St. Paul’s Church in
Bergen & Church of the Incarnation, Jersey City NJ
November 4, 2018
Year B: All Saints’
Sunday
Wisdom 3:1-9
Psalm 24
Revelation 21:1-6a
John 11:32-44
No Saints on the Sidelines
If
you were here last week, you may remember that my high school alma mater, St.
Peter’s Prep, was already on my mind.
In
last week’s sermon, I talked about the many gifts I received there – most
especially the life-transforming understanding that we are all meant to be men
and women for others.
Over
the last few days many other people have been thinking about Prep because, as
you may have seen on the news, on Wednesday night a man who worked there took
his own life.
His
name was Jan – and I had known him back when he was a student and then later
when he returned to the school to work in the IT department.
He
was very much a geek, and he was also unfailingly kind and patient, which made
him both really good at his job and much loved in the Prep community.
So,
many of us are heartbroken and reeling – terribly sad that Jan must have felt
so much despair, so much hopelessness, that he gave up on life – and that he
did this in a place he loved so much.
Among
other things, Jan’s death is a powerful reminder of the importance of our
mental health – which is at least as important as our physical health, but,
unfortunately, although it’s gotten better, there is still a lingering stigma
in admitting that we have emotional troubles, in acknowledging that we need
some help.
I
feel no shame in admitting to you that there have been times in my life when
I’ve had some issues that I’ve needed to work on and that I’ve gotten help from
a therapist.
(Usually
this was strongly suggested to me by some people who love me!)
The
most recent time was a couple of years ago when I felt I was kind of losing my
way a little.
I
spent several months meeting with a therapist, who was very helpful indeed.
I
remember at one point he had asked me to talk about what parts of my work gave
me the most joy.
By
now, most of you know me well enough that probably you could have answered that
question on my behalf!
But,
as you’d probably guess, I talked a lot about our public witness: about our
Good Friday Stations of the Cross and Jersey City Together and Garden State
Episcopal…
As
I was going down that list, my therapist interrupted me and he said, “I know
what you like best! You really like to be in the mix!”
And,
actually…that’s not true!
What
I like best is sitting on the couch and losing myself in a good book.
But,
what I have come to understand is that, as pleasurable and valuable as that
might be, sitting on the couch reading a good book is not what we’re made for –
and, ultimately, it’s not what satisfies us.
No,
we Christians are meant to be men and women for others.
We
are made to be saints.
And,
saints need to be in the mix.
Because
there are no saints on the sidelines.
As
some of you know first-hand, I spend a lot of time encouraging people to come
to church. I do that for a couple of reasons but one is because church provides
so many different opportunities to get off the sidelines and into the mix.
Of
course, there are all the things that I listed to my therapist, all of the
public witness we regularly do – visiting and praying at the places of
suffering and death, working for better housing, schools, and safety for ourselves
and our neighbors here in Jersey City, supporting our partner organizations
that feed and house the homeless.
Right
here, today, we’ve welcomed our Family Promise guests who will make our
spiritual home their home for the next two weeks.
What
a tremendous way to get off the sidelines and into the mix, simply by spending
some time with our guests or providing food or spending the night or even just
by donating to our young saint Mia’s beautiful vision of raising $903 to help
provide every child with a permanent home.
Just
last Sunday, a bunch of us got off the sidelines and into the Sandwich Squad,
making over 200 sandwiches along with some other goodies that I can tell you
were enthusiastically received at the homeless drop-in center on Monday,
gratefully accepted by people the world looks at as nobodies and losers, but
who God loves so very much.
Deacon
Jill has led so many people off of the sidelines and into the Lighthouse – talk
about being in the mix – offering shelter and hope to asylees and refugees –
people who, it seems, are more despised by more of our fellow Americans with
each passing day.
I
thought of my therapist’s declaration “You like to be in the mix!” as I was off
the sidelines and standing on the steps of City Hall on Thursday evening,
looking out at the crowd and seeing a few familiar faces, as we stood in
solidarity with our Jewish sisters and brothers, affirming that we are stronger
than hate – an especially important affirmation for us to make because,
I’m sorry to say, in our country it’s Christians – or, people who say they are Christians - who do most of
the hating.
And
then on Friday night, some of us got off the sidelines and into the mix by
attending the Shabbat service with our friends just a few blocks away at Temple
Beth-El. I don’t know, but considering recent tragic events, maybe some of us
felt a little uncomfortable, a little nervous being there, but our presence was
a powerful sign of solidarity and love.
Our
friend and neighbor Alain Mentha, a member of Temple Beth-El, wrote on Facebook
how much it meant to him and the others in the synagogue to see friends and
allies standing with them in their – our – time of grief.
We
Christians are meant to be men and women for others.
We
are made to be saints.
And,
saints are meant to be in the mix.
There
are no saints on the sidelines.
Now,
I am a notoriously bad mind-reader, but I’m guessing at this point some of you
are ready to raise the white flag – to say, you know, I’m too busy – I’ve got
too many responsibilities – I’ve got work every day and a tall pile of bills to
pay – I’ve got kids or grandkids to raise – there’s just no way I can be “in
the mix” – there’s no way I can be a saint.
And,
again, I’m no mind-reader, but I’m guessing others are thinking: I’m old and
I’m tired and bones and muscles ache – I just don’t have the energy or the
ability – I’m sorry but there’s no way I can be “in the mix” – there’s no way I
can be a saint.
I
get it and I hear you, but the truth is we can all be in the mix – no one is
off the hook when it comes to striving to be a saint.
First
of all, it is saintly to be raising young saints – especially during days like
these – especially here in the city with dangers and temptations lurking at so
many corners.
Second,
one thing that all saints have in common is that they are people of
prayer.
So,
OK, you can’t help with Family Promise, then come off the sidelines by praying
for our guests and praying for those who will offer them hospitality.
OK,
you can’t make it to City Hall or to the synagogue, then come off the sidelines
by praying for our Jewish brothers and sisters who are hurting so much – pray
that the fear and hatred on the loose in our country can be healed and we can
live together in harmony.
OK,
all you can do is barely make it to church on Sunday, then come off the
sidelines by taking home the prayer list that we print every week and sometime
during the week pray for all of the many people listed there – the sick and the
suffering – the people counting on us, counting on God.
And,
finally, maybe carve out a little time to pick up the phone and call someone
you know who’s hurting – and we all know at least one person who’s
hurting – pick up the phone and let them hear the voice of a flesh and blood
human being who cares – let them hear our voice – let them hear the voice of a
man or woman for others.
Because
that’s what we Christians are meant to be.
We
are made to be saints.
And,
saints are meant to be in the mix.
There
are no saints on the sidelines.
Amen.
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