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Sermon September 23, 2018
The Rev. Rebecca S. Myers, LSW
The Church of the Nativity and St. Stephen’s
Eighteenth Sunday After Pentecost, Proper 20, track 1
http://lectionarypage.net/YearB_RCL/Pentecost/BProp20_RCL.html#gsp1
‘Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes not me but the one who sent me.’ Mark 9:37
Please be seated.
Last Sunday after church I drove to Washington, DC. A good friend of mine had evacuated from North Carolina to her son’s home in DC. I really enjoyed reconnecting with my friend, whom I haven’t seen in a couple of years.
I also enjoyed seeing her son and his family, especially my friend’s two grandsons. The 2 ½ year old was busy all of the time and was really good at kicking the soccer ball when we went to the nearby playground. The almost 4-month old was alert and bright. I just loved holding him and walking around their apartment talking to him the whole time. And oh my, when he smiled it made my day and when he laughed and laughed, I thought it was the most wonderful sound.
Today Jesus continues to teach his disciples and us about how we should be in relationship with one another. Jesus tells us that the greatest among us are the ones who serve everyone…are the ones who are last. This is upside down from the world’s way of valuing people who are the most powerful or have the most money.
To make his point, Jesus takes a child in his arms. The child is helpless in many respects. The child cannot take care of the adult and must rely upon adults for their needs. Often we hear that children in our own society are neglected because they cannot vote. Their needs do not have to be addressed. They are powerless and dependent.
Yet Jesus reminds us that when we take care of our children or the least powerful in our society, we are welcoming and recognizing not only Jesus, but also God.
Yes, to be welcomed is amazing. Think of a time when you have been warmly welcomed into a place. You truly feel loved and you are excited to visit again. It’s so different when you are not welcomed into a place. When you are not welcomed, you really do not want to go back to that place or see those people ever again.
Jesus is also giving us an even more important lesson. Jesus is reminding us that he and God dwell within us and within all of creation. If that is true, then we are obliged to see Jesus and God in every person we meet.
We are reminded of this every time we renew our baptismal promises. On page 305 of the Book of Common Prayer, the Celebrant asks everyone present, “Will you seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving your neighbor as yourself?” And we answer, “I will, with God’s help.”
In other words, we strive to see the part of each person that contains Christ.
I went to social work school with a man who told me this story about his life. He had a pretty tough life growing up in a large California city. His mother, whom he loved greatly, died when he was only six years old. He was sent to live with an Aunt and Uncle, who certainly did their best. He told me how at times he was harassed by the police, who one time were taunting him by saying awful things about his mother who had died. Eventually, he became involved with illegal activities, including dealing drugs.
But at some point in his life, he had also visited his grandfather, who lived in Kansas. He knew his grandfather loved him, even though he didn’t see his grandfather often. He knew his grandfather saw the best part of him, maybe even we’d say, the Christ in him.
When things were just awful for him and he was in danger of being murdered, he rode his motorcycle out of town and the whole way to Kansas. There, he radically changed his life. By his grandfather reflecting back the part of him that was the indwelling of Christ, he was transformed.
Now, that doesn’t mean that can happen to everyone or that we aren’t realistic about the truth of who people are. We must hold both. We must try to see the indwelling of Christ and at the same time see the truth about the person right now.
Can you see Christ in the people around you, especially those that can be difficult for you to love? That is our baptismal promise and in doing so we welcome Christ and we welcome God.
Amen
