2nd Sunday in Lent/Sermon - hoping against hope...

2 Lent/Year B – February 25, 2024

Genesis 17:1-7, 15-16; Psalm 22:22-30; Romans 4:13-25; Mark 8:31-38

Opening Prayer: (written by Bishop Telmor Sartison)

God of compassion, the way of the cross is as much a mystery to us as it was to the immediate followers of Jesus. But we have heard how your grace is exercised in the journey of suffering and rejection experienced by Jesus. Help us to hear with ears inspired, to see with eyes opened to your ways, and to respond with lives committed to your service. Amen.

On this 2nd Sunday in Lent…I’m wondering if anything particular jumped out at you from any of the readings, as you were listening to them today?

Were there any words or images that were familiar and comforting to you?

Were there any words or images that are challenging you?

Were there any words or images that you just can’t get out of your mind?

I think this week’s lessons give us a little bit of everything…as do most of the readings you will be listening to throughout the season of Lent…

There were familiar and comforting and hopeful words in the Genesis reading in God’s covenant with Abraham…yet at the same time, those very words could be seen as challenging…almost impossible sounding to Abraham and us…and an image that I can’t get out of my mind from this reading…is how stunned Abraham must have been in hearing God proclaim his plans for his covenant with him…

In the reading from Paul’s letter to the Romans…the familiar and comforting words for me are the ones reflecting back to story of God’s covenant with Abraham…and his steadfast faith…and what Abraham’s steadfast faith has to teach us now…The challenge for me in reading this passage was to slow down to be able to grasp everything being said…the reading is a very “wordy” one, with long sentences…it felt like one very long sentence that kept going around and around…yet without a doubt, the image that I can’t get out of my mind…all centers on these three words… Hoping against hope…

The reading from Mark…surely is a familiar one to most of us and a challenging one, from start to finish…… beginning with Jesus teaching his disciples that the Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again…the interactions between Jesus and Peter felt intense and harsh…Jesus’ words to the crowds and disciples were one challenging teaching after teaching…Telling them that if any want to become one of his followers, that they need to deny themselves and take up their cross, and follow him, telling them that those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it….Telling them that  those who are ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of them the Son of Man will also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”

Certainly, I think today’s gospel reading gives us several images and words that we probably can’t get out of our mind today…

But here’s the real challenge for us today…what are the comforting words or images that jumped out at you today in the hearing of today’s gospel?

Maybe nothing jumped out at you at first…I know that my practice is to read it more than once…and often, and in different translations…so just reading it once, and as a stand alone reading…can make it difficult to discern the good news embedded in today’s gospel…

So, here’s a few thoughts to ponder on finding comfort in today’s gospel reading…

 As difficult as Jesus’ words were about his impending suffering and death…the teaching didn’t end there…it ended with the good news about his resurrection three days later…He was open and honest and truthful about what they should expect in the coming days…he was preparing them and giving them a glimpse of what was to come…

Peter didn’t want to hear this…he stopped listening when he heard the difficult  words about Jesus’ suffering and death…he missed the good news about Jesus rising again in three days…and the hope that they could hold onto…

Jesus then tries to re-direct Peter’s focus on his good news message instead of getting pulled astray by the worldly temptations and limitations of our minds and the influence of evil one in the world…He tells Peter… you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.

 He’s telling Peter…focus on the divine things…focus on God, focus on me…listen to what I am saying to you…trust me… “follow me”

Jesus tells the disciples if any want to become his followers, let them deny themselves, take up their cross…but he doesn’t end there…he says follow me… I have more good news to teach you and show you…follow me…

For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it. For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life?

Jesus wants us to have an abundant life…not to forfeit our life…God desires an abundant life for every one of us...that is good news!

And Jesus’ invitation to follow him is a way of life, walking in love with God and one another, that can lead us to an abundant, joyful, hope-filled life..

I’d like to close this morning with a reflection that I shared with the vestry this past week…written by the Rev Scott Gunn… he invites us to consider some other good news found in today’s difficult gospel reading…

(“Dear friends in Christ, (Today’s) Gospel brings a challenging message from Jesus. Among other things, Jesus says, “For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it. For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life?”

Wow. That’s rough. But it makes total sense. If all I worry about is protecting myself, I end up closing myself off from opportunities for God’s grace to work in my life and, through me, in the world. It makes everything about me. But if I can make everything about God’s grace and mercy, I begin to live a life that is steeped in gratitude and overflowing with love.

Jesus says we have to choose whether riches are more important to us than living an abundant, joyful life. If I spend my life chasing earthly things, I will almost certainly miss out on knowing heavenly things. Focusing on stuff leads me to lose my soul for the sake of… not much, really.

But when we make God’s grace and mercy the core of our being, we discover gratitude beyond our imagining. And we cannot help but spill over with mercy and grace for the world around us. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is truly astounding.

This season of Lent offers us the gift of a time to focus on what’s important. Perhaps we first need a reminder, so we notice what’s important! And then we can try to live the life to which Jesus calls us—rooted in gratitude, grace, and mercy.)

 As we begin the 2nd week of Lent…I invite you to read through today’s scripture readings again… And reflect on…

Any words or images that were familiar and comforting to you?

Any words or images that are challenging you?

Any words or images that you just can’t get out of your mind?

And with steadfast faith and hoping against hope…take up your cross and follow Jesus…in a way of love that can lead us to an abundant, joyful, hope-filled life for all of God’s people…

Prayer/Hymn: Where He Leads Me/ Lift Every Voice and Sing II, #144

1        I can hear my Savior calling,

          “Take thy cross and follow, follow me.”

                             Where He leads me I will follow,

                             I’ll go with Him, with Him all the way.

2        I’ll go with Him through the garden,

          I’ll go with Him, with Him all the way. Refrain

3        I’ll go with Him through the judgement,

          I’ll go with Him, with Him all the way. Refrain

4        He will give me grace and glory,

          And go with me, with me all the way.    Refrain

Rev Julie Platson

St Peter’s by the Sea Episcopal Church

Sitka, Alaska

1st Sunday in Lent/Sermon...experiencing God anew...

