“Shepherd, Table and Church” A sermon based on Psalm 23 and John 10:1-10, 16 Humber United Church Corner Brook, NL , May 2011

Psalm 23

God is my shepherd; I have all that I need.
God lets me rest in green meadows and leads me beside peaceful streams.
My strength is renewed. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name.
Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me.
Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me.
You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies.
You honor me by anointing my head with oil. My cup overflows with blessings.
Surely your goodness and love will go with me all the days of my life,
and I will live in God’s house always.

John 10:1-10

“I tell you the truth, anyone who sneaks over the wall of a sheepfold, rather than going through the gate, must surely be a thief and a robber! ^The one who enters through the gate is the shepherd. The gatekeeper opens the gate, and the sheep recognize his voice and come to him. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. After he has gathered his flock, he walks ahead of them, and they follow him because they know his voice. They won’t follow a stranger; they will run from him because they don’t know his voice.” Those who heard Jesus use this illustration didn’t understand what he meant, so he explained it to them: “I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. All who came before me were thieves and robbers. But the true sheep did not listen to them. Yes, I am the gate. Those who come in through me will be saved. They will come and go freely and will find good pastures. The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.

“I have other sheep who are not of this flock.”

In the summer of 1994, I was sent to a small town in southern Alberta, for one of my two internships. My apartment was in a seniors complex, on the ground floor corner, and had windows on two sides of the living room, looking out over a lake surrounded by low hills and a few trees. Every morning, I would be out of bed, and sit in a rocking chair looking at the lake; the surface changed almost every hour it seemed; the colour was different depending on the sky. Some days it was wild in the winds, other days the surface was like glass. It was never the same blue, either. Some days it was a bright blue, others it was a steely grey, and yet other days looked like pearl. One particularly beautiful and sunny morning, as I sat with my coffee, the words of this psalm came into my head: “He leads me beside still waters, he restores my soul.”

A friend of mine in the US reflected on this Psalm, and here is the story she tells:

“There are times when I wish you could sit in the holiest of my holy grounds, the sanctuary. There are beautiful huge stained glass windows; my favorite is the smallest. It stands tall and slender, tucked in a corner, looking over the shoulders of those who come in and leave by a side door.

My father was abusive, and enjoyed quietly torturing me during worship services. It was painful emotionally and physically, and took all the inner strength a little girl could scrape up not to flinch or to move away from him. Each Sunday, after the service, while my parents were speaking with friends, I would curl up tightly in the corner of the pew and stare at this Good Shepherd holding a little lamb. The 5-year-old wanted so much to be that lamb, safe, secure, sought after, and beloved. Sunday after Sunday, I would look the way of the Good Shepherd and wish that the lamb in his arms was me.

My youth found me sitting in a pew with the Good Shepherd behind me. To be honest, I didn't want to be in church, so sitting with the Good Shepherd behind me seemed the best. You know how it is when someone is near you. You feel a presence, whether or not you see the person. That "feeling" causes you to turn, and search for that "presence". So, even with the Good Shepherd to my back, I turned and looked. He remained. I assumed that if I didn't look the Good Shepherd's way, he wouldn't notice me. I sat with the Good Shepherd behind me for a very long time. He heard my "bleating", saw me become tangled in the thorns of life, and this gentle Good Shepherd of my childhood was persistent. On the day that I gave my life to God, I was strangely pulled back to this sanctuary, alone, in the darkness brought by the rain that day. I sat in that pew, again curled up in the corner as tightly as a grown woman could. I looked, and saw the shepherd of my life; the shepherd who wept with me in my childhood, the shepherd who waited for me in the apathy of my youth, the shepherd whose feet were blistered, robes torn and hands bloodied as he looked for me, through the thorns and thickets, over the rocky roads, and holding onto a tree as he leaned forward to pull me back.”

One of my favourite parts of the Harry Potter movies, is the scenes at the beginning of each school year, where all the students and staff sit down to a feast together. The tables are more than loaded. What is significant to me, is that everyone – friend and enemy – sits down to the table together. Everyone is always welcome. It has echoes for me of the last meal Jesus shared with his friends – knowing someone was at the table who was not a friend, knowing it was Judas – yet the feast was given and everyone was welcomed, regardless of who they may be.

When we read the line “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies”, I think we tend to believe that this is God taking sides. I don’t believe it is. I believe this Psalm talks completely about the very nature of God as a shepherd who - one way or the other – finds a way to look after all the sheep, making sure every is inclusive. Rather than being an *exclusive* statement of faith – it is a totally inclusive description of the realm of God and how God operates.

John’s Gospel, at first read, seems quite exclusive. But then we go on and read more in-depth – but it is a confusing message. Jesus says anyone who doesn't enter the sheepfold by the gate is a thief and a bandit. The reasonable way to enter any place would be to go to the gate, and enter openly, right? Then he says, the only one likely to enter a sheepfold is a shepherd; the gatekeeper opens the gate, the shepherd enters. This shepherd calls the sheep, and they know his voice and follow him out. They won’t ever follow a stranger; they do not know the voice of strangers. Then, we are told that Jesus used this figure of speech with his followers, but they didn’t understand what he was saying!

In Jesus’ time, a sheepfold was made of a wall of rocks. Briars were placed on top of the wall to prevent any wild animal, robber or thief to enter. The only way into the sheepfold was by the gate. The shepherd would have a legitimate reason, so he would go in, gather his sheep and lead them out. Jesus continues in a surprising way: "I am the gate for the sheep.”

...and he says something even more difficult...”I have other sheep who are not of this fold.”

Sheepholds....sometimes, there were temporary holds built for the sheep, in the wilderness, away from the larger village holds where many different shepherds might bring sheep for the night. The temporary sheep holds had no gate, just a narrow opening of a foot or two. To keep the sheep safe from predators, the shepherd lay down in the opening, guarding the sheep with his own body. Thus the shepherd was also the gate.

Jesus says thieves and bandits seek to enter into the sheep hold another way. These do not offer life, but carry spiritual death with them. Swindlers who want us to trust them with our hopes and dreams. Or those who claim the church of prosperity, the temple of fame, placing their trust in riches, notoriety, and getting ahead of others. They say everything we need to be happy is found by joining a sports team, or a club, or by endless entertainment. They want us to trust them to show us the way to happiness. There are those who preach from the pulpit that God’s wish for you and me is to be rich, that God has chosen us above others to amass all the wealth we can, or that God loves us, but hates our enemies!

These thieves and bandits try to draw us away from the sheep hold, and tempt us. They tell us that we must think of ourselves first; don't let anyone take advantage of you. Look after number one! They may even look or sound like the shepherd. But the shepherd's voice calls our name and tells us: “You shall love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, and love your neighbour as yourself."

The gate is a two-way passage. It leads outward to a world where we can sit down to eat, in a world of God’s love, even with those who would waylay and harm. The gate offers us a way in to a place of sustenance and protection, and a way out to engage with confidence. We go in and out, confident, because with Jesus as the shepherd, we have nothing to fear. Even if we walk the dark paths of the shadow of death, God is with us. So we can't have abundant life if we remain locked inside the fold. Because then, we are in a prison of our own making.

