St. Paul’s Church in
Bergen, Jersey City NJ
February 22, 2015
Year B: The First
Sunday in Lent
Genesis 9:8-17
Psalm 25:1-9
1 Peter 3:18-22
Mark 1:9-15
God’s Flood of Love and
Compassion
Today’s
reading from the Hebrew Scriptures is the tail end of one of the best-known
stories in the Bible: The Flood.
Even
people who don’t know anything about the Bible, who have never stepped foot in
a synagogue or church, know the story of God getting so unhappy with humanity
that God decides to just flood the whole planet. But, as everybody knows, God allows
a remnant to survive, commanding Noah to construct an ark and gather pairs of
every living creature along with his family to weather this greatest of all
storms.
It
always surprises me that this is one of the first Bible stories we often tell
our children – kids love animals, right? – because the story of the Flood and
Noah’s Ark is a very disturbing story.
First
of all, as ancient people understood only too well – there are lots of stories
about great floods in Middle Eastern literature – floods are terrifying!
And,
in recent years many of us have experienced the terror, the destructive power,
of floods as great hurricanes have swamped our area causing terrible damage
right here in Jersey City, in some of our own homes.
When
Hurricane Irene hit, Sue and I were living in downtown Jersey City and I
remember getting up early and going downstairs and peering into the basement
only to see rapidly rising flood water making its way up the stairs
And,
I’m sure many of us still have vivid memories of watching the sickening images
of Hurricane Katrina drowning a great American city.
The
story of the flood and Noah’s Ark is disturbing because floods are terrifying.
It’s
also disturbing because the idea of God getting so angry at the world is even
more terrifying!
And,
it is hard to match up the God of love that we see in Jesus with the very angry
God who would flood the world.
But,
it seems to me, that the most important part of the story of the Flood and
Noah’s Ark is not the flood or the ark or the pairs of animals.
No,
the heart of the story is the last part – the part that we heard today.
In
the end, for God, mercy is more important than judgment.
After
the flood, after this terrifying and destructive disaster, we’re told that God
makes a new covenant – God makes a new contract – not just with Noah and his
sons, not just with the people of Israel, not just with all human beings, but
God makes a covenant with “every living creature.”
For
God, mercy is more important than judgment.
Instead
of a flood of destruction, God pours out a flood of love and compassion.
Jesus
experienced that flood of love and compassion at his baptism when he came up
out of the Jordan and heard the voice of God say, “You are my Son, the Beloved;
with you I am well pleased.”
And,
even during the forty days of temptation in the wilderness, Jesus was kept
afloat by God’s flood of love and compassion, giving him the strength to resist
Satan.
And,
even when Jesus was abandoned on the cross, crying out in agony and apparent
abandonment, even then, Jesus received God’s flood of love and compassion,
giving him the strength to complete his mission.
But,
of course, Jesus wasn’t just kept afloat by God’s flood of love and compassion.
Through
his teaching, and healing, and mercy, and generosity – through his life, death,
and resurrection, Jesus was – is – God’s flood of love and compassion.
And
the same is true – or, can be true - for us.
We
are kept afloat by God’s flood of love and compassion.
Just
like Jesus, in the water of baptism we received an assurance of God’s love –
that we beloved by God – and nothing we can do or not do can ever break the
bond between God and us.
Just
like Jesus, in our times of temptation and trial, we are kept afloat by God’s
flood of love and compassion – giving us the strength and courage we need – and
offering quick and full forgiveness when we mess up and fall short.
And,
we can be part of God’s flood of love and compassion.
Each
time we pick up the phone or even type out an email or text to someone who we
know is suffering, then we are part of God’s flood of love and compassion.
Each
time we bring an item for the food pantry, or sacrifice by dropping some money
into our mite box, or offer prayers for our families, friends, neighbors, the
suffering people here and around the world, and even prayers for our enemies,
then we are part of God’s flood of love and compassion.
Each
time we say we’re sorry for the ways we mess up and each time we accept the
apology of someone who has wronged us, we are part of God’s flood of love and
compassion.
And
each time we stand up for the person who’s being picked on, or when we work
together to resist the forces of greed and racism, we are part of God’s flood
of love and compassion.
So,
today we remember the covenant - the contract – made by God not just with Noah
and his sons, not just with the people of Israel, not just with all human
beings, but God makes a covenant with “every living creature.”
This
new covenant, marked by a rainbow, shows that God values mercy more than
judgment.
This
new covenant unleashes God’s flood of love and compassion.
This
flood kept Jesus afloat – and keeps us afloat during times of temptation and
trial.
And,
like Jesus, if we are open to it, we also can wash our tired and broken world
with God’s love and compassion.
Right
here at St. Paul’s, maybe especially during the holy season of Lent, we can be
part of God’s great flood of love and compassion.
Amen.
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