1 Lent/Year B – February 18, 2024

Genesis 9:8-17, Psalm 25:1-9, 1 Peter 3:18-22, Mark 1:9-15

Opening Prayer:  God of wilderness and water, your Son was baptized and tempted as we are. Guide us through this season, that we may not avoid struggle, but open ourselves to blessing, through the cleansing depths of repentance and the heaven-rending words of the Spirit. Amen.

(https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/prayers.php?id=71)

Our gospel of Mark reading today opens with a familiar setting, once again, that begins with the baptism of Jesus. Just last week we were reminded of these same words from the beginning of the Epiphany Season, as well as the variation of the same scripture just last Sunday, on the final Sunday of the season of Epiphany… Then a cloud overshadowed them, and from the cloud there came a voice, “This is my Son, the Beloved; listen to him!”

As we begin this new season of the church year, the season of Lent…we, who have been attending Episcopal Church services for several years, will most likely associate this season with a lot of familiar traditions, scriptures, and service rituals….

On the night before Lent begins, we have our Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper, its name coming from the Germanic-Old English word “shrive,” meaning absolve, and it is the last day of the liturgical season historically known as Shrovetide. Because it comes directly before Lent, a season of fasting and penitence, this was the day that Christians would go to be “shriven” by their confessor. Shrove Tuesday also became a day for pre-fasting indulgence. In particular, the need to use up rich ingredients such as butter, milk, sugar and eggs before Lent gave rise to the tradition of eating pancakes on this day. (episcopalchurch.org – 2018)

The season of Lent officially begins on Ash Wednesday with the imposition of ashes in the shape of the cross on our foreheads, and the invitation, in the name of the Church, to the observance of a holy Lent, by self-examination and repentance; by prayer, fasting, and self-denial; and by reading and meditating on God's holy Word.  Other familiar highlights of this season include the color purple, the Great Litany that we prayed at the start of the service, no alleluia’s until Easter, Holy Week observances…Palm Sunday processions, Maundy Thursday foot washing, Good Friday passion readings, Holy Saturday, a day of silence before the Resurrection Sunday/Easter day!

What has really jumped out at me, as we begin the season of Lent in 2024…are the familiar marks of the cross upon our foreheads at the time of our baptisms, and as we begin the season of Lent.

At the time of our baptisms, we mark a beginning…the priest makes the sign of the cross on our forehead with the Chrism oil and says these words… you are sealed by the Holy Spirit in Baptism and marked as Christ's own for ever. Amen.

When our foreheads are marked with ashes in the shape of a cross on Ash Wednesday, our thoughts turn towards our mortality, our end of life when the priest says these words… Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.

Yet, in both of these familiar and seemingly different times and seasons of our lives…we are marked as Christ’s own forever…in life and in death. In all our beginnings and in all our endings…in everything that is familiar…and in everything that is unfamiliar to us…

I think that is important for us to consider…as we seek to not only rejoice in those familiar times when surely we know God is present…but to learn to trust that God is present with us, even in those times in our lives when we are challenged to navigate the unfamiliar times, the temptations and trials of this world that cause us to despair, or make us hesitate to believe that God is about to show us anything new…

Lent is a good season to practice this…through self-examination and repentance; by prayer, fasting, and self-denial; and by reading and meditating on God's holy Word…we can come to trust in a God who is present, in all times, in all places…in life and in death…in all our beginnings and in all our endings…in everything that is familiar…and in everything that is unfamiliar to us…

It is often in the unfamiliar territory, in the wilderness times of our lives, when we do have the opportunity to grow spiritually, and experience God anew in our own lives, and in the people and places that surround us now, and in every stage of our lives…

But it’s not always easy to let go of the familiar, to enter into the unfamiliar spaces…yet I find hope and comfort in today’s gospel message that begins with Jesus’ baptism, and the voice from heaven affirming Jesus’ identity, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.” And the Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. He was in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan; and he was with the wild beasts; and the angels waited on him…

I like to believe that God’s angels, God’s messengers of hope are always there to attend to our temptations, our hurts, our doubts, our need for guidance when we are thrust into times of unknowing and uncertainty…and as we intentionally set out to walk a new, unfamiliar path, in hopes of living a more authentic life, as the beloved child of God we were created to be…and as a beloved child of God, who was named and marked as Christ’s own forever…

As we begin this season of Lent anew…one theme that is often highlighted, is our need to let go of some things…let go of some things that get in the way of our relationship with God and one another…and that might mean…we need to let go of some of the “familiar things”…

I close this morning, with a reflection on Letting go of the FAMILIAR, written by Bishop Rob Wright, from the Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta…

The Spirit “drove” Jesus into the wilderness and away from the familiar for a season. Spirit herded/hearted him away from home and routine, placing him among “wild beasts” and in the hands of attentive “angels.” He was at the same time, vulnerable and cared for.

Adventures with God are always like that, God subtracts and then God multiplies. That’s fine for Jesus and his adventure, you might say, but who wants to leave the familiar, really?

Remember whether we’re talking work, marriage, learning or life with God, the familiar should come with a warning label! The familiar can become a rut and a rut can become a grave. If we’re not careful we can adventure-proof our lives and make them memorials to who we and God formerly were rather than living testimonies to who we and God are right now.

Consider the wisdom of the garden spider, the web she weaves serves her purposes, it never snares her. I’ll just bet that if we were to ask Jesus about his wilderness of the unfamiliar, he would tell us that it was worth it.

Worth it because new trust in God grows in new circumstances. Worth it because there’s blessing to receive even and especially in loss. Worth it because

God’s wisdom about how to grow our souls is wiser than our best thinking. Worth it because God relishes opportunities to show us the abundance in what we believed to be desolate places.