So we come, full circle, back to the table. The shepherd who is willing to lie down across the opening into the sheepfold is also the one who prepares a feast where everyone is welcome, no matter who they are.

My friend Anna writes:

‘You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.’
It was when you asked me to help, O God, that I truly understood ... or at least understood
in the way that you asked me to understand.

You handed a chalice to me from the table you prepared and whispered, "For all." I gulped. "Oh God... really? For all?"
You whispered again, "Look into their eyes, offer to them what I have prepared. Some might be your enemies, but none are mine."

And so I stood, at the end of an aisle, with chalice in hand and wept at the thoughts
of my enemies welcomed in such a generous way. The table was not mine, the guest list certainly wasn't mine and the chalice never ran dry ... nor did the grace and mercy. Once again, I heard, "Do this in remembrance ...and remember, these are not my enemies."

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies, and then you say "All sit ... together." And still the chalice never runs dry for those around the table - not even for me.

The way of Jesus unlocks the gate, making it a passage to a new way of living. The way of Jesus calls us to leave the safety of the sheep hold and risk; but then we have the confidence of the Psalmist; the shepherd leads us to quiet waters, green fields, restored souls, cared for, protected even as we are out in the real world. A nourishing table and a full cup are prepared for us, so that we are fed and strengthened. We are able to go with the confidence that there is nothing we lack. The shepherd is with us, at all times. May it be so.

Sources:

1. “My Story” by Anna Murdock.
2. “The Good Shepherd” – a sermon by Fran Ota, April 2008.
3. “In the presence of my enemies”, reflection by Anna Murdock, May 14, 2011.

“Recognition” A sermon based on Luke 24:13-35 Easter 3 2011 Humber United Church, Corner Brook, Newfoundland

That day two of the followers were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. They were talking with each other about everything. As they talked, Jesus came up and walked along with them; but they did not recognise him.

He asked them, “What are you discussing together as you walk?”

They stood still, their faces downcast. One of them, Cleopas, asked him, “Are you the only one visiting Jerusalem who does not know what happened there in these last days?”

“What things?” he asked.

“About Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; we had hoped he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. What is more, it is the third day since this happened, and some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning, but didn’t find his body. They told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. Some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but they did not see Jesus.”

He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” Then beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning the coming Messiah.

As they approached Emmaus, Jesus made as if to continue. But they urged him strongly, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay overnight. When he was at the table, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and shared it with them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked on the road and spoke of the Scriptures to us?”

They returned at once to Jerusalem, where they found the Eleven and those with them, saying, “It is true! Jesus has risen and has appeared to Simon.” Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how they recognised Jesus when he broke the bread.
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So there are two people walking slowly, back along the road from Jerusalem to Emmaus. They have walked this road many times before - always with a spring in their step and always anticipating either the celebrations in Jerusalem, or the return to their own home and their own bed.

This time is different. They went to Jerusalem for the Passover celebrations, and how that turned out. They had never seen Jesus really angry before, but when he ripped into the religious leaders in the temple, for selling animals for sacrifice at an exorbitant price, changing Roman coins into temple money and making a profit, literally taking whatever they could from the poorest people, and doing it on holy ground - well, frankly they were frightened. He was really, really angry. No one got hurt, of course. The animals were let loose, the money changers were on their knees chasing every denarius, and the religious leaders were more than offended 9even if they knew Jesus was right.) And then, following the Passover meal, the sudden arrest, the secret trial - the collusion to ensure Jesus was crucified. The whole thing was more than they could bear; all they could think of to do was get out of the city and head back to Emmaus. So they are not in Jerusalem when Jesus appears to the followers, and they know nothing of the sightings or stories of the resurrection.

And their spirits are gone. They walk slowly, sadly, holding on to each other - tears coming up time and time again as they remember something about him, some word or phrase, some teaching - the way he held his head, or how he sat when he was tired. Now that he is gone, they see no hope any more. Life has gone out of them too, and they feel like empty shells.

A stranger picks up with them along the road, and notices their grief - and begins to talk. Soon they are into discussion about Scriptures, and he talks with the knowledge and understanding of a rabbi.Their hearts burn within them, he knows and understands. Yet they do not really see him

As they reach their home in Emmaus, dark falls. Everyone knows the roads are dangerous after dark, especially for someone alone, so they persuade him to stay for a meal and overnight. They sit down to the table, light the ceremonial candles - and then he takes the bread and with the familiar words of blessing and breaking, suddenly their eyes are opened, and they *know* him. They recognise him.

Imagine if it were you. That kind of emptiness, numbness in your soul? Can you imagine being so crushed by despair and weighed down by hopelessness that your mind, your heart, your eyes of faith are closed, and there’s no possible way you’d recognize Jesus, even if he joined you on your journey?

And then you’re joined by a stranger. Your faith is shattered, and your hope is destroyed, and you have no future, so you don’t recognize who it is who has joined you. The stranger begins talking. Incredibly, he has no idea, what you’ve experienced. All of Jerusalem knows, but the stranger seems clueless. So you tell him about your heartache, and your shattered hopes, and your empty future, all because a dearest companion has died. The stranger starts talking about the Hebrew Scriptures, the only scriptures you would have known. He invites you to remember the stories about God– the suffering of people like Moses, and the prophets, and the mysterious suffering servant of Isaiah. “Hasn’t God brought victory and redemption through that suffering?” the stranger asks. “Couldn’t God do that again?”

There are all kinds of speculations about who this couple might have been. One we know was named Cleopas, but the other is a mystery. Some assume the second person was the wife of Cleopas, which would make sense. The unidentified traveller could also have been the son of Cleopas. The Church historian, Eusebius, tells us that Cleopas had a son named Simeon, also an eyewitness of Jesus. After James, the brother of Jesus was martyred, Simeon was elected the leader of the Church in Jerusalem. But here is a quote which I like, from a very old historian,
Epiphanius, the Bishop of Salamis, who wrote around the year 403:
"The learned cannot come to any agreement who the other disciple was. I will give you this counsel: Let each of you take his place. You are the unidentified traveller on the Road to Emmaus.”

You are the unidentified traveller with Cleopas. You are walking the road to Emmaus. In all of your *life*, you are walking the road to Emmaus, and Jesus walks with you. Did you know that the word companion comes from two Latin words “con” and “pan”, meaning *with bread*. A companion is someone with whom we will break and eat bread. So, a stranger sitting down to a table and engaging in the Hebrew ritual of bread-breaking is not by itself unusual - but the recognition of that stranger as the bread is broken is of total significance to Christian faith.

A companion is someone on the road with whom you will eat bread.

In the TV series “M*A*S*H,” Major Charles Winchester hid behind a snobbish and aloof shell in an effort to ward off the pain, emptiness, suffering and death that haunt him every day amid the horror of war. In despair at one point, Winchester leaves the operating room and goes to visit the wounded as they’re first brought to the unit for triage. He is called to the bedside of a dying soldier. The soldier says, “I can’t see anything. Hold my hand.” Winchester replies, “I am.” “I’m dying,” the soldier moans, and Winchester asks, “Can you see anything? Feel anything? I have to know.” The dying soldier simply says, “I smell bread.”[1] To the soldier, he is going home, where there is warmth and comfort, and the aroma of fresh bread in the oven.

