Foxes have Holes

Proper8, Morning Prayer Rite I and II, St. Martin’s Episcopal Church, June 30, 2019 by Annette Fricke 

We hear the words in our gospel lesson, “I will follow you wherever you go” and “Follow me.”  God is constantly beckoning us forward.  Following implies that there is an interest, like Facebook.  Following implies that we are interested or attracted to that person we are following.  In times past, it meant that we wanted to know the news from the person we were following.  We wrote letters or made phone calls in order to “keep in touch.”  Sometimes, when people move away or become older, we lose touch.  At other times, people ask us how a brother or sister is doing or how’s the family? Who is Jesus that we should follow him? 

There are many types of leaders. Many of you may remember the game called Simon Says.  The leader of the group is in control of what is said and whether it is just a statement or Simon Says.  When the group leader says “Simon Says”, that is the only time the group is to take seriously what they are asked to do.  It seems sneaky and even like pulling a trick even though it is quite straightforward. It is merely a test to see how well you listen or how long you are able to concentrate on the leader.  Jesus will not try to trick us. 

Teachers also fall into the leadership role.  They are tasked with overseeing the learning process and the academic discipline of a classroom of children or adults.  One is considered a good teacher, indeed a good leader if the students are learning the objectives of the class. In college or graduate school, the student is to take on more responsibility for his or her own learning, being less dependent on the teacher and doing one’s own research. Yet, teachers are there to help us if we don’t understand the material. Likewise it is that way with Jesus as our teacher. 

As time goes by, we learn to ask of ourselves, who, besides God, do we follow, admire, and/or emulate?  What values will we adopt for ourselves considering the choices we have before us and how will those choices affect those around us? How can we help? How do we balance self-care with tending to the needs of others? Maybe we need something like budgeting skills or help with viruses on our computers.  It could be someone here or someone here knows someone who can help us or give us a listening ear. 

Beyond the Jewish view which Tevye espouses in “Fiddler on the Roof”, we are to study who God is and seek to know what God expects of us.  We need to be mindful that our understanding of God and what God expects may be a bit different from how others perceive. At the same time, we are called as a community to respond with compassion. We are called to be open to the leading of the Holy Spirit. 

Our leader is Jesus, the one who had nowhere to lay his head just as there are people now in the same situation.  Poverty and homelessness, disputes about illegal immigrants and the separation of children from their parents, not giving them basic necessities continue to beg our attention. To follow God is to do and be like our leader, Jesus who rested and prayed as well as who went straight to the cross continuing to live life amidst many obstacles, with his eyes to the Father and to whole-heartedly embody God’s love for the world, the entire world.  No exceptions. 

“Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” Yet Jesus said then and says now, “Follow me, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.”  Proclaim the kingdom of God every day and to all. Pick up your cross and follow me. The world is waiting for God’s compassion to be delivered by us.  Keep doing what you believe God is calling you to do as an individual person and do not look back.  Keep doing what we as a congregation believe God wants from us. Do not dwell on what was said or done in the past.  Leave it in the past and move forward. Keep your eye on Jesus because he is our leader. And remember that no matter what, we will always be graced by God’s blessing. 

Don't give Thomas a Bad Rap!

2EasterC, St. Martin’s Episcopal Church, Moses Lake, WA by Annette Fricke

This is the Sunday known by many as Doubting Thomas Sunday.  No doubt that it must be accurate since it has been several years that this title has stuck.  Not so.  The New Testament was written in Greek, koine Greek to be exact.  It is our translations that make an error when they use doubting to describe Thomas.  In fact, there is no word in Greek for doubt in the verse where this phrase is derived.  Therefore, Doubting Thomas should never be the title stuck to this Sunday, the second Sunday in Easter. The Greek word here properly translated means without faith or without trust, disbelieving or unbelieving.  A similar word in English, agnostic means without knowledge.  Most people know that agnostic means that when a person is described as agnostic, it means he or she is uncertain as to whether or not God exists. Furthermore, Jesus does not condemn Thomas for not trusting the word of the other disciples, but rather, Jesus invites Thomas to touch him and look at him. It seems that calling Thomas “Doubting Thomas” gives him a bad rap. Thomas is given a bad reputation and yet, among all the other resurrection appearances, the other disciples also do not have an immediate recognition of Jesus who was right in front of them until a particular action of Jesus.  Remember that Mary did not recognize Jesus until he called her by name. Recall also that when Mary told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, their response was like that of Thomas: they did not believe her.

Think about it.  This is how we verify the truth as human beings.  Remember Galileo who proposed that the sun is the center of the universe?  He was not believed.  Now that we have the evidence, it is an accepted truth.  We have been given by our creator at least 5 senses and that is how we determine what is true and what is not true.  We also follow the experimental method presented to us by scientific study.  If the same results come from repeating an experiment, the conclusion must be true.  Chemical reactions under the same conditions produce the same results.  Eyewitnesses are usually trusted more than second or third hand knowledge regarding a murder or crime scene.  

This part of John’s gospel tells us about eye witness accounts.  All of these stories are about people who saw Jesus after his resurrection.  But we do not have the benefit of seeing Jesus face to face as they did.  How is it that we come to know Jesus?  The writer of John hints that the stories of the signs of Jesus in the presence of his disciples are to somehow produce faith that Jesus is the Messiah, God’s Son and that through believing you may have life in Jesus’ name.  The details are not there.  We are left wondering and re-reading the Gospel of John.  What did we miss?

