8/9
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| Oakdale Church |
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| Oakdale masks |
Sunday I go to my old church at Oakdale to preach. It’s my first time to preach in front of real people in 4 1/2 months. And as I will tell them, first time to wear long pants as well. It’s familiar to be back. And strange, too. There’ s nicely handmade masks for any one who might need one. Terry, who is one of the mainstays, including children sermons, is wearing a full plastic face shield. By presbyter edict, they are allowed two hymns, one verse each. This is is the third Sunday back. Only five 5 were here last week. More like 12-15 today, People got out of the habit of going to church, people say. Well that and more. It’s good to see everyone, even behind masks.
Our text this morning is Matthew 14: 22-33, the walking on water story. Here’s what I had to say:
Good to be back here this morning. But how things have changed since the last time I was here. This is the first time I have preached in front of live people since the first Sunday in March. And to tell you the truth, as I packed, I realized that’s the last time I think I wore long pants until today. The last time I was on a plane or drove a car was the 2nd weekend in March. I saw the Pirates play the Yankees in Bradenton, (By the way, when I left, the Pirates were winning 3-0…in the 7th they gave up 6 runs in one inning and wound up losing 7-4…sound familiar? ) I usually grow a beard every Lent…and shave on Easter…but it didn’t feel like Easter…I couldn’t feel resurrection. Not with so much death around me…Then after 3 months, the barber shop reopened, I got my 3 months worth of hair cut off . And a real barber shop shave …one of the 3 best things a guy can experience…hot towels and all…and kept what you see for a Stanley Cup beard. Well we see how that turned out. Now I’m just not sure. Which is kind of what we’re all doing. Unsure. We’re making it up as we go along. Trying to figure out what we need do to keep going.
My son couldn’t make his planned Easter trip with my grandkids. And now he tells me, dad , it will be a very long time before Europe lets anyone from the US visit. Not only Canada but Mexico has closed its border to us. In two churches, I had the wife die one weekend and the husband the next. One of my mentors, Grace, who lived as the epitome of her name ,died of covid. This is the context in which we read the Bible today.
OK, what’s going on? Jesus, even though he is emotionally done in by the death of his cousin, John the Baptist, and just wants to get away and rest, nevertheless involves himself in the feeding of 5000 men PLUS women and children. Now he wants to chill again so he sends them away in the boat and heads up the mountain, where dreams and revelations always take place. SO early in the morning, he sees them struggling with the wind. SO what does he do? He takes the short cut and walks out to meet them.
You can imagine what that does to them. And then my favorite part..Peter the guy with no impulse control…the guy who boasts he’ll follow Jesus to death, and then denies him 3 times, that Peter says “Bid me come Lord…” and he steps out and …good God almighty, he’s walking on water…and then he realizes what he’s doing, you know that Wylie Coyote moment, and he starts to sink, cries out “save me Lord” and Jesus takes him by the hand and leads him on back to the boat. Can you believe this guy is the rock (Oh ye of little faith) upon which Jesus will build his church? Well of course, because he’s us. I’ve been there.
I can’t tell you how any times in my little church I felt that we were finally on our way to a safe space, to make it through to the other side. And then we realize I’m/we’re walking on water and go, “Wait, we cannot do that…” and start to sink again..so Jesus gets us safe to the boat…and that’s where we stay…we are safe there for the moment, but need to get moving forward again.
I want you to look at something…with last week, and this, Jesus was involved in what might be regarded as miraculous circumstances. But I want you to notice he was not showing off, trying to draw support by the equivalent of magic tricks. Jesus does not do that. IN both cases, he is responding a real existential need of food and/or lodging. And in the other the safety of his disciples. And in both cases, there is a demand on his disciples…in one to feed the people (you give them something to eat) and in the other the assurance that Peter can walk if he wants to.
Did you catch that? It’s ultimately on us….Given everything that confronts us, Jesus does not expect us to come up with with solutions for everything. BUT he does expect us to do the one thing we can do. Yes, 5 loaves and two fish isn’t much. So share it …it will be enough. If he tells you you can walk on the water with me, why then come on out and walk. Self doubt is the only thing that can stop you. (And self doubt is yet another way to doubt Jesus.
So take that first step. And let’s walk. And keep walking.
After the sermon, I play my old guitar I found at my mother’s house and play “Rest Awhile.” The service ends. We hang around and talk awhile. As always, mainly about the virus and what it is doing to us. And then it’s time to say goodbye until the next time. Stay safe.
Gospel Matthew 14:22-33
22Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. 23And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, 24but by this time the boat, battered by the waves, was far from the land, for the wind was against them. 25And early in the morning he came walking toward them on the sea. 26But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out in fear. 27But immediately Jesus spoke to them and said, “Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid.”
28Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” 29He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat, started walking on the water, and came toward Jesus. 30But when he noticed the strong wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!” 31Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” 32When they got into the boat, the wind ceased. 33And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”
8/10
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| welcome back |
Travel day. Back to New York City. Before landing, there’s a long questionnaire to fill out. If you’re coming from one of the 31 “bad” states, you have to list where you are staying, contact numbers, etc. The impression is given that they are going to be checking up on you on that two week quarantine. And fine you of you don't respect it. I say I was in Pennsylvania and move right through. Back home, the heat continues.
8/11
Yes, the heat continues. My two ordered mini ac’s are lost in the ether between Hong Kong and here. (How did that happen?) And the new one I ordered through Amazon got delivered to my old apartment building. Sigh. So I order yet another, due tomorrow.
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| word on the street |
I’m interviewed by Andy Zee of the Revolution, Nothing Less Show of the Revolutionary Communists. As an outsider, I’ve been asked to reflect on the recent startling statement by their Chair, Bob Avakian, calling on revolutionaries and others to VOTE in the election and to vote for Biden. This goes against 50 years of revcom ideology that the only action worth participating in is revolution, because ultimately, republican or democrat are just two different ways of running the empire. But the moment is different. From children in cages to the press as enemies of the people to shock troops in cities and helicopter raids on humanitarian border facilities to removing any environmental safeguards in the face of unfettered extraction polices and thousands of unnecessary dead in the face of a virus to….the list is endless. It's Avakian’s analysis that in the name of humanity, this regime must be put out now. The damage it can do to humanity is beyond unacceptable, And that begins with voting. I continue to feel every day like I’m a citizen in late Weimar Germany.
The little church in Ozone Park meets to move forward on selling their education building. It is the only way to survive. Like so many of our smaller churches, the virus has pushed them to the edge. Not the least of which I the death of tow of their erstwhile members who helped the church say alive in every way. Survival will come step at time.
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