The Church of St.
Paul & Incarnation, Jersey City NJ
August 11, 2019
Year C, Proper 14:
The Ninth Sunday after Pentecost
Isaiah 1:1, 10-20
Psalm 50:1-8, 23-24
Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-16
Luke 12:32-40
If We Are Alert
It’s
no secret that we are living in a time of great anxiety.
These
days it’s almost unbearable to watch or read the news, which is usually some
mix of stories that are heartbreaking or terrifying or infuriating – or all
three at the same time.
Mass shootings
still get coverage for a day or two – though the steady beat of violence in our
cities, including our own, barely gets a mention.
Wholesale roundups
of undocumented immigrants (and sometimes people who do have the right
papers) - many of these people have lived and worked here peacefully for many
years – suddenly corralled into buses, leaving weeping children on the
sidewalk, wondering if they will see their parents again, wondering who will
care for them.
Bitter political
divisions, which will surely grow even more bitter during the long months of
campaigning ahead.
Worries about
soaring temperatures near the North Pole, melting ice caps, and rising seas,
all posing a real threat to places like… Hudson County, which is pretty much
surrounded by water.
And there are all
of our own personal troubles: illness, not enough money to pay the bills,
broken relationships, kids choosing the wrong path, and on and on.
As a people we disagree
about many things, but I don’t think anyone can deny that we are living in a
time of anxiety.
I don’t know if
this is much of a consolation but the truth is that there’s nothing new about
this. Most, maybe all, people have faced many obstacles – have been very
anxious – for a long time – and that very much includes the early followers of
Jesus.
And, so today’s
gospel lesson begins with Jesus saying to his followers, “Do not be afraid,
little flock, for it is your Father’s good will to give you the kingdom.”
And then, Jesus
goes on to give instruction on how we are to prepare for the gift of the kingdom:
Sell your
possessions and give to the poor.
And, stay alert,
looking for Christ who will come at an unexpected hour.
Sell your
possessions and give to the poor.
I recently read a
fascinating article* on espn.com about Shelly Pennefather, who back in the
mid-1980s was one of the most talented women playing basketball.
She was an
All-American at Villanova and although the WNBA hadn’t been formed yet there
were some high-paying professional opportunities overseas, including in Japan,
where Shelly Pennefather went to play and where she realized that God was
calling her to make a dramatic and personal change.
Sell your
possessions and give to the poor.
In 1991, Shelly
informed her family and friends that she was entering the convent – and she was
joining not just any women’s religious order but the Poor Clares, one of the
strictest of orders.
As the author of
the ESPN article writes, “(The nuns) sleep on straw mattresses, in full habit,
and wake up every night at 12:30am to pray, never resting more than four hours
at a time. They are barefoot 23 hours of the day, except for the one hour in
which they walk around the courtyard in sandals.
They are cut off
from society.”
Although they
can’t leave the convent except for a medical emergency, the nuns can respond to
letters and talk with visitors through a see-through screen.
There are only two
family visits every year – and once every 25 years the nuns can hug their
families.
Shelly Pennefather
– now Sister Rose Marie – just celebrated her jubilee and was able to embrace
her mother for the first time in 25 years – and, probably, for the last time.
It’s quite a story
isn’t it?
And certainly
makes my big sacrifice of, um, … having to work on the weekend… seem, uh, not
really worth mentioning!
Sister Rose Marie
and her sisters have given up everything – they use purses that will never wear
out – and they spend their lives in prayer, staying alert, looking for Christ.
And, let’s face
it, when it comes to praying and looking for Christ, cloistered nuns have some
real advantages: few distractions, nothing but time, lots of practice to become
very good pray-ers, a life shaped for attention to Christ.
I marvel at their
lives and their sacrifice, I really do.
And, who knows, it
just might be the ceaseless prayers of those nuns that keep us from destroying
ourselves.
Meanwhile…we’re
out in here in the world, with some pretty heavy responsibilities, honestly
unable to sell all of our possessions (though most of us could at least de-clutter
a bit, and most of us could give more to the poor).
We’re out here in
the world with all of its anxieties and its many distractions.
But, you know, our
way of life has its spiritual advantages, too.
Today’s gospel
lesson is about the return of Christ at the end of time but the truth is that
right now Christ is present to us all of the time - in so many ways – through
so many people.
If we are
alert.
So, on Sunday
afternoon many of us, along with lots of guests, gathered right here for the
“Just Friends” concert.
I arrived here
looking forward to the music, of course, but I’ll admit to not really feeling
it – still saddened and angered and frustrated by the mass shootings in El Paso
and Dayton, feeling like all of our words and efforts are just useless – plus,
4:00 on Sunday is often my nap time!
But, then Gail and
her friends started singing and their vast talent and deep love for each other
and their respect for their tradition and their craft - all of that came together
here in this beautiful place, and I could feel my heart cracking open, cracked
open by Christ who was surely here at that unexpected hour, not with a flash of
lightning or a clap of thunder but with harmony and unity.
If we are
alert.
So, we’ve been
hosting Stone Soup suppers for more than five years now.
And, having had so
many suppers, it’s easy to take for granted what happens in Carr Hall on the
second Thursday of every month.
I knew this Stone
Soup was going to be special because Catherine Marcial, the person who dreamed
up these suppers, was going to be the chef.
So, if nothing
else, there would be a delicious and healthy meal – and, as an extra bonus,
Catherine always leaves the kitchen even cleaner than she found it!
But, this past
Thursday I arrived at the hall feeling kind of tired and overwhelmed and not
sure how best to respond to everything that’s going on while also fulfilling
the basic requirements of my job.
I was looking
forward to the supper, but, frankly, I also wouldn’t have said no to a quiet
night at home.
But, then the
guests started to arrive – a few parishioners, but mostly neighbors and
friends, all kinds of people – some here just for the free meal and others here
to have some company.
There were a
couple of people here who are living o the streets and, yes, they smelled a
little bit and I’m sure they made a few of us uncomfortable.
And there were
others who had lost everything to addiction and some who’ve been quite sick,
but who have somehow clawed their way back to sobriety and health.
One elderly
neighbor told Catherine that he loves her cooking because it tastes like what
his mother served him long ago.
Once again, I
could feel my heart cracking open, cracked open by the crucified and risen Christ
who was surely here at that unexpected hour, not with a flash of lightning or a
clap of thunder but with deliciousness and community.
If we are
alert.
So, yes, we live
in a time of great anxiety, with way more problems than can fit on a front page
or in a half-hour newscast.
But, Sister Rose
Marie and the other Poor Clares have given up everything and are at work,
praying really hard.
Meanwhile, here in
the world, Christ is appearing at unexpected hours.
And, we can see
him, we can really see him, if we are alert.
Amen.
*https://www.espn.com/womens-college-basketball/story/_/id/27297631/happened-villanova-basketball-star-shelly-pennefather-made-deal-god
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