Perhaps it has something to do with Jesus saying to the disciples, “Peace be with You”, not once or twice, but three times in just eight verses.  Many will automatically think that this word peace means personal tranquility.  Nope!  This is from a Greek word that has to do with relationships.  The disciples must work together if they are to witness for Jesus.  Jesus says “Peace be with you” in two specific spots, when he first enters the room and just before commissioning the disciples and breathing on them as a giving and receiving of the Holy Spirit. The mission of the church does not happen if there are many arguments and disagreements among its members.  Bad relationships are a hindrance to mission.  The Church is a living, breathing organism which gets its life from God.  We always have the free will to go to the right or to the left—to lethargy or to pride, but we have been given the Holy Spirit to empower us to go out into the world and teach the world about the salvation of Jesus.

Jesus is about the business of forgiveness.  It pops up everywhere in the New Testament.  It’s not about morals, but relationships.  Relationships need forgiveness in order to be sustained and to grow.  If we journey back to the Garden of Eden, we are reminded that the relationship between Adam and Eve broke down as well as their relationship with God.  Humanity chose to take a different path, not following God.  God never gave up on us.  We gave up on God and in little or big ways we continue to do that.  Here God is reminding us that God is always there for us, like the prodigal son’s father—forever waiting for our return, always supplying what we need, always lavishing us with love no matter how undeserving we may feel we are, no matter how often or how badly we stray. It is in the power of that love that we can carry on the work of God in this church and out into the world. The love of the father of the prodigal son is the same love that we are to show each other and to the world.  We are to do as Jesus has taught us.  We are to continue to proclaim with Thomas, “My Lord and my God!”

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.  I do not give to you as the world gives.  As the Father has sent me, so I send you.  Receive the Holy Spirit.

Being a Follower of Jesus

7EpiphanyC, February 24, 2019, for St Martin’s Episcopal Church, Moses Lake, WA by Annette Fricke
The setting of this gospel lesson is part of what is termed the Sermon on
the Plain. Jesus preaches this to the disciples, but is meant for all the people to
listen to and to heed.
What does it mean to be a follower of Jesus? For those of us who are
curious as to what was said in that secret meeting we had with the bishop after
the potluck last Sunday, this is what she said: “To be a follower of Jesus implies
movement.” It means that we do not stand still. The world is in motion and so
are we. We may sit for a while in one place, but then we get up and move around.
When we have a meeting or when we are here for Holy Eucharist, we don’t stay
for an indefinite time period for hours on end. There is a beginning and an end. It
is like doing other things. If we go to the library, we have to leave when it closes
and preferably before that because as much as we may like the library, there
comes a time when we need to move on to something else in our lives that begs
our attention. If we go to the grocery store, as much as we may like having
conversation with the cashier, there are others standing in line who wish to
purchase their items and go home to prepare dinner. Our lives are not like a rock
that simply stands in its place till someone or some equipment moves it. We are
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not rocks nor are we islands. For the most part, we are people who are meant to
have relationships with several of the people around us at work, school, the store,
the library, with perhaps a caregiver or simply a friend.
Not only does being a follower of Jesus imply movement, it also means
transformation. If we are to allow our lives to be transformed, we need first of all
to listen, really listen. We are to listen to God. The opening words to today’s
gospel begin, “But I say to you that listen…” If we don’t listen, how can we be
sure that we are following Jesus? How can our lives be transformed, if we do not
listen? I am reminded of a scene where Poirot, a fictional detective is in his room
praying to Mary on a kneeler. As he prays, all the images and words of the day
come flooding into his brain. But amongst these, he hears another voice which
says to him repeatedly, “Where is the offense you’ve committed?” “Where is the
offense you’ve committed?” Being faithful to God goes beyond the mere
recitation of the prayers made to God for several thousands of years. It means
we are willing to be transformed. It means paying attention to what we do and
don’t do. For the detective, he listened to all the back talk of the other
detectives, how they put him down and he allowed them to have the last word.
They convinced him that there was no murder and left the story they told
unchallenged. They told him that there was a break-in, but they did not see the
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woman who lived there, assumed that she had gone to the bar as was her
custom, therefore there was no murder. Poirot listened and was compelled by
this exchange to go further and determined it would not be the end and he
insisted on proving this case to be otherwise. He went to the scene of the crime
to do his own investigation, and he was right. She was murdered. Even though
this is fiction, there are elements that apply to us as well if we would just listen.
Transformation means allowing God to take hold of us and change us. It
means not simply doing things the same way we have always done them before.
The culture has changed around us. The culture has different interests. God is
calling us to reach out and to challenge those cultural values of hatred and crime,
dog eat dog society. We are called to be helpers to bring about justice where it
has gone astray, to support the dignity of every human being, to have real
conversation face to face. It would be easy to simply retreat into the past, but
that is not what God has called us to do. Christianity is not easy because loving
our enemies and doing good to those who hate us is very difficult. And our
perceived enemies are everywhere. It is not just a matter of reconciliation among
friends and relatives, it is reaching out to that person or persons that are
different, that are radically different from us and forming relationships we have
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never had before. It is stepping out into a world many of us may only know a
little bit about.
Most importantly, Jesus is telling us that we need to go one step further in
our relationships. We are to go beyond the standard of the day which is to fight
back with the same negative treatment we get. The Old Testament maxim of an
eye for and eye and a tooth for a tooth still lives today. It is a natural reaction to
retaliate, but it is not God’s way. Jesus communicates that we are not to judge
nor condemn, but to forgive and to be merciful.
When someone hits us or calls us names and talks about us negatively
behind our backs, we are not to strike back or do the same. Rather, we are called
to be the bigger person and set the example for others. We are called to give
from our hearts just as God loves us so very much, giving us everything necessary.
Let us always keep in mind the words of the prophet Micah who said and I
paraphrase, what is it that God requires of you but to do justice, love kindness
and walk humbly with your God?
God truly loves us beyond our imaginations, but that is not the end. We are
also called to be transformed by God to be our best selves, people who care
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enough to do more than the average person. God says to us, be merciful just as I
have been merciful to you.

