Willing Traveler; Sermon for April 10th, 2016 By: Rev. Nicole A.M. Collins, FODM

All of the texts this week are dealing with conviction and a willing spirit.  How do we get there though? For St. Paul and Peter it would prove to be a test from Jesus alongside some questioning that they both were challenged with.  The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak—we must remember there’s only so much we can handle from God in one sitting.  That’s why there is a time and a place and something to be revealed; for the mysteries of God and His wisdom are just that, mystery.

I heard a beautiful hymn this past week that seemed to be the “song” of the believer’s heart as it is making its formation journey through faith.  It is that lovely ‘With One Voice’ hymn: “I want to Walk as a Child of the Light.” Let us hear these verses as if it were a personal creed:

I want to walk as a child of the light; I want to follow Jesus.

God set the stars to give light to the world; The star of my life is Jesus.

In him there is no darkness at all; The night and the day are both alike.

The Lamb is the light of the city of God.

Shine in my heart, Lord Jesus.

I want to see the brightness of God; I want to look at Jesus.

Clear Sun of Righteousness, shine on my path

And show me the way to the Father.

I’m looking for the coming of Christ; I want to be with Jesus.

When we have run with patience the race, We shall know the joy of Jesus.

Willingness versus willfulness—the difference is something we can’t exactly put our finger on but it does comes from that voice within that 1^st church that Christ has built in your heart by Grace to drive upon those intentions, those convictions that are not about you but are about a much greater mission… living into Grace—the Kingdom of God!

This past Thursday my husband and I attended a wonderful monolog about Caterina Di Giacomo Di Benincasa or better known as Catherine of Siena at OLPH church in Glenview.  At first our intentions of coming were around the fact that a parishioner belovingly nicknamed the “Pope” bet with his caregiver that we wouldn’t be able to show up… well much to both of our surprise, we came and it was delightful.

All I thought I knew about her was around an unrelated monastery in Sinai Egypt founded by another Catherine harbors my absolute favorite painting of Jesus called “Christ Pantocrator.”  This “visionary” encaustic painting is the oldest known painting of Jesus, painted sometime in the mid 6^th century.  For many years since my conversion, I have had a poster print of this painting by my bedside to be the first picture I see every morning when I rise...  It is much more than purely inspirational but it has spiritually moved me to understand the inner beauty of Christ portrayed by a 6^th century artist’s vision of Him.

Vision, hearing, doing, being, becoming are all aspects of not only the obvious—being human that is, but as disciples of Jesus to mean something even greater! These are the senses and willingness to truly live into our faith.  Faith is a complex word as well as action—it is our joy and our heavy yoke…  We are not only challenged inwardly but the world and the unbelieving more than willfully challenges us to the point of breaking our spirits.

This Italian Dominican tertiary was an ordinary person called by God at a very young age into seeing, hearing, doing, being and becoming an extraordinary person of faith who made her whole life to be in mission for Christ.  The Roman Catholics and Orthodox Lutherans venerate her to a degree, she was declared a doctor and saint alongside St. Francis of Assisi for their compassionate service to helping not only the poor but to try to reshape the function of the “church” to be concerned outside of itself.

Both Catherine and Francis were supernaturally called into service by God for both claimed to harbor visions of Jesus directing them and their ministries as well as a strange fact they and even St. Paul is believed to have shared, the Stigmata.  Unfortunately this term has been more or less usurped by Catholic theology over and above the witness of its meaning and message.  Scientists as well have inconclusively declared that the phenomena of the stigmata is a mystery lying somewhere in between hyper-hypnosis and a completely unexplainable manifestation.

A figure of speech comes to mind in challenging us once again into thinking of the fantastic: “A faith that can move mountains…”  Well obviously that has not literally happened…. But what about us thinking for a moment about the power of the will?  We must of course, keep in mind and clarity of thought that there is a blurred boundary between reality and the fantastic or miraculous of God.  Science is merely complementing the magnificence of God the more they show the amazing elements of creation and of what it contains.