What the unfamiliar, disorienting, and even fearful patches of life can teach us, is the time is always right to trust God anew. Remember: What is unfamiliar to us isn’t unfamiliar to God!

Prayer/Hymn (H) 559

1        Lead us, heavenly Father, lead us

                   o’er the world’s tempestuous sea;

          guard us, guide us, keep us, feed us,

                   for we have no help but thee,

          yet possessing every blessing,

                   if our God our Father be.

2        Savior, breathe forgiveness o’er us;

                   all our weakness thou dost know;

          thou didst tread this earth before us;

                   thou didst feel its keenest woe;

          yet unfearing, persevering,

                   to thy passion thou didst go.

3        Spirit of our God, descending,

                   fill our hearts with heavenly joy;

          love with every passion blending,

                   pleasure that can never cloy;

          thus provided, pardoned, guided,

                   nothing can our peace destroy.

Rev Julie Platson

St Peter’s by the Sea Episcopal Church

Sitka, Alaska

Last Sunday after the Epiphany Sermon...Listen to him!

Last Sunday after the Epiphany/Transfiguration Sunday/ Year B

February 11, 2024

2 Kings 2:1-12; Psalm 50:1-6; 2 Corinthians 4:3-6; Mark 9:2-9

Opening Prayer: God of glory, you gave the vision of your Son to those who watched on the mountain; grant that by our glimpses of him we may be changed into his glorious likeness. Amen (A New Zealand Prayer Book)

Today is the last Sunday after the Epiphany, also called Transfiguration Sunday. The season of Epiphany, as you may recall, began with light: the light of a star that led the magi to the Christ child; the light of the glory of God that was revealed in the face of Jesus Christ.

This week, as we mark the conclusion of this season of Epiphany, we will end, as we began - with light: the light of Jesus' radiant countenance, his transfiguration upon the mountaintop...when his clothes became dazzling white, such as no one on earth could bleach them…

It is worth noting another similarity between the beginning of the Epiphany season and today, our last Sunday of Epiphany: Both included stories in which we hear the voice of God being proclaimed from the heavens…and descending upon the earth to reach the eyes and ears of those who were watching and listening…

On the first Sunday in Epiphany, we heard the story of the baptism of Jesus, with its climax in the Voice of God speaking to Jesus, "You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased."

Today’s gospel reading takes place at Jesus’ baptism, too… and sets the scene right before Jesus’ 40 day journey in the wilderness, and his journey to the cross, his death on the cross…and once again we hear the Voice of God speaking…

This time it is the disciples who hear the Voice of God. The Voice of God says this time, "This is my Son, the Beloved; listen to him!"

Religious scholar Marcus Borg comments on this verse: The disciples, in a way, represent us in that passage. "Listen to him." Listen to Jesus.

How hard it is for us to just listen….

How hard it is for us to just stop whatever we are thinking or doing to just look, to notice, and to listen to all that this moment with Jesus has to offer us…

In today’s gospel story…Peter just couldn’t hold his tongue…The other-worldly experience of the moment, either excited Peter or frightened him…or both all interwoven as one…Whatever he was feeling,  he had the urge to blurt something out, because he just didn’t know how to react to this vision of seeing Jesus transfigured before him…he didn’t know how to respond to the dazzling, bright white light before him…He didn’t know how to make sense of having just witnessed Elijah and Moses  talking with Jesus on the mountaintop……

Thankfully, God steps in, and says to the disciples…“This is my Son, the Beloved; listen to Him!”

He doesn’t say to the disciples, take care of him, find a place for him to stay, he doesn’t give any instructions right then. He tells them plainly, This is my Son, the Beloved; Listen to him!

How hard it is for us to just stop whatever we are thinking or doing to just look, to notice, and to listen to all that this present moment has to offer us…

It is human nature for us to want to figure something out, to get to the “why” of something right away…we want to find the words to explain what is happening…and we want to do it now…so we can get on to the next thing, and the next thing…

And as much as some of us may say we love to be surprised and find no shortage of experiencing an awe-inspiring sense of wonder in the many unexplainable everyday mysteries around us…If we were to be honest with ourselves, this is easy to do when we look up at the vast sky, consider the starry heavens, notice the tall mountains that surround us, and contemplate the depth and breadth of all that lives in the great-wide waters of the world…

But when we are faced with uncertainties, and unexplainable happenings in our lives that make us fearful or anxious…such as health issues, end of life transitions, insurmountable world-wide human rights issues…we just want to fix it all now, we want to make sense of it all right now…so we can move beyond the pain, the worry, and the weariness of not knowing what to do.

It is in these days that we most need to practice stopping whatever we are thinking or doing to just look, to notice, and to listen to all that this moment has to offer us…in the light of the glory of God that is revealed in the face of Jesus Christ… in the light of the glory of God that is revealed in the voice of God… “This is my Son, the Beloved; listen to Him!”

When we can take time to practice pausing, to look, to notice, and to listen to all that this moment has to offer us…we are reminded, that we are never alone, that we need not be fearful of what troubles us now or makes us anxious about the future…the truth of God’s light and love that shines all around us, in all ways, is revealed to us in the face of Jesus Christ…

In just a few days, we will begin a new season in the church year...The Season of Lent…a 40-day journey through the scriptures giving us yet another look into the life of Jesus…It’s a season of the church year that we are invited once again, to consider taking on a new spiritual discipline or practice to help us draw closer to God and each other…

It’s a perfect time for us to consider taking on a spiritual practice that can encourage us to make sure we make room to pause and pray and listen… to stop whatever we are thinking or doing to just look, to notice, and to listen to all that this moment, all that this upcoming season of Lent has to offer us…in the light of the glory of God that is revealed in the face of Jesus Christ… in the light of the glory of God that is revealed in the voice of God… “This is my Son, the Beloved; listen to Him!”