I have an Announcement to Make!

Advent4C, St Martin’s Episcopal Church, December 23, 2018 by Annette Fricke    

            “I have an announcement to make!”  We have heard that statement made several times in our lives and today is no different. We always have announcements at the end of the service.  It is predictable.  What isn’t predictable is whether or not the announcement will be a joyful one, a sad one, or something somewhere in between.  Announcements are made to inform what may have already happened as well as something to come in the future.  Announcements are always considered to be important, if not to the audience, certainly to the person either making the announcement or the one who wants the announcement made.  Sometimes considering the source determines the importance of what is about to be announced. 

            Today, we have another kind of announcement.  The source is thought to be God or God’s messengers.  Jesus and John the Baptist are in the wombs of two women.  God is announcing the impending birth of the long-awaited Messiah and the Messiah’s forerunner.  This is the climax of the waiting period called Advent. Prophecy has once again been fulfilled, and in both cases.  These are not ordinary births by any means or rationale, if you believe that Jesus is God’s son and has the power to redeem us. If you believe that Jesus is God’s son and has the power to redeem us.  It’s a big jump to faith that some people have totally discarded or still struggle to make sense of it all—this Jesus who is God become human flesh.  Few people have seemed to embrace God’s direction and accepted his or her part with such purity and unwavering faith. At least, that is the portrayal of Luke.  By contrast, Luke says that Zechariah does not believe that Elizabeth will conceive in her old age and therefore becomes mute till the little JB is born.

            What does this all mean for those of us living in the 21^st century?  Who or what is our inspiration to continue to spread the faith of the gospel, that faith that began even before the birth of Jesus?  There are many things that would distract us and one of them is the constant barraging of the secular version of Christmas. The emphasis of spending a lot of money on friends, family and co-workers for items that, more times than not, they already have.  Some take the no-nonsense approach and opt out of particular activities in protest.  One opts out of the white elephant, fearing reception of an unwanted gift and another does not participate in the Secret Santa due to the unevenness of some spending way more than others.  It is not out of disrespect for co-workers as much as it is wanting to focus rather on the treasured relationships that have developed over the years. Many people in sub groups of communities have realized that it really isn’t about the gifts as much as the relationships developed in that context. But it goes beyond asking oneself—who can we count on to be a friend and who will appreciate us?

            In our Intergenerational Advent Gathering, we have studied St. Nicholas and St. Lucy for more than the reason that their feast days are between Sundays in Advent.  We have looked closely as to why they were deemed saints by the Church, the Roman Catholic Church long ago and later by other Christian groups.  Both St. Nicholas and St. Lucy are remembered for their generosity to others.  St. Nicholas was kind to and helped children, especially the children who lived in poverty.  St. Lucy helped bring food to her fellow believers.  Both lived under the rule of the Roman Emperor Diocletian who outlawed Christianity and demanded that everyone bow down to the Roman gods.  St. Nicholas survived.  St. Lucy did not.

            When we think of those who went before us, we realize that Christianity has withstood some very difficult times.  It seems odd in our world to imagine being killed for being a Christian in Sicily, yet surviving in what is now Turkey.  Our world has changed a great deal. The obstacles in the 200s and 300s AD are much different.  The question is once again raised to us.  How can we reach others with that gospel message of love and acceptance?  How can this announcement put a light into other people’s hearts?  How can we live our lives so that God’s light shines through us?

            The contributions of John the Baptist and Jesus are significant. John tells us that to prepare our hearts for Jesus, we must repent.  Repent, move on and repeat. A humble attitude towards others prepares the way for relationship, a relationship that lasts.  It’s not a magic formula; relationships are rarely without disagreements and rough patches.  Sometimes we figure out the fine art of knowing when to speak and when to listen.  Once we connect with others, many unexpected things can happen, some of them surprisingly good things.

            “I have an announcement to make!”  Jesus is ready to make entry into your life in a new way.  Leave yesterday and all its troubles behind. Make way for him, for his abundant grace that will lead you to be filled with grace to overflowing.  He’s at the door right now.  We are called to open that door. Allow him to do his work in our lives as a community; the community called St. Martin’s Episcopal Church in Moses Lake, WA.  Allow Jesus to mend our relationships to move forward into the new year. Jesus has come to be with us, to walk beside us and lead us.  Rejoice, rejoice and let your lights appear! Take the love of Jesus with you everywhere you go!

