Sermon May 25, 2008
Sermon-2nd Sunday after Pentecost-Proper 3-May 25, 2008
The Cloud of Unknowing, "O God, our great companion, lead us ever more deeply into the mystery of your life and ours, that we may be faithful interpreters of that Life to each other, through our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen."
How many of you think you worry too much? Ok, how many of you would like to worry less?
The two most worthless words in the English language are these: “Don’t worry.” I have said these words to people so much-and yet I hate it when people say them to me. “Don’t worry.” Joyce Meyer, the Christian preacher says, “I used to worry til I found out it was a sin-now I just fret.” I have been a world class worrier all my life.
I try not to show that side to you, but it is true.
A funny thing has happened as I get older-I don’t worry as much. Don’t get me wrong, I still worry, but now I worry less. And it’s not just because of age or wisdom, or experience. I think I worry less for one reason-I am getting tired of it. Dr. Phil quotes Glenn Turner Worrying is like a rocking chair, it gives you something to do, but it gets you nowhere.
One day I began to think about all the time I spend worrying, and I asked myself this question-“what am I so afraid of?” For me, that was the issue-I worried because I was afraid something would happen, and I wasn’t sure what I would do-how I would handle it. Over time, I realized that if I worried about it or not-it didn’t matter that much. The result was about the same. Now don’t let me mislead you-I still worry. But I am getting better at not worrying so much, because I am trying to face what is behind worry for me-being less afraid.
One thing I know-someone telling me “Don’t worry”, never helped. Ever. So I am working very hard at never saying that to others. Instead, I try to tell people that I am working at not being afraid. That’s what I tell them-about my fear. But I try not to give advice about worrying.
Four times Jesus tells people in this reading not to worry:
6:25-do not worry about your life
6:28 And why do you worry about clothing
6:31 Therefore do not worry, saying, 'What will we eat?
6:34 So do not worry about tomorrow,
But what I really think he’s saying is, “don’t be so afraid.”
Be careful. A lot of people try to say that this teaching is about not working for food or clothes. Flowers are beautiful, birds seem carefree. But every bird I’ve ever seen works very hard at finding food. This isn’t about work. I think this teaching is about fear. And it’s a powerful one. I think Jesus is saying that when we’re afraid, we try to fill in all the things that we think will protect us from the future-food, or clothing, or money, or things. But in the end-this is the part I think he’s trying to teach us- none of them will protect us from what we fear. All are substitutes, all are fill ins. I think that worry isn’t really about something bad happening to us-because bad things are going to happen to us-maybe not as many as we fear-but enough of them are. I think worry is the fear that we can’t handle something, or can’t face it, or can’t deal with it, or will make the wrong decision, or something. As I look at my own worry and kind of peel away the layers-this is what I see. I worry because I am afraid of what I will do-or won’t do-or worst of all-won’t be able to handle. I think worrying less is about being less afraid
You know perhaps the most popular phrase in the gospels is? “Don’t be afraid.” Not, “don’t worry” or “be happy” or “love one another”. 16 times in the four gospels Jesus or the angels say, “Don’t be afraid.” They don’t say that everything will be alright. They don’t say God will protect you from all bad things. They simply say, God will be with you. But in our fear, we worry that maybe that won’t be enough or on time or God won’t remember. And so we worry, because down deep we know that there are a lot of things out there that we cannot handle, that are too much for us.
In 1963 there was a wonderful movie made called, Lilies Of The Field-named after this passage. It was called a little movie about little people An unemployed construction worker (Homer Smith) heading out west wandering from job to job when his car overheats and he is forced to stop at a remote farm in the desert to get water. The farm is being run by 5 nuns who had escaped from East Germany and were given this terrible piece of property to form a convent. The head nun, the mother superior, believes that Homer Smith was sent by God to build a church (a chapel) (The current church where all the people were worshipping at on Sundays was the back of the priest’s station wagon). Homer Smith agrees to help out for a couple of days- just wanting to make a little money. A small movie, a small story. It is a story about facing fears. And it’s a story about learning. The Mother Superior is so afraid that they have risked everything-for nothing. Homer Smith is afraid that this is a gigantic waste of time. The people of the desert are afraid that nothing will ever be any better. The Catholic priest is afraid that he has spent his life in vain. All are afraid that they are living lives too small for God to notice. They have to learn. That’s what the movie is about-how to learn not to be afraid. The Mother Superior has to learn to stop worrying. Homer Smith has to learn that God can use even an itinerant African-American laborer. And especially he has to learn that he can accomplish great things. The poor people of the desert have to learn that God comes to them-and can do wonderful things through them. And he priest in the story has to learn faith.
