St. Thomas’ Episcopal Church, Owings Mills MD
February 22, 2026
Year A: The First Sunday in Lent
Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7
Psalm 32
Romans 5:12-19
Matthew 4:1-11
Being and Doing
One of the many problems and challenges of today is the relentless news cycle.
There is so much information, so much opinion and outrage, coming at us all the time that it’s hard for us to absorb it, and it’s nearly impossible for us to slow down and reflect on what’s happening.
There’s just not much time for any of that because, in a minute, some new scandal or worry will arise, and round and round we go.
This relentless news cycle keeps many of us distracted and feeling anxious and overwhelmed, very destructive for our health, for our souls.
But occasionally, something breaks through the noise, something breaks through the chaos. Something or someone gets our attention and, if we’re fortunate, reminds us of our essential goodness, reminds us that it’s possible for us to live lives of peace, harmony, courage, integrity, and love.
Like many of you, I’m sure, I’ve been thinking a lot about Kitty Washburne.
I’m so glad that I had the chance to know her during the last years of her long life – a life devoted to family, friends, education, nature, and faith – a life that she herself recognized as quite blessed – a life that she was prepared to leave, trusting in the God who had sustained her for nearly a century.
For many of us, Kitty’s death has kind of stopped us in our tracks, you know? Her leaving us has been a reminder of what is most important.
Before Kitty’s death, I had also been thinking a lot about the Walk for Peace that recently concluded not far from us, in Annapolis.
You probably know the story because it really did break through the noise and captured our attention and our imaginations.
Back in October, a group of 24 Buddhist monks and their dog Aloka, began a walk of over 2,000 miles, starting in Ft. Worth, Texas, walking along public roads, covering about 20 miles each day.
A few of the monks chose to offer an even deeper sacrifice, walking barefoot.
Most days, during their midday break and in the evening, the monks offered a teaching to whoever showed up, but their most powerful teaching was the walk itself, which they hoped would raise “awareness of peace, loving kindness, and compassion across America and the world.”
The Walk for Peace demanded great sacrifice – during much of their journey through the South the monks endured brutal winter weather, and in a terrible incident, a truck hit the monks’ escort vehicle, which then injured two of the monks, including one who lost a foot and part of his leg.
And even their dog Aloka needed to have leg surgery along the way, endearing him to even more people.
The Walk for Peace really was an extraordinary, even heroic, event. And I’m sure many of us wondered where and how the monks found the inspiration and strength to keep going, for all those weeks, over all those miles.
Well, I’m pretty sure that this a group of spiritually mature and deeply rooted people, people who have a lot of practice at meditation and prayer, people good at simply “being.”
And by being good at simply “being,” they are also good at “doing.”
Being and doing.
We are now just a few days into the 40 days of Lent.
As we do every Lent, we’ve made a few changes here in church, putting away or veiling most of our shiny things, placing a heavier emphasis on our confession of sin and the absolution, and we’ll refrain from saying the “A word” until Easter morning.
All these changes are meant to grab our attention, to cut through the noise, to remind us that this is a season for us to repent, to sacrifice, and to devote even just a little bit of time to prayer, both here, together, and on our own.
Lent is an opportunity to become little better at simply being, which will make us better at doing the work God gives us to do.
And today, on the First Sunday in Lent, we hear the story of Jesus’ own forty-day experience, his time in the wilderness, tempted by Satan.
As ever, Satan’s temptations are quite clever, suggesting to the starving Jesus that he just turn these stones into bread.
Satan’s temptations are quite clever, inviting Jesus to jump from the Temple, go ahead, Jesus, put your faith to the test.
Satan’s temptations are quite clever, offering Jesus the whole world, if only Jesus would worship him.
Well, of course, Jesus doesn’t fall for it.
But why was the starving and exhausted Jesus able to resist Satan?
Well, Jesus is the Son of God. So, there’s that.
But it’s not only that.
Just before his 40 days in the wilderness, Jesus was baptized by John in the River Jordan.
Just as Jesus came up out of the water, the heavens were opened and he saw the Spirit descending like a dove and a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.”
The gospels are full of Jesus “doing” – all his teaching and healing – but at his baptism, Jesus was only “being” - simply receiving God’s gift – just like us at our baptism.
And we know that Jesus was a person of prayer.
The gospels have several stories of him retreating from the crowds, even sometimes trying to get away from his disciples, wanting, needing, some quiet time with the Father.
I would imagine it was prayer – time spent simply being - that inspired Jesus to go to the Jordan to be baptized and begin his work.
And Jesus must have reflected on his baptism.
No doubt, Jesus pondered what he had seen and heard, spending time simply “being” with the Father.
And “being” prepared Jesus for the “doing” of resisting temptation, prepared him, gave him strength, for the long road ahead.
And the same is true for us.
Being and doing.
Not only is today the First Sunday in Lent, it’s also Annual Meeting Day.
I hope you will stick around for our meeting.
And I hope you’ll read our voluminous, highly detailed report, which a lot of people put a lot of time and effort into, most especially our Parish Administrator, Jane Farnan.
In our report, the stories of “doing” are obvious and amazing:
Teaching our children, caring for our buildings and grounds, assisting at worship, planning for our future, being good stewards, serving the community beyond our church doors.
Yes, there are so many stories of “doing”:
There’s the tireless and generous work of our amazingly devoted wardens, Barritt Peterson and Sana Brooks, who have supported all of us, especially me.
And there’s the devoted and creative work of so many other leaders, both official and unofficial.
There’s a lot of “doing” at St. Thomas’ but, there are also stories of “being.”
Church attendance increased last year; more people have been gathering here, praying here, more often.
We added another weekday service, Evening Prayer on Tuesdays. That service isn’t drawing huge numbers and probably never will, but I have no doubt that the prayers offered by a few of us are a powerful blessing for the whole community.
There’s the Adult Bible Study – so many of you reading and reflecting deeply, wrestling with Scripture, and now pondering The Screwtape Letters.
And my sense is that more of you are reading Forward Day by Day and using some of the prayer apps out there, spending more time simply being with God.
You know, it’s a running joke around the office and among some of our leaders that I like an “active” church.
That’s true. And, judging by all the action in the Annual Report, a lot of you agree with me!
Our active church – our servant church - is doing so much good.
But we’re likely to burn out and fail if our “doing” is not balanced by, not replenished by, “being.”
Unfortunately, the news cycle is not going to slow down anytime soon.
No doubt, there will be many challenges, dangers, and temptations on the long road ahead.
There will always be plenty to do.
So, especially this Lent, let’s follow the example of our brother Jesus, the person of prayer.
Let’s follow the example of the Buddhist monks, spiritually rooted before they undertook their long journey of peace.
And let’s follow the example of the very active Kitty Washburne, sustained and strengthened by all those quiet, mindful hours tending her garden.
May we be a people of being and doing.
Amen.
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