Jesus gives us bread. And when he does, we are home. Companions, walking together, giving each other strength and courage, breaking bread at the table, and in that breaking, reminding each other that as Jesus joins us on the road, and comes into our home, our tables become the table of God, and Jesus becomes our host.

“Walking together”–did you know that’s the literal translation of one of those odd Greek words the church uses: “synod”. Walking together with. The late French philosopher Albert Camus, said this:

Don’t walk in front of me; I may not follow.
Don’t walk behind me; I may not lead.
Walk beside me and be my friend.[2]

This inscription is found on the Plaque of The Church of the Manifestation at Emmaus:
Emmaus: The morning dawns.
Emmaus: All cares are banished.
Emmaus: Our hearts burn within us.
Emmaus: Our sorrows have vanished.
Emmaus: Jesus is here to break bread with us.


Rev. Frank Schaefer wrote this lovely prayer for the Emmaus Road:
Meet us, Lord, on the road to Emmaus, guide us on the path toward our destination,
and renew our strength as we continue to walk and commune with you.

Open our eyes, so we see the signs of your presence around us; open our hearts, so we may receive your peace and love; and empower us to pass on to others the grace you have shared with us so freely. Amen.

Walk beside me, be my companion on the way, break and share bread with me, and together we are nourished and strengthened. We no longer grieve, but celebrate new life. We are companions on the Way, with Jesus. Together, with bread.

(Sing “Stay with Us”)

Sources:

1. Sermon “We Are The Church—Walking Together!” Psalm 116:12-19, Luke 24:13-35 by Rev. Richard Thompson
[1].Brett Blair, ed., Sermon Illustrations for April 6, 2008, adapted from George Bass,
The Tree, the Tomb and the Trumpet: Sermons for Lent and Easter, CSS Publishing.
[2].Quoted in Brett Blair, ed., Sermon Illustrations for April 6, 2008.
2. Together with Bread, Sermon by Fran Ota, Easter 3 2005, Luke 24:13-35. Then at Trinity United Church, Newmarket, ON.
3. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epiphanius_of_Salamis
4. http://www.westegg.com/etymology/#companion
5. “Stay with Us”, by Very Rev. Walter Farquharson (words) and Ron Klusmeier (music). C. 1986.
6. Emmaus Road Prayer, by Rev. Frank Schaefer Easter 2011.

You're Who???? Prove It! A sermon for Easter 2, May 1, 2011 John 20:19-31 Humber United Church, Corner Brook, Newfoundland

John 20:19-31
On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord. Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”

Now Thomas (also known as Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.” A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.”

Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!” Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

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A few years ago, late at night, I sat in a car with a rather new friend, drinking coffee and eating doughnuts. He had just finished giving a weekend workshop on church growth and development. We had been friends for only a couple of years, and didn’t know each other extremely well. And yet, as we sat there laughing and eating our doughnuts, there was a moment of clear recognition. It was as if we had always known each other, and the veil was removed for just a few moments so that we saw each other clearly.

The word “recognise” comes from the word “cognition” - or knowing. Re-cognition means knowing again. So in that one moment, there was a clear “re-cognition”. I wondered then, and still do, if this is not what it means to see Jesus in those around us.

....and yet, it would be easy for you to say “prove it”, and I have nothing but my own experience and response to go on.

It doesn’t matter what it is - our personal experiences tend to be the standard by which we judge everything. "You've just got to see this!" "You won't believe this!" So the risen Jesus reveals himself to the disciples who were in the room when he appeared. One disciple, Thomas, was not there with the others. So, it’s no surprise that Thomas is skeptical when the others excitedly tell him they have seen Jesus. Their report was pretty fantastic. Thomas knew Jesus was killed, and was buried. And he, along with the others, had been told some reports about Jesus being alive and appearing to Mary Magdalene and others. But Thomas had seen nothing that would prove them to be true.

But then Jesus appears a second time, and speaks directly to Thomas: "Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt, but believe."

Thomas, unfortunately, has become known more for doubt than for his declaration of faith. Yet he was no more of a doubter than any of the others. He asked for the same opportunity the others had - he wanted to see.. And, I would remind you about his powerful statement of faith: "My Lord and my God!" Or, in today’s vernacular - this was literally an OMG moment - Oh My God!

It is unfortunate that exclamation has become so common that perhaps the sense of its power has been lost. You hear or read it used so frequently and in such trivialized ways, such as: "OMG -- did you see her hair?" or "OMG, -- she is sooo beautiful!" So, now, "Oh, my God," has lost its power as a word of faith and worship, and instead it as become an exclamation.

Thomas used that phrase to declare his faith in God, but also his recognition of Jesus - his knowing Jesus again, his moment when the veil is removed and there is that deep recognition which comes only of faith. So we can properly use that statement today as part of our faithful witness to the risen Jesus. In fact, I might well be part of your God sighting at some point.

A friend of mine, Rev. Olli Valtonen, Director of the Helsinki Mission and a pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Finland, many years ago created the “Thomas-Mass: a Service for Doubters and Seekers”. The church in Finland was dying - in that, attendance had dropped dramatically at the traditional morning service, even as the state supported the church and its clergy. Younger people were stating their spiritual seeking, but could not find it in the church. So the response of the church in Finland was to provide an alternative, for those people who wanted to be able to say “let me see”, who needed a God-sighting. The Thomas-Mass spread through the Scandinavian countries and into Europe, as a way of reaching those who were seeking faith.

So what is a "God sighting."? First, Thomas, in that moment of recognition, had a God-sighting. Second, I think my experience with my friend sitting in the car late at night was a “God-sighting” - a recognition in a friend. Third, what about right here at our communion table, this morning - as we come together and serve each other - loaf and cup - and as we share them we recognise, in each other, the risen Jesus.

So I want you to think - through this week: in what ways do you see God at work in the world around you? Where does the love of God become real and visible in the words and deeds of the people you meet?

Here’s a response to an email sent by Rev. Bob Kaltenbaugh - from his niece:

"Uncle Bob, I liked your request for sending in ways that God has shown his love to us all. In my life, God has answered so many prayers! Recently, God's love has filled our family with the adoption of a newborn baby boy by my brother and sister-in-law. They have waited so long and are so blessed to welcome a son into their family. We are feeling the love and joy that a baby can bring."

That was Missy's way of saying, "OMG!" -- "My Lord and my God." She recognised how God had touched her and her family. She had this marvelous God Sighting. I am sure you have had some sightings too. You might not have recognised them, at least not at first. You might have been surprised and not realised that you were seeing the hands and side of Jesus. But keep your eyes open this week, and let me know when happens.”

So I offer to you the opportunity Bob Kaltenbaugh offered his congregation. Think, this week, about where you have had a God-sighting, an OMG!!! moment. Send me your OMG email this week. Alleluia!!!! Jesus is risen, and we see clearly.