Closing prayer/hymn: Turn your eyes upon Jesus (#97 – Praise Chorus Book)

Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face, and the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace. Amen

Rev. Julie Platson, Rector

St Peter’s by the Sea Episcopal Church

Sitka, AK

Called to be agents and instruments of healing and wholeness… Sermon Feb 4, 2024

5 Epiphany Year B

February 4, 2024

Isaiah 40:21-31; Psalm 147:1-12, 21c; 1 Corinthians 9:16-23; Mark 1: 29-39

Before I begin my sermon…I invite you to listen to today’s message in the context of our stewardship theme for this year…To renew and strengthen our call as the church to be outposts of hope in our communities…

Opening Prayer: Everlasting God, you give strength to the powerless and power to the faint; you raise up the sick and cast out demons. Make us agents of healing and wholeness, that your good news may be made known to the ends of your creation. Amen. (Bread for the Day)

I invite you to pause and think for a moment…Can you recall a time in your life when you thought of yourself as an agent of healing and wholeness? Or maybe a time you were witness to someone else being an instrument of healing and wholeness to someone in need? Did you later share your experience…with anyone else? If so…what stands out for you, in remembering that encounter?

My guess would be that pretty much all of us, have been an agent of healing and wholeness to someone…but I’m not sure we may have recognized it as such…and perhaps you didn’t think to share your experience or encounter with someone…just brushing it off…as I didn’t really do anything...I was just there…

Now, I do know that there are plenty of folks who are very strong believers in the power of prayer and healing…and are not shy in proclaiming this good news with others…they are firm in their faith, knowledge and understanding…they are passionate about their calling to be the healing hands of Jesus in our time…

We have some very passionate prayer chain members here at St Peter’s, who pray daily for the needs of local persons, family and friends far away, they pray for our leaders and our nation, they pray for healing, they offer prayers of thanks, they pray for the repose of the soul of those who have died…they pray for healing on so many levels…

And there’s the expectation too, that your priest and your deacons would be committed to a way of life and spiritual discipline that includes daily prayer…

There are many others besides the prayer chain members and clergy who are passionate, and persistent in their ongoing prayers for any needs they hear about here at St Peter’s, in Sitka…and in the wider, world-wide community…

Yet…there are still many among us… who may underestimate their ability to be an agent and instrument of God’s healing and path to wholeness…

We are ALL called to be agents of healing and wholeness…and we need not shy away from sharing this good news with others…there are so many who need to hear what you have heard, see what you have seen, experience what you have experienced…especially in times when people may be feeling like there is no path to healing…no light of hope that they see right now…

What makes us agents and instruments of God’s healing and wholeness?

We begin, by acknowledging that everyone of us is a beloved child of God. We respect the dignity of every human being. We strive to proclaim by word and example the Good News of God in Christ Jesus...a Good News that proclaims that God is love in all that we are and do…in every interaction and encounter we have with one another…and with all of creation…

It is God’s love for every one of us, it is God’s power that strengthens us and empowers us, throughout our lives, to be agents and instruments of healing and wholeness…in our families, in our communities, and in our world…

God gives power to the faint, and strengthens the powerless. Even youths will faint and be weary, and the young will fall exhausted; but those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint…

We have a beautiful and simple healing story in today’s gospel… the healing of Simon’s mother-in-law…Now Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they told Jesus about her at once. He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up. Then the fever left her, and she began to serve them.

He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up…

3 simple actions here…

Jesus came…he showed up…he went to her bedside…

Jesus took her by the hand... he reached out to her…

Jesus lifted her up…he healed her…body, mind and spirit…by lifting her up with his Love, with his presence, with his compassion…

We don’t hear any words spoken in this healing moment...

Only the assurance of God’s presence, his healing touch, and the love of God brought to this moment…through the hands and heart of Jesus…

We, too…can bring healing into the lives of others…with our hands and our hearts…and most of the time they are in simple everyday moments like this…

Now think back to one of my questions at the start of my sermon today… Can you recall a time in your life when you thought of yourself as an agent of healing and wholeness?

I would guess that it was much like this example of Jesus healing Simon’s mother-in-law…

You saw a need, perhaps the person was lonely...and you went to visit her…You reached over, and held her hand, while you sat quietly and listened to her concerns…Your love and concern, your physical presence with her, your touch to remind her that she wasn’t alone…surely brought healing to her heart and mind and spirit…

What about the other time...when a young child came running up to you in tears…You stopped whatever you were doing…you sat there with him…You held his hand, you held him close with your other hand… And through your presence, your touch, and your love being poured out for this child in need…within moments…this little boy was up and running around…assured once again…that yes, indeed…I am loved…

No words spoken, here…just the sharing of the Holy presence of God’s love for another person…

This past week, our news reports and social media feeds were buzzing with a story about Elmo, a pre-school age character on Sesame Street…Elmo posted a question on a social media feed, asking a simple question… “How is everyone doing?” Millions of people responded to the questions, pouring out their feelings of despair and discouragement on just how hard life has been lately… And many thanked Elmo for asking the question, and many felt, seen, heard and acknowledged…and perhaps didn’t feel so alone anymore…

ALL of us…whoever we are, wherever we are… are called by God to be agents of healing and wholeness…

The thought of that doesn’t need to overwhelm us…

Jesus has given us a simple model to follow…

When we see someone in need…

Go to them…look at them…acknowledge them….

Reach out your hand…and grasp the hand of the other… reach out with your eyes meeting the eyes of the other…

Bring along the Good News…that God is love…

It is God’s love, revealed to us through the life and teachings of Jesus, that brings true healing and peace to all of God’s beloved children…

May we all know the healing power of Jesus’ love for ourselves, our neighbors, and all of creation…and share this Good news with others…share it generously…

And…be sure to take time away for prayer, often, as Jesus has modeled for us…so that we may we never tire of proclaiming and sharing this Good News…for that is what we are called to do…To proclaim by word and example the Good News of God in Christ…That God is love….and this love is for all of us...God heals the broken-hearted, and binds up their wounds. God counts the number of the stars and calls them all by their names…

God calls us each by name….to be agents and instruments of healing and wholeness…

Closing Prayer/Hymn: Wonder Love and Praise - #772 O Christ, the healer

1      O Christ, the healer, we have come

          to pray for health, to plead for friends.