Humility Helps

Proper24B, October 21, 2018, St. Martin’s Episcopal Church by Annette Fricke

            Abraham Maslow was a very influential Psychologist who lived from 1908-1970. He is probably best known for the concept of his model of the hierarchy of needs.  If you are not familiar with his hierarchy of needs, it is usually shaped like a triangle with the base at the bottom narrowing to the pointed top.  The triangle is the same length on all three sides.  On this schema, he posits that the lowest of humanities’ needs are of a physical nature.  This is said to include such basics as food, clothing and shelter.  The second level is that of safety, the need to feel safe in the environment.  The debate about guns, pepper spray and tasers in this society has to do with feeling safe and able to defend oneself. Level three concerns love and belonging.  An example of where this may go wrong is the development of gangs.  Young people who choose to be a part of a gang are generally from families of abuse and/or neglect.  They feel that they don’t belong.  There are few family connections or ties. Positive activities may include school groups or 4-H clubs. Level four is about esteem. “Esteem needs are ego needs or status needs. People develop a concern with getting recognition, status, importance, and respect from others.”[1]  This is where James and John come into the picture.  What do we know about them?  They are a part of the inner circle of Jesus who were with him at the Transfiguration.  They are also noted for wanting to call fire down from heaven as a sort of punishment. Their parents are Zebedee and Salome.  Zebedee was a fisherman of the Sea of Galilee and apparently quite well off.[2]  If we were to place him on Maslow’s hierarchy triangle, they would be near the top—self-actualization.  Good at the job.  So good, that he has probably achieved a good deal of mastery and made a comfortable living at it. At level five, “Individuals who are motivated to pursue this level are seeking and understanding how their sense of self partakes within their human behavior. Self-actualization can include” finding a mate, parenting, using one’s talents and abilities.” Although the levels overlap, it is generally thought that they also are a progression towards becoming more complete as an individual. Maslow notes that there are distinctions of quality in the self-actualization and later, he acknowledged that there is also a self-transcendence level, describing it as “giving oneself to something beyond oneself.”[3]  In other words, there is more to life than the satisfaction of oneself and one’s family unit and I would also say one’s congregation. A person might accurately interpret James and John’s request to be a selfish one, one that smacks of looking for a position of power to fill an egotistical need.

            So, what are we to make of this story?  Are the other disciples mad at James and John because it is an inappropriate request or is it because they also want important roles in the kingdom?  It seems pretty clear in the narration of Mark that Jesus has already told the inner circle of disciples what will happen to him, yet they still seem to have an understanding that Jesus’ dying does not fit in the picture.  Do they really understand what Jesus has told them?  Did they hear Jesus or not believe him?  Jesus seems to understand that they still don’t get it, but in spite of themselves, they will continue to be his disciples.  Jesus knows that despite their zeal and misunderstandings, they will defend following Jesus to the very end of their lives here on earth. Jesus is a pretty good judge of character. James and John are among the saints of God.  They were not perfect, so like Jesus, we should not be so hard on them, but understand that growth can occur. Humility helps.

            Do you remember when Derit preached in September?  He talked about the Transformation model which included worship, study, fellowship. I also would like to use that model to see if there is something we could do, something basic. For our congregation, we must answer the question, “What are we doing that takes our mission beyond self-sustaining to reaching out and growing?”  What can we do to foster growth that goes beyond our current outreach? When I attended the Congregational Development training/study at the cathedral, I thought that perhaps we could begin with an intergenerational gathering between the 8:00 am and 10:00 am services.  It is not much time, but it’s a start.  The proposal would be to study, sing, do activities, create, bake and pray surrounding the themes in Advent.  It would be something that would engage all the senses. We will use the outline of a curriculum and make Advent wreaths. It would be each of the four Sundays of Advent. Perhaps, doing this will provide an interest in spirituality for both the young and the not so young, a place where we can all share our thoughts and experiences and really listen to each other and encourage each other in the faith.  It can be a place of sharing ideas and will be open to all, hopefully at a time when most will be able to participate. I invite all of you to participate.  Afterwards, we will evaluate where to go next.

            I will post a sign-up sheet in the fellowship room with a list of books and the pamphlet we will be using.  If you have ideas for the Advent wreath making, please submit them to me.    

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[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maslow%27s_hierarchy_of_needs

[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James,_son_of_Zebedee

[3] Ibid., https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maslow%27s_hierarchy_of_needs

Lord, to Whom can We Go?

Proper16B, St Martin’s Episcopal Church, Moses Lake, WA August 26, 2018 by Annette Fricke

            If you have been paying close attention to the gospel lessons, you would notice that these past 6 weeks have been all about bread. A similar phrase is made in this text as well, “This is the bread that came down from heaven.”  This is the statement that the Jewish people of Jesus’ day could not grasp.  How could it be possible that Jesus is from heaven and that he can give us his flesh to eat?”  The first of these gospel lessons began the last time I preached where it was spelled out quite plainly that the people wanted to make Jesus their king.  He laid it out for them in the synagogue.  He said it enough times that “Because of this many of his disciples turned back and no longer went about with him.”  Jesus turned to his inner circle of disciples and asked him the question, “Do you also wish to go away?”

            Jesus appears to be one of us, just like us, no different and yet this claim that he has come down from heaven and gives us his flesh and his blood to eat and to drink?  It is a very difficult teaching to comprehend.  It is that particular teaching that the Jews found difficult.  It went against their already held beliefs. From a literal standpoint, Jesus is bread and we are to chew on his flesh! Sounds like cannibalism to many. And this Jesus dies and is resurrected!  What a claim!  How can this be?  Jesus is just too common.  Not what was expected.