Sources:
1. Sermon by Fran Ota ‘Doubter or Seeker’, 2008.
2. Rev. Olli Valtonen, Director, Helsinki Mission. Helsinki, Finland.
3. Pastor Bob Kaltenbaugh, Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Parish, Dushore, Pennsylvania

Bread for Each Day A Sermon based on Matthew 6:1-15, Luke 24:28-35. March 27, 2011 Humber United Church, Corner Brook, Newfoundland

A couple of years into my time at Glen Ayr United, I stopped using the Prayer of Jesus on a regular basis. There were the usual mutterings about the Lord’s Prayer being taken out of schools, and now being taken out of churches too. So I challenged them to tell me why the Lord's Prayer was so important that it had to be in every service. I didn’t want answers right there, but wanted them to take some time to think about it. The only rule was they could not give as a reason “That’s the way we’ve always done it."

Well, no one took up the challenge. So right when they thought I’d forgotten about it, I did a series of sermons. It is vitally important, I think, in this day and age, to stimulate our congregations to think about the words we say, so that each time we say it from now on, we see it differently.

Jesus was a devout Jew; everything he said and did was rooted in his traditions. He would have learned about prayer from Mary. The first prayer a Hebrew mother teaches her children is 'Into your hands, O God, I commend my spirit'. It is said by the child for the rest of his or her life before falling asleep, and before death. Jesus used these words on the cross before death. He would have heard Mary at sunset on the Sabbath eve, blessing the lamps; 'Blessed are you, O Lord, King of the Universe, who has given us your commandments and bids us light the Sabbath lights'. He would have heard Joseph say 'Blessed are you, O Lord, King of the Universe, who has given us this bread to eat, this wine to drink, fruit of the earth, of the vine, and the work of human hands'.

Instead of the Jesus Prayer, Mark 12 gives us the Jewish Prayer of the Good Name, the Sh'ma: "Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is One."Then Mark speaks of God's name as blessed, and the kingdom as enduring for ever; then adds the prayer of loving God with all one's heart, mind, soul, and strength, from the blessed Tau Prayer (which is on the threshold of Jewish homes since the Exodus), and one's neighbour as oneself, phrases taken directly from Deuteronomy and Leviticus.

In the book “The Greatest Prayer”, John Dominic Crossan devotes an entire chapter to the phrase “Give us this day our daily bread.” and includes considerable cultural history. So let’s go on a mini-excursion into the history of Palestine. In 1985, remains of a small boat were discovered in Lake Kinneret. It was a very dry year, and the water levels in Lake Kinneret (also known as the Sea of Galilee, or Gennesaret in Jesus’ time) had dropped considerably, making the remains of a boat visible - a fishing boat from about the time Jesus would have lived. The discovery of that boat leads Crossan into an examination of the need for food, and the oppression of the Romans.

Herod the Great died in 4 BCE. Herod had been given the title “King of the Jews” by the Romans. When he died, Emperor Augustus divided Herod's kingdom into three parts, and gave them to his sons Archelaus, Antipas, and Philip. Antipas received Galilee and Perea. Everything was quiet under Antipas for 25 years, until the year 20 in the common era - when there was outright revolt. But why the preoccupation of the Biblical writers with fishing and fish, when Jesus came from an inland town. Lots of references we can name, including the fact that virtually all the disciples were fishermen by trade. Yet Jesus prays about bread. Why?

Herod Antipas tried three times to acquire the title “King of the Jews”, like his father. Between 14 and 37 CE he tried for the second time. His success depended on two things: for his Roman masters, he had to increase the productivity of the Galilee; for his Jewish subjects, he had to increase his popularity. He decided to follow his father’s model. So first, he had the great city of Sepphoris built - a “city built on a hill”, looking out over fields of grapes, olives and grains. He used Sepphoris as a centre for wringing all he could out of the land, for Rome.

Then, he decided to build another capital city - Tiberias - on the shores of the Galilee, and named after his father. He intended to commercialise fishing on the sea of Galilee, exporting dried and salted fish to Rome. He divorced his own wife, and persuaded Herodias to divorce her husband - and then he married her. Popularity with the Jewish subjects had been abandoned. Both John and Jesus were critical of this action - John was beheaded for his criticism. Jesus speaks about these actions openly - in his discourse on divorce - knowing it will get back to Herod.

Imagine what Herod’s plan would have done to the small fishing villages. There were already taxes on everything - nets, boats, and probably even a tax for fishing from the shore. More often than not, the catch had to be sold to the Romans. Is it any surprise that the two most prominent disciples - Mary and Peter - as well as the others - were from these villages. Magdala, where Mary came from, had been the most important fishing centre on the lake before Herod began building Tiberias. His plan would destroy Magdala’s economy.

Jesus’ message, underlying the simplicity of the words, was really about who owns the earth, the land and the lake - God or Rome. Remember, in Jewish belief “The earth is the Lord’s and all that is in it, the world, and those who live in it.” So the question for the oppressed people around the lake becomes “Who owns the lake and all the fish in it.” Who controls the daily bread - the food needed for each day?

The story of the feeding of the five thousand sets up an interesting study. After the teaching is finished, it’s getting late, and the disciples realise all these people need to eat. Their solution is to send the people away, to find food on their own. Jesus replies “You give them something to eat.” The contrast is stark - Jesus reminds his disciples that it is *their* responsibility for the distribution of God’s food to God’s people. So then there is the matter of finding some food, which Jesus blesses and breaks; it is distributed to the people. Jesus gets his disciples to see that if the kingdom of God is here and now, they are responsible for the adequate distribution of food. For the disciples, the collaborative element of their theology centred on the teaching but not feeding; for Jesus the teaching is *about* feeding.

Four verbs become important in the Gospel narratives: Take-bless-break-give. Mark says “He took the loaves, and after giving thanks he broke them, and gave them to his disciples to distribute; and they distributed them to the crowd.”

So what is so important about that? Perhaps this - the story is indeed a miracle within a parable - to say that “there is more than enough food already present on our earth when it passes through the hands of divine justice; when it is taken, blessed, broken and given out; when food is seen as God’s consecrated gift.” Jesus *enacts* that parable of God as Householder of the World - the earth and everything in it belongs to God.

Throughout the Scriptures we see stories about bread, fish and the lake. The kingdom movement of Jesus, and his teaching, brought into question ownership of the lake. The lake becomes the microcosm for the whole of creation, and then the question of ownership of creation.

So it becomes clear that saying “Give us this day our daily bread.” is both about literal bread, and a statement about God’s world, God’s intention, and what we do. It is a question of ownership and a statement of discipleship.

Give us the bread we need for today....The word for bread is >lachma=, but the word also means >understanding=. We could say “give us the food for all forms of growth and for elementary life in general”. The root of the word demonstrates growing vigour, greenness, possibility, and generative power. It became the word >hochma= which translates as >Holy Wisdom=, the breath, the embodiment of the feminine principle in everything. This reminds us that as well as the grand picture of unity in creation, we also need just food or understanding for the moment. It stands within the context of Messianic expectation, and is quite radical. It is reminiscent of Solomon praying Agive us our apportioned bread@, or give us what we need for today. It makes a strong comment about having more than we need, over against those who have less.