          How can we fail to be restored,

          when reached by love that never ends?

2 From every ailment flesh endures

          our bodies clamor to be freed;

          yet in our hearts we would confess

          that wholeness is our deepest need.

3        How strong, O Lord, are our desires,

          how weak our knowledge of ourselves!

          Release in us those healing truths

          unconscious pride resists ourselves.

4        In conflicts that destroy our health

          we recognize the world’s disease;

          our common life declares our ills:

          is there no cure, O Christ, for these?

5        Grant that we all, made in one faith,

          in your community may find

          the wholeness that, enriching us,

          shall reach the whole of humankind.

Rev. Julie Platson, Rector

St Peter’s by the Sea Episcopal Church

Sitka, AK

4 Epiphany Sermon - Reverence for the LORD is the summit of wisdom ...

Epiphany 4/January 28, 2024

Sermon by Chip Camden

Readings: Deuteronomy 18:15-20; Psalm 111; I Corinthians 8:1-13; Mark 1:21-28

"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom.  Those who act accordingly have a good understanding."

You probably can't tell from the English translation that our Psalm for today is an acrostic poem.  An acrostic begins each verse or phrase with a successive letter of the alphabet -- in the Psalms that’s the Hebrew alphabet.  The verse numbering also fails to reveal that in this psalm the alphabetic progression is applied to each half or even third of a verse.  Most acrostic psalms advance only one letter every whole verse, which provides more room to tie the meaning together from one verse to another.  The more rigid formalism of today's psalm, while creating a simple, steady rhythm and a merciful brevity, limits the poet's ability to maintain any progression of thought.  The result is a collection of largely independent aphorisms.

The last three of these aphorisms are contained in verse 10: for the Hebrew letter resh (ר): "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom," for the letter sin (ש): "those who act accordingly have a good understanding," and for the letter tav (ת): "his praise endures forever."  The first two of these have a connected meaning.

First, let's look at "the fear of the LORD".  The word translated as "fear" (Hebrew yir'ah יראה) encompasses our current ideas about fear but also includes "awe," "respect," or "reverence."  I think the latter senses are more like what is intended here.  The psalmist is not advising an existential dread of God looking over our shoulders, but rather a recognition of how much more wise and powerful God is, with the consequent deferral to that wisdom of our decisions on how to conduct our lives.   When we do that, we "have a good understanding" as the next phrase says.

Our version says "the beginning of wisdom," which is a possible translation, but I don't think it's the best.  It was no doubt influenced by Proverbs 9:10 which begins with a similar phrase: "the fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom," but the word translated "beginning" is different in the two verses.  In Proverbs, it literally means "opening" or "commencement." 

In our psalm, it is the Hebrew word re'shiyth (ראש׳ת), which although it is the word used in Genesis 1:1 for "beginning" it is from the word for "head" and thus carries a wide range of meaning -- including "principal" or "highest."  I believe the latter meanings are intended to be included in this verse.  Reverence for God is not just how we start to grow wise, it is the pinnacle of wisdom.

In today's reading from Deuteronomy, one of the books of the law or Torah, we have an account of the institution of prophecy.  The people fear to have God talk to them directly (out of a healthy reverence), and so God promises to raise up a prophet like Moses to speak God's word to them.  Many Christian interpreters take this to be a prediction of the coming of Christ.  The discussion at the end of our passage about false prophets and how to distinguish them, though, makes it clear that what is referred to here are the prophets who would come after Moses.  Of course, Christ is the superlative fulfillment of that role, as well as many others.

That prophets would be necessary at all is a tacit admission that the law by itself is not enough to guide individual behavior.  Discernment will be necessary to determine how God's commands apply to a given situation.  As time goes by, the literal meaning of a commandment might even become antithetical to its spirit.  The people of God must listen reverently to God's voice, instead of thinking that they already know what God wants from them.

In our gospel lesson, Jesus is teaching in the synagogue at Capernaum, and the people are "astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes."  The scribes interpreted the scriptures using the traditions that had been passed down to them, and they were mostly allergic to innovation.  Perhaps that was due to a reverent humility on their part, but it could also lead to a prideful certainty that they knew exactly what the scriptures meant.  Jesus, however, speaks with "authority."  This word in the Greek is exousia (εξουσια), which has a broader meaning of having the ability or the right to act.  It is sometimes translated as "liberty."  In other words, Jesus is going off the scribal script.  He's bringing forth new understanding about God's will.  In this he is fulfilling the role of prophet as described in Deuteronomy.

In Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians, Paul spends a lot of time addressing a faction at Corinth that took their Christian liberty (exousia again) to extremes.  "All things are lawful to me" (as quoted in I Corinthians 6:12) seems to have been one of their mottos.  To which Paul replies, "but not all things are expedient."  For Paul, what is expedient is what builds up the church community.  Immorality is not helpful, because it is degrading to each other and to ourselves. 

Factionalism is not helpful, because it is the antithesis of the love that we are to show one another.  Paul does not deny that in Christ we have freedom from rigid legalism, but that freedom must be tempered by the wisdom of God for building up each other in love.

So, in the case of eating food sacrificed to idols, Paul acknowledges the Corinthians' freedom to do so -- concurring with them in their assessment that the idols do not represent anything to them that draws them away from God.  However, there are converts to Christ who are not yet solid in their faith, who used to eat the sacrificed meat as an act of communion with the god represented by the idol.  If they see other Christians eating that meat, they may fall back into their old practices and fall away from Christ.  Here in the twenty-first century we might wonder why they couldn’t do both, but in the first century the associations with their former life would make it a stumbling-block.  To engage in it in front of them would be like drinking in front of an alcoholic.

