Message from Rev Phil- April 29, 2020

Hello Friends;

I must apologize for this “Post” arriving late to you – but the delay had to do with my work as your Minister. This morning I was up very early and completed Sunday’s Sermon so that we could record the May 3^rd Worship Service at both Picton & South Bay. May you be blessed by viewing them on YouTube next Sunday morning.

May 3^rd, as well as being the Fourth Sunday in the Easter Season, is often called “Good Shepherd Sunday”. My Sermon will focus largely on Psalm 23.

Today I want to especially reflect on one line from Psalm 23 that is not addressed in the sermon.

Blessings to you and your household on this blustery spring afternoon.

Grace and peace,

With Pastoral Love and Concern,

Rev. Phil

“Thou preparest a table before me, in the presence of mine enemies.”

Doesn’t this line seem out of character for this lovely poem about God’s Presence and Care for us?

The first part of the sentence alludes, I believe, to the great banquet that is used as a metaphor for life beyond life. The prophet Isaiah, writing in the 8^th century Before the Common Era, uses this metaphor in Chapter 25:

“Here God will through a feast for all the peoples of the world, a feast of the finest foods, a feast with vintage wines, a feast of seven courses, a feast lavish with gourmet desserts.”

Isaiah 25.6 MSG (Paraphrased)

This is a wonderful passage that we often read at Services of Remembrance and Celebration of Life. The image is of a feast from which no one is excluded – it is to include “all the peoples of the world” – and our God, “Holy Mystery who is Wholly Love” will be the host, at the head of the table.

The two haves of this line from the 23^rd Psalm almost seem to contradict each other. How are we to understand the phrase; “In the presence of mine enemies.”

A story is told of one preacher who, during the sermon, asked anyone in the congregation who had no enemies to raise their hand. Away at the back, one of the Matriarch’s of the community raised her hand. The Minister asked her, “Mary, how is it that you could live into your tenth decade and have no enemies.”  “That’s easy Pastor,” came Mary’s reply, “I simply outlived them all!”

Rabbi Harold Kushner, whom I refer to in next Sunday’s Sermon, shares the thoughts of a Rabbi colleague on this line about enemies from the Psalm. (Please allow me to recommend Kushner’s book The Lord is My Shepherd.) I’m sure you could order the book on-line from Books & Company. I will let you look up the unique thought he presents in Chapter 11.

The fact is, that all of us have people who sometimes rub us the wrong way. Jesus instructs us to love our enemies. That is a Reflection for another day.

But another great 20^th century author and preacher Frederick Buechner gives us the suggestion that the enemies can be seen, not as other people, but as the difficult parts of ourselves. The implication is that God’s invitation is given to us and to all people – “Just as we are.” We don’t have to be perfect and without flaws in order to merit God’s inclusive love.

Buechner lists some of these enemies:

“. . .doubt and self-doubt, anxiety, boredom, loneliness, failure, temptation. . . .Let each of us name our special enemies for ourselves. How well we know them. How long we have done battle with them. And how long we will doubtless have to go on battling.”

For us as Christians, we see Jesus as the Host of the celestial feast. Jesus doesn’t wait until we’ve conquered all these enemies but with open arms welcomes us to the party. This acceptance gives us the courage to look these enemies in the face and to live out of God’s gracious invitation to be our best selves; willing, as Bill Wilson says in the Twelve Steps of Alcoholic Anonymous:

“to have God remove all these defects of character.”

I conclude with two verses from the great 19^th Century Revival Hymn, words by Charlotte Elliott, music by William Bradbury: (Voices United #508)

Just as I am, though tossed about with many a conflict, many a doubt, fightings and fears within, without, O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

Just as I am, thy love unknown has broken every barrier down; now to be thine, yea, thine alone, O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

Thanks be to God who accepts us and loves us and sees the beauty of the Light of God that is in our souls – a Light that our enemies cannot extinguish. Hallelujah!

Amen.