Elliott Vespers

Do you ever think about what we pray for? And I don’t mean by that, “why we pray” or “for whom we pray”. What I mean is, do you ever consider the kinds of things for which we pray and reasons that we ask for God’s intervention for those kinds of things?

I spent some time this weekend looking at our Book of Common Prayer and considering what we pray for. And you know what, there are lots of prayers in the prayer book! Of course, all of the rites and forms of the Eucharist are filled with prayers. And those prayers have their own specific purpose in the context in which the prayer is said.

We have a specific collect for each of the Sundays in the liturgical year as well as one each of the feast days during the church year. We even have six different forms of the prayers of the people for use during services during which we pray for the church and its mission, those in authority, the welfare of the world, the concerns of our community, those who are sick or in need or trouble as well as those who have died.

We even have thirty pages of prayers and thanksgivings covering everything from creation to grace at meals to the future of the human race. I once told a good friend that, in the Episcopal Church, we have a prayer for everything. And I think we really do.

But what do we expect of God when we pray to him and ask for his divine intervention in our lives or in our world? My dear wife Susan tells a wonderful story about prayer and what I call the “doctrine of unintended consequences”. Something over a dozen years ago our two sons Gus and Alex were preschool age and Susan was very much pregnant with our third child. Gus and Alex were both “all boy” as we say, and seemed to be constantly into anything and everything.

Susan has confessed to saying her bedtime prayers and asking God to give her patience. And on April 24, 1996, God answered those prayers and gave her Carter! So for twelve years now, God has been answering Susan’s prayer for patience by giving her the never ending opportunity to be patient by living in a home with four men.

So, what in the world do all of these prayers in the prayer book and my poor wife’s prayer for patience have to do with a plentiful harvest and Jesus sending the twelve into Israel to proclaim the kingdom of God on earth and the good news of the Gospel? Well, if you look carefully in Matthew’s lesson for us this evening, you will see that there is indeed a prayer in there.

Jesus says to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.” Jesus instructs the disciples to pray that that God will send laborers to gather the harvest. Jesus tells them to ask God to send shepherds to gather the lost sheep of Israel. Jesus puts a prayer on the hearts of his disciples and how does God answer that prayer?

God answers that prayer by sending them to gather the harvest. He answers that prayer by making them the shepherds to gather the lost sheep of Israel. Jesus puts a prayer on their hearts and God answers that prayer by sending them out to do his work and to bring all of Israel to Christ.

So it seems to me that part of what we can learn from the message of the Gospel is that when Jesus puts a prayer on our hearts, perhaps he is calling us to mission. Perhaps he is calling us to service to him in his kingdom in this time and in this place. So when we pray for our own needs and those of others, perhaps we should be listening for that small, still voice of God calling us to go forth in the name of Christ and to do his work. Perhaps when we ask God to send laborers to gather the harvest, we should be listening for him to send us into the vineyard to go to work for him.

I find it curious when a piece of scripture like this passage from Luke spends so much time talking about historical figures that don’t seem to fit into the story that is being told. We all like to tell stories from our personal experience. We talk about our families, our friends, our vocational, professional and educational experiences. Lawyers are wont to tell what we call “war stories”, that is to say, stories about things that happened in court proceedings or in our dealings with judges or other lawyers. When any of us tell stories, we introduce characters in a way that help the listener understand the point of a story.

If I were to tell you a war story about something that a judge did in a trial or hearing, it might be important for you to understand something about the judge or what it is that judges do in order for the story to make sense.

In the reading for this evening, Luke sets out to tell us about John the Baptist. This is not unique to Luke in the gospels. Matthew, Mark and John all have something to tell us about John the Baptist. What is unique to Luke is that he begins with two whole verses about the Roman Emperor, the governor, a bunch of tetrarchs and two high priests.

Matthew and Mark introduce John the Baptist as one who is in the wilderness preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. The Evangelist John has the Baptizer proclaiming that he is the voice of one crying in the wilderness as foretold by Isaiah. Matthew, as we heard in the gospel lesson this morning, and Mark describe his camel hair garment and leather belt and his diet of locusts and wild honey. This all seems important for us to understand something about John the Baptist as the focal point of the story.

But Luke is the only one of the four that sets the stage for us by telling us that Tiberius is Emperor, that Pilate is governor of Judea, that Herod, Philip and Lysanias are tetrarchs in the region and that Caiaphas and Annas are high priests in Jerusalem. All four gospel accounts of the ministry of John the Baptist recall the prophesy of Isaiah of the voice of one calling in the wilderness to prepare the way of the Lord. But none of the others have anything to say about the “powers that be” in the region as does Luke.

So why does Luke do this? Why does he tell us about who is emperor, governor, tetrarch and high priest? Many historians and biblical scholars would suggest that this is a mechanism for setting the ministry of John the Baptist in time. The suggestion is that those hearing the story would know about Tiberius and Pilate and the others and would be able to say to themselves, “okay, I understand when this happened” because they would have known about when those folks were in office or in power, if you will.