The story of “daily bread” which begins back in Mark this time leads us to Luke. Two grief-stricken disciples walk along a road. How many times they must have walked that road from Emmaus to Jerusalem and back again. A stranger takes up with them, and begins to talk - and they pour out their hearts and end up in tears. They reach Emmaus, and persuade him to stay rather than walk a dangerous road after dark. A simple meal is set out: the stranger picks up the bread and says the words - “Baruch atah adonai, eloheinu melech ha olam, hamotzi lechem min haaretz.........", and then he breaks and shares it with them.

Suddenly they recognise him. The word “recognise” is rooted in the word “cognition”, and means “know again”. In the meeting on the road, and the meal around the table, their needs are met. They are fed with spiritual bread, and then they sit down and feed their bodies.

This simple sentence “Give us this day our daily bread” is a condensed symbol of the realm of God, in the here and now - on the everyday road of life, the road we travel so often and sometimes without even thinking. How often do we pick up bread and just stuff it in, without thinking. Or without realising that the faces around the table are Jesus? How often do we trust that we have enough? That we have been fed?

The story of the Road to Emmaus is a parable about community worship. The Scriptures are read first, but Jesus is truly known when food and household are shared - often with the unknown stranger. Only then can we say Jesus has been made known in the “breaking of the bread.” Now, each of the people around the table might have had their own bread, but the emphasis in the story is about the *sharing of communal food*.

It isn't enough, for me, to put the prayer in every week just because that’s the way it’s always been. On the surface this is a simple and ordinary prayer, which would have been understood well by its original hearers. It was also an incredibly radical prayer meant to change lives. If you look at the parables and sayings Jesus used, they always appeared incredibly simple, but never were. Jesus always, always pushed his followers not to be complacent - and his criticism of the religious leaders’ hypocrisy made him extremely unpopular. In some ways that’s the role of preachers - to push you sitting in the pews not to be complacent, even if it makes us unpopular. We is not enough just to rattle off the words from memory without thinking. The whole intent of the prayer and the actions we take is to make us new people, in the realm of God, in the here and now. Thanks be to God.


Sources:
1. www.jewishencyclopedia.com
2. Religion and Ethics: The Lord=s Prayer www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/christianity/prayer (Archbishop Rowan Williams)
3. Prayers of the Cosmos - Neil Douglas-Klotz
4. The Greatest Prayer:Rediscovering the Revolutionary Message of the Lord’s Prayer. John Dominic Crossan, HarperOne (HarperCollins). New York, NY. 2010.

Prayer, Petition and the Kaddish A sermon based on Matthew 6: 9-13 March 20, 2011 Second Sunday in Lent

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.

Kaddish Prayer:
"Our Parent which art in heaven, be gracious to us, O Lord, our God; hallowed be Thy name; let the remembrance of Thee be glorified in heaven above and in the earth here below. Let Thy kingdom reign over us now and forever. The holy men of old said, remit and forgive unto all men whatsoever they have done against me. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil thing. For Thine is the kingdom, and Thou shalt reign in glory for ever and for evermore."
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Most of us come to our scriptures, prayers, and liturgies assuming they are the way they always have been. But there is no such thing as “the way it’s always been.” Psalm 100 tells us to "make a joyful noise", Psalm 150 tells us to praise God with instruments, voice and dance. - with our whole self. These are the only instructions in all of the scriptures for how worship should be conducted. How many dance in church, or sing? How many find that strange? John Wesley said to sing "Lustily and with a good heart.” How many of us actually make a joyful noise?

When Jesus went to synagogue or temple, prayer was mostly public, as a call and response - that is, the person praying would make a statement or petition, the people around would respond. The Psalms show us that. Yet how often do we actually do open public prayer on an individual basis? It isn’t how we “do” worship.

Making an assumption that the words we say are the way it has always been, is in error. Consider how the Scriptures we read got to us....texts perhaps translated from Aramaic and then written down in Greek, translated to Latin, then into countless other languages. Consider how our own language has changed over the years. The English language came to us from a variety of other languages. English is truly the Heinz 57 of languages, with our major roots in Latin, Old Norse, and Old English. Even the meanings of words and usage changes with convention, with tradition, with time. Words we used as children are no longer in use today, or if they are, their meaning is quite different.

How many times have we heard someone say "It's right there in the Scriptures in plain English.?" Do we believe that these texts were dictated by God in the modern form of English we use today? So I think we are irresponsible in our faith if we just assume that the way it is on paper - whatever version we read - is the way it always was. And I think we need to be methodical enough in our faith to look at everything from all sides.

I want to take you on a translation mini-trip. Nowadays if we want to read a book, we can go to the store and buy one, and be sure that it is exactly like all the other copies of the book which are on the shelves. That wasn’t possible in earlier times. Any written material was painstakingly copied by scribes, letter by letter, by hand - no computers or printing presses. Sometimes the scribes made errors - perhaps by accident, but often they changed texts on purpose, and the changes they made also changed the meaning, sometimes quite significantly. Translators had the added problem of trying to provide words in their own language which might not exist in the original language - but somehow they needed to convey as closely as possible the intent, if not the letter, of the text. Did you know that the much-beloved King James Version was translated in the seventeenth century by a group of scholars who based their translation on a faulty Greek text. All of the translations, all of the texts we have today for the Bible, have been changed in some way. There are places where we don’t know what the original was. There are other places where complete pieces of text were added much later. Here are but two examples which were added hundreds of years later:

1 John 5: 7 - There are three that bear witness in heaven, the Father, the Word and the Holy Spirit, and these three are one.
John 8:7 - Let the one who is without sin cast the first stone.

Now - whether or not these were added later, they have become part of the fabric of our Gospels, and we work with them - and there is much good to be taken from them. But always we need to be mindful of where they came from, and take that into account.

When I was in seminary, first year, we took a class which was formally called New Testament 1, informally called Baby Bible. Our professor for the lecture on the Lord’s Prayer was the New Testament professor at Emmanuel College, Rev. Dr. Leif Vaage. His particular research focuses on early Christian practice and the historical Jesus. In one lecture, he began discussing the structure of the Lord’s Prayer, and how it was completely rooted in ancient Jewish religious practice. Several students got up and left in tears - and one yelled as she left “That wasn’t the way I learned it in Sunday School.” I never could get over that - the simple act of pointing out that the prayer of Jesus had a literary structure, made those students so upset they cried. For me, that was one of the most exciting lectures we had, because it added meaning to the prayer and the text.

The culture of Jesus’ time, and even Jewish culture today, is known as honour-shame culture. While one is Jewish by birth through one’s mother, the societal structure is patriarchal. So Jesus lived in a culture in which a man was the head of the household, and always honour had to be ascribed to the head of the household in any address. Jewish society was like a pyramid, with the power at the top, women and children a little further down, then slaves, and finally animals and other property.

