YOU HAVE NO DOUBT HEARD OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS, and in particular over the
past couple of months, calls (COUCHED IN THE FORM OF A MANDATE) for
the U.S. Episcopal Church of the 80 million member worldwide Anglican
Communion TO CONSIDER THE MERITS OF entering into a covenant or confession of
faith that everyone throughout the whole Church might agree to. This
sort of suggestion would be an unprecedented thing for Episcopalians to do as
Anglican spirituality has always sought unity with God and encouraged bonds of
affection among one another but never ever legislated it by way of a code or a
covenant or a confession. We kind of like the historic creed we say each Sunday
which dates back to the early Church itself. "We believe in one
God, the Father the Almighty, Maker of Heaven and
Earth..." PERIOD!
Now, regardless of how any of us feels about the issues and concerns of the 20th and 21 st centuries (and
left overs from the 16th for that matter) that are pushing some of
our fellow Anglicans and Episcopalians to ask for some kind of oath of
conformity ( be it the ordination of women in the 1970Õs, the advocacy for
civil rights in the 1950Õs and 60Õs, the welcome of children in worship
and admission of non-Episcopalians and baptized youth to Holy Communion over
the past 30 years , or more recently the insistence on ecological
responsibility , the call for peaceful co-existence among
nations, a fresh committment to youth and young adults ,or the ordination
of all qualified , faithful and called people Ð yes all including Christians
who happen to be Gay) NO MATTER HOW ANY OF US FEEL ABOUT ANY OF THOSE
MODERN CONCERNS - OR ABOUT THE SO CALLED DEADLINE the Episcopal
Church has been given to conform by September 30th 2007 or face some
kind of music, TO ME THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT FROM EVERY ANGEL THERE IS A
YEARNING FOR SOME KIND OF DEEPER UNITY AMONG US ISNÕT THERE. No
matter what side of the theological spectrum one stands on there are well
meaning souls seeking one-ness, seeking union with God and one another. From
the wide eyed 3 year old who eagerly holds out his little hand for a taste of
the LordÕs bread, the Bread of Life itself, to the grizzled traditionalist who
demands a rule of conformity and craves some solemn silence, ( I have a little
bit of both running around within me) the underlying NEED is the same Ð
that somehow, God willing we may each and all find unity with God and one
another.
Today in the 17th chapter of the Holy
Gospel of St. John Jesus said, NO HE PRAYED!, ÒFather I pray that those
who seek me may be one , as you and I are one SO THAT THE WORLD WILL KNOW THAT
YOU HAVE INDEED SENT ME , AND SO THEY MAY KNOW THAT YOU DO LOVE THEM AS
YOU HAVE LOVED ME.Ó.
It is not often that you get to hear what someone prays to his Maker.
Prayer is a very private, very sacred exchange Ð especially to
Episcopalians of every ilk. Its one of the great endearing traits I
respect so much in devout , understated Anglican spirituality.
And yet today , the Sunday after the Ascension of Christ to His Heavenly
throne, we get to over hear His final prayer to God to help soulful seekers
become one with God and one another even as Jesus himself achieved this
perfect communion in his lifetime.
ÔFather I pray they be one even as we are oneÕ AND WHY? WHY
IS THIS JESUSÕ LAST PRAYERFUL REQUEST? ÒSo that they will believe you
really did send me to prove you love them , even as you have loved
me.Ó (paraphrase mine)
Now
do YOU YOURSELF believe that God sent Jesus of Nazareth into this world , into
human flesh, into your world with all its joys and challenges? Do
you? I definitely do believe this. I believe Jesus was indeed a God send
to this earth and to all souls and certainly to my soul.
Now , do you think most people on earth think this too? Well
IÕve READ ALOT and asked around in my travels over a long period of
time. From Central America, to Cambridge to Israel, Syria, Jordan,
Europe, The Gaza strip. From loading docks to hallowed halls of learning
IÕve asked around and to my surprise an amazing number of Jews, Muslims,
Buddhists, Native peoples, agnostics and even one noted atheist who has a t-shirt
Ôatheist for JesusÕ say they believe He was indeed a God send to this world Ð
the best corrective/the best example of THE INSIGHT AND THE ANSWER TO WHAT
AILS US ALL THE WORLD HAS EVER SEEN.
IT WAS GHANDI WHO ONCE SAID SOMETHING LIKE, Ô I have infinite respect
for Jesus and his teachings, but IÕm still waiting for Christians to use
them.Õ Yes Ghandi was a Hindu but like so many the world over he sensed
this yearning for oneness with God too. ONE ÐNESS, NOT SAME-
NESS. AND THAT'S THE PROBLEM WITH THE MANDATE APPROACH OF THE PRESENT
COMING FROM CANTERBURY AND PARTS OF AFRICA. Jesus did
not pray for sameness, he asked God to help us find the key to oneness of
spirit in Christ, not oneness of opinion, OR LITURGICAL STYLE, or God
forbid , personality. One of each of us , unique and loved and important
to God is GodÕs great gift to us and to the world. And frankly friends, one of
each of us is plenty.
