Spiritual Persistence

Grace Episcopal Church, Madison NJ

October 28, 2012

Year B: Proper 25 – The Twenty-Second Sunday after Pentecost

Job 42:1-6, 10-17

Psalm 34:1-8, (19-22)

(Hebrews 7:23-28)

Mark 10:46-52

Spiritual Persistence

            On Friday some parishioners and I visited the Thomas Edison National Park in West Orange.

            This trip was different from the others we’ve taken lately because there was no obvious religious angle. I had hoped that Edison had been an Episcopalian or at least a Christian. But, although his second wife was a committed Methodist, the great inventor himself had no use for religion.

            Anyway, we had a great time touring Edison’s factory and lab and also his nearby estate. We learned a lot. One of the key points made by the park rangers about Edison was his persistence.

            Edison and his team performed thousands and thousands of experiments, determined to turn their ideas into reality and then, of course, turn a handsome profit on their amazing new inventions.

            The persistent Edison was perfectly pleased when an experiment produced a negative result because it still brought him a little closer to finding the right answer.

            Edison’s persistence paid off in many ways. He was awarded 1,093 US patents – still the most for any individual.

            And Edison’s persistence paid off in inventions that shaped the modern world, including the phonograph, the motion picture camera, the stock ticker, and, most important of all, the light bulb.

            Like Edison, most, if not all, of us know about the power of persistence.

            Persistence is powerful because it’s an act of faith. It’s an act of faith in ourselves.

            Many of us know the power of persistence at school or work.

            Many of us know the power of persistence in sports or learning a musical instrument or mastering a foreign language.

            Our parishioner Mike Kostial and his brother know the power of persistence when today, after many months of preparation, they run in the Marine Corps Marathon, raising money for the fight against cancer.

            We know about the power of persistence in our everyday lives, but we can easily forget the power of persistence in our spiritual lives.

            In our spiritual lives, persistence is even more powerful because it’s an act of faith in God.

            Persistence, that act of faith, creates room for God, makes an opening for God to do great things in our lives.

            In Scripture we have examples of people being persistent and people not being persistent.

            Remember a few weeks ago we heard the story of the rich man asking Jesus what he needed to do to inherit eternal life? He claimed to have followed all the commandments. But, when Jesus called him to give up his possessions, he threw in the towel.

            The rich man was unwilling to persist, unwilling to make that act of faith, unwilling to make room for God to do something great in his life.

            In today’s lessons, though, we have examples of people who do spiritually persist.

            For the past few weeks we’ve been hearing excerpts from the Book of Job – this ancient folktale about undeserved suffering. Remember as a result of a bet made between God and Satan, the righteous Job lost just about everything: his family, his wealth and his health.

            Job mourns and complains bitterly, crying out in despair because God seems to have abandoned him.

            Yet, through it all, Job persists – remaining faithful and never cursing God as Satan had predicted. And as we heard today, at the conclusion of the story, Job’s persistence is rewarded when God gives Job twice as much as he had before.
            And then there’s blind Bartimaeus in today’s gospel lesson.

            Blind Bartimaeus actually sees more than most when he calls out, “Jesus Son of David, have mercy on me!” And when many sternly order him to be quiet, Bartimaeus persists, crying out even more loudly, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”

            And, Bartimaeus’ persistence is rewarded when Jesus gives him his sight, saying “Go; your faith has made you well.”

            Essentially Jesus tells Bartimaeus, “Go; your persistence has made you well.”

            In our spiritual lives, persistence is powerful because it’s an act of faith in God.

            Persistence, that act of faith, creates room for God, makes an opening for God to do great things in our lives.

            So, what about us? How spiritually persistent are we?

            I can only speak for myself.

            And the bottom line is I’m not as spiritually persistent as Job or as Bartimaeus.

            How about you?

            I wrote an article in the upcoming Messenger called “Spiritual Stewardship.” I wrote that just as we’re called to be good stewards of our material wealth, God also expects us to be good stewards of our spiritual resources – and most especially the power of prayer.

            So, as you’ll see, I’ve issued a little challenge to the parish. Take a look at your Grace Notes. (This will be one time when it’s OK to look at your bulletin during the sermon!) On page 11 you’ll find our parish prayer list.

            For the next month I challenge all of us to take Grace Notes home and spiritually persist by praying for everyone on the list every day. There’s no one right time or way to do it. In the morning with your cup of coffee. At night before bed. Say the names aloud. Read them silently. Run your finger across the names.

            Just pray the prayer list in a way that feels right and works for your schedule. And if you miss a day, don’t give up. Persist. Maybe pray the list twice the next day.

            Like Thomas Edison, we know about the power of persistence in our everyday lives, but we can easily forget the power of persistence in our spiritual lives.

            Spiritual persistence is powerful because it’s an act of faith in God.

            Persistence, this act of faith, creates room for God, makes an opening for God to do great things in our lives, in the lives of others – and in the life of our parish.

            Amen.