The first section - father in heaven - is the address and location, which establishes rank in the pyramidal hierarchy of Jewish society. The second section - holy be your name - offers words of honour and praise. The third and largest section is petition, and the prayer in its original form ends with petition. Here=s a small example of what meanings can be attached and understood to words in their original context.

The very first word in the Aramaic version is "abwoon". The root of the word is 'ab', from which comes the word 'abba', - the more accurate translation of ‘abba’ is Daddy, rather than father. In this case, the word is intended to be a personal father; originally the word had no gender, and might have been understood as 'divine parent'. :"Bwoon" denotes the power which emanates from that original, and kind of transition from the potential to the actual here and now. So, it seems to me, far from establishing God as somewhere else, it says clearly that God the parent is right here, right now, with us. In essence, it really doesn't place God at the top, but as the origin from which everything else comes - the centre.

The first two petitions are 'your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as in heaven.' In this understanding, heaven literally comes to earth. They are not two separate places. The word 'tzevyanach' can be translated as 'will', but not in the sense of willpower, or strength of will. Rather it means 'desire' or 'heart's desire', harmonious cooperation among all things to bring about one goal. Heaven and earth become one, from potential to actual.

'Arha' means 'earth', and it is possible that this is the root of our word earth. The old root of the word carries the meaning of "all nature, all natural gatherings of mass and form produced by the universal force.” The root AR is power with movement, and it may also be the root of our modern word, ardor.

The request for God's realm to come is usually interpreted in the most literal way: the belief, that the Messiah would, with great power, bring about a Kingdom of God. Now, believe that God’s realm will come by the hands of those faithful to work for a better world. It is believed by these individuals that Jesus' commands to feed the hungry and clothe the needy are the Kingdom to which he was referring. Yet, scripture teaches that the "Kingdom of God is within you" (Luke 17:21). By such an interpretation, the petition in the Lord's Prayer asks for this inner kingdom, and not one dominated by selfish and egoistic desires.

Finally, the phrase "the Kingdom of God" is used more-or-less interchangeably in the New Testament with the "the reign of God". This suggests the petition is asking for a state of soul in which God reigns - a state of piety and humility, where one is directed by God, and does not rely on ones own devices, schemes, and imaginings

The fourth petition is “Forgive our sins as we forgive those who sin against us”. The word 'washboqlan' *can* be translated as 'forgive', but it can also mean 'return us to our original state', 'embrace with emptiness'. The prayer reaffirms that our original state is clear and unburdened, releasing those things which tie us down and prevent our growth. While Matthew's version of the prayer translated the word as 'debts' or 'offences', the word also means 'hidden past', 'secret debt' and any negative 'inner fruit'. Luke's version is translated as 'sins', but it could also mean 'failures', 'mistakes', 'accidental offences' or even 'frustrated hopes.'

The context of the prayer in Matthew is also critical. Jesus is asked by the followers how they should pray. He gives a lesson about people who pray ostentatiously, loudly, wordily; remember I said that prayer was often public in the synagogue - but not loud public prayer. People stood for worship - so someone praying would be overheard by others, even if the prayer were more quiet. However, Jesus says “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to God, who is unseen.” Jesus then instructs his followers to pray in the manner prescribed in the Kaddish prayer - something they would have been able to say without thinking - just as we tend to say the prayer without thinking too much. Taking into account its structure, subject matter and emphases, it could be seen as a guideline on how to pray rather than something to be learned and repeated by rote. The New Testament records Jesus and his disciples praying on several occasions, but never this specific prayer, so the application and understanding of the prayer during the ministry of Jesus is not completely clear. This is the only time it is mentioned, and as we’ve seen - only by Matthew and Luke, and not by Mark or John.

The comment from Jesus, to go away quietly and pray alone, is interpreted by some as a kind of personal “minhag”, which Jesus used for himself - based in traditions and practices of the liturgy and spirituality of that day. So Jesus offers something everyone would know, with some additions of his own.

I also think Jesus understood the really revolutionary nature of this prayer, and gave the disciples something they could use as a guideline for their own private prayer practice.

Now, what I have given you today is a lot - but it is also a really cursory beginning at picking apart the many meanings of this prayer. Needless to say, there is a lot more in it than we have thought - and I am absolutely positive that when we repeat it from memory on a Sunday morning, these meanings and thoughts have not gone through our minds. But I truly believe that if we really look closely at the meaning of this prayer, it should change our lives dramatically, and if it doesn't we are not paying attention. It is a prayer of great hope, great possibility, and affirmation of our place in the cosmos.


Sources:
1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaddish
2. Ehrman, Bart. Misquoting Jesus: The Story Behind Who Changed the Bible and Why. HarperSanFrancisco, 2007.
3. Crossan, John Dominic. The Greatest Prayer. HaperOne, New York, 2010.
4. Douglas-Klotz, Neil. Prayers of the Cosmos
5. Minhag (Hebrew) is an accepted tradition or group of traditions in Judaism. A related concept, Nusach refers to the traditional order and form of the prayers. The related Arabic minha-j also means custom or tradition.

"Save Us from the Time of Trial" a sermon based on Matt. 4:1-11 and Matt. 6:9-13 First Sunday in Lent Humber United Church, Corner Brook, NL

Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted[a] by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’[b]” Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written:
“‘He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’[c]”
Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’[d]” Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.” Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’[e]” Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.

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Matthew 6:9-13
"Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our
debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil."

Luke 11:2-4
"Father,hallowed be your name.Your kingdom come.
Give us each day our daily bread, and forgive us our sins,
for we ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us.
And lead us not into temptation."

Worldwide English Version
Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. May your kingdom come. May your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us our food for today. Forgive us for the wrong things we have done, the way we forgive those who have done wrong things to us. Do not test us but help us, so that no one will make us do wrong. Deliver us from the evil one. The kingdom and power and praise belong to you for ever. Amen!

Ecumenical Version
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,
Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.
Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours now and for ever. Amen
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Jesus is beginning to come to terms with who he actually is. In both Matthew and Luke, he has just been baptised by John, and has had a deep spiritual experience at the moment he emerges from the water. He is starting to get a glimmer of this calling to ministry. So he goes off by himself to spend some time in discernment. What is different about this story is that it really is clearly all about Jesus, and about this particular event in his life.

The text tells us he went into the wilderness for forty days and forty nights. In the Palestine of Jesus, the wilderness was a harsh and unforgiving place, not a place for resting, relaxing, and having a comfortable discernment of a calling into ministry. If you look at photos of that area, it is mountainous rocky desert with barely a living thing in it - at least to the human eye. The text tells us he was “led by the Spirit into the wilderness” and there he was “tested”.

We are told Jesus was there forty days and forty nights. Any Jewish person hearing this would immediately draw a parallel with Noah being forty days and nights on the ark before landing on Mount Ararat, or Moses fasting on Mount Sinai for forty days and nights before he came face to face with God. Forty days and nights is not a literal interpretation, but symbolic of a long time. And people who enter into serious fasting often report that they begin to have visions, to see the world differently.

