
<html><body bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><div><br><br><br>Begin forwarded message:<br><br></div><blockquote type="cite"><div><b>From:</b> "Frank Fisher" <<a href="mailto:f.fisher.obl.osb@comcast.net">f.fisher.obl.osb@comcast.net</a>><br><b>Date:</b> February 25, 2011 12:01:39 PM CST<br><b>To:</b> <<a href="mailto:SBA@SBAbbey.com">SBA@SBAbbey.com</a>>, <<a href="mailto:sermonshop.sermons.topic@ecunet.org">sermonshop.sermons.topic@ecunet.org</a>>, <<a href="mailto:propertalk.topic@ecunet.org">propertalk.topic@ecunet.org</a>>, <<a href="mailto:PRCL-L@LISTSERV.LOUISVILLE.EDU">PRCL-L@LISTSERV.LOUISVILLE.EDU</a>>, <<a href="mailto:midrash@joinhands.com">midrash@joinhands.com</a>><br><b>Subject:</b> <b>[propertalk.topic] Considering the Lillies</b><br><b>Reply-To:</b> <a href="mailto:propertalk.topic@ecunet.org"><a href="mailto:propertalk.topic@ecunet.org">propertalk.topic@ecunet.org</a></a><br><br></div></blockquote><div></div><blockquote type="cite"><div><span>Here's my draft for Sunday, 2/27. The pericope is Matthew 6:24-34.</span><br><span></span><br><span></span><br><span>__</span><br><span></span><br><span>Frank R. Fisher, Obl OSB</span><br><span><a href="http://www.ffisher.net">www.ffisher.net</a></span><br><span>Interim Pastor</span><br><span>First Presbyterian Church of Kewanee, IL</span><br><span><a href="http://www.fpckewanee.org">www.fpckewanee.org</a></span><br><span>Elmira United Presbyterian Church</span><br><span><a href="http://www.elmiraunited.org">www.elmiraunited.org</a></span><br><span></span><br><span>aka</span><br><span></span><br><span>Brother Oscar Romero</span><br><span>Oblate of St. Benedict's Abbey</span><br><span>Bartonville, IL</span><br><span><a href="http://www.SBAbbey.com">www.SBAbbey.com</a></span><br><span></span><br><span></span><br><span>"When you were born, you cried and the world rejoiced. Live your life so</span><br><span>that when you die, the world cries and you rejoice."-Cherokee proverb</span><br><span></span><br><span></span><br><span>____________________________</span><br><span></span><br><span>Once upon a time</span><br><span>in a land</span><br><span>far, </span><br><span>far,</span><br><span>away from here,</span><br><span>there was </span><br><span>a large and proud </span><br><span>stone building.</span><br><span>The building</span><br><span>had been built</span><br><span>a long time ago</span><br><span>in the center</span><br><span>of a small city.</span><br><span>And in the building</span><br><span>dwelt a community</span><br><span>of very wonderful people;</span><br><span>people</span><br><span>who were a part</span><br><span>of the church</span><br><span>of Jesus Christ.</span><br><span></span><br><span>Once this community of people</span><br><span>had been quite large.</span><br><span>But time,</span><br><span>conflict,</span><br><span>and the changes</span><br><span>in the world around them</span><br><span>had lessened </span><br><span>their numbers.</span><br><span>And because they were fewer</span><br><span>than they were</span><br><span>when the proud building</span><br><span> was built,</span><br><span>they were faced </span><br><span>with a problem.</span><br><span>You see,</span><br><span>it had become</span><br><span>more and more difficult</span><br><span>for them to afford</span><br><span> to maintain</span><br><span>their building.</span><br><span></span><br><span>Now these wonderful people</span><br><span>were also very wise.</span><br><span>So they found ways</span><br><span>to afford </span><br><span>their building's maintenance.</span><br><span>They found</span><br><span>other wonderful people</span><br><span>to share their building</span><br><span>and to share their expenses.</span><br><span>They appealed to each other</span><br><span>to give more</span><br><span>of their treasure, time and talents. </span><br><span>And they carefully </span><br><span>examined their budget</span><br><span>to see how they could</span><br><span>stretch</span><br><span>their resources.</span><br><span></span><br><span>But over time</span><br><span>matters became more urgent.</span><br><span>And they soon realized,</span><br><span>they must either find</span><br><span>another way</span><br><span>or face the end</span><br><span>of their community.</span><br><span>And faced with this circumstance</span><br><span>they decided to hold</span><br><span>a community meeting</span><br><span>to decide on their future.</span><br><span></span><br><span>Some members</span><br><span>of the community</span><br><span>suggested</span><br><span>uniting</span><br><span>with other communities.</span><br><span>"With several communities</span><br><span>joined together,"</span><br><span>they said,</span><br><span>"we'll all have more money</span><br><span>to maintain a building</span><br><span>and to start new programs</span><br><span>to bring in more people."</span><br><span></span><br><span>Another part of the community</span><br><span>suggested</span><br><span>selling their current building</span><br><span>and moving</span><br><span>their community</span><br><span>to another place.</span><br><span>"That way,"</span><br><span>they mentioned,</span><br><span>"we can be closer</span><br><span>to people</span><br><span>who don't have </span><br><span>a community like ours.</span><br><span>They'll want to belong</span><br><span>to a community</span><br><span>such as ours.</span><br><span>And all those new people</span><br><span>will bring new money </span><br><span>with them."</span><br><span></span><br><span>Still others</span><br><span>advised tearing down</span><br><span>their current building</span><br><span>and building</span><br><span>something different</span><br><span>in its place.</span><br><span>"We can build a building</span><br><span>that will not only contains space</span><br><span>for what we do now,"</span><br><span>they mentioned.</span><br><span>"It will also contain</span><br><span>condos and shops</span><br><span>and many other things</span><br><span>that will bring in income</span><br><span>to support our community."