I have to learn not to be so afraid. It doesn’t happen when someone tells me not to worry. It happens when know that others have been afraid-and with faith, handled it. We all have to learn how to worry a lot less. And we have to believe that no matter what, we can handle life. It’s not the same as believing that bad things won’t happen to us-for they will. But we have to believe that God has our names tattooed on his palms, and is with us.
6:25 "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?
6:26 Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?
Are you not or more value than the lilies and the birds? Then we can learn not to be so afraid.
We can learn that.
Lilies Of The Field is the story of a group of Christian nuns who escape from the Communist held portion of Berlin and come to the United States.They have a small holding in a southwestern state where they are attempting to set up a school, hospital and chapel to serve the people of the area whose only place of worship is a mobile field chapel serviced by a priest who travels to the many small towns in the area providing masses, christenings and other services.Homer Smith, played by Portier, is a traveling handyman who lives on the road in his station wagon. Smith is hired to do some small jobs for the sisters, and is eventually convinced to "Build a Schapel" for the nuns.During the course of the movie, Smith and the Mother Superior butt heads again and again over who is building the Chapel, who is providing the materials and drive. Smith is agitated with the stony hard-driving Mother Superior whose unbending nature eventually causes him to leave.The attitude of the Mother Superior is that "God" is building the chapel for them using Smith as the tool.Smith returns and begins to take a personal interest in the chapel and is determined to build it unaided. During the course of the movie his determination convinces the members of the community, believer and un-believer to contribute materials and labor to the task.The chapel is eventually completed, the Mother Superior unbends a little, the community unites and Smith hits the road with their respect and thanks, and a feeling of personal accomplishment.A movie with subtle depth, great characters and a "watch it again" appeal that is not found in many of the current (1980-to date) movies, and which the bulk of these have failed to deliver.One of the many high-lights of this film is the Gospel song: Amen sung by Portier and the nuns.
If you want to test your memory, try to recall what you were worrying about one year ago today. ~E. Joseph Cossman
Matthew 6:24-34
6:24 "No one can serve two masters; for a slave will either hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.
6:25 "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?
6:26 Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?
6:27 And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life?
6:28 And why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin,
6:29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these.
6:30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you--you of little faith?
6:31 Therefore do not worry, saying, 'What will we eat?' or 'What will we drink?' or 'What will we wear?'
6:32 For it is the Gentiles who strive for all these things; and indeed your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.
6:33 But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
6:34 So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today's trouble is enough for today."
The Cloud of Unknowing, "O God, our great companion, lead us ever more deeply into the mystery of your life and ours, that we may be faithful interpreters of that Life to each other, through our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen."
How many of you think you worry too much? Ok, how many of you would like to worry less?
The two most worthless words in the English language are these: “Don’t worry.” I have said these words to people so much-and yet I hate it when people say them to me. “Don’t worry.” Joyce Meyer, the Christian preacher says, “I used to worry til I found out it was a sin-now I just fret.” I have been a world class worrier all my life.
I try not to show that side to you, but it is true.
A funny thing has happened as I get older-I don’t worry as much. Don’t get me wrong, I still worry, but now I worry less. And it’s not just because of age or wisdom, or experience. I think I worry less for one reason-I am getting tired of it. Dr. Phil quotes Glenn Turner Worrying is like a rocking chair, it gives you something to do, but it gets you nowhere.
One day I began to think about all the time I spend worrying, and I asked myself this question-“what am I so afraid of?” For me, that was the issue-I worried because I was afraid something would happen, and I wasn’t sure what I would do-how I would handle it. Over time, I realized that if I worried about it or not-it didn’t matter that much. The result was about the same. Now don’t let me mislead you-I still worry. But I am getting better at not worrying so much, because I am trying to face what is behind worry for me-being less afraid.
One thing I know-someone telling me “Don’t worry”, never helped. Ever. So I am working very hard at never saying that to others. Instead, I try to tell people that I am working at not being afraid. That’s what I tell them-about my fear. But I try not to give advice about worrying.
Four times Jesus tells people in this reading not to worry:
6:25-do not worry about your life
6:28 And why do you worry about clothing
6:31 Therefore do not worry, saying, 'What will we eat?
6:34 So do not worry about tomorrow,
But what I really think he’s saying is, “don’t be so afraid.”