            Probably the closest thing we have to compare to what Jesus went through was the American slave trade, where people were bought and sold, whipped and tortured, beaten for disobedience to their master or some sort of disagreement that was met with a far worse consequence than amongst the slave owners.  It reflects our inhumanity towards each other in an extreme case.  Extreme though it be, this type of behavior continues in physical abuse of children and animals.  Although the majority of us do not participate in this type of behavior, it is still our responsibility to call it out and find solutions for a more humane society.  Believing in Jesus is more than merely saying, “I believe in Jesus.”  It is more than reciting the Nicene or Apostles’ Creed.  Jesus also expects us to follow what he has taught us; that we are to love others in the same type of deep love that Jesus has for us. It is about integrity. We must somehow connect what we believe with what we do, keeping our eyes on Jesus as he comes to us in the Eucharist, considering carefully the words as in Rite II, “Sanctify” the bread and wine to be the body and blood of Jesus.  “Sanctify us also” that we may not only receive this sacrament faithfully, but serve God in this life and the life to come.[1]  God’s help and presence is ever with us.  Sanctify means to make holy; set apart as sacred; consecrate. It is to purify or free us from sin.[2]  It is erasure and clearing the slate, making it clean and once again ready for use.

            What do people see when they come to see St. Martin’s?  Do they see people who love each other?  Or do they see this faction and that faction?  Do they see people working together or against each other?  How have we shown compassion today?  Many people who attended church in the past complain that church members judge and condemn each other and therefore are not interested in coming back.  Pretty sure there are other reasons, but that one is probably the most prominent.  We are called to be open and inviting to those both in and out of our church community.  How can we do this here?  Do we make a point of assisting those who visit and invite them to Eucharist? When the regional fall gathering is hosted here on September 29^th, how can we best welcome our fellow believers from across the region?  How can we use our time and talents to make this event one that they will remember with good thoughts? Will they leave the gathering truly thankful that they came and had fellowship with fellow believers? Or will they be disappointed?

            A psychologist I met at a training/workshop in Spokane, also a writer tells a story about his wife, who piled the kids in the car to go out grocery shopping.  She puts the groceries in the car and all the kids only to realize that she has been given too much change by the cashier.  She returns from the parking lot with kids in tow, stands in line and returns the money. Needless to say, the cashier was flabbergasted that someone would care enough to actually do that.[3]  This is just one example of how we can individually make a difference in our community. Yet Jesus loves us and empowers us to do much more not out of selfish motives, but caring about other in a genuine way.  Most of you have probably experienced for yourselves or known someone working that type of position where if the till is too far off, the consequence is that how much it is off comes out of the next paycheck.  His wife truly was doing a good deed.

            As we go out into the world this week, we are set free once again—our slates are clean-- from our misdeeds towards and lack of response to our neighbors.  Once again, we are challenged in our daily lives with a few questions to be answered.  Where can we show compassion and how can we do that so that others may see God’s love in our deeds as well as our thoughts.

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[1] Book of Common Prayer, Holy Eucharist Rite II, p. 363

[2] Dictionary.com: https://www.dictionary.com/browse/sanctify?s=t

[3] The Drama Review, 08/24/18 by Alan Godwin

Transformed to Love as God Loves

Proper12/Pentecost10B, St. Martin’s Episcopal Church, Moses Lake by Annette Fricke

Sara Miles is the author of these sentences, “There’s always someone inappropriate at Jesus’ table.  Sometimes it’s you and me.”  Although these two sentences have the flavor of the sacrament of the Eucharist and most certainly to the behavior of Judas whose reputation as a follower of Jesus was definitely considered by most to be below the standard of the other disciples, at the same time, we ought to consider our observations of ourselves and others at most any gathering.  We also are among the guilty of inappropriate behavior.  One of the most inappropriate of our behaviors is when we attribute whatever happens to us as “good” is because we were the ones who accomplished it.  We could, in fact, properly be described as sometimes Christians and sometimes even atheistic.  We all have our virtues as well as our vices.  But we sometimes forget that these virtuous actions performed by us are gifts of God and are in fact performed by God.  It begs the question, doesn’t it, as to how we measure our lives?

Most of us look at accomplishments and achievements as our yardstick. Our lives are full of them from the very beginning of childhood.  Our mothers kept track of our first words, our first steps, our first time at feeding ourselves and tying our shoes.  This of course, was before Velcro came along.  But most important of all, mothers concentrate on when we become potty-trained because this is a sure sign of independence. A few years back, there was a local TV special on all high achievers of the local high school seniors.  If you followed the questioning of the interviewer and each student’s responses, your conclusion might easily be that we are rewarded in life for our accomplishments and our achievements.  But at the end of the interview, there was one more question, “How many of you have had a job?”  Out of a group of around twenty, only two raised their hands.  My co-worker at the time remarked that she really disliked the whole interview about the success of what she saw as the elite intellectuals.  In her mind, the only reason, or at least the main reason that these students were such high achievers academically is because their parents had the money and resources to make it happen.  She was truly jealous of what she saw as young people who have it better in life and she, by contrast, is stuck with the “short stick.”  In the experience of interviews, many know that the interviewer has the power to ask particular questions and can shape any conclusions made, sometimes by challenging the responses.  Few people, with the opportunity for an interview will argue with the interviewer knowing it is being shot live.

But the bottom line is, our education system, as well as different work settings throughout life is based on competition and performance.  Not only does it perpetuate the feeling of “I did it” but it also separates the poor from the wealthy.  Many of us have worked under the principle that if you work hard, you will go far in life.  Yet, “life lived under the performance principle makes us slaves to insecurity and anxiety, constantly comparing ourselves to others, struggling to reach a level of achievement which always eludes us. Life seen as “gift,” as grace, can set us free.  Once you know you are loved unconditionally by God, there is such freedom (Br. Geoffrey Tristam).”