So Paul urges the Corinthians to constrain their liberty for the sake of others.  It isn't enough to know what is true or false, right or wrong.  "Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.  Anyone who claims to know something does not yet have the necessary knowledge; but anyone who loves God is known by him."  See how Paul flips the table on knowledge.  Rather than to seek to know, we should love and be known.  Love is the key to discerning the will of God.  The Way of Christ is about relationships, not knowledge: relationship with God and with each other.  It is about humility in those relationships, acknowledging the limits of our knowledge and deferring to God's wisdom all of our decisions on how to conduct our lives.

"Reverence for the LORD is the summit of wisdom.  Those who act accordingly have a good understanding."  Amen.

Annual Meeting Day Sermon - 3 Epiphany

3 Epiphany Year B

ANNUAL MEETING DAY

January 21, 2024

Rector’s Sermon/Report – Rev Julie Platson

Jonah 3:1-5, 10, Psalm 62:6-14, 1 Corinthians 7:29-31, Mark 1:14-20 

Opening Prayer: From d365.org (adapted)

Holy One, who is calling out to us today….

Help us to listen with our whole selves.

Help us listen with our ears, focused on the Holy Word.

Help us listen with our hands, open to Jesus’ embrace.

Help us listen with our heart, steadied by the Spirit’s presence.

Help us listen with our feet, grounded on God’s truth.

Help us listen with our feet as we step out into the world with faith and hope, answering the call to walk with Jesus today and every day. Amen.

Today is annual meeting day. We will gather after the service to celebrate by sharing a potluck meal together, and by listening to several reports that will give us a brief summary and review of what the church has been up to in the past year. We will hear about this past year’s finances. The 2024 budget will be presented. We will hear about some of the outreach ministries, prayer chain gatherings, Sunday school activities. We will hear a summary about all the buildings and grounds projects that have been completed, and about plans being made for future renovations, and restorations of our historic buildings. We will select new vestry members, SE Deanery and Convention delegates. 

Our annual meeting only gives us a snapshot of what’s been going on the past year, and only a tiny glimpse of what’s to come.

Our annual meeting today is an occasion for us to pause and truly listen for, once again, God’s call to the church and its’ people to renew and strengthen our call as the church to be an “Outpost of Hope” in our communities….

Our annual meeting today is an opportunity for us to renew and strengthen our call to love God, and our neighbors, by listening for Jesus’ call to follow him by stepping out into the world with faith and hope, answering the call to walk with Him today and every day…

In an age of information overload, it has been increasingly difficult for people to listen well.  We are faced with so many distractions all around us. So many competing voices trying to get our attention.

All aspects of our lives are being influenced daily with calls to hurry up, and use the most convenient, quickest way to make plans for our organizations and churches, or to approach and solve any issues or problems that are present.

In an age of information overload at our fingertips to google and search for all kinds of quick answers, and lots of opportunities “to go down the rabbit hole”, to keep searching and searching for the right answer…before saying yes…it can influence us and others around us to hesitate before taking that first step to follow Jesus until we have all the info we think we need before we can say yes…

But…here’s where our faith and hope comes in…and this is when and why it is so counter-cultural to act upon Jesus’ invitation…He simply invites us first…to follow him…He doesn’t give all kinds of information before he invites us or the disciples in our gospel readings the past couple of weeks, to follow him…the invitation comes first…the listening and learning comes when we begin by responding with a yes to Jesus…and going down the “rabbit hole” with him you might say…to learn more about what it means to walk in love, live in love with our neighbors, as Jesus wants to teach us and reveal to us, the power of God’s love to transform lives and build up communities of hope, through us and the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, wherever we are called to be. And when we set aside time to slow down, to walk prayerfully and mindfully with Jesus, we can hear through all of our senses…with our whole selves…what we are being called to be and do, in this time and place...in this season of our lives together.

This holy work of discerning God’s call for the church and each one of us is slow work and relational building work…and at the same time it is urgent work and communal work that often begins below the surface of our lives…this is where the renewing and the strengthening of discerning our call to be the church in the world and outposts of hope in our communities begins…

At St Peter’s this year, we’ve taken time to slow down and gather together to do just this and to provide space for community members to be invited as well…

We’ve gathered together in small and large groups for a variety of worship services on Sundays, special weekday services, baptisms, funerals, wedding vow renewals, noonday prayer, scripture walks in the park, services at the pioneers’ home, and bringing communion to the homebound…The church has been used for community music concerts throughout the year…

We’ve had services in person, and we’ve continued to welcome our church family members to join us every week from other communities and states, through zoom technology… We’ve gathered together for book studies, bible studies, quiet day retreats, beading groups, prayer groups, Friday fellowship time, Sunday school for kids and families...

We keep the church open every day, from early morning through the evening, for community members to stop in for a time of rest and quiet prayer.

The See House has been buzzing with community activities seven days a week…with offerings for young parents and tots, youth programs from elementary age through high school, young adult gatherings which included AmeriCorps volunteers’ graduation and Outer Coast student welcome gatherings; Hope Coalition meetings, SOS Lifeline group meetings, community potluck meetings, AA meetings.

The Sitka Local Foods Network continues with their work on St Peter’s Fellowship farm, growing produce for the yearly farmers markets and getting fresh produce into the hands of low-income community members.

Personally, I serve on a variety of non-profit boards in the community, and on the diocesan level in the Episcopal Church, I serve on the Standing Committee, just finished two terms on the FIT Committee, and this coming summer, I am a General Convention delegate and will serve on a special legislative committee, the House of Deputies Ecumenical & Interreligious Relations Legislative Committee.

And one of my favorite volunteer activities in the community, is to play the piano a couple nights a month at the Pioneers’ home.

I’m sure I’ve left out some details in my report, and have missed a few activities that have taken place in the church and the See House…but as I mentioned earlier, on annual meeting day we strive to give you an overview, a summary of all that has been going on at St Peter’s, through all of the reports.

