This year's Harvest and Thanksgiving sermon (9/10/2016)
[Jer. 31:3-6; Rev. 4:8-11; Mt. 15:29-31]
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
Our readings this morning are extremely positive and optimistic; thanks be to God!
Surprisingly, even Jeremiah sings us a happy tune today.
Surprising, because Jeremiah is known for his laments and maudlin prophesies about the fall of the southern Kingdom of Judah and Jerusalem in the 6th century BC, so much so that his name has become synonymous to a depressing literary style defined as a 'jeremiad'.
And Revelation, often seen as utterly confusing and even terrifying, gives us not one but two joyous hymns this morning, the first of which (the Trisagion or thrice Holy) we'll be using at the eucharistic prayer later on, and the second of which is very similar to the ending of the Lord's Prayer, which we'll also be praying at the Altar.
And then our Gospel reading, where Jesus, the Son of God, heals people, restores them to their fulness; now what could possibly be more uplifting -literally physically uplifting!- and joyous then that?!
Thanks be to God!
Another theme our Scripture readings have in common is their real sense of gratitude, of praise and thanksgiving, and the public, unwavering and unabashed way in which the people in our narratives proclaim their joy and relief and faith in the God of Israel.
There's no shame in their thanksgiving, on the contrary, there's a frank calling out of the good which has been bestowed upon them, an honest sharing of how they've been restored to the place and status that was rightfully theirs.
This is a place of wholeness and purpose within Creation, within that grand divine scheme where all of God's creatures, great and small, have their meaning and their vocation. This is what's meant with the Hebrew word shalom.
This wholeness in mind, body and spirit, is the promised peace of God which really does surpass our mortal and limited, often scared and angry understanding; it's a peace which truly the world cannot give but which our Lord, our Christ has given us and left us. (Jn. 14:27)
This is a shalom which we cannot jealously and meanly guard for ourselves, after all it isn't ours to keep. God's creative light múst shine through us into that world in dire need of light and hope, of peace, of life.
In a world beset by war and terrorism, pollution and economic greed, political scheming and poverty, intolerance and indifference, and the thousand and one other issues that desperately and seriously need sorting out -and fast!- Christians are called to shine this light, that resurrection light, that creation light of endless forgiveness and renewal and possibilities into the dark, with a grounded sense of realism and an unabated and often unnerving sense of hope and progress.
All the while we're also called to tell of God's care and engagement in a patient, kind manner and with an open mind and loving hart.
Hands up if you find this a daunting and near impossible task?
If you've lifted up your hand, look around you, you're not alone! Isn't that comforting?
What's even more comforting is that Jesus has promised us to be there with us in that undertaking. His Spirit guides and supports us, even when we feel lost or confused.
Jeremiah's proclamation of 'everlasting love, unfailing kindness' and his use of verbs like 'rebuilding, dancing, planting and going up' -literally also because Zion or Jerusalem is a city built on a hill- should energise us, inspire us in this vocation within Creation, both in many small and personal ways as in the major and large-scale ones!
Who would have imagined that sour, dour Old Testament prophet, synonymous for pessimism and negativity, would be preaching such Gospel happiness?!
Are we happy about this great gift of Creation and our given place and given purpose in it?
We should be, because God really does mean it when He calls us to task so to speak, not in a tyrannical way but because He truly believes in us, often more than we believe in Him, and He knows we'll truly prosper and grow in mind, body and spirit.
Or are we reticent? Do we hold back?
That's perfectly understandable and perfectly alright; God knows us better than we know ourselves, and He's more than willing to help us, in fact He'll give us more credit than we give ourselves or more than we're given by others around us.
'Behold the birds of the air... behold the lilies of the field... love your neighbour as yourself.' (Mt. 6:26, 28; 22:39)
These are creation verses, these are harvest and thanksgiving verses.
They call us to pay attention to all of Creation around us, and to give grateful thanks for it.
They call us to pay attention to ourselves, our fellow human beings and to all God's creatures, áll of them (even the creepy crawlers we don't particularly like).
These verses like our readings call us to an awareness of the bigger picture ánd all the small details within Creation's framework; they remind us that there's a lot to be grateful for, even if at times it doesn't feel like it and life seems to be putting us down; they emphasise that we're not alone in this, that everything's marvellously and purposefully connected.
All this is part of the divine will and plan, so that we're able together with all creatures, winged or otherwise, proclaim this unceasing Eucharistic Hymn: 'You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honour and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.'
And the peace, the shalom of God which passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.