey,
> there’s always Prozac.
> We stay
> as far away as possible
> from those who morn.
> Their sorrow reminds us
> we too
> will see our loved ones
> die.
> And when we look
> at the slaughter of innocents
> all around the world
> it’s pretty apparent
> the meek
> do not yet hold title
> to the earth.
>
> So how do we make sense
> of our Lord’s puzzling words.
> It might help
> if we examine
> the concept of blessing.
> Blessing’s
> become
> a very hazy word to us.
> When we search for its definition
> we find
> it has to do
> with happiness.
> I’ve heard some people
> note their agreement
> with that definition
> by terming this passage
> the ‟be happy attitudes.”
>
> When I searched
> through my thesaurus
> it also listed happiness
> as a synonym for blessing.
> It also listed
> success, wealth, plenty, and prestige.
> In other words,
> to our society,
> blessing has come to mean,
> I’ve got mine.
>
> That tends to make us
> look at Christ’s words
> with a somewhat cynical view.
> It may even lead us
> to agree
> with a tongue in cheek version
> of the Beatitudes
> written by Charles R. Swindoll.
>
> “Happy are the pushers,
> for they get on
> in the world.
> Happy are the hard-boiled,
> for they never let
> life hurt them.
> Happy are they
> who complain,
> for they get their own way
> in the end.
> Happy are the blasé,
> for they never worry
> over their sins.
> Happy are the slave drivers,
> for they get results.
> Happy are the knowledgeable people
> of the world,
> for they know
> their way around.
> Happy are the troublemakers,
> for they make people
> take notice of them."
>
> We can choose to accept
> our society’s blessing.
> If we do
> I’m sure
> we’ll be gifted
> with what the world
> knows and understands
> as blessings.
>
> But if we do accept
> that definition
> we also reject
> our Lord’s voice.
> For in the world’s blessing
> there’s very little room
> for the poor in spirit,
> the mourning,
> or the merciful,
> or meek.
>
> Or we can reject
> the modern view
> of blessing
> and look at
> what it meant
> to those who lived
> at the time of Christ.
> To them
> a blessing wasn’t only
> a thing
> like wealth or happiness.
> It was also
> an action.
> In speaking
> this blessing,
> Christ was doing
> nothing less
> then throwing open
> the door
> of the Kingdom
> of God.
>
> Jesus proclaimed
> God reigns
> in a kingdom that is both now,
> and is to come.
> A kingdom in which
> we stand
> in the door now.
> A Kingdom where we’ll
> fully be
> in the future.
>
> But Christ’s words
> also tell us
> something more.
> In pronouncing
> the blessing,
> Jesus described
> God’s people.
> The words tell us
> God’s people
> are those who know
> their identity
> and security
> is found only in God.
> God’s people
> are those
> who give only God
> their total devotion.
>
> God’s people
> are those who morn
> because other members
> of God’s family
> suffer.
> God’s people are those
> who renounce
> the violent ways
> of the world
> causing that suffering.
>
> God’s people
> are those
> who actively strive
> to do God’s will,
> and in their merciful actions
> reflect God’s mercy,
> and bring God’s peace.
> God’s people
> are those
> whose actions,
> and whose very selves,
> may be rejected
> by the world.
> But they rejoice
> because they know
> they do
> their Lord’s work
> and follow
> their Lord’s path.
>
> We need to remember
> some important things
> when we think
> about this blessing.
> It doesn’t talk
> about salvation by works.
> Jesus didn’t mean
> we can earn our way
> into heaven.
> God freely gives us
> the gift
> of eternal life.
> That in itself
> is quite a blessing
> for none of us
> could ever deserve
> such a gift.
>
> The blessing
> also doesn’t describe a path
> we travel alone.
> We travel it in company
> with our Lord Jesus Christ.
> We also travel it
> with each other.
>
> None of us
> will ever completely
> measure up
> to this description
> of God’s people.
> But as united members
> of the body of Christ
> we find
> the gifts Jesus described
> are present among us.
>
> We also need to remember
> God’s gift of eternal life,
> and Christ’s company
> on our road
> don’t let us
> off the hook.