My friends in our time people are yearning for oneness not
uniformity. We crave a foundation for our faith that is trustworthy, that
is solid Ð that is reliable and credible. We want to take that next
step forward in faith and we need assurance that each new step will be on solid
ground for a real walk with God. And though many religious
institutions and movements insist there is but one way to walk and only one
type of person God will associate with (the type who walks in lock step and
speaks the same language and uses the same phraseology and twang Ð all things
that Jesus challenged in his day as impediments to unity with God and one
another by the way- TODAY MY FRIENDS YOU AND I ARE SO BLESSED TO
LIVE IN A COUNTRY WHERE WE ARE FREE BY LAW TO SEEK UNITY IN THE WAY WE
FEEL INWARDLY MOVED TO DO SO, AND WE ARE DOUBLY BLESSED TO BE PART OF A LONGSTANDING
TRADITION OF A CHURCH, THE Episcopal Church of the Anglican Communion that has
consistently and with great integrity encouraged its people to do just that ,
seek unity Ð listen for GodÕs stirrings Ð broaden the circle of
inclusion AND FAITH AND OUTREACH TO THE POOR AND FORGOTTEN over the
centuries . I have so much respect for any religious
community that honestly welcomes the prayer of Christ to come true. And
though there are small stirrings within many, it is only the Episcopal
Church IN THE U.S. that has shown me a willingness to live and , if
necessary to be willing to die for THAT GREAT DAY when we all may indeed
be one. ISN'T THAT WHAT OUR LORD LIVED AND DIED FOR? IS THIS
NOT WHAT WE, THE PEOLE OF HIS CHURCH SHOULD BE ABOUT TOO?
I almost never say it out loud but I feel it in my heart , I love the Episcopal
Church of our time and really of most of the time of its history
especially in this nation, not because it is MY Church but because it is really
trying to be GodÕs Church, showing that God has sent his Son to be among us
that we might be one and come to know that God loves us even as God loved Jesus
Christ.
IÕm going to close this meditation with excerpts from a wonderful piece that
appeared in last SundayÕs NY Times. I just about stood up and cheered;
Not for the Church so much as for the sense that Christ was finding
a way to speak through one. É And it just happens to be ours, in this country,
at this time. Thanks be to God!
May 13, 2007 excerpt
ÒSomewhere
near you, thereÕs a blue and white sign bearing the familiar slogan:The
Episcopal Church Welcomes You. It represents some 7,400 congregations that
trace their beginnings in North America to a small but hopeful group of English
Christians who arrived May 14, 1607 at a place they called Jamestown Ð the
first permanent English settlement in the New World.
You may know us as WashingtonÕs monumental National Cathedral, É or the
Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York, still unfinished, but the largest
cathedral in the world. ...
But the Episcopal Church is also BostonÕs Old North Church, founded in 1723 and
made famous by serving as the beacon for Paul RevereÕs revolution
spurring ÔMidnight RideÕ. And PhiadelphiaÕs Christ Church , home parish
of 15 signers of the Declaration of Independence, host to the first General
Convention of the Episcopal Church in 1785.
It is Trinity Church Wall Street in New York, formed in 16 98, and St. PaulÕs
down the street frequented by George Washington and the spiritual healing
center of Ground Zero since September 11 , 2001.
And it is also Epiphany Church in Los Angeles , where Ceasar Chavez rallied the
United Farm workers. And it is Emmanuel Church in Cumberland Maryland whose
basement was a major stop on the Underground Railroad to freedom for enslaved
African Americans. And it is St. JohnÕs Church in Greenwhich village , a
meeting place for gay and lesbian people following the 1969 Stonewall uprising...
It is a parish in Iowa. A campus ministry in Georgia. A mission, Dinetah-the
Navajo Reservation. It is a cathedral in Utah and a house Church in
Vermont. É Wherever you find us , youÕll find the Book of
common Prayer and a Christian faith that honors the Bible, the tradition of the
Church and God given human reason. Joined in prayer youÕll find many
points of view Ð Christians who are progressive, moderate, conservative Ð yet
who value the diversity of their faith community. ÉÓ JOINED IN PRAYER MY
FRIENDS NOT BY MANDATE - joined BY Jesus's prayer .... Let this be the
place where unity overcomes estrangement and where by walking the center aisle
together all God's people will share the eternal blessings given at God's table
THROUGH WORD AND SACRAMENT , FELLOWSHIP AND GRACE.
Yes indeed you have no doubt heard of the many ways that people hope for a
deeper sense of unity among us. As for me I remain hopeful in the God who
hears our heartfelt prayers and who , in GodÕs good time , helps us to discover
more lovng ways to partner with God to bring them to fruition.
PLEASE PRAY WITH ME:
Dear God, who has indeed given us the gift of your Son our Savior to live and
teach and serve among us, and yes to put His very life on the line for our
sake: Help us and your Church to find the way, the warm
and welcoming way , to do our part to help answer the prayer in
heart of the Lord, Ôthat we may all be one." And as we work to this
end bless us and keep us in your heart O Lord, today and all our days.
In the name of Your Son our Savior Jesus Christ. Amen