16 Pentecost Year B

Sept 12, 2021

Isaiah 50:4-9a; Psalm 116:1-8; Mark 8:27-38

I will walk in the presence of the Lord in the land of the living, a verse we just heard in today’s psalm reading…has taken on a whole new meaning for me since arriving in Sitka six and a half years ago…and it continues to lead me on many twists and turns along the many roads I find myself navigating…especially now, in the midst of these uncertain times of the COVID-19 pandemic that we have been journeying in together these past 19 months…

I rediscovered my love of walking when arriving in Sitka, because there were (and are) a lot of new and beautiful things to take in…. I never get tired of the beauty of creation that surrounds us in this beautiful place…or the wonderful and loving people who make this a beautiful community to be a part of….But just like any where I have lived, there is always the “not-so-beautiful things” that we come face to face with every day…losses of all kinds, fear of the unknowns, getting up to do the next hard thing every morning, feeling helpless to support others in their sufferings and trials, being witness daily to the way human beings can be so cruel to one another with their words and actions, at times…and the way, our actions and in-actions continue to cause harm to our mother earth and all of creation….

Here’s the thing, though….Re-discovering my love of walking, seeing the beautiful and the not-so- beautiful things that grieve all of our hearts, has inspired in me a new commitment to what it means to walk in the way of love that Jesus has shown us…a renewed commitment to live in hope, to be persistent in hope, even in the midst of coming face to face with so many unknowns and other daily losses and death…

I thank God, every day, that you and I have the privilege to be able to do just that…to begin again, as a new creation, every day, because of our faith and belief in the life, death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus, and because we are sealed by the Holy Spirit, in our baptisms, sent to live in us, to inspire us, encourage us, and equip us to follow Jesus, NOW…

Now, in this time and in this place, it is the Holy Spirit that can prompt us to step up to be a leader in walking the way of love, today, by going out into our neighborhoods, and into the wider world, striving to live out our baptismal promises that call us to proclaim by word and example the Good News of God in Christ; to seek and serve Christ in all persons, and love our neighbor as ourselves; and to strive for justice and peace among all people and respect the dignity of every human being.

When we strive to walk in this way of love that Jesus is inviting us into, we will be transformed by this love of God. And by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, we will desire to invite others to join us, too, in walking in the way of love, a way of life that promotes healing and reconciliation with one another, that unites us as the body of Christ, as a family of God, that seeks to build one another up, to help one another through the difficult moments of life and most of all…to ensure that no-one ever lay their heads down at the end of the day, closing their eyes…thinking that they are alone in this world, or without any hope….

So, I pray and hope that you, too can be inspired in these difficult times, to begin again…to re-commit yourself to and strive to walk in the way of love, a way of life that Jesus is calling us into….a way of love, a way of life…that brings hope and healing to all corners of the world…a way of love, and a way of life that invites each one of us to let go of our fears, to let go of the things that get in the way of trusting God to lead us through these difficult times, and to take up our cross, with hope in our heart, be a leader, in following Jesus, walking with Jesus and with one another…wherever the road of life may lead us….

Last week, in my closing words of my sermon, I shared the seven practices that can help us establish a walk of life, that centers on Jesus’ walk of love…Those 7 practices again were to:

Turn: to pause, listen and choose to follow Jesus

LEARN: To reflect on scriptures, especially on Jesus’ life and teachings

PRAY: To dwell intentionally with God each day

WORSHIP: To gather in community weekly to thank, praise, and dwell with God….

BLESS: To share our faith and unselfishly give and serve

GO: Cross boundaries, listen deeply and live like Jesus…

REST: To receive the gift of God’s grace, peace and restoration

This week, I commend to you another way to put these practices in motion….Get outside, if you can…and take a walk…rediscover the blessing of walking with God and one another, every day…Whether you are outside walking or sitting in your chair at home, envision a walk throughout your lifetime, take a few moments to remember where God has been walking with you or others you have known before, and rediscover what it means to follow in the way of love, a way of life that Jesus is calling us into now…Take up your cross, with hope in your heart, be a leader…and trust that Jesus will always lead you and those you are entrusted to lead and guide…into the land of the living…an abundant life, in God, with one another, and all of creation….

In closing, I invite you now to listen along as I share with you a newly published children’s story, for all ages, entitled, “What the Road Said”, by Cleo Wade…

Read audio recording of:

Book: What the Road Said (by Cleo Wade…illustrations by Lucie de Moyencourt)

Where does the road lead? Jesus said, be a leader and find out…
With hope in your heart, Take up your cross and follow me….

Rev Julie Platson

St Peter’s by the Sea Episcopal Church

Sitka, Alaska