So, shortly…after the service, and after we share some food…you will hear more on outreach, buildings and grounds, prayer chain and finances…

My prayer and hope for all of us on this annual meeting day, is that we will use this day well, to pause and listen deeply and thoughtfully for God’s call to the church and its’ people to renew and strengthen our call as the church to be an “Outpost of Hope” in our communities….

And that we will welcome this time we gather for worship and the annual meeting afterwards, as an opportunity for us to renew and strengthen our call to love God, and our neighbors, by listening for Jesus’ call to follow him by stepping out into the world with faith and hope, answering the call to walk with Him today and every day…

I close this morning with the prayer I began with…and then a hymn that always sums up my prayers, and my hopes and my faith in God…for all that is, and yet to come…for all of God’s beloved children…

Holy One, who is calling out to us today….

Help us to listen with our whole selves.

Help us listen with our ears, focused on the Holy Word.

Help us listen with our hands, open to Jesus’ embrace.

Help us listen with our heart, steadied by the Spirit’s presence.

Help us listen with our feet, grounded on God’s truth.

Help us listen with our feet as we step out into the world with faith and hope, answering the call to walk with Jesus today and every day. Amen.

Hymn: How Great Thou Art

Come and see...2 Epiphany sermon

2 Epiphany Year B/January 14, 2024

1 Samuel 3:1-10, Psalm 139: 1-5, 12-17, John 1:43-51

Opening Prayer: Another day begins, Lord and with it another chance to start afresh with You. May we open our eyes to Your light. May we hear Your voice above the noises of life. May we be filled with anticipation of what we can be with You by our side. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (Church of Scotland)

Today is a new day…a new chance to start afresh by opening our eyes to the presence of God all around us, to open our ears to listen for the voice of God speaking to us, and to begin again by making a decision to say yes today, and in the coming year to Jesus’ daily invitation to Follow me…and walk with me…one day at a time…

Jesus says, Follow me, spend time with me, get to know me, as I know you and see you…I will open your eyes to see the light all around us…

Jesus says, Follow me, spend time with me, get to know me, as I know you and hear you…so that you will hear God’s voice above the noises of life…

Jesus says, Follow me, spend time with me, get to know me, as I know you and ever walk beside you … so that you will be filled with anticipation of what each one of you can be, knowing that I am always by your side…

But don’t just follow me and get to know me…invite others to come and see for themselves, too…

In a world, where so many folks, don’t feel seen, heard, or acknowledged as a beloved child of God, acknowledged as a child of God who is part of God’s dream and vision of a world where there is freedom, justice and peace among all God’s people…we can be that beacon of light, that voice of a loving God, that compassionate and trust-worthy presence…that assures others that they are not forgotten…that they too are seen, heard, and loved by a God, who walks ever beside us, and who wants better things for all of us, than we can desire or pray for…

The gospel reading today takes place at the start of Jesus' public ministry in Galilee and the calling of some of the first disciples. Jesus invites Philip to “Follow me”. Philip seems to know that Jesus is indeed the one the prophets spoke about, and was excited and enthusiastic about sharing this good news with Nathanael. Nathanael seemed to be hesitant to believe what Philip was telling him, so Philip simply invites him to “come and see”…it wasn’t until Nathanael had an encounter with Jesus himself, when he felt he was seen, known, heard, acknowledged…that he declared his belief that Jesus, indeed, was the promised One, the Son of God. We don’t hear what comes next…only that Jesus tells him... You will see greater things than these…

So, you see…it doesn’t stop with you and I individually following Jesus, getting to know Jesus, and how the love of God made known to us through him, has made a difference in our lives…

We can’t keep it a secret or hoard it for ourselves…The love of God, the presence of God, the justice of God, the peace and the hope of God is for all people…it is good news that is meant to be shared…

It’s our turn now, whoever we are, where-ever we are, to invite others to come and see just who this Jesus and his love is all about…to encourage them and inspire them to open up their hearts and minds to an encounter with Jesus and his transforming love…

With an enlightened heart and mind, every one of us, through the power of the Holy Spirit…can go out into the world, multiplying this force of love that can only grow in all of us, and all around us…the more we share it with others…

That might look like inviting someone to lunch, or to church, to a bible study, a book group, a beading group…It might look like inviting some to join you in a walk or a drive around town…It might look like volunteering with the Homeless Coalition, or at the winter emergency shelter; or as a Braveheart volunteer; it may look like inviting someone to attend an AA meeting with you;  it may look like being a friend to another student at school, or a teacher or parent who advocates for their child…asking only of all of us…to help this beloved child of God to know they are seen, heard, and will ever have a loving presence that will walk with them always… 

Every new day, we are given the opportunity to look all around us…and point others to the love and light in this life that is found in following the way of life that Jesus modeled for us…

A way of life that affirms that we are all beloved children of God…and that he intimately cares for each one of us…he knows us, he searches our hearts, he protects us, he loves us, and he is always near...there is no place we can go…that we will be forgotten or out of his care… 

Today, and every day…is a new opportunity to start afresh with following Jesus, getting to know Jesus, as Jesus knows us, hears us, and promises to ever be with us, and walk with us…

Today, and every day, we are called anew to invite others to come and see…

Come and see what happens when our eyes are opened to the see the light all around us…

Come and see what happens when we hear God’s voice above the noises of life…

Come and see what happens when we are filled with anticipation of what each one of us can be, knowing that God is always by our side…

Closing Prayer/Hymn: Lift Every Voice and Sing II - #16 You Are Near

Yahweh, I know You are near,

standing always at my side.

You guard me from the foe.

And You lead me in ways everlasting.

Lord, You have searched my heart,

and You know when I sit and when I stand.

Your hand is upon me protecting me from death,

keeping me from harm. Refrain

Where can I run from Your love?