One of the thoughts someone is bound to think as a result of this story of the feeding of the 5,000 is a parent loudly proclaiming, “That’s my boy!  Isn’t he smart?  I taught him that.  That’s my boy.” My boy is the one who had the loaves and fish and he shared them with everyone!  Isn’t that great?  The rationale is that the parents know best and try to instill those values in their children.  But, eventually, the children will find out that there are other ideas in the world.  If the truth be told, we constantly live in the midst of cultural values and what the voice of Christianity tells us.  And then we are bombarded by a number of interpretations of various passages in the Bible, hoping to glean from them some semblance, some shred of meaning for our existence.  We are children of God as taught from the very beginning of creation and yet we continue to struggle with just what that means in our daily lives.

Some have surmised that life is like a Monopoly game.  It does have some strategy, such as buying up as much property as possible in the beginning of the game.  But, it also is a game of pure luck.  The perception that it is so much like life itself is likely the reason that as a game, it has lasted so long.  There are times when we simply can’t achieve all we desire and life ends up not what we hoped. 

Oftentimes, our eyes are open so much to what goes on around us that we fail to see God’s hand in any of it.  We attribute everything to ours or someone else’s effort even though we sense that there are other factors involved.  For those of us who have ever struggled with occupations and providing for a family, we know that feeling of fear and insecurity.  We see the tornadoes, fires, and earthquakes and realize that even what seems the most secure around us can disappear so quickly.  Our lives are truly dependent on God.  God is our source as well as our sustenance.  It is God who brings us what we need from heaven.  God is the one who is able to calm our anxieties and fears in a way that simply clinging to the false securities of this world cannot.

The reason that Jesus was so popular is because people attributed to him what they were unable to do themselves.  He had many followers because this is one who put them at ease, who calmed their fears and anxieties about life.  And yet, there is evidence in this gospel text that Jesus was not who the people thought he should be.  They wanted them to be their king.  Yet in God’s wisdom, that was a temporary fix.  God surpasses the temporary, the fleeting moments of life, by continuing to give us what we need and satisfies our deepest desires. In addition to calming our fears and anxieties, we want and need unconditional love and that is the overall abiding function of God in our lives. It is this love that is able to transform us into sharing that love with everyone.

           

Terror vs. Tenacity

Proper7B, June 24, 2018, St. Martin’s Episcopal Church, by Annette Fricke

            A boat is built to go out into the water, not remain in the harbor.

Imagine, if you will, a nice sunny day at the beginning of summer and our friends say to us, “Hey!  Let’s pack a lunch and take the boat out on the lake.”  We say, “It looks great now, but they are predicting a storm.  We don’t think that is such a good idea.  If we go out, we need to stick pretty close to the shore.  That way, we will have a better chance of getting back in to safety if we get caught in the storm.”  One of our friends speaks in his most persuasive manner, half teasing and says, “Are you afraid of a little bit of lightning and thunder?  It’s no big deal. It’s not like you haven’t seen that before.  Besides, what can go wrong?  The Coast Guard station is not that far away.  That is what the Coast Guard does, you know—search and rescue.”  We say, “That is true, but must we go, knowing there is a real possibility of capsizing, so they just happen to need to rescue us?  Have you ever thought that it could be so bad that even the Coast Guard would not be able to save us?  What if their boat can’t get to us?  What would we do then?”  Another of our friends says, “There is not a cloud in sight.  What if the forecast is wrong?  That means we have wasted a perfectly good opportunity to go out and have some fun in this beautiful sunshine.”  The words, “What could go wrong?” repeat in your head over and over and all you can thing of is the song about the Edmund Fitzgerald and the sinking of the Titanic—the Titanic, the ship that was impossible to sink really did sink.  But then, there are no icebergs in this lake and it is not the same lake where the Edmund Fitzgerald sank. It was not Lake Superior and we were not going to Cleveland. But the ship was only 17 miles from port.  Even sticking close to shore was not safe.  Jesus decides to go with us but falls asleep inside the cabin.  It’s a motor boat.  Neither Jesus nor anyone else is going to take a nap at the stern of the boat and inhale the fumes from the motor.  Things go very wrong and the boat is tossed up and down and takes on water.  Not only are people getting sea sick, but we are taking on water, lots of water.  Peter himself is bailing with a coffee can, not being able to find anything bigger to get the water out.  The rain is coming down in big sheets and despite others joining to bail, it isn’t enough.  It becomes overwhelming.  Peter asks Andrew to wake Jesus up and tell him that we’re in trouble.  Jesus is dead tired and wants to go back to sleep.  It’s like he is unaware of the thunder, lightning, and rain all around.  Peter gets angry and shouts at Jesus, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?”

            Despite our knowledge that Matthew, Mark and Luke are mostly historical in nature, this version of Jesus falling asleep in the boat seems indicative of not only what goes on in our personal lives, but what happens within the church as well.  Often things don’t go as planned and we flounder and sometimes even lose our faith.  This gospel is about faith and our relationship to it.  It is about keeping Jesus on board.  Jesus is exhausted and asks the disciples in this gospel over and over about their faith and the lack of it.  Without faith, we walk blindly through the storms of life, groping at the air with no guidance, no anchor, adrift and wandering in a sea of darkness.  Jesus says just two things to us, “Why are you afraid?” and “Have you still no faith?”  These two are intertwined.

