Sermon preached at Gethsemane Cathedral, Fargo yesterday

I don’t know about you, but I have known better weeks than this past one. Dean Sellers’ resignation and subsequent announcement that he is seeking ordination in the Roman Catholic Church have caused quite a stir. Responses have been varied and all over the map: from anger to serenity; from a sense of betrayal to a sense of relief; from shock to acceptance.

I hope everyone understands that the road between Canterbury and Rome is a two-way street and oftentimes quite busy. I personally know more Roman Catholic priests who have become Episcopal priests than I know those who have gone the other way. I wish the timing of the announcement had been handled differently, but I hope eventually everyone can join me in continuing to care for Steve and Dixie, praying for their continued service of the Lord and their growth in discipleship.

Once when one of my daughters was getting ready to head off to college, she confided in me, warned me really, that she might check out other churches while there. It seems the Book of Common Prayer wasn’t “doing it” for her. (Secretly, I was relieved that she wanted to be a Christian of any kind.) I told her that I believe it is important to be part of Christian group where Jesus Christ can be most real to a person; where one’s faith can become alive. And I believe that. I also told her she was always welcome to return to the Episcopal Church if she wanted.

It is important to be in a community where a Christian can become more than a nice person, more than a good person, more than a church member. As good as all those things are, the Church is here primarily to make disciples – followers who are under the discipline of Jesus Christ. Ultimately that is what our beautiful church buildings and our traditional Book of Common Prayer and our inspiring musical traditions and our historic church order are designed for – to make disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ. I believe I have been able to become a better disciple in the Episcopal Church and the Anglican tradition. I hope you can say that as well.

In these confusing and troubling times, it is essential that we not forget the basics; that we not forget who and whose we are; that we not forget the foundations upon which we serve God. We are reminded of them in the scriptures heard today: We are called by the prophet Micah “to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God” (6:8).

In the Gospel we are reminded by Jesus that our focus is to be on the poor in spirit, those who mourn, the meek, and those who hunger for and thirst for righteousness. We remember that one day roles will be reversed and that when God the Liberator comes, those who know need now will have plenty on that day. Blessed, happy indeed will they be!

We recall that we, Jesus’ disciples, are to be merciful; we are to be peacemakers; we are to be reconcilers; but we are also warned that we will become victims of gossip and know hardship, estrangement and loneliness when we attempt to do these things.

You might not have realized it, but that is why we worship here at Gethsemane Cathedral. This is the kind of fruit that should be growing in our lives.

In this time of uncertainty and cynicism, I share with you words attributed to Mother Theresa of Calcutta. I believe they reflect the spirit of today’s bible lessons and are important pieces of wisdom for us at this Cathedral community as we look forward to our re-birth and new future:

"People are often unreasonable and self-centered. Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of ulterior motives. Be kind anyway.
If you are honest, people may cheat you. Be honest anyway.
If you find happiness, people may be jealous. Be happy anyway.
The good you do today may be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway.
Give the world the best you have and it may never be enough. Give your best anyway.
For you see, in the end, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway."