Practice Resurrection

Thursday in Easter Week, Year B
Chapel of the Apostles

Sewanee, Tennessee

Luke 24: 36b-48

**This is the second hermeneutic of the sermon, the part where I attempt to apply the text to the here-and-now.  If you would like to see the full sermon text, please e-mail me for a copy.

      
With this kind of living, loving, creative power alive in the world than the Easter life calls us to do something radical, something that does not compute in this world.  With fear and trembling we touch the wounds, we taste and see, and we live our lives in this new Easter creation, the Kingdom of Christ—where beauty, love, justice, and peace reign eternally.  Not only do we live in it, but we are called as stewards of the risen Christ to run it on his behalf!  We cannot remain static, for the resurrection bids us to do the unthinkable:  work for peace, free the oppressed, protect the environment, and live a life of forgiveness.

We say that creation is ongoing; to say this we must admit that crucifixion is also ongoing with many of God’s children.  Immigrant workers in our country who continually face discrimination; the working poor who no matter how many jobs they can humanly manage can never get ahead; Gay/Lesbian/Bi-Sexual/and Transgendered persons continue to be pushed to the margins of society; and all those who just don’t seem to fit our orthodox view of the world—all these and more continue to feel the nails piercing their skin.  Yet, if crucifixion is ongoing, then we must believe that resurrection of God’s children is not only possible but necessary, and necessary for us to work on their behalf.  Practicing resurrection is our response to the Easter life.  Practicing resurrection in our own lives is what Paul is talking about in 2 Corinthians 12 as God tells him, “my grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” God’s power is made perfect in Christ’s resurrection and it is also made perfect in ours.  Practice resurrection.

God’s power is made perfect in Christ’s resurrection and it is also made perfect in ours.

The Easter life cannot be measure in economic terms of winners and losers.  The Kingdom of Christ, God’s Divine Commonwealth does not live under the laws of supply and demand.  If Christ is raised from the dead, than the world cannot be seen the same way.  If Christ is raised from the dead than we cannot stay locked and burdened in our own tombs; we cannot avoid the dead places in our lives anymore, we must face them with the hope that Christ will raise us!  Practice resurrection.

    

If Christ is raised from the dead, than we can no longer accept the inequality of living conditions among the working poor.  If Christ is raised from the dead, than we cannot accept starvation, pollution and raping of the planet for profit.  If Christ is raised from the dead, than we must reach out to our neighbors who continue to feel the pain of crucifixion in their lives.  If Christ is raised from the dead, then we can no longer live by thinking.  Practice resurrection.

    

So what do we do now?  What’s the answer?  We can live the Easter life and let Christ consume us in His Church and in the Sacramental grace of the Holy Spirit.  We do what we were created to do—live as images and likenesses of God working for the Kingdom all the while practicing reconciliation and practicing loving one another as Christ loves us.  We live to practice resurrection from our dead places and we are bidden to leave behind our tombs.  We live for the Kingdom and the new creation that has dawned upon us all, let us incorporate our lives into the blessed Trinity.  Thus in this new Kingdom, we may join with the Church triumphant and proclaim:  Christos Anesti, Cristo ha resucitado, Alleluia Christ is Risen.  Amen.

Running the Kingdom, An Easter Message

An excerpt from Bishop N.T. Wright's Easter Vigil sermon, "Living in God's Future--Now," delivered in Durham Cathedral.  Click here to read the full text of the sermon.

My friends are surprised by the fact that I actually like a lot of Wright's theology.  As a liberal theologian myself, I find most of Wright's conservative writings to be very clear in what he says--I appreciate that, especially given his Kingdom theology.  

"But the Easter message generates two other things which are quite new. Yes, we must live our lives from the coming future – but we now know much more clearly what that coming future is, and that gives particular point and direction to the people we are to choose to become, to the habits we are to choose to develop. And yes, forming habits of character is vital, even though it’s difficult, but for the Christian the all-important difference is that we don’t do it alone. We don’t develop these habits all by ourselves. We do it, basically, with the help and energy of God’s spirit; and we do it in company, all of us together. After all, the most basic Christian habit is love, and you can’t do love all by yourself.

 

"Let’s think about these two things for a moment. The resurrection of Jesus, the great fact at the heart of the Easter faith, means that we now know, suddenly and in a blinding flash, what our ultimate future will be. Our ultimate future isn’t just that we bumble along trying to live the present life a little bit better until one day we decay and die, and end up either in the grave or in a disembodied heaven or perhaps both. Our ultimate future is that we will be raised to new life in God’s new world, not only to inhabit God’s new creation, a world full of beauty and life and justice and freedom, but actually to run it on God’s behalf. That’s a solid New Testament truth which the church usually keeps quiet about, but it’s time to get it out of the cupboard, blow the dust off it, and see what it means for today. Running God’s world won’t mean, of course, arrogantly imposing our own will on it; it will mean being God’s stewards, and ruling with his gentle, wise love. To be Easter people, we are called to anticipate, here and now, that future vocation, to look after God’s world on his behalf, and to gather up the praises of creation and present them before the creator. Stewardship and worship, the practice of being kings and priests, are the habits of heart and life that Easter people must acquire.

