Lectionary(alternative):Isaiah 30:19-21,23-26; Psalm 147; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Matthew 9:35-10:1,10:5-8
I begin with a “Celtic Prayer” by David Adam: “The terminus is not where we stay, it is the beginning of a new journey It is where we reach out beyond, where we experience new adventures. It is where we get off to enter new territory, to explore new horizons, to extend our whole being. It is a place touching the future. It opens up new vistas. It is the gateway to eternity.”
We are gathered together today in a moment of terminus as we make a new priest. We are marking the end of what was for Mandi and for the Church, and opening ourselves to the new thing God is doing in us. We hear a voice, the one Isaish mentioned, saying, ‘This is the way; walk in it.”
This new way opening before us is an act of loving fulfillment not only for Mandi, or the places in which Mandi will live out her priestly ministry, but also for the whole people of God.
I don’t say that lightly, and it isn’t an overstatement. We are a people united in the love of God. We are one. What happens to one of us happens to all of us. Therefore, this moment of terminus is not just for Mandi, but for us all.
In her book, “The Great Emergence” Phyllis Tickle,describes 500 year cycles of life, death, and resurrection in the life of the church. These cycles are separated by moments of terminus – moments wherein the established systems and institutional structures of the church move toward their death so that a new thing, a new way can begin. Phyllis suggested that our current cycle is one of spiritual reformation.
Living in the ending, the dying part of our cycles is always hard, but we know that within each moment of terminus, God is present with us; redeeming all things and making available to us people who keep us deeply and intimately connected to God.
One such person was St. Ambrose of Milan, whose feast day we celebrate today and who has been chosen to walk with Mandi as a companion in her priestly ministry on earth.
Ambrose was a theologian and bishop from the first 500 year cycle of the Church’s life. He was creative, imperfect, and flexible.
Ambrose was a fierce follower of Athanasius who spoke of Jesus being of the same substance as God and, therefore, was God. The opposing position was found in the Arians who believed that Jesus was a creature of God, not of the same substance as God, and, therefore, not God.
The emperor at that time was an Arian, and the empress wanted Ambrose to surrender a church so that the Arian soldiers could have a place to worship. Ambrose refused.
When the soldiers came to take the church by force, Ambrose didn’t fight. He wrote a hymn: what we now know as “Praise God from whom all blessings flow.” Ambrose instructed the church members to sing the hymn as the soldiers approached. The soldiers refused to attack the hymn-singing congregation.
How’s that for creative conflict resolution? This creative approach to problem-solving is a gift I’ve witnessed in Mandi and one I know God will continue to grow in her as we, her community, nourish Mandi in her ministry.
Another of Ambrose’s gifts is holy flexibility. Ambrose was known to get along with all kinds of people… well, except Arians and he definitely needed an attitude adjustment regarding Jewish people. Imperfection, however, is the human condition and we all have those places in our lives we need to grow in wisdom, grace, and mercy.
Ambrose, as a bishop, was also quite flexible liturgically viewing liturgy as a tool to serve people in worshipping God and not something to be rigid about. For example, in Rome, it was tradition to fast on Saturday. In Milan, it wasn’t. Ambrose said,
‘When I am in Rome, I fast on Saturday. When I am in Milan, I don’t. This is the source of the famous saying, “When in Rome,
do as the Romans do.”
Anyone who has served as a hospital chaplain knows that flexibility is a must and Mandi demonstrates that on a regular basis. Then, there is her tender-heartedness a quality reflected upon in our gospel lesson where Jesus witnesses people being harassed and helpless,“like sheep without a shepherd.”
He sends his disciples to them to shepherd them equipping the disciples to heal them, spiritually and physically. Jesus sends us now
in the very same way.
In order to serve faithfully, we must be willing to meet people where they are as Jesus did. Our prayers must speak words their souls can hear. In order to do that we must listen deeply and learn the language of their souls.
When someone is listening deeply to you you can see it on their face and feel it in your heart.
Not everyone has the gift of servant-listening, but Mandi does, and like Ambrose, she has the gift of holy flexibility meeting people where they are and encouraging them to hope in the midst of frightening or difficult circumstances. We need lots of followers of Christ who can encourage others to hope because our time, right now, is frightening and difficult for many people. We know that each hardship we face not only builds our spiritual character and endurance, but also gives us the opportunity to experience God tenderly stretching our hearts and souls so that, as followers of Christ, we can keep walking on the way with confidence that each step is taking us where God’s purpose for us will be fulfilled.
So you see, today is about Mandi, but isn’t just about her. It is a moment of terminus for the whole community.
The office of priesthood is but one of four orders in our church none of which operates alone. It’s a bit like a choir. All of our voices singing together make a sound that none of us can make alone. And it isn’t just us singing, is it? We believe that our voices join with the heavenly chorus and together we make a sound that only God can orchestrate.
That’s why we can walk in the new way God is setting before us: because we never go alone. And we can explore new horizons with confidence borne of our faith which assures us that God who created us recreates us every day… that God who redeemed us made us a resurrection people… that God, whose Spirit dwells in us, sustains us every moment of our lives.
Now God is sending us out as laborers of the divine harvest equipped with Good News to share for the healing of souls.
Today we confirm that we will go - all of us –overseers, shepherds, servants, and lay ministers each fulfilling the purpose for which God made us.
Lord, we will trust You.
Help us to journey beyond the familiar and into the unknown.
Give us the faith to leave old ways
and break fresh ground with You.
Christ of the mysteries, we trust You
to be stronger than each storm within us.
We will trust in the darkness and know
that our times,
even now, are in Your hand.
Tune our spirits to the music of heaven,
and somehow,
make our obedience count for You. Amen.
(Source)