> We’re individually responsible
> to work
> toward the goals
> of God’s kingdom.
>
> That leaves the question
> of how we
> as fragile,
> and broken people
> can transform ourselves
> into God’s loving,
> and giving children.
>
> The answer is
> we can’t.
> At least we can’t
> by our own
> power.
> Thanks be to God,
> we don’t have to do it
> by ourselves.
> For the One
> whose blessing
> inaugurated
> the Kingdom
> also works in us
> to transform us
> into faithful people
> of God.
>
> That transformation requires
> a conscious choice
> on our part;
> a choice we must make
> many times each day.
> It also necessitates letting go
> of our own will
> and letting God’s power
> work within us.
>
> In "Weavings” magazine
> David Griebner
> described a person
> who made that choice
> in a story
> called "Between the Nails.”
> *"He could hardly remember
> a day
> when there wasn’t
> at least
> some pain;
> and this should come
> as no surprise.
> For you see,
> this man
> and all his people
> lived on a bed of nails.
>
> As you might guess,
> it was a rather
> prickly existence.
> Yet,
> they had all
> gotten used to
> the particular limitations
> of their world.
> They accepted
> a certain amount of pain
> and discomfort
> as normal.
> And they had developed
> clothing and footwear
> that insulated them
> largely
> from the effect
> of the nails -
> although some
> were better
> at ignoring the pain
> than others.
>
> Now for a long time
> our friend
> accepted things
> as they were.
> But then something
> in him
> began to grow restless,
> and he became convinced
> that life
> had to be more
> than just
> managed discomfort.
> One day
> he decided
> something
> had to change
> or he
> was going to take
> all his clothes off,
> jump into the air,
> and end it all.
> As he pondered
> this choice,
> he thought he heard
> something.
>
> "Get small"
>
> "What?"
> he said.
> The words were out his mouth
> before he had time
> to remember
> he was alone.
>
> "Get small."
>
> There it was again.
> A voice.
> He was sure of it.
> Sort of.
> Something or someone
> was talking to him.
> And since he was out
> of other options
> at the moment
> he decided to talk back.
>
> "Who are you?"
>
> "Get small."
>
> "What do you want?"
>
> "Get small."
>
> Obviously
> he wasn’t asking
> the right question.
> He decided
> to address the advice
> directly.
>
> "What do you mean,
> ‘Get small’?"
>
> "Get small."
>
> Apparently
> this was all
> he was going to get,
> and his next response
> came mostly
> out of a
> sense of frustration.
>
>
> "I can’t get small,"
> he said
> through clenched teeth
> used to gritting it out.
>
> "I can make you small,"
> the Voice said.
>
> Well there it was
> then.
> If he accepted
> that the Voice
> was real,
> the only thing
> left to do
> was to trust
> what the Voice
> had to say.
>
> "All right,"
> he said,
> "Make me small."
>
> The first thing
> he noticed
> was that his clothes
> got big.
> Then the nails
> got big.
> Then the space
> between the nails
> got big
> and he found himself
> between the nails.
>
> Then the space
> between the nails
> got so big
> that there was more space
> than nails.
> Then
> there was so much space
> that it seemed
> as if there were no nails
> at all.
>
> Then he was surrounded
> by people.
> They brought him clothes
> to wear
> that were light and airy,
> and wonderful food
> that was as rich
> as the ground
> was smooth.
>
> It was a strange feeling,
> but it seemed
> like he had
> finally
> come home.
>
> Once a week
> he
> and all the people
> between the nails
> gathered together
> to sing.
> They lifted their voices
> to the heavens
> and sang
> with all
> their heart
> the two words
> the Voice
> had taught them all.
>
> "Get small,"
> they sang.
>
> For theirs
> was the Kingdom
> of Heaven.
>
> The choice
> is ours to make.
> If we wish
> we can choose
> the blessing of the world
> with its material gifts
> and its nails.
>
> Or we can choose
> to let go.
> We can choose
> to let Christ’s
> blessing
> transform us
> into God’s people.
>
> In our choices,
> may all glory
> be given to God. Amen.
>
>
>
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