"Our ultimate future is that we will be raised to new life in God’s new world, not only to inhabit God’s new creation, a world full of beauty and life and justice and freedom, but actually to run it on God’s behalf."

"Stewardship and worship take a thousand different forms. Stewardship means working for God’s justice in the world, for the health and flourishing of the planet and all who live on it, for God’s wise order and exuberant freedom to come to birth in all directions. Pray, in the days to come, about the ways in which God wants you to be a steward in his creation. That’s what you’re going to be doing in the resurrection life; start practicing now. Worship means celebrating God’s powerful deeds in history, in your own history, in your community; it means summing up the praises of the whole creation and expressing them, articulately and with understanding and delight, in the presence of the God who made you, loves you and has redeemed you. Pray, in the days to come, about the ways in which God wants you to worship him, where that should be, how often you should come to the eucharist, and how to worship in private as well. Worship is what you’re going to be doing in the resurrection life; start practicing now."

Earth Day Liturgy: The Green Collects

For Earth Day 2009, I've written a liturgy that a group of brother seminarians and I will be leading next Wednesday, April 22nd.  Titled, "This Fragile Earth:  A Christian Celebration of Earth Day," I wanted to use Anglican formation but original prayers and so forth.

Below are the aptly named, "Green Collects" that will be prayed. These prayers can be downloaded from here without copyright, use them and pray for this fragile earth, our island home!

If you would like a copy of the whole service to reproduce for local use, please e-mail me and I'll send you a copy.

The Green Collects for Earth Day 2009

O God of the forest, you bring forth life in the trees, the birds of the air, and every creature who lives under the canopy of your protection:  enable us to conserve the beauty of this land for our children and our children’s children, that we celebrate the mystery of your loving creation and seek to do it justice in our every day lives, through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

Christ of the seas, your fish and water-life creatures show us ways to live in a world that is deeply connected to our own:  grant that we may not take more than we need, and that we are always thankful for the abundance that you provide and so we remain not greedy but ever gracious towards your creation, through Christ our Lord.  Amen.

Creator God of the dome of the sky, you brought forth birds to fly, the sun to warm us by day, rain to nourish and refresh the soil, and the moon and stars to shine brightly at night:  we beseech you to help us preserve clean air to sustain our life.  May we reduce our pollution of harmful gases that harm your wonderful creation so that we may be take in the breath of your saving Holy Spirit each and every day, through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

Almighty God, through the gift of baptism we are marked as your own in this world and called to proclaim your love to the ends of the earth: give us the strength and courage to be modern day prophets for your creation, that we may behold the gifts of joy and wonder in all your works; through Jesus Christ our Redeemer.  Amen

Earth Day Liturgy: A Green Litany

A Green Litany

A litany is a collection of statements and responses that we offer to God.  The Green Litany was modeled on the Great Litany found in The Book of Common Prayer, page 148.  This litany may be reproduced for local use.

O. Lord, have mercy upon us.

R. Christ, have mercy upon us.

O. Lord, have mercy upon us.

O. God the Father and Mother of the universe,

R. Have mercy upon us.

O. God the Son, redeemer of the whole world,

R. Have mercy upon us.

O. God the Holy Spirit and inspiration in our daily lives,

R. Have mercy upon us.

O. Holy Trinity, One God,

R. Have mercy upon us.

O. That we may live as faithful stewards of the gifts of the earth,

R. We beseech you to hear us Good Lord.

O. That we may be faithful in recycling and reusing everything that we share,

R. We beseech you to hear us Good Lord.

O. For better use of our water, our soil, and the air we breath,

R. We beseech you to hear us Good Lord.

O. That the government of this and every land will seek to promote innovative ways to produce clean and renewable energy,

R. We beseech you to hear us Good Lord.

O. That we may show love to those who cause damage and pollute the Earth for profit,

R. We beseech you to hear us Good Lord.

O. That we may reduce our burdens and demands upon this Earth,

R. We beseech you to hear us Good Lord.

O. That we may be free from consumerism and coveting more than we need to live,

R. We beseech you to hear us Good Lord.

O. That we may stand upright to speak the truth in love about those things that continue to plague and harm our Earth,

R. We beseech you to hear us Good Lord.