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July 13, 2005
Sermon - Rev Bill Schooler
Today's Gospel reading of the parable of the sower is about preparing the soil for growth, so that when planted, the seeds we sow will bear fruit and multiply and generate mighty yields.
All of you are preparing the soil, and I want to thank you and honor you for this. You work hard for each other and for this parish. You serve on vestry, commissions, altar guild, flower guild, and serve as lay Eucharistic ministers, and serve in a variety of other ways. You visit the sick and care for the lonely of our parish. You prepare the soil in many ways for this parish.
You also serve the wider church in diocesan committees, Bishop's Ranch, and in other ways. I also thank you for your service to the communities where you live. You serve in homeless meal programs; participate in Rotary and Kiwanis groups that give back to their communities. You prepare the communities' soil in all kinds of ways.
Our personal spiritual journeys are not unlike the parable of the sower, in that our journeys are not unproblematic. During the course of our spiritual lives, we find ourselves in changing soil conditions and our spiritual responses reflect those conditions at the time. I suspect we have all felt we do not understand what God is saying to us and the evil one comes and snatches away the little that we do know that is sown in our hearts. There are times when we rejoice at what we do understand of God, but there is no root and our joy dies out when difficulties, trouble and weariness comes our way. Sometimes in our lives, we clearly hear God speak to us and we want to embrace it, but the cares of the world, careers, family, children, and the pursuit of success choke it out of us. And then there are the times when we really do "work the soil" and the rewards are unbelievably fulfilling.
Right now, in our parish life, is a time when we really do need to "work the soil." We are searching for an interim, and then a Rector. The parable of the sower is helpful to us during this period, because parables begin in the familiar world of the hearer, and then they present a different vision of the world to us. They challenge our everyday expectations, and open up new visions of reality. It is important to pay attention to and listen to the parables speak to us.
Our parish is entering a time of what medicine would call "watchful waiting" to see what develops. Spiritually, we would define this time as "prayerful waiting," listening to what God is trying to say to us.
Most of us are familiar with the psychological term, "positive reinforcement." It is the most powerful psychological tool available to us, yet rarely used. For example, in business employee evaluations usually result in," you did a good job with this, now let's talk about what needs improvement." The interview then develops into 99% of the time spent in discussing the employee's weaknesses. Is this helpful? We do not hire people for their weaknesses, but for their strengths. Wouldn't it be more productive to develop an employee's strengths? In most of our encounters with others, we do not really believe their assessment of another person unless they can describe that person's weaknesses. Do weaknesses help? We would not have hired that person if their weaknesses overshadowed their strengths. So which do we spend our time on? Which do we most want to invest our time and resources in?
So it is with the church. Intentional, prayerful waiting can open us to hear God speak to us through the Holy Spirit. It can open us to hear God call to us.
Like our own personal spiritual lives, I believe it is important that a parish focus on what works, not dwell forever on what does not work. Sometimes I think I hear God saying, "Work with me on this, will you?" It is important, necessary, and essential that a parish also prepares the ground for God's seeds of Faith, Hope and Love to grow; and the greatest of these is love.
The Greek philosopher, Heraclitus wrote that, "You cannot step into the same stream twice." The reason is that the water changes continuously. There is new water all the time. What worked before may not be the same now, because we are not the same now.
It is required of us to prepare the soil. But we cannot do that unless everyone knows the story—the parable of the sower. Knowing the story is important.
A minister colleague told me about an incident in his church over July 4th. The church decided to put the American flag back in the church for services over this time. The janitor, a recent immigrant, a fine, hardworking person brought the flag in to install. When church began, everyone noticed that it had been hung upside down. A huge cry of alarm went up. How could this happen? The janitor was new to this country and had barely seen an American flag, much less unfurled and raised one. He did not know the story. Who will tell him?
Who will tell the story of our parish? I believe it is you and I. Let us focus on what works in our lives. So many of you have been preparing the soil already. My Chief of Chaplains at the VA calls it, "shoveling coal," doing things that are not necessarily glamorous but really necessary for the good of the whole. Some of you are tired and weary from long, and often intense, service and need rest.
When we are tired and weary, we could learn from the geese. You often see them flying in a V formation. As each bird flaps its wings, it creates an "uplift" for the bird following. By flying in a V formation the whole flock adds 71% greater flying range than if the bird flew alone.
When the lead goose gets tired, it rotates back into the formation and another goose flies at the point position. The geese in formation honk from behind to encourage those up front to keep up their speed.
When a goose gets sick or wounded or shot-down, two geese drop out of formation and follow it down to help and protect it. They stay with it until it is able to fly again or dies. Then they launch out on their own to catch up with the flock
I have personal experience of this kind of caring in our parish. When our son died, many of you dropped out of formation and stayed with my wife and me until we were able to go on.
Continue to "shovel coal" and to prepare the ground for an interim and a new rector. Use this time for prayerful reflection and for being open to God's Holy Spirit to enter your lives. Thank you for your service and what you do for our parish, our church, and our communities.
Lord, God, help us to learn from the simple goose, that being in community gives great strength and safety to us all. Guide us as we meet to share the work together to find an interim and a Rector, so that in our individual strength may come even greater strength. Help us to be honkers that are free to protest, but also free to encourage; that feel free to complain, but also free to say "thanks." For it is in this that we honor your teachings and will remain true to our purpose. O God, in your name and will we pray. Amen.
Reverend William Schooler
