Rector's Sermon
25 March 2012

First Reading	Psalm	Epistle	Gospel
Jeremiah 31:31–34	Psalm 119:9–16	Hebrews 5:5–10	John 12:20–33

       The closer we come to Holy Week, the more tense and anxious the disciples become. They cannot comprehend what is coming, but change is certainly in the air and whatever the future holds, they sense it will be decidedly different.  In today’s Gospel some Gentiles come to Philip and Andrew, seeking after Jesus. It becomes the prelude for Jesus again emphasizing his impending death and alluding to a resurrection of new life, as well as telling future disciples that they will be the ones to introduce the Gospel to the wider gentile world. The resurrection in effect will inaugurate the boarder mission to the wider world outside of Judaism,

       A few days later at the last supper, Philip and Thomas speak for all the disciples in pleading for definite answers, for firm reassurance against an ominous future. They also speak for us. Often we don’t want to deal with the unknown or face change, not because we don’t want to grow, and not because we don’t recognize that some change is inevitable, but because we don’t want to lose what we treasure. The early disciples, like us, don’t want to lose Jesus’ fellowship, the companionship of other followers, and the Gospel itself that has given their lives and ours so much meaning and hope. This is at the heart of Thomas’ and Philip’s concern.  “We don’t know where you are going, how can we know the way?” they plead. And Jesus responds, “I am the way the truth, and the life.”

       “I am the way to love and care for people, the way to live, and the way to die. Follow me on the journey, and I will be going before you to prepare you stations for shelter and protection.  The meaning of the Greek word for what is often translated in the Gospel as dwelling places is a bit obscure, but there is substantial evidence to suggest the term was used to refer to a native Aramaic word describing a temporary night-stop for a traveler. Part of what Jesus said to the disciples is that within God’s embrace, and especially within the church, safe and secure way stations will be provided, not to stay in forever, but to use on the journey.

       Along most of the 2,000 miles of the Appalachian Trail therep are huts for hikers built at a day’s interval. Every twenty miles or so is a shelter and a path to a clean water supply. Usually there are some emergency supplies too, a frying pan or cooking pot and a few plates, a couple of canned goods, and a supply of firewood. Courteous hikers always leave a can of extra food or a few more matches and more firewood at these shelters than they found. No two huts are exactly alike, some are regular cabins with large cast iron kitchen stoves and bunk beds, others are rough lean twos with a wood plank floor and open on one side. They keep one safe from the elements, and one is able to nurse ones blisters, cook a warm meal, fall asleep and awake refreshed. These huts protect the well being of the hikers so that they are able to continue on, despite sudden storms or the ruggedness of the terrain. They were not meant to be camping spots for anything more than a night’s rest, for other hikers will be coming up the trail the next night.

       One of my favorite stories of so long ago, that I can no longer recall where I first heard it, is about a traveler waiting for a bus, and to pass the time put a quarter into one of those old fashioned spring scales which promise to tell you your true weight and fortune. The traveler stood on the scale and out came a small piece of paper with his fortune. “You weigh one hundred ninety pounds; you are on the way to visit family in Macomb. The bus to Macomb has been delayed. Have a nice day.”  The traveler was just amazed. How could this old machine be so lucky? There must be a trick and the ticket agent must have somehow surreptitiously planted the slip of paper inside the machine So the traveler waited fifteen minutes and put another quarter into the slot, and the little piece of paper came out that read “your weight is the same as before, you are still on the way to visit family in Macomb. The bus to Macomb is still late. Be patient, and wait here, and have a nice day.” Well, this made the traveler quite uncomfortable and a little annoyed. So he walked down the street out of sight of the bus terminal and went into a store and bought a cap and dark glasses, went down the alley behind the buildings, and making sure no one in the bus depot saw him, got up on the scale and put another quarter in and gave it a good kick. Sure enough, the fortune came out, and it read “you are still the same person and you haven’t gained any more weight, you are still on the way to Macomb to visit family, but while you were down the street fooling around in that store rather than staying here, you missed the bus! When we walk away from what challenges us, or become impatient with where we are supposed to be and go off searching for quick and comfortable solutions, we only end up fooling ourselves, and miss the bus.

       Today’s Gospel warns us there are no easy shortcuts, no detours around the evil of our world. If we stick it out with Jesus and with our fellow travelers on the way, we will have our low and high periods, experiences of perplexity and doubt, and definitely acquire some blisters.  Simply being exposed to the news of our time, Kandahar, Afghanistan, Sanford, Florida, St. Paul, Minnesota, the list goes on and on, makes decent people sick and discouraged. Yes, it’s tempting to seek refuge and escape into a shell of bitter cynicism or in the bluster of diversionary rhetoric rather than an adult discussion and appraisal of the real issues facing our society.  Why do these things happen on such a reoccurring basis and why are such questions avoided or suppressed? 

       Yet Jesus beckons to us to stay on the way: the way he lives among us, the way he loves, the way he provides for us. For Jesus, the way is also the path to a life that assures us that there will be more way stations up ahead, there will be more feasts, and occasions of joy.  The Gospel is reminding us to trust with all our being that Jesus wishes us the best, so don’t stay behind, afraid to go forward. Follow Jesus, don’t fool around or hold back seeking an escape into a false world of security. Stick it out, or we are likely to miss the bus Jesus sends us leading a more abundant and lasting life.

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