If I climb to the heavens You are there;

If I fly to the sunrise or sail beyond the sea,

still I’d find You there. Refrain

You know my heart and its ways,

You who formed me before I was born,

In the secret of darkness before I saw

the sun in my mother’s womb. Refrain

Marvelous to me are Your works;

how profound are Your thoughts, my Lord.

Even if I could count them, they number as the stars,

You would still be there. Refrain

Rev Julie Platson

St Peter’s by the Sea Episcopal Church

Sitka, Alaska

1 Epiphany: Baptism of our Lord Sermon - Jan 7 2024

1 Epiphany/The Baptism of our Lord/Year B/January 7, 2024

Genesis 1:1-5, Psalm 29, Acts 19:1-7, Mark 1:4-11

Opening Prayer: Eternal God, at the baptism of Jesus You revealed him to be Your Son, and anointed Him with the Holy Spirit. Keep all who are born of water and the Spirit faithful to their calling as Your people; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit one God, now and for ever. Amen. (Church of Scotland)

Today, on the church calendar, as we begin the season of Epiphany, we celebrate the Baptism of Jesus. And as we listen to the account of the Baptism of Jesus, we too, will have an opportunity to think about what Baptism is…and to recall, perhaps, our own Baptisms…having been baptized into a new creation…having been born again, through the washing away of our sins, and having been anointed by the Holy Spirit and being marked and named, as one of God’s beloved sons or daughters.

Jesus’ baptism marked the beginning of something new. For years, before the occasion of Jesus’ baptism, John the Baptist had been baptizing people in the River Jordan. John’s message was bold and clear:  proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.

(From the Church of Scotland website the writer speaks to us about John the Baptist: His focus was on God’s own people and the need to change direction and to think differently because of their sins. But his message was not without hope; forgiveness was the good news he offered. To receive this free gift of God they were called to a public act of repentance witnessed by the act of baptism in the River Jordan. Those who made the journey from the villages, towns and cities around were confronted by what must have looked like one of the Old Testament prophets. No prophet had been seen or heard in Israel for 400 years, but this rough looking man, dressed for the desert with his simple if strange diet, looked exactly as they imagined a prophet to look like. He was the ‘talk of the town’; he used his ministry to focus not on himself but on another, the promised One, the Messiah who was to Come. The promised day arrived. Jesus came from the north and John baptised Him and the baptism was followed by a vision and a voice. Heaven split open, the dove-like Spirit descended, and words from the Psalms and Isaiah were used to confirm Jesus as both favoured son and anointed king: “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.”

“You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.”

Here it is, loud and clear, from the voice of God…Jesus is the One…The One that the prophets foretold would come among them…The One who will reconcile us once again to God, to one another, and with all of creation.

The voice has spoken, from the very beginning, when God first created the heavens and the earth, as we heard in our reading from Genesis today… God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light.

This voice is unmistakable, as we heard in Psalm 29…

The voice of the Lord is upon the waters;

 The voice of the Lord is a powerful voice; *
the voice of the Lord is a voice of splendor.

 The voice of the Lord breaks the cedar trees; *

 The voice of the Lord splits the flames of fire;
the voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness; *.

 The voice of the Lord makes the oak trees writhe *
and strips the forests bare. (psalm 29)

The voice, through the Holy Spirit, boldly confirmed Jesus as God’s beloved One. “And just as he (Jesus) was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him.  “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.” (Mark 1:4-11)

Being anointed by the Holy Spirit was the game-changer for Jesus and for us…Unlike John’s baptism…that was primarily about repentance, and the need for forgiveness…Jesus’ baptism, confirmed his identity, and sealed the new covenant with God and all his beloved children…by the coming of the Holy Spirit…

In our reading this morning from the Acts of the Apostles, we heard more on the importance of the coming of the Holy Spirit and baptism….

(From the Church of Scotland website, the writer expands on baptism and the Holy Spirit… Like John the Baptist, Jesus’ cousin, Apollos had called people to get ready for the coming of the King. He had called them to repent and to put their trust in Jesus and to demonstrate this in their baptism.

 However he did not know that John had also said that when the Messiah came He would also baptise with the Holy Spirit and with fire. What was missing was the teaching on Jesus’ farewell gift, the Holy Spirit, the Comforter. Jesus explained to His disciples that the gift of the Spirit would mean that they would not be left alone when He returned to the Father. The Spirit would be the one to bind them together as a new community of faith. The Spirit would help them to understand the scriptures. The Spirit would strengthen them and empower them to be Christ’s heart and voice of Love in the world, and Christ’s hands and feet in the world.)

The Spirit empowered them and us with the gifts we need to carry out the Mission of the Church…The Mission of Christ: To be reconciled once again to God, to one another, and with all of creation.

The Spirit empowers each one of us with the gifts we need to love one another, walk in love with one another, and with all of creation.

The Spirit empowers each one of us with the gifts we need to renew and strengthen our call as the church to be an “Outpost of Hope” in our communities…

As we begin again, as we begin a new year, walking together, in the light and love of the Lord…May Jesus’ baptism, our baptisms, in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit…mark a new beginning for us…a new commitment…a new creation by which we are transformed by the Love of God, in Christ Jesus…and empowered by the gift of the Holy Spirit… to boldly proclaim the Good News of God in Christ…with our words and in our lives …

Hymn after the sermon: O God of gentle strength…(WLP 771)

O God of gentle strength, your love embraces me. Within the sureness of your care my heart rests willingly.

Your waters of rebirth have claimed us as your own. As members of one body, we shall never be alone.

And when life’s challenges eclipse our minds with doubt, let holy wisdom spark a flame to drive the darkness out.

Where will the journey lead? The path may be obscure. But promised hope of things unseen will keep our footing sure.

Rev Julie Platson

St Peter’s by the Sea Episcopal Church

Sitka, Alaska

1st Sunday after Christmas Sermon Reflection

December 31, 2023

John 1:1-18

4 Advent, Christmas Eve, Christmas Messages

Check out the sermons and christmas messages below!