(Note: this was an extemporaneous sermon. Below are a few sermon notes. Turner White's prayer is embedded as a photo at the end)
Mother’s Day & Rogation Sunday
Jesus said to his disciples, "As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love. (Jn)
Abide = to dwell, to live, to wait, to rest… We let God act to redeem all things.
Jesus said, “I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete.”
Joy = chara (Gk) … charism (gift, extraordinary power) Fruit that lasts.
"This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends.”
Love is inconvenient, costly. Who are we called to love?
God’s shows a lack of restraint… God shows a generosity in giving love, and asks us to do the same. But mostly we don’t. “the Holy Spirit fell upon all who heard the word.” ALL
Peter, etc. were “astounded that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles.” …the Negroes, …the gays
“Then Peter said, "Can anyone withhold the water for baptizing these people who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?"
Baptism is full initiation into the body of Christ the Church. BCP, 298. Preparation for Baptism. Criteria = desire for it. Choice to learn and grow in abiding in love.
Children often teach us best how to do that.
Pregnancy – life abiding in my body. Birthing that life. Living a shared life with that other human being.
God = the great womb of the universe. Abiding in the love of God – the invisible bond.
For every one of us there is the motherly love of God. And for everyone of us here at Redeemer there is the motherly womb of this church that births us into that abiding over and over again.
I give thanks for our children who show us the way to go.
Close with prayer by Turner White (age 10), his journaling from his labyrinth walk (during Lent). This is what purity of heart looks like - faithfulness that is victorious in the world.
Imagine if our whole church could abide in this way. Amen
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