I think there is more to this than just placing John’s ministry in time. I think Luke has another motive for giving us a veritable who’s who on the roster of authority in and around Jerusalem. But in order to understand Luke’s motive, we have to look past the roster of authority. We have to look carefully at what Luke tells us about John the Baptist.

Luke tells us that the word of God came to John . . . in the wilderness and he went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins . . . [and as foretold by Isaiah] and that all flesh shall see the salvation of God.

I don’t think it’s any mistake that Luke tells us about the emperor and the governor and the tetrarchs and the high priests and then goes on to tell us the John received the word of God in the wilderness. John did not receive the word of God in Rome or in the governor’s palace in Jerusalem or even in the temple. The word of God came to John in the wilderness.

And I don’t think it’s any mistake that John didn’t go to Rome or to the palace or even to the temple. John went into all the region, that is to say, the entire region around the Jordan to prepare the way of the Lord. John proclaimed a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, but not just for the likes of emperors and governors and high priests. John proclaimed a forgiveness that all flesh shall see the salvation of God.

John the Baptist comes to us in our wilderness in his camel hair garment and leather belt with honey dripping from his beard and tells us to prepare the way of the Lord. He tells me and he tells you and he tells all the world to confess the Holy Name of the Word made flesh and that we, all of us, shall see the salvation of God.

Perhaps some of you will recall that several weeks ago I gave a homily about Thomas – Thomas “the Twin” – forever known to all in Christendom as “Doubting Thomas”. You may also remember that I talked about what I called the “Déjà vu” of Easter. Well, as I read the text for today, something seemed strangely familiar. But don’t worry; I’m not going to talk about “Déjà vu” all over again. But being struck by the familiarity of John’s lesson, I did go back and review my notes from the homily for the second Sunday in Easter. And I discovered two things.

First, I discovered that today’s reading from John is the first part of the longer lesson that we read on the second Sunday in Easter. The focus of the longer lesson seemed to me to be more about the revelation of the resurrected Jesus to the disciples, including Thomas. The second thing I discovered was that as I walked through that story for you that evening several weeks ago, I commented on Jesus having breathed the breath of God into the disciples and them having received the Holy Spirit and then I said “But that’s another sermon”. Well, guess what? This is that sermon!

As I pondered talking to you this evening about this text, I confess that I had to scratch my head a bit. I still had my mind stuck on Jesus revealing himself to the eleven. I was still in that upper sanctum with the disciples and Jesus appearing, literally out of nowhere. And I was still thinking about how he greeted them saying, “Peace be with you.” And being the somewhat linear thinker that I am, wanting to say, “And also with you!”

But after a bit more head scratching, I started to get it. Or at least I think I started to get it. Sometimes I need to be told something more than once in order to hear it (right Susan?). Perhaps some or all of the disciples needed to be told more than once as well because Jesus did say to them again “Peace be with you.”

But importantly, Jesus doesn’t stop there. He goes on to tell the disciples “As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” And then, he breathes on them. He breathes the very breath of God on them and into them. He sanctifies them and they are filled with the Holy Spirit.

And I think this is where I finally got it. Jesus has been crucified. The disciples are hiding for fear of the Jews. They have locked themselves in from the world because they are afraid for their very lives. And what happens next? Jesus appears! He is with them! Jesus reveals himself to them! And they rejoiced when they saw their Lord. They celebrated in the revelation of the Risen Christ!

But that’s not the end of the story. In fact, it’s just the beginning. It is the very beginning. It is the very beginning of a different sort or kind of revelation.

· And third, Jesus breathed the breath of God into the disciples and filled them with the Holy Spirit.

But perhaps it’s not three things at all. Perhaps it’s really just one thing. It’s all really one marvelous act of God. It is one revelation of Jesus in which the faithful are filled with the Holy Spirit and sent into the world in the peace of God to reveal the Risen Christ to the nations.

And so, that is the wonderful and mysterious revelation of Pentecost. Those disciples, there, on that very first Easter become the very revelation of Christ in the world. They receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, the very breath of God. And with the breath of God, they receive the peace of God which passes all understanding. And with it they receive the charge of being the revelation of the Risen Christ in and to the world.

And so it is with us this day of Pentecost. It has been fifty days and two thousand odd years since the resurrection of our Lord and Savior. It has been fifty days and two thousand odd years since Jesus revealed himself to the disciples. And it has been 50 days and two thousand odd years since Jesus filled them with the very breath of God and sent them into the world, in His peace, to proclaim the Gospel to all the nations.

And now it is you and it is me who are, in this time and in this place the revelation of the Risen Christ. It is you and it is me whom Christ calls to go into the world in which we live to proclaim the Good News of the Gospel. In our acceptance of Jesus as our savior, we receive the gift of eternal life in him. And in the acceptance of that gift, He fills us with the Holy Spirit and sends us into the world in His peace, to be His revelation to the world.