Being and becoming a freely responsible servant of Christ was Luther’s challenge to us to see the ultimate power of the will from a divine, selfless perspective to living into the world from a transformed heart converted through Grace and living most intentionally and prayerfully through faith. Conversion is an aspect and testimony to the power of the will to choose Christ naturally.  Both the conversion moments of Paul and Peter were upon experiencing Christ reaching out directly to them challenging them both to look inwardly where they were in what they were doing and where they now need to apply themselves.  You’re probably saying to yourself that this teeters into something you’re challenged to believe because perhaps you haven’t heard Christ’s voice speaking to your heart and challenging you in all that you do and are as His disciple.

After “church” is over and another Sunday has past, you probably, truthfully don’t spend a lot of time thinking about being a disciple… for the world has made gathering as the Body—a membership, a Sunday affair and “real” life takes places outside of the steeple with the people.  How many in this room this morning can prayerfully say they know and carry Christ’ mission into everyday?  It’s a tall order, it’s a challenge but I am challenging you, here and now, to think about where you are on that road…  Your version of the road to Damascus in suburban Chicagoland!

The Living Word is not Marvel Comics of the surreal… there is a profound truth not only about God’s Grace but the mystery of His work in our lives—our ordinary lives that Christ Jesus’ challenges to be and become extra-ordinary!  We are both saint and sinner, this is the reality of humanity. Both/ and not one or the other, so some 14^th century Italian teenage girl, Caterina Di Giacomo Di Benincasa (or better known as St. Catherine of Siena) is called by God into service and a century earlier an Italian man, Giovanni di Pietro di Bernardone (later known as St. Francis of Assisi) is called as well by God to live willingly, intentionally into a life of prayer, humility, peace, mercy, kindness, love and service to neighbor.  Basically they were living into the fruits of the spirit truly and truthfully upon their call from God to serve.

Caterina’s helper, since she at first couldn’t read or write, was a friar named Raymond of Capua. Basically he helped her to be able to compose dozens of letters to area clergy in the hopes of uniting and reforming the mission and service of the church to be for the people.  You could say in today’s reading from the Book of Acts that Paul’s helper in realizing his conversion was Ananias. Another ordinary person called by God to serve and contribute to the extraordinary mission of God’s work in the world! Because we must think about this for a moment… but what if Paul didn’t have that moment of conversion yet alone Ananias’ help in realizing where and what he must do now?

The church may have never come into existence yet alone have lasted 2,000 something years!  We are indebted to the voice, vision and work that Paul has given to Christianity! An ordinary Pharisee converted spiritually and missionally to serve Christ Jesus and His Gospel goal for the world to live into the law of Love through Grace by faith.

Ministry is not just a “professional specialization” of people serving bodies, doctrines and earthly things… Though, sadly perhaps that is the impression it gives today…  Ministry is an extraordinary calling to us all—our everyday, ordinary selves to be and become so much more for the Glory of God! Which as Paul said in one of his letters, we will always and most naturally fall short, but whatever we do with a faith that can move mountains WILL be nothing short of extraordinary!  Learn from Paul (a Pharisee), Peter (a fisherman), Caterina (a medieval Italian teenager), and Giovanni (a medieval Italian man) to live, be, do and THINK outside of the box!  For all things are possible for those who take Christ’s call to each and every single one of us, SERIOUSLY!

The world only has so much to offer… why sell yourself short? The lifestyle of Grace isn’t a fantasy world of idealism… it is reality but our lives need to travel down that road willingly and prayerfully…

Let us Pray—

Gracious Lord Jesus,

Help our hearts to truly be open

Not just open to Your life-giving and restorative Words

But open to Your everyday works in our ordinary lives

Let us live however, extraordinary lives—striving for Your light

Walking in that light that removes those scales of doubt from our eyes

To See truly and truthfully into Your vision, plans for us

The Kingdom of God and all its righteousness!

AMEN

April 10th, 2016; Third Sunday of Easter; Year C; SOLA Lectionary

Sermon By Reverend Nicole A.M. Collins, FODM

Psalm 30; Acts 9:1-22; Revelation 5:1-14; John 21:1-19

The link below is to the sermon's delivery at the Grace Hub this morning at 8am:
https://youtu.be/brYT5Ijkn1w