Are We There Yet?
Posted by Priest on February 28, 2010 under Sermons | 
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Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet?
Do you remember this question. You might even remember asking it yourself. It is right up there with “I need to go to the bathroom” just after you have passed the exit to a rest stop. And it’s annoying, isn’t it? I don’t have kids myself, but, being a proud uncle, I have heard the question over and over. And as a kid, I always wanted to smack my younger brother when he asked the question. I, of course, would never have done anything like this. Yeah, right!
Are we there yet? It is one of those questions that haunts us not just on annual journeys to family vacations. It is a question that seems to pop up every so often. We settle nicely into a new calling, after figuring out what we are supposed to be doing with our lives and –zap- something happens and we are thrown into an altogether different direction. Even in those moments when we think we know what God wants from us and we embrace where God calls us to be, God seems to always be a step ahead of us: pushing and prodding us on.
Are we there yet?
And the answer is quite clear: No, we are not there yet. We are still on the journey, still trying to figure it out, still trying to get to where we need to be – and it never ends. No, we are not there yet.
A few weeks ago, the Labyrinth Guild went on retreat to an Anglican monastery in Santa Barbara. One reason for going was a question that has been hanging over our heads for years: What kinds of groups can use our Labyrinth for their programs?
The Labyrinth Guild is an amazing group of wonderful people, whose spirituality is quite diverse. Consequently, our answers to the questions were quite diverse too, depending on how involved we were in the life of the Christian community that is St. Paul’s. Some said we needed to open the doors to absolutely everyone. I thought we needed to be more careful. And we listened intently to each other for a whole afternoon. Eventually, there was not much more to say. We were stuck, might have even reached an impasse. And so we decided to walk the Labyrinth and sleep over what we had said and heard.
This is when the reality of our setting made itself known. We were in a Benedictine monastery. And the rule of St. Benedict is quite clear: “Let all guests who arrive be received like Christ.” (Regula Sancti Benedicti, LIII) Welcome all! However, this does not mean we just move into the background. We must tell our story too!
This is exactly what the monks at this Benedictine monastery in the Anglican tradition do: They welcome all, but they also tell who they are and what they believe in an introduction session.
It is also what we will do. We will welcome all – whoever they are and wherever they find themselves on the journey and we will tell our story: As members of St. Paul’s Anglican Church and as members of the Labyrinth. After all, we can only introduce people to Jesus. But then we must step out of the way.
This was really a step deeper into the knowledge of God. Because we all were willing to listen to each other we moved forward. We have no idea how that will exactly look and what exactly will mean. And God only knows what other challenges this will bring about, but we have moved forward. Yet: Are we there yet? No, we are not there yet.
I think it was quite an honour and a pleasure to host the Olympic Winter Games over the past 17 days. And I think the people of Southern BC have done a great job in welcoming the world! Born of the quite wonderful idea of bringing people from different nations together to celebrate sports and what unites us in our humanity, the Olympic Games have become a global movement. However, there is a dark side too. The famous German poet Wolfgang Goethe once said: “Where there is a lot of light – there is also a lot shadow.” Don’t get me wrong, I have thoroughly enjoyed the last couple of weeks. It’s been great and if you have any doubts about my loyalties let me disrobe one more time [to show Canada hockey jersey!].
But past stories of doping and overzealous competition don’t really bring people together. And there have been in the past incidents of misguided national outbursts, which can get rather ugly. Furthermore, and, in my view, more importantly the Olympic circus often leaves behind those who are less fortunate. And there are question about how the authorities dealt with the civil liberties of those who disagreed with the Olympics being held in our city.
I am no Olympic critic. I am glad we hosted the world. However, I also believe there as some justified grievances. We have to learn that we do have resources that we can spend on games, but that we must also spend major resources on bread and homes and welfare for all. Panem et circenses. Bread and games, the Romans proclaimed. Not just games alone. Governments also need to provide for bread! So, as we move forward as a society: Are we there yet? No, we are not there yet.
And what goes for the reality of our lives also goes for our spiritual identity. We are far from grasping the depth of the divine mystery. There is so much to learn and understand. So much, that doesn’t make any sense whatsoever. So much even, that brings me close to despair.
When I heard the news about the earthquake in Chile, I was devastated. And I really do not now what to say and what to offer you. It is heartbreaking and no words will ever explain away the pain and sadness. No words will be able to make sense. I don’t understand why these things have to happen. I don’t know why earthquake have to be part of God’s created order. I just don’t have words. Quite frankly I would rather be silent for a moment to remember the victims…
Silence
Are we there yet? No, we are not there yet.
In today’s Gospel, Jesus isn’t there yet, either. He is on his way, on the journey to Jerusalem. It’s a journey that will bring him to his destiny, will bring him to death on the cross. It is not an easy road, and over the next few weeks we will contemplate and hear more about the passion, death, and resurrection of the One in whom God is revealed.
However, today, we are on the way. We are not there yet. We are still on the way to Jerusalem, where the powers of state and religion will plot to kill of Jesus, who brings about God reign of love and forgiveness, God’s reign of justice and love.
Today’s Gospel story is a story on the way, yet, we have to treat it carefully: It really is a story about theological truth rather than an account of an incident that really happened. We must remember that stories like today’s Gospel account were often composed to bring home a point rather than to report back the reality of an event. CTV, CNN, and BBC would have had a hard time with reporting on the event reported in today’s Gospel story…
The Evangelists, the authors of the Gospel have a theological agenda. Luke is the author of this particular Gospel. And one of Luke’s most prominent theological themes is the upside-down reign of God. Luke proclaims that with the birth of Christ a new reality is born. And this reality is on confrontation course with the way we do things.
It is interesting that Luke uses two quite opposing animal images to describe this reality. On the one hand, we have the fox, an animal that in rather anthropomorphic ways was often considered to be cunning and devouring. As a representative of the powerful who oppress God’s people, Herod is depicted as a fox. The fox in today’s story stands for all attacks on either God’s people or on God’s love for all people. The fox lurks in corners both small and big, ready to pounce, ready to swallow us whole. The fox stands for our fear, our greed, our selfishness, our sin. And I also believe the fox stands as a reminder for the frailness of human life, as it is threatened by natural catastrophes of diseases. Life is fragile, and there are dangers out there to get us, to devour us like a fox.
On the other hand, we are confronted with the image of the mother hen. The Bible turns to mothering images when it wants to illustrate that God is not only a redeeming God but a protecting and nurturing God as well. A mother hen instinctively gathers her young under her wing when danger threatens. Her love is steadfast. We can come to her for safety and protection.
The reality is often a different one, though: The mother hen has to lament, because her young are exposed to danger, yet will not accept her protection. So what more can the hen do but to stand up to the fox? What can Jesus do but go to Jerusalem and embrace his fate – for us and for our protection.
Are we there yet? No we aren’t. But we are on the way. And God is with us like a mothering hen, protecting and nurturing each and every one of us.
[The Reverend Markus Duenzkofer delivered this sermon on January 17, 2010.]