Rector's Sermon
20 February 2011

First Reading	Psalm	Epistle	Gospel
Leviticus 19:1–2, 9–18	Psalm 119:33–40	1 Corinthians 3:10–11, 16–23	Matthew 5:38–48

      As a rule I don’t follow professional football and know very little about the teams, coaches, and players. However, I did watch some of the super bowl the other week. My observation, based on an admittedly limited perspective, was that the players respected those of the opposing team, both during the game and afterwards. I noticed very little trash talk or taunting put-downs. Again, I don’t follow what professional football players do on or off the field, but from what I saw that evening, the teams deserved to be there and played hard and well. Football coaches, by reputation, are not the most sensitive and outwardly caring people, they are not namby-pamby bleeding hearts or milk toast, and usually are not the material of the best diplomats. However, it clearly appeared to me that the coaches of the Pittsburg Steelers and the Green Bay Packers demanded and expected no less than the absolute very best from their individual players and from the team as a whole. The coaches were tough, stubborn and very strict, but exhibited unflinching confidence that their players, no matter who they were, no matter what position they played, were at the top of their profession and prepared to win.

      Now communication of the Gospel depends heavily on metaphoric language. I am not suggesting that the personality of Jesus and the personality of professional football coaches are exactly alike. I am suggesting, however, that like professional football coaches, Jesus fully expected the absolute best from his followers. He never patronized or talked down to those who came to him. He isn’t recorded as accepting many excuses of why things could never be different. Jesus consistently lifted people’s vision and expectations to a higher level. He demanded a wholehearted effort from his followers and when followers responded, amazing things were accomplished.

      Jesus never promised to satisfy our desires. He never implied the Gospel was an easy and uncomplicated method to a well-rewarded and secure existence. Rather Jesus looked directly into people’s hearts and proclaimed, I believe in you to carry out God’s intentions for this world and to be a model of how God wishes us to treat and live with one another. The world inevitably will present many tempting models of selfishness and greed, but I have confidence that you have and will be strengthened to withstand and witness to alternative ways, that are infinitely more healthier and life giving.

     Jesus well realized that the people around Galilee were exploited by the occupying army of the Romans and he also knew that the puppet government Rome had installed in Jerusalem was not much better. Governments were not set up to help people, but to tax them and keep them subservient. The people had heavy burdens imposed on them, and there was no realistic prospect of those burdens ever being lifted. Yet Jesus never gave people justification to act like serfs, or victims. He treated his followers as people entrusted with a critical and important mission to further the work of reconciliation and understanding among humanity, a mission without boundaries or a time limit. Jesus held up no less than God’s vision for us the follow and work to accomplish.

      Today the challenges to our society are formidable. The role for people of faith is as critical as it has ever been. I don’t know how we will be able to stand up and do it, but God’s knows and God believes in us. Whatever shocks, whatever is out there that threatens the integrity of the community of faith, God believes us capable of meeting and overcoming, even what seem to be overwhelming odds. The larger history of people of faith, over three thousand years, is about overcoming the world’s overwhelming odds.

      In Lent it is customary for the church to cover the brass crosses. I want to assure you that I am not going to cover the cross in the green and yellow-gold colors of the Green Bay Packers. But picture that nonetheless, remembering that Jesus expects our best, Jesus demands our best, Jesus calls forth our best, and when we respond, much more than what we ever think possible occurs: not only for us individually, but for the whole community of faith as well. It was true for those first followers who heard Jesus around the Sea of Galilee. It’s been true for a long line of saints since. You don’t need to be a professional football fan to know it.    

       And I offer this to you in the name of the Living God, Amen.