</span><br><span></span><br><span>Yet another section</span><br><span>of the community</span><br><span>suggested staying </span><br><span>where they were</span><br><span>and finding new ways</span><br><span>to reach out</span><br><span>to those around them.</span><br><span>"There must be needs </span><br><span>in the area</span><br><span>we aren't meeting,"</span><br><span>they declared.</span><br><span>"And if we find new ways</span><br><span>to meet those needs,</span><br><span>we'll draw in the people</span><br><span>whose needs </span><br><span>have been met.</span><br><span>That way our communtiy</span><br><span>will have more members.</span><br><span>And more members</span><br><span>means</span><br><span>more money!"</span><br><span></span><br><span>On and on</span><br><span>the debate raged</span><br><span>with many people</span><br><span>making many good points </span><br><span>about their</span><br><span>various opinions.</span><br><span>But as the noise level rose</span><br><span>a quavering voice</span><br><span>was heard</span><br><span>in the midst of the din.</span><br><span></span><br><span>"Are we considering</span><br><span>the lillies?"</span><br><span>they voice questioned.</span><br><span></span><br><span>At first the voice's question</span><br><span>was unheard,</span><br><span>apparently drowned out</span><br><span>by all the din.</span><br><span></span><br><span>But louder and louder,</span><br><span>the voice was heard.</span><br><span></span><br><span>"Are we considering the lillies?"</span><br><span></span><br><span>"Are we considering the lillies?"</span><br><span></span><br><span>Eventually </span><br><span>the meeting's moderator</span><br><span>was forced</span><br><span>to halt the spirited discussion</span><br><span>to speak to the voice's question.</span><br><span></span><br><span>"Considering the lillies,"</span><br><span>the moderator demanded.</span><br><span>"What a ridiculous question!</span><br><span>With more money</span><br><span>we'll be able to buy</span><br><span>all the lilies we want!</span><br><span>Now,</span><br><span>who wants to make a motion</span><br><span>so that we can more forward</span><br><span>on a plan . . .?"</span><br><span></span><br><span>"No, that's not it,"</span><br><span>the same voice,</span><br><span>which was </span><br><span>no longer quavering</span><br><span>shouted out.</span><br><span>"We're forgetting what Jesus said</span><br><span>about the lillies of the field.</span><br><span>Jesus said, </span><br><span>'They neither toil nor spin,</span><br><span>but even Solomon</span><br><span>in all his glory</span><br><span>was not clothed like them.</span><br><span>Strive first,'</span><br><span>Jesus said,</span><br><span>"for the kingdom of God</span><br><span>and God's righteousness,</span><br><span>and all these things</span><br><span>will be given to you</span><br><span>as well.'"</span><br><span></span><br><span>"That's absurd,'</span><br><span>countless voices </span><br><span>shouted back.</span><br><span>"We need to be concerned</span><br><span>with finances.</span><br><span>Otherwise</span><br><span>our community will never survive."</span><br><span></span><br><span>"Of course we do,"</span><br><span>the voice countered.</span><br><span>"But they can't rule us.</span><br><span>We can't serve God</span><br><span>and money.</span><br><span>We have to choose</span><br><span>which will be first</span><br><span>in our common life."</span><br><span></span><br><span>"Our first priorty</span><br><span>must be to decide</span><br><span>on how God wants us</span><br><span>to serve God's people,"</span><br><span>the voice continued.</span><br><span>"When we've found</span><br><span>who we're to serve,</span><br><span>and how we're to serve them,</span><br><span>then we'll know</span><br><span>which of your plans</span><br><span>we should put into action."</span><br><span></span><br><span>So the community </span><br><span>stopped debating</span><br><span>how they should support themselves</span><br><span>financially.</span><br><span>Instead</span><br><span>they began in prayer,</span><br><span>study to seek</span><br><span>the way </span><br><span>to their future.</span><br><span>And they began to question</span><br><span>the poorest of those </span><br><span>in the small city</span><br><span>about how their needs.</span><br><span>They began to ask those,</span><br><span>both young and old,</span><br><span>who were people of faith,</span><br><span>but who'd never been a part</span><br><span>of any community,</span><br><span>how their community</span><br><span> could help them</span><br><span>in their walk with God..</span><br><span></span><br><span>Then through their study,</span><br><span>their prayer,</span><br><span>and their questioning,</span><br><span>their way to future</span><br><span>became clear.</span><br><span>And they made their choice</span><br><span>of the way </span><br><span>to their community's </span><br><span>future;</span><br><span>a choice</span><br><span>which blessed them</span><br><span>for many,</span><br><span>many </span><br><span>years.</span><br><span></span><br><span>"What was their choice?"</span><br><span>you may ask.</span><br><span></span><br><span>I can't tell you.</span><br><span>For it was their choice</span><br><span>and you must make</span><br><span>your own.</span><br><span></span><br><span>But I will tell you,</span><br><span>they renamed their community,</span><br><span>"The Church of the Lilly."</span><br><span>They said</span><br><span>it was to remind them</span><br><span>their financial choices</span><br><span>should only be dictated</span><br><span>by their mission</span><br><span>to God's people.</span><br><span>And as a part </span><br><span>of their membership vows,</span><br><span>they declared</span><br><span>that God,</span><br><span>not wealth,</span><br><span>would always be their master.</span><br><span></span><br><span>To God alone</span><br><span>be glory.</span><br><span>Amen.</span><br><span></span><br></div></blockquote></body></html>