Enjoy one of the many great sermons by Sarah Hollar...
May 3, 2009
In the last week of January, we offered an Instructed Eucharist where we went through each part of our normal Sunday worship service and gave explanation for every action. You may recall that the “Collect of the Day” is a prayer that appears early in the service and gathers or “collects” the mind of the congregation and draws focus to the theme of the day. What we will hear in the readings from Holy Scripture is teased out as we prepare to go deeper. This morning in the appointed collect, we prayed, “O God, whose Son Jesus is the good shepherd of your people: Grant that when we hear his voice we may know him who calls us each by name, and follow where he leads.” Our ears may have perked up at the words “Jesus is the good shepherd.” A few moments later, together we prayed the 23rd Psalm, beginning with the verse, “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.” A few moments after that, we heard from the gospel of John, Jesus say of himself, “I am the good shepherd.” The phrase “good shepherd” brings to mind all kinds of comforting images. We see a strong figure engaged in the well-being of his flock. We see a person who keeps his charge safe from danger and peril, who takes the less astute beings to places where they will be nourished and find contentment. “He makes me lie down in green pastures and leads me beside still waters.” “He revives my soul.” He spreads a table before me in the presence of those who trouble me. He anoints my head with healing oil. He makes my cup run over so that I am amply filled.
The description of the good shepherd continues. Apparently, an important attribute of a GOOD shepherd is the ability and desire to know every member of the flock intimately. The Good Shepherd recognizes one sheep from another and, more than that, knows the character and personality of each one. So, in this analogy between a shepherd and his sheep, and our Lord and us, we find protection, sustenance and acceptance. Danger is kept at bay. Our basic needs, food, shelter, rest, peace of mind are provided. Our longing to be known, to be valued, to be claimed, is answered. The good shepherd is indeed a comforting figure, one that encourages our trust.
In all the soothing words, we may overlook two less appeasing points of the scriptural text. The Good Shepherd lays down his life for the sheep and we are to follow his example. The Good Shepherd is willing to go headlong into danger to rescue his sheep. He will sacrifice his own safety and self-interest for the security and well-being of any one of his sheep. He knows them all. He cares for them all. Each one is deemed worthy and important and each one merits his interest, energy and affection. He goes after the strong ones and the weak ones, the beautiful and the ugly ones. He will exert effort. He will go again and again after the troublemaker and the dense one. He doesn’t lose patience and he doesn’t give up and he doesn’t care when the rescue is hard. He is not deterred when the rescue is hard. On the way to green pastures and still waters, there are wolves and briers, narrow mountain passes, slippery gravel, deep ditches, thieves and disease. Shepherding well is not easy or casual. Attention and endurance are required.
Jesus said over and over again in his public ministry, the Father sent me so that the world would know him and his intent through my teachings and by my actions. He sent me that you would believe and follow my example. The Son’s most consistent teaching, his most repeated action was “love.” Jesus taught and Jesus enacted love. In the majority of the parables, in the Sermon on the Mount, in the healing of the lepers and the blind man, in dining with sinners and detested tax collectors, in defending the adulteress, in his final words to his trusted friends and even his betrayer at the last supper, the messages was love. “Love one another as I have loved you.” The love Christ speaks to is not the sentimental hearts and flowers, tv movie, airport novel variety. The love Christ proclaims, exemplifies and demands is the Good Shepherd kind. He calls us to protect, sustain and accept all members of the flock that are our human family. The love he teaches and lives out is the work and essence of Compassion. Compassion is a strong, difficult, life-giving endeavor. One of the world’s most acclaimed modern religious scholars, Karen Armstrong, describes the love that Christ advocates this way, “Compassion doesn’t mean feeling sorry for people. It doesn’t mean pity. It means putting yourself in the position of the other, learning about the other, learning what’s motivating the other, learning about their grievances.” Compassion is also taking the golden rule to heart. Do not do to others what you would not like them to do to you. Do not allow actions and circumstances to happen to others that you would not want to fall on you. Compassion is the action of the second great commandment. Love your neighbor as yourself. Treat every human being as you would want to be treated. Such action, such an attitude and orientation requires dedication and understanding.
The world is complex and the woes seem overwhelming. Even if we were inclined to act as a good shepherd, even if we were willing to go after members of the body who were stuck, in danger, in want, in trouble, trapped in oppressive, despairing situations, how could we change the outcome? How could we make a real difference? Armstrong’s definition is helpful. Love of one’s neighbor, compassion extended to the human family is not soft or naïve. Persistent engagement is required. Compassion doesn’t mean “feeling” sorry for people. It is not about feeling at all. Compassion is action. Compassion is forcing oneself to learn more about the complex unpleasant realities that beset our brothers and sisters of this world. The Son our Father sent us said, “love one another.” Put yourself in the position of the other. Learn about his life. Learn what is motivating her. Learn about his grievances and her trials. What do they hope for, what do they wish for their children, what are the obstacles they face. Learn and listen and then you will know what to do. Complexity cannot be our excuse. People are suffering in our world and Christ calls us to go to those sad, hard places and free folk from their distress. He is clear and he is serious. Count the times Jesus talked about prayer. Count the times Jesus talked about studying the scripture. Count the times Jesus talked about “family values” or moral conduct. Then notice the times he taught empathy, he preached love, or he modeled compassion. Our epistle lesson asks us, “How does God’s love abide in anyone who has the world’s goods and sees a brother or sister in need and yet refuses to help? The lesson continues “Children of faith, let us love, not in word or speech, but in truth and action.”
Dear ones, God sent Christ into this world to lead us back to God and back to a perfected reality. Christ says, that way home, in fact the only way home, is the way made when we all go together in health and harmony, in acceptance and affection. The way to green pastures and still waters on earth and in heaven lies down the road of compassion. So, we read more. We consider longer. We pick at least one place to act. We write letters, we give money, we show up and dig in.
An Episcopal priest recently told me that members of his congregation stopped coming to church because they were afraid of being stopped by police and being sent back to Mexico. They are only driving to work and to the grocery store once every two weeks. In America, they’re afraid to drive to church. Immigration reform is complex, but hard-working people wanting to worship, deserve consideration.
Scientists tell us food production and food distribution for the whole world is possible today. It is possible for World Hunger to be eradicated within 20 years. The technology exists. The will is lacking.
To be a Christian is to “love” humanity. To be a Christian is to tackle the complex and summon the lacking will. To be a Christian is to love not in word or speech, but in truth and action.
The Good Shepherd came for us. He calls us by name. Dear God, grant that we may hear his call and follow where he leads us in the love of your children, our brothers and sisters. Amen.