Jesus fasted, so by the end of forty days and nights with little other than some water, he then encounters himself in a very particular way. Bear in mind that he has been alone in the wilderness for a long with nothing to eat, and little to drink other than water. He’s going to be worn, tired, stinky, filthy, and disoriented. Yet it’s also significant that each time he is given a test, he responds with quotes mostly from Deuteronomy - from Moses.

John Dominic Crossan is one of the foremost Jesus scholars of today, Professor Emeritus at DePaul University and one of the co-founders of the Jesus Seminar in California. In the book “The Greatest Prayer: Rediscovering the Revolutionary Message of the Lord’s Prayer”, he gives some history of the context in which Jesus was living at the time. We have to step back, then, look at the wider context, and then narrow it down to Jesus in the midst of that context. There were continuous revolts against th Roman occupation. The first revolt was the year of Jesus’ birth, under Augustus in 4 BCE. The second was in 66 CE, near the end of Nero’s devastating reign.

Jesus lived in the tiny hamlet of Nazareth, about four or five miles from the big city of Sepphoris. In the destruction of Sepphoris, any of the small villages adjacent would have been raided of grain, produce and livestock; farms, houses and even trees destroyed. Those who were unable to hide would have been raped, if female; killed if male; and taken as slaves if young.

So Jesus is born sometime after this first violent incursion, and lives in a lull where non-violent resistance to the Romans is the action of choice. Crossan says it is critical that we ask the questions - even if there are no answers - where did the young Jesus make the choice between God and empire, rebellion and resistance, violence and non-violence? He ties it to the experience Jesus had in the wilderness, and then links it to the prayer.

Crossan gives us this translation of this part of the prayer:
“Do not bring us to the time of trial, but rescue us from the evil one.”

There are two points here as I go further: Matthew says Jesus was “led by the Spirit into the wilderness” and there he was “tested”. Crossan uses the translation “do not bring us to the time of trial”. He says that this prayer is deeply embedded in the concrete historical situation of Israel’s confrontation with the Roman Empire.

The Greek word for “temptation” is ‘peirasmos’, which can also be translated as ‘tested’. And I need to say I think that the “evil one”, the tempter, whatever we call it, was that part of Jesus himself which might have given in to reaching for that great physical and temporal power to control and rule. The struggle - the test - was within himself. He’s just heard a voice saying “this is my Son”, and then in the wilderness hears “IF you are the Son of God” you can do this....

So it is God who leads Jesus into the wilderness, and God who tests him. He is offered the power to turn stones into bread. Put this in context - his people would have been impoverished when they were overrun by Rome. Daily life, even for a bit of bread, would have been a struggle. Imagine being able to feed himself immediately, but then provide everyone with enough. Then he sees himself standing on the highest point in the city of Jerusalem - the most holy place for Jews - the pinnacle of the temple; and then the most powerful in all the earth. In each of these, he refutes the “evil one” by choosing honesty and commitment to God over personal advancement.

So I repeat that I don’t believe that “the evil one”, “the tempter”, or “satan” was a transcendent spiritual individual. Matthew has personified temptation for a reason. The word “devil” is a combination of two Greek words which mean “the one who misleads, deceives.” Well, who can mislead us or deceive us better than we ourselves. We are really good at rationalisation of our own motives and actions, aren’t we? And we note in Matthew’s text that the three temptations “progress from personal and individual, through corporate and communal to structural and systemic temptation.” which would have involved violence against someone to achieve those ends. Jesus, in this temptation, clearly chooses God and life, over immediate gratification and a giving in to that part of himself which *is* tested.

The timeline in the Scripture is also extremely important. In Matthew 4, following this experience, Jesus hears that John the Baptist is in prison; he picks up where John left off, and begins preaching repentance. By chapter 5 Jesus has begun the Sermon on the Mount, and as we get into chapter 6, he responds to the disciples question about how to pray. Matthew draws a direct line from the testing of Jesus to the Hebrew prayer.

What is there in this for us? I suggest that there is a very real lesson here. The “test”, the “temptation” is not necessarily something from the outside, a supernatural being leading us off down the garden path. It is the struggle with ourselves, in our daily life. Lent, in the church, has always been considered a time of reflection, personal introspection, We pray for many reasons, but in this case, I believe that this part of the prayer is asking for the wisdom and strength to resist those parts of our nature which find it easier to follow the ways of the world, to buy into the notion that we have to have many things, to buy more, to have more power and control. Jesus knew what he was talking about from real experience. When he gave this prayer to his disciples, he gave them something they all knew by heart - they could recite it without thinking. He gives it to them in the context of *thinking* about what they are saying, and living those words.

The Worldwide English version translates it this way:
Do not test us but help us, so that no one will make us do wrong. Deliver us from the evil one.

Sources:
1. (New International Version, ©2011) with footnotes.
a)Matthew 4:1 The Greek for tempted can also mean tested.
b) Matthew 4:4 Deut. 8:3
c) Matthew 4:6 Psalm 91:11,12
d) Matthew 4:7 Deut. 6:16
e) Matthew 4:10 Deut. 6:13

2. John Dominic Crossan “The Greatest Prayer”. HarperCollins, New York, 2010.

3. Essay by Robert Bryant, in “Feasting on the Word”. Westminster John Knox Press, Louisville, 2010.

“Coming Down from the Light” March 6, 2011 Transfiguration A sermon based on Ex. 24:12-18, Matt. 17:1-9. Humber United Church, Corner Brook NL

God said to Moses, "Come up to me on the mountain, and wait there; and I will give you the tablets of stone, with the law and the commandment, which I have written for instruction." So Moses set out with his assistant Joshua, and Moses went up to the mountain of God. To the elders he said, "Wait here for us, until we come to you again; Aaron and Hur are with you; whoever has a dispute may go to them." Then Moses went up on the mountain, and it was covered in cloud. The glory of God settled on Mount Sinai, and cloud covered it for six days; on the seventh day God called to Moses out of the cloud. The appearance of God’s glory was like a devouring fire on the top of the mountain, in the sight of the people of Israel. Moses entered the cloud, went up on the mountain, and was on the mountain for forty days and forty nights.
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Jesus took with him Peter, James and his brother John, and led them up a high mountain, by themselves. He was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became dazzling white. Suddenly they saw Moses and Elijah, talking with him. Peter said to Jesus, "Lord, it is good for us to be here; if you wish, I will make three dwellings here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah." While he was still speaking, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and from the cloud a voice said, "This is my Son, the Beloved; with him I am well pleased; listen to him!" When the disciples heard this, they fell to the ground and were overcome by fear. Jesus came and touched them, saying, "Get up and do not be afraid." When they looked up, no one was there except Jesus. As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus ordered them, "Tell no one about the vision until after the Son of Man has been raised from the dead."

