LAKE JAMES

NORTH CAROLINA

Proper 16 B + Aug. 27, 2006 + St. Paul’s Church, Lake James

+ In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

At first glance, today’s Bible readings seem to have a clear and simple message, which is “choices have to be made.” The Hebrew Scriptures tell how Joshua, the successor to Moses, gathered all Israel at a place named Shechem and demanded that the people choose: would they worship the local deity or the Lord God of Israel? We heard their reply. They said “we will worship the Lord our God and we will obey His voice!”

In the gospel, we heard the very same question and essentially the same answer, only there, the one asking the question was Jesus and the response came from the Apostles. Just as in the Old Testament, the scene is a dramatic one. Jesus had just said something some of his hearers couldn’t accept. You may remember what that was because it was in last Sunday’s Gospel, but, in case you have forgotten what that was, or somehow weren’t in church last week, what Jesus had said was “unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you.” The translation we just heard has Our Lord’s hearers responding “This is a hard saying, who can listen to it?” but the New English Bible, wonderfully, perhaps humorously, translates their response as “this is more than we can stomach!” In any event, St. John notes that, from that point on, many who had thought of themselves as being followers of Jesus, withdrew. That is to say they quit! It was then that Jesus asked the question we heard just a few moments ago. Speaking to the Apostles, he asked “Do you also want to leave me?” His question is not unlike two of the questions the priest asks candidates for baptism, namely, “Do you renounce all the sinful desires that draw you from the love of God?” and “Do you turn to Jesus Christ and accept Him as your Savior?” If you have been present at the celebration of the sacrament of baptism, you have heard those questions asked, and you know what answers are expected.

Well, what’s wrong with that? What’s wrong with being asked to choose the living God instead of false gods or idols? Doesn’t that seem to be an appropriate thing for a church to do? And being reminded, as today’s Bible readings remind us, that our spiritual ancestors were asked the same kind of questions isn’t out of place, is it? Of course, the answer is “no” – not if we think it through. The problem is that one can be left with the impression that it is so simple – you either choose God, or you don’t! You stay loyal to the rabbi from Nazareth, or you quit! It’s one or the other! But the fact is that life, real life, just isn’t that simple! Consider what the ancient Hebrews did after making their solemn vow. Apostasy after apostasy! With its characteristic honesty, the Old Testament reflects a record that is like a yo-yo; now faithful, now abandoning God for one idol or another, the pattern being repeated over and over again. The very same behavior is seen in the New Testament. Think of who it is who answers when Jesus asks the Apostles to choose – it is Peter who bursts out “Lord, your words are words of eternal life. We have faith! We know you are the Holy One of God!” And yet it is the same Peter who, not long after, betrayed Jesus, three times swearing that he didn’t even know him!

For most people, life is not the simple making of a choice and then having everything settled, but rather, life involves the making of choices which have to be re-affirmed, chosen again and again. Think of most good marriages and how much work it takes after the happy exchange of vows to keep marriage alive and loving. It’s not that we don’t have to make original choices – we certainly do, - but putting those choices into practice day by day, living up to those choices, is something else! Living a Christian life is a daily task, not something we accomplish magically once and for all by making a choice for God. It would be nice if we could just dedicate ourselves to God and then never falter or sin, but that isn’t the way humans are, is it? Think of the emotional outburst by the Patron saint of this parish, St. Paul, when he cried out “The things I know I should do, I don’t do, but the things I know I shouldn’t do, I do so often!” Like St. Paul, always making the right choices, always doing the right thing just isn’t what I am able to do in my life, and I rather suspect it may not be what you are able to do in yours, either. Since none of that is a surprise to the God who designed and created us, it’s not astonishing that the same God has given us ways to deal with that situation. That way is called repentance and brings with it not only God’s forgiveness, but a new start. What’s more, Jesus made it clear that the only limitation is whether we really want to be forgiven!

As Christians, you and I know, or I hope we know, that we worship the God who so loved, and still loves the world that he gave his only-begotten Son for it – gave Him for us! It’s really very simple: when we repent, God forgives! The obvious question which arises is, how do we repent? There are a number of good ways to express repentance. The simplest is each evening to take some quiet time to review the events of the day just past, asking God’s forgiveness for whatever sins one has committed, or good one failed to do. If our repentance is honest, God’s forgiveness is given. However, since we are not just individuals, but are also significantly part of a larger body, the Church, Anglicans customarily join together in a shared expression of our sorrow for sin. That’s why the Book of Common Prayer provides forms for a general confession during the celebration of the Holy Eucharist. In making a confession together, we acknowledge both our personal, individual sins and the sins of which we, as a corporate body are guilty. While the Church is a Divine entity, the Body of Christ, it is also a human organization, capable of doing foolish or even evil things. That’s true for parishes, dioceses, and national or international expressions of the institution. So all of us, individuals or institutional groups, need forgiveness. Based on the reasonable assumption that we mean what we say in forms of confession, the liturgy includes the declaration of God’s forgiveness in the absolution pronounced by the priest.

Finally, perhaps the most powerful and effective way of dealing with sin is in the Sacrament of Forgiveness which the Prayer Book entitles “The Reconciliation of a Penitent” and which is known to most of us by its nickname, “confession.” In the Episcopal Church, sacramental confession (that is confession of sin to God in the presence of a priest) is not required, but is provided as an assured way to receive both God’s forgiveness and the grace which gives strength to begin again the struggle to translate our profession of faith (that is, our choices for God) into our daily living as Christians. The rule of thumb about making a sacramental confession is “all may, none must, but some should.” If you have never made use of that sacrament, or if it has been a long time since your last confession, and there are issues in your life or relationships with others that need forgiveness, consider this an invitation to make use of that very special and powerful means of grace, a sacrament which is a wonderful gift to us from a caring, loving, and forgiving God. That’s especially important when we remember that at the very top of our list of those whose forgiveness we need, should be God, because whenever we sin against anyone else, we sin against God. I would be happy to talk privately with anyone who wants to consider receiving the sacrament of forgiveness.

While we are on the subject, consider that although having honest, thorough repentance for our sin can be difficult, sometimes even harder is being willing to forgive others when they have hurt us. The memory of the hurt, the pain they may have caused, and questions in our own minds not only as to whether they are truly sorry for what they have done, but even more, whether they might just do it again – those questions can make it difficult for us to mean the words Jesus Himself taught us to say “…forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.” So, odd as it may sound, sometimes our repentance needs to include not just wrongs we have done, but our unwillingness to give others the same forgiveness we ourselves need! None of which makes us horrible people – just humans in need of God’s grace to do what, on our own, we can’t (and sometimes, don’t even want to do). I’m talking about real life – about living up to God’s will for us instead of our own.

Making choices is important. Striving to live up to our choices is important. But even more important is being realistic enough to admit to oneself, and to God, when we have failed, and then, having enough love for God to do something about our lapses. When we mess up, we need to be aware of it, to be sorry for it, and then to have the courage to ask forgiveness from those we have hurt, be they family, friends, or others, but also to be willing to give forgiveness as well.

Today’s Bible readings teach us that every one of us is faced with the need to make choices. That’s just part of life. But remember, too, that when we don’t live up to choices we have made, the God in whom you and I believe as Christians, the God proclaimed by the Church, understands, loves anyway, and if we desire it, forgives.

Think of it. Could there be any better choice than the Living God? No! So, by all means, choose God! But then, brothers and sisters, fellow imperfect beings, choose God again. And again. And again.

+ In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

The Reverend Alfred T. K. Zadig, Sr.

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