            Fear is our enemy and it paralyzes us into a state where we are unable to move forward.  As a church, the worst thing we can do is fear the future.  The future will come no matter what, but we can choose to bring Jesus with us or leave him at the shore.  The choice is ours.  Jesus wants to go to the other shore across the lake because that is where the unchurched live. That is where the stranger, the unloved and forgotten live.  That is where the unemployed and the uneducated live. That is the mission of the church now just as it was in the early church. The church has always been about discipleship and inclusion.  Throughout the centuries, the church has come up with many ways to share the message of Jesus, some of which we should definitely not be proud.  Yet Jesus continues to call us into the boat to go out regardless of the weather and preach the good news of God’s saving grace, to preach that God is always with us and it is probably not God who is asleep.

Maybe we should rewrite the story.  Jesus came one night for Vestry and he took the Warden by the hand and said, “Let’s all go for a boat ride.”  We climbed into the boat, started the engine and off we went.  Nobody fell asleep and Jesus was at the helm.  He chose some people to be mechanics, others to navigate, others to make and serve food.  He appointed some to maintain the body of the boat and paint it. He comforted the sick with his gentle hand.  After that, he discovered those who could sing and play music. We visited different neighborhoods along the way, people we didn’t know, people not like us. We didn’t return till after dark. Nobody asked where we were going because we knew that Jesus was at the helm and Jesus would get us where we were needed, to serve others as he served us.

A boat is built to go out into the water, not remain in the harbor.
*Apologies--if it's a lake, it should probably be the US Coast Guard Auxiliary, not the US Coast Guard.  Here is the YouTube music video I was referring to for those who do no know the story: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rFkyDB2InTs

           

Hold each other, Keep each other Safe

TrinitySundayB, May 27, 2018 St. Martin’s Episcopal Church, by Annette Fricke

Have you ever thought about what it was like when you were born?  Were you born in a hospital or at home? Have you ever watched the series, “Call the Midwife?”  It is true that what they pull out are not real babies, but imitations.  Seriously though, just what happened?  One thing is for sure.  We really didn’t have anything to do with our own births.  There is one episode of “Call the Midwife” I have in mind when I read the gospel appointed for today.  It is from Season 6, Episode 9.  A fairly new midwife listens to the woman who is ready to give birth, about the concern she has that it isn’t her boyfriend’s baby.  She is worried that he won’t love the baby because the baby isn’t his.  The baby is a still born and both parents are in deep agony and sorrow.  They are both grieved to their cores.  The baby is placed in the medical bag after the midwife attempts to resuscitate to no avail.  The father, in a loving gesture, asks the midwife to put a hot water bottle in the bag with the baby saying, “Don’t seem right, sending me baby out into the cold!”  The mother is still stunned and all she can do is cry.

Just before the midwife arrives back at Nonnatus House, her home base, she hears the faint sound of a baby’s cry and soon realizes it’s the baby she delivered in the medical bag.  She runs into the nunnery yelling, “Help! “and gathers the other nurses who take his temperature, check his heart and his lungs. The midwife goes over and over in her mind fretting over what detail she missed or did not do right. Sister Monica Joan joins her at the dining table.  She is there expounding on God’s work in all this but the midwife states firmly and clearly that she does not believe in God.  At the end of the episode, the narrator states, “There are always wounds that weep.  There is imperfection everywhere.”

In the same way that the people in this story are representative of humanity and the interactions among different people, Nicodemus also represents humanity – this is the world in which we live.  Those who believe in Jesus, those who don’t, and those somewhere in between. We live in various degrees of darkness. We only see Nicodemus in a couple of other places in the gospel of John.  He is much like the midwife who goes about her life practicing her trade, yet in the midst of believers all around. Both seem to be unaware of just who Jesus is or perhaps unable to accept the evidence before them. The priest offered Baptism for the baby twice and the couple said, “No.”  However, the second time, they still said “no” to baptism but the mother said, “…We don’t want him christened or nothin’; not yet. But we would like him blessed, because if you bless him, you bless the three of us.” 

In my studies, it is emphasized that we need to accept people where they are, without imposing our values or ideas. Isn’t this what we see when we read about Jesus?  Isn’t that what Jesus is all about?  There is no St. Nicodemus.  He is not a major player in the scheme of what was going on with Jesus. He was just a Jewish man, a Pharisee who was curious about Jesus, enough to notice that Jesus is not an ordinary man.  Jesus is something special.  He listens to Jesus and figures that Jesus is from God and that God is with him.  Jesus tells him in very clear terms that he must be born from above.  But what does that mean? Jesus is from Mary but Jesus is also from God above.  It is this Jesus who tells us about the working of the Spirit.  Last Sunday, we shared with each other after Eucharist what it is to be called.  We compared the reading of the call of Samuel to that of ourselves.  In that reading, we noticed that Samuel was quite young when called by God.  Again, God accepts us where we are.  We do not have to be an important person in society for God to notice us and use us.  Doesn’t matter if we are Republican or Democrat, wealthy or poor, White, Black, or Hispanic. 

But in accepting us where we are, God expects us to be born again, born from above.  That means we listen for that call from God, whether it be personal or in a group setting and we run with it, we consult with other people, we help other people discern what that call might mean.  We are all individuals, but we are meant for community and to follow where God leads our community, the community or St. Martin’s.  It means offering to help others as well as leading. 