TRANSFIGURATION

The path narrows, takes a forgotten turn as it disappears over a wooded hill
and into a deeper forest. We travel this road by heart.
The twisted trees, untended and overgrown, obscure our view,
grasp at us as we pass.
We will be wearied by the persistent wind and the gritty light,
wishing for some better company than our own twisted and untended selves.
Though some great-winged creature lurks at the edges of our sight,
still we shall push on. What is good in us will keep us from turning back.
This journey will try us, teach us, take us the long way home. Today there is time
for one more 'Alleluia' before we enter these Lenten lands.
Perhaps it will be when a crocus purples the morning,
or an early peeper rises from the mud to sing us a sign,
or when we look up to see our reflection in another pair of eyes,
then step back to marvel at that shining face which bids us go.
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Near the end of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, Sam tells Frodo he understands why they go on, through the mires and swamps, the dead lands - he says it’s because there is still some good in the world, something worth holding onto. In this journey they have gone through the “Lenten lands”, the valley of the shadow of death, and almost lost their lives. Together they climb to the very heart of Mount Doom, and there the One Ring of power finally finds its way into the fires and is destroyed. They believe they are at the end of all things.

But they were not. As it turned out, they went back down the mountain and had to go on living in the world of the Shire. There is not question that while their particular experience was horrendous, they were forever changed by it. Sam is able to make the adjustment, Frodo never does.

I have a friend in the United States, Anna Murdock, a lay person who finds her voice through writing and leading worship workshops. She talks about the ‘thin places’ of the world. Anna says “I have a dear friend who calls such a time a “heaven-touching-earth moment. I call this a God-moment.”

I think this is true. There are no words to give name to such a time when the Divine Veil has been lifted in one’s presence. The radiance, the glory, God’s Presence and our deep desire to put a time such as this into immediate words all cause some stammering on our part - even confusion as to what has taken place.” Anna says “I feel as if I have the word “PETER” written across my forehead, as my heart wants to blurt out words that will only prove themselves to be a jumbled-up mess. It is then that a holy finger presses against my lips and we hear “Shhhh - this is my son, my chosen. Listen to him.” and the Divine Veil is lifted if only for a moment.”

Have you ever experienced a transcendent moment, when time and reality are suspended, and you see and know everything, become a part of everything. I am going to describe a personal experience - and this is a big risk, because ever I am afraid to speak of it, other than with trusted people. Five years ago, I was awakened by a presence - the only way I can describe it - and felt rather than heard ‘Don’t be afraid.’ In a flash, the whole of the universe, the connection of everything became real. I was nothing more than a tiny mote - in fact, there was no “I” any more at all. For several days I was convinced I was losing my mind, and began researching mental illness. I finally went to a friend who is a Buddhist priest - who helped in working through it - and left me with these words: “Don’t try to hold on to it, to grasp it, don’t try to stay in that place or recreate the experience. Hold it lightly.”

To the Celtic peoples, thin places are incredibly real. One has to differentiate between a physical perspective and a spiritual one. In simple terms a ‘thin place’ is a place where the veil between this world and the Other world is thin - and the two can meet. This meaning assumes the perceiver senses the existence of a world beyond what we know through our five senses.

Truth abides in thin places; naked, raw, hard to face truth. Yet the comfort, safety and strength to face that truth also abides there. Thin places captivate our imagination, yet diminish our existence. We become very small, yet we gain connection and become part of something larger than we can perceive. The human spirit is awakened and will grow if the body and mind allow it. Simply put, a thin place is a place where one experiences that mysterious power.

Moses goes up a mountain to speak to God, and if you read further on in Exodus, he returns with his face shining like the sun. After that, he covers his face with a veil, except at those times when he goes alone before God.

Jesus and his three closest friends go up the highest mountain in the area. They stop near the summit, and sit down for a rest. The three begin to nod off, but then notice Jesus’ face radiating light; his clothes become glistening white. Could this have been what the Israelites saw when Moses brought the Ten Commandments down from Sinai and his face shone so that he had to cover it?

In both cases, I believe, Moses and Jesus have a transcendent experience which changes them right at the very heart of their spiritual core - and the experience is so profound it shines out of them. So do the three disciples.

The disciples had seen this glorious event in dumbstruck silence. Peter wanted to remain *in* this mountain-top experience and stop the clock. He had seen “Paree”; he didn't want to return to the farm. When he found his voice, he said to Jesus, "Master, it's a good thing that we are here; let us make three tents: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah. Let’s stay here, where we've seen how glorious life can be. Let's preserve this glorious moment and not worry about going back from this light."

Jesus, you will note, didn’t even begin to try to answer. He had no words himself, and likely Peter’s stammering sounded like gibberish. It was a transforming experience which probably left him speechless. While he believed in the power of God, this was the real thing.

And yet, Jesus still comes to the others and says “Get up, and don’t be afraid.”

Moses, having been to one of those thin places and encountering the radiant presence of God, then has to come back down and try to explain to the Israelites. How mundane, to return from communing with God to explaining to this “stubborn and stiff-necked people” what God’s intent was. What a drag!

So Jesus and the three come back down with their eyes bugging out, Jesus probably wanting some quiet and reflective time; they get to the bottom of the mountain, find a crowd waiting, and a man with an epileptic son, who says he asked the other disciples to heal his son, but they could not. Jesus says the most human thing which ever came out his mouth, something like “How long do I have to put up with this? Bring the boy to me.” Can you hear the utter exasperation in his voice? After such an experience, isn’t this the last thing one would want to deal with? Jesus is still mentally and spiritually back there. How mundane and small it must have seemed. I can see him asking himself “Is this all there is? Is this what it’s about?” Was this experience to become only a dimly remembered high moment in a never-ending sea of need? Because after awhile the memory still is real, but we question ourselves.

Rev. Thomas Hall says that relating to this experience is most difficult, because it could never be repeated. Some Christians go to the Bible stories to try to replicate what they read. In the process, the Scriptures are turned into rigid formulae that dictate what our experiences can be. We reduce the stories to rules, truths, and doctrines; and when we think we've got the truth we become intolerant of others who understand the same truth in a different way. Yet even the gospel writers place different interpretations on the Transfiguration experience. Mark sees it as a mountain top experience, Matthew sees it as a vision, Luke as a prayer meeting.

So we let the experience of transfiguration stand as it is - one brief moment of clarity and revelation - a stepping into a thin place; we catch a glimpse of radiant and transcendent glory. Then we come back to earth, to the people around us who hurt and need healing, to the ordinary and everyday, things which look drab and mundane. The trick is to look at those ordinary, everyday things, remove the veil, and see the glory there as well.

It’s here that I want to lead in to the next three weeks of sermons. Almost right before this experience, Jesus had been asked how we should pray, and he responded with a prayer which we now call the Lord’s Prayer. On the surface, it seems simply enough - and yet it is a profound call to living, down here at the bottom of the mountain, in the ordinary and mundane - and to find a transforming experience within it. It seems significant that Jesus offers this prayer to them, then has a transforming experience himself - and then all of them, Jesus included, have to go back to the real world, and live that prayer.


Sources:

1. Poem “Transfiguration”, by Rev. Tim Haut, Deep River Pastoral Charge, 2011.

2. Sermon “A Mountaintop Experience”, by Dr. David Rogne, retired pastor United Methodist Church USA

3. Sermon “Prayer Mountain” by Rev. Thomas Hall, Mayflower UCC, Billings, MT.