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<div style="font-family:arial,helvetica;font-size:10pt;color:black">-----Original Message-----<br>
From: Judy <judy_boli@ecunet.org><br>
To: Propertalk <propertalk.topic@ecunet.org><br>
Sent: Sat, Feb 18, 2012 12:41 am<br>
Subject: [propertalk.topic] Sermon for Epiphany- Last, Year B<br>
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<pre style="font-size: 9pt;"><tt>Dear Friends,
Tomorrow’s sermon is entitled “‘You Cannot Shake Hands with a Clenched
Fist.’ (Indira Gandhi)” and deals with the gospel. (Mark 9:2-9). Here
it is:
Did you hear about the Sunday school teacher who challenged her little
first graders to write a letter to God? One little girl wrote: “Dear
God, please put another holiday between Christmas and Easter. There
is nothing good in there now. Even if you don’t do as I say, you can
still be my God. Love- Amanda.”
Actually there is a very important holy day- really HOLY SEASON
between ChristMass and Easter, and without it, Easter really would
just be bunnies, candy, and eggs. You know what I’m talking about-
Lent (and it’s almost here now). I can’t believe it, but Ash
Wednesday is this coming Wednesday, and with it- the beginning of
Lent. As you know, Lent is our yearly reality-facing time. Lent is
when we take a serious look at our lives and ask ourselves- “How’s it
going?” Lent is when we remember that Jesus said he came to give us
life, and we look at our lives to see how well we have accepted his
gift. Jesus offers, but are we accepting? Are we actually choosing
life? Test yourself out- if you found out that you had only today to
live, how would you spend these precious 24 hours? What would be your
regrets? What goals have you wished to achieve, but really haven’t
given yourself fully to the effort? If life were the Olympics, would
you be going for the gold, or just letting up when a bronze metal was
in sight? Lent is “Get Real” time. This Wednesday, every single
member should be in church (unless you’re sick or working) to get real
with God, to face reality, to choose what life changes need to be made
to become the real you, and then- at God’s altar- make that your 2012
Lenten covenant with God.
The Ten Commandments are good guides for us to follow to prepare for
Lent. Each of the commandments warns of a particular kind of sin that
will separate us from God. (1) God first. (2) No idols- not even
money or family. (3) Don’t treat God’s name lightly. (4) Keep the
Sabbath Day holy- i.e.100% church attendance every Sunday unless
you’re sick or working- and that doesn’t count cooking or entertaining
relatives. (5) Honor your parents and those in authority. (6) No
murder or hatred. (7) No adultery- married means off-limits.
Period! (8) No stealing- not even “borrowing” because they owe it to
us. (9) No lying about someone or ruining another’s reputation with
gossip. (10) Don’t be jealous of something or someone your neighbor
has. If you’re doing any of those things- don’t be surprised if your
life is a mess. Did you hear about the grandmother who mailed the
family Bible to her son in another city? When she took the package to
the post office, the clerk asked, “Anything breakable in there?” “Not
really,” replied the woman, just the Ten Commandments- and people
don’t seem to follow them anyway these days!” Sin blocks us from God
and his blessings. Follow them. Lent is a perfect time to shape up
and clean up our lives.
In the Gospel, we see Peter so amazed at his experience of watching
Jesus transfigured before his eyes- that he tries to hold it forever
by building altars. His understandable mistake offers excellent
Lenten guidance for fullness of life- don’t try to hold on to the
past. Live in the present. The only things that don’t change are
dead. Choose life. So check out your life: What’s holding you
back? Any bad habits? Any grudges, desires for revenge, negative
thought patterns? Any negative companions? Are you using your time
the way you really want, or do you simply allow life to happen to
you? How much time do you spend hypnotized in front of the TV set or
half- aware because you’re into the alcohol or another mind-blurring
substance? How much are you shortening the gift of life God gave you
with those cigarettes? Get real. Claim life. This Lent, see that
garbage for what it is and get rid of it.
So this Wednesday is decision time. Will it be easy? No! Is it
possible? YES! With God, all things are possible. Start this
Wednesday, then make a firm decision to stick with it all Lent
through. Every Sunday, bring your progress and defeats to the altar.
In closing, here’s a poem that sums up what’s possible as we strive to
be the best we can be:
Two frogs fell into a deep cream bowl;
The one was wise, and a cheery soul.
The other one took a gloomy view
And bade his friend a sad adieu.
Said the other frog with a merry grin,
"I can't get out, but I won't give in;
I'll swim around till my strength is spent,
Then I will die the more content."
And as he swam, though ever it seemed,
His struggling began to churn the cream
Until on top of pure butter he stopped,
And out of the bowl he quickly hopped.
The moral, you ask? Oh, it's easily found!
If you can't get out, keep swimming around.
For anyone who is interested, this sermon and updated African-American
wisdom statements are posted on our parish web site. The address is:
<a href="http://www.stpaulsepisag.com" target="_blank">http://www.stpaulsepisag.com</a> .
Blessed preaching,
Judy Boli
St. Paul's Episcopal Church
Saginaw, Michigan
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