It is critical that we recognize the subject of birth. Birth status was the single, all-important factor in determining a person’s honor rating. Ascribed honor, the honor derived from one’s status at birth, was simply a given. It usually stayed with a person for life. To be born over again, born for a second time, would change one’s ascribed honor status in a very fundamental way. A newly ascribed honor status would come from a new birth. We are all equally God’s children and therefore to each other, we are brothers and sisters. To be born “from above” is to be of the realm or kingdom of God and to belong to that realm, to become a veritable child of God. This, of course, is to acquire an honor status of the very highest sort. Thus, whatever honor status a person might have in Israelite society, being born “from above” would re-create that person at a whole new level.[1]

With this in mind, “Hold each other, keep each other safe; for there is imperfection everywhere.  There are always wounds that weep.  The hands of the Almighty are so often to be found at the ends of our own arms.[2]  God never fails to go with us every step of the way.

---

[1] Bruce Malina and Richard Rohrbaugh

[2] “Call the Midwife” Season 6, Episode 9

Be Fruitful—Every Day

5EasterB, St. Martin’s Episcopal Church, April 29, 2018 by Annette Fricke

May is a month of flowers and flowering fruit trees.  Most people know the phrase, “April showers bring May flowers” and for the most part, for those living in the Northern Hemisphere, it is a truism. Although today’s gospel imagery probably has grapes in mind as opposed to apples, apple trees are more familiar to those who have lived in this state for any length of time.  Washington is a leading producer of apples in the nation and in order to keep that production going, there needs to be people who are invested in keeping that reputation as the years go by.  About three years ago, on the front page of the Spokesman-Review was an article about apples.  This story was about a researcher whose goal was to search for “lost” varieties of apples.  What did he mean by “lost”?  Apparently, some apple trees left from orchards of earlier settlements were still alive, not noticed due to present location.  For example, one lost variety was found inside a state park. It is estimated that there are around seventeen thousand of these lost varieties of apples that originated in the hands of early European immigrants.  Even a nursery that once existed near present day Oakesdale, WA through historical records, has been identified as a source of these lost apple trees. These so called “heirloom varieties” are now being recovered and will continue to feed the already 100 million boxes per year of apples grown in Washington State. [1]

What do apples and grapes have in common?  They are both fruit.  As fruit, both grow at the tip of the branches and contain seeds (never mind that what we actually see on the market now are sometimes seedless grapes), in Jesus’ time, grapes were not seedless.  It was the seeds that produced apple trees until it was discovered by cultivators of this fruit, that one could also graft different varieties onto the same apple tree.  Thus, we get out the Gurney seed catalog, whose nursery is located in Yankton, South Dakota and discover that we can order an apple tree with five different varieties. Though each fruit, if left long enough can rot and die, each still has the potential to live through the seeds it produces. 

The bottom line is this: Jesus calls us to not only abide in him, but to produce fruit and it is not just here, but in several other Biblical passages that we are asked to bear fruit, as early as Genesis where God tells us to “be fruitful and multiply.  For a long time, many Christian denominations tied the two together as if multiplying and being fruitful were one and the same.  It seems that became its form of evangelism rather than reaching out to others to invite them to believe in Jesus Christ.  This cannot be done if we say nothing to others outside the faith and outside this worship service.  We are not alone as individuals to affect this task.  We are each the fruit and branches attached to the vine, equally.  There are no distinctions here between clergy or laity or various positions in the Church.  We all bear the name, “Christian” and are called to walk as Jesus’ body here on earth.  Jesus is the vine.  Jesus supports us at all times, having the everlasting support of God.  Like the tap root of an apple tree that will help stabilize a hillside, keeping it from sliding downward, God holds us firmly, through every storm of life.

First and foremost, we are a community of believers.  Whatever we are able to contribute to the whole of the community and reach out as a community, this is our vocation.  Our ministry here is as Christians who are to bear fruit, just as all Christians are called to bear fruit.  When we are at work, we can interact with many varieties of Christians, supporting them in their faith.  We also can converse with those who are still exploring Christianity and the Bible.  We don’t need to be profound in our speech or know all the answers.  It is OK if we might not know how to answer certain questions.  Remember that Jesus is the vine who supports us in all that we do and loves us more than anyone here in this world. But most of all, remember that many others believe as you do.

Sometimes we may see the artificial barrier of age.  Remember, there are no boundaries and we are all equal in God’s eyes.  We shouldn’t allow a difference in age to discourage us from sharing our faith with others.  Others need to know that God loves and cares for them in a way that surpasses all their other relationships, especially that relationship some have with their phone.  Real relationships face-to-face are of ultimate importance in sharing the love of God.  There is no substitute for that.  We can teach others how to connect one-to-one rather than through the social media, by way of electronic devices.

And, finally, the image that John paints for us is one of anonymity.  If we were to look at the grapes or apples while they are still attached to the branches of a live plant or tree, we will notice that they look pretty much the same.  In a box also, the grapes and apples are of a relatively uniform size and color, if, of course, they are of the same variety.  All the grapes get thrown into the same vat and all the apples into boxes and more boxes.  They are essentially without distinction.  We are as well.  God does not make exceptions for what we have or don’t have, our personalities, talents, or gifts.  We are to use all that we are given so that we produce fruit for God.  The mark of the body of Christ is that it bears fruit, that we love as God has loved and continues to love us.  It doesn’t matter who we are in the world, but only that we love.  Any branch is able to love if it remains with Jesus. We are all God’s children, united in God’s love for us.  We need to see beyond being a tree and see ourselves as part of a forest of believers because that is who we are.  We are an orchard of apple trees.  We are a vineyard.  We are God’s vineyard rooted in God’s love.  Jesus says to us, “Be fruitful—every day.”

           

[1] http://www.appleblossom.org/about/legend-of-the-apple.html