Be careful. A lot of people try to say that this teaching is about not working for food or clothes. Flowers are beautiful, birds seem carefree. But every bird I’ve ever seen works very hard at finding food. This isn’t about work. I think this teaching is about fear. And it’s a powerful one. I think Jesus is saying that when we’re afraid, we try to fill in all the things that we think will protect us from the future-food, or clothing, or money, or things. But in the end-this is the part I think he’s trying to teach us- none of them will protect us from what we fear. All are substitutes, all are fill ins. I think that worry isn’t really about something bad happening to us-because bad things are going to happen to us-maybe not as many as we fear-but enough of them are. I think worry is the fear that we can’t handle something, or can’t face it, or can’t deal with it, or will make the wrong decision, or something. As I look at my own worry and kind of peel away the layers-this is what I see. I worry because I am afraid of what I will do-or won’t do-or worst of all-won’t be able to handle. I think worrying less is about being less afraid
You know perhaps the most popular phrase in the gospels is? “Don’t be afraid.” Not, “don’t worry” or “be happy” or “love one another”. 16 times in the four gospels Jesus or the angels say, “Don’t be afraid.” They don’t say that everything will be alright. They don’t say God will protect you from all bad things. They simply say, God will be with you. But in our fear, we worry that maybe that won’t be enough or on time or God won’t remember. And so we worry, because down deep we know that there are a lot of things out there that we cannot handle, that are too much for us.
In 1963 there was a wonderful movie made called, Lilies Of The Field-named after this passage. It was called a little movie about little people An unemployed construction worker (Homer Smith) heading out west wandering from job to job when his car overheats and he is forced to stop at a remote farm in the desert to get water. The farm is being run by 5 nuns who had escaped from East Germany and were given this terrible piece of property to form a convent. The head nun, the mother superior, believes that Homer Smith was sent by God to build a church (a chapel) (The current church where all the people were worshipping at on Sundays was the back of the priest’s station wagon). Homer Smith agrees to help out for a couple of days- just wanting to make a little money. A small movie, a small story. It is a story about facing fears. And it’s a story about learning. The Mother Superior is so afraid that they have risked everything-for nothing. Homer Smith is afraid that this is a gigantic waste of time. The people of the desert are afraid that nothing will ever be any better. The Catholic priest is afraid that he has spent his life in vain. All are afraid that they are living lives too small for God to notice. They have to learn. That’s what the movie is about-how to learn not to be afraid. The Mother Superior has to learn to stop worrying. Homer Smith has to learn that God can use even an itinerant African-American laborer. And especially he has to learn that he can accomplish great things. The poor people of the desert have to learn that God comes to them-and can do wonderful things through them. And he priest in the story has to learn faith.
I have to learn not to be so afraid. It doesn’t happen when someone tells me not to worry. It happens when know that others have been afraid-and with faith, handled it. We all have to learn how to worry a lot less. And we have to believe that no matter what, we can handle life. It’s not the same as believing that bad things won’t happen to us-for they will. But we have to believe that God has our names tattooed on his palms, and is with us.
6:25 "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?
6:26 Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?
Are you not or more value than the lilies and the birds? Then we can learn not to be so afraid.
We can learn that.
Lilies Of The Field is the story of a group of Christian nuns who escape from the Communist held portion of Berlin and come to the United States.They have a small holding in a southwestern state where they are attempting to set up a school, hospital and chapel to serve the people of the area whose only place of worship is a mobile field chapel serviced by a priest who travels to the many small towns in the area providing masses, christenings and other services.Homer Smith, played by Portier, is a traveling handyman who lives on the road in his station wagon. Smith is hired to do some small jobs for the sisters, and is eventually convinced to "Build a Schapel" for the nuns.During the course of the movie, Smith and the Mother Superior butt heads again and again over who is building the Chapel, who is providing the materials and drive. Smith is agitated with the stony hard-driving Mother Superior whose unbending nature eventually causes him to leave.The attitude of the Mother Superior is that "God" is building the chapel for them using Smith as the tool.Smith returns and begins to take a personal interest in the chapel and is determined to build it unaided. During the course of the movie his determination convinces the members of the community, believer and un-believer to contribute materials and labor to the task.The chapel is eventually completed, the Mother Superior unbends a little, the community unites and Smith hits the road with their respect and thanks, and a feeling of personal accomplishment.A movie with subtle depth, great characters and a "watch it again" appeal that is not found in many of the current (1980-to date) movies, and which the bulk of these have failed to deliver.One of the many high-lights of this film is the Gospel song: Amen sung by Portier and the nuns.
If you want to test your memory, try to recall what you were worrying about one year ago today. ~E. Joseph Cossman
Matthew 6:24-34
6:24 "No one can serve two masters; for a slave will either hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.
6:25 "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?
6:26 Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?
6:27 And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life?
6:28 And why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin,
6:29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these.
6:30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you--you of little faith?
6:31 Therefore do not worry, saying, 'What will we eat?' or 'What will we drink?' or 'What will we wear?'
6:32 For it is the Gentiles who strive for all these things; and indeed your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.
6:33 But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
6:34 So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today's trouble is enough for today."