VESPERS HOMILY

April 15, 2007, 2 EASTER

John 20:19-31

When Susan and I began our courtship, we were what then seemed to be very far apart, geographically speaking. She was living and working in Jacksonville, Florida and I was a law student at the University of Georgia in Athens. Of course, we didn’t have cell phones then much less email. I didn’t even own a computer much less know how to use one. Long distance telephone charges were very expensive in those days, especially for a poor law student, but we did talk on the phone even more than we could probably afford.

We often wrote letters to one another but we occasionally sent greeting cards to each other as well. Back then, greeting cards didn’t seem to be as expensive as they are today and you could easily buy a card, include a note and put it in the mail for much less than it cost to talk on the phone for five or ten minutes.

Receiving those cards from Susan always made me know that she was thinking of me and I knew that she thoughtfully selected each one that I received. I remember many that she sent but my favorite of them all was one that was made of plain brown paper, not unlike a grocery sack or butcher paper and on the front it said “Ever get that feeling of deja vu?” I still chuckle when I recall opening that card to find inside: “Ever get that feeling of deja vu?”

Well, that’s sort of how the text for today makes me feel.

In part, because the gospel lesson for the second Sunday in Easter is the same for years A, B and C in our lectionary. In part, because the story in the text begins on Easter. But mostly, the text gives me that feeling of deja vu because of what it says to us during this and every Easter season.

So here’s the story. It’s evening on Easter Day – the day of the resurrection of the Christ. Ten of the eleven are together in hiding – they have the door locked – they are scared of what the Jews might do to them now that Jesus has been crucified. Everyone is there but Thomas. Poor Thomas – but more on him in a moment.

Jesus appears out of thin air. The story says nothing of it but how did he get in? Wasn’t the door locked? And what does he say? He says “Peace be with you”. Then he shows his hands. Then he shows his side, where he was pierced. THEN – AND ONLY THEN – did they see him. THEN AND ONLY THEN – did they recognize him. THEN AND ONLY THEN – did they rejoice in the resurrection of their Lord and Savior.

And Jesus breathes the breath of God into them and they receive the Holy Spirit. (But that’s another sermon – perhaps another year.)

Now remember, Thomas has missed the whole thing – the most amazing thing that has ever happened to any of them – and Thomas misses it. They have actually realized the fulfillment of the prophecy – they have realized – in the true sense of that word – the Risen Lord – and Thomas is nowhere to be seen.

Since this is the same gospel lesson that we read this morning, we talked about it in Fr. Peter’s Sunday School class this morning and wondered a bit about where Thomas might have been. Some thought he might have been in hiding, or praying but I thought he had probably gone fishing. But, back to the story.

At some point during the week, the others tell Thomas that Jesus is alive and that they have seen him. And what does he say? He says “I don’t think so!” He says, “I’ll believe it when I see it!” He says, “Show me and I’ll believe!”

Fast forward a few days, It is the very first second Sunday in Easter. AGAIN, it’s Sunday evening, AGAIN, the disciples are in hiding. AGAIN, the door is locked. AGAIN – SHAZAM! – Jesus appears out of nowhere. AGAIN – Jesus says “Peace be with you.”

AND AGAIN, Jesus shows his hands and his side, where he was pierced. Deja vu, anyone? Only this time, Thomas is there and Jesus is talking to him directly and it is Thomas who without hesitation rejoices and proclaims “My Lord and my God”! He immediately proclaims the presence of the resurrected Christ. He has seen and he believes. Thomas is certain in the knowledge of the good news that Jesus has risen from the dead.

But it seems to me that Thomas gets something of a bad rap. He has forever been known as “Doubting Thomas”. Thomas is the one to whom Jesus puts the question “Have you believed because you have seen me?” But to me that just doesn’t seem quite fair. After all, is Thomas really any different than the others?

It seems to me that Thomas believed and rejoiced just as did the other ten as soon as Jesus revealed himself to them. The other ten were locked away in hiding when Jesus appeared. The other ten apparently did not recognize him. Jesus showed them his hands and his side. It was then and only then that they recognized him and began to rejoice.

When Jesus puts the question to Thomas, perhaps he was really talking to all of them. Perhaps Jesus recognized in all of the eleven that they had doubted him. Perhaps Jesus was using Thomas’ self professed doubt to speak to all of them by putting that question to him in the presence of the others. Perhaps Jesus is putting the same question to us in recognition of our doubts and our lack of faith. But in doing so, he reminds us that “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.” In the testament of Thomas in exclaiming “My Lord and My God!”, Jesus reveals himself to us. In the witness of Thomas, Jesus shows himself to us.

This is the blessing in the belief and rejoicing of Thomas and the other ten before him. This is the blessing of the celebration, year after year after year, that we are crucified in Christ Jesus and in him have eternal life. This is the blessing that each of us has, firm in our faith that the Lord has risen indeed. This is the blessing of the deja vu of Easter!