28 November, 2021
First Sunday in Advent
The Rev. Dr. Richard Burden
Sermon preached by The Rev. Dr. Richard Burden
Below is a DRAFT text of the homily. It may vary considerably from the recorded version. Please excuse typos and grammatical errors, and do not cite without permission.
“How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy that we feel […] because of you?”
I’m sure that’s how his family feels about, our baptismal candidate. Just eight months old, and I’ve seen—what I’m sure is only a tiny fraction of the pictures that are available of him—but if those are any indication…joy is definitely an emotion that he sparks in people. Certainly in his parents and grandparents…How can we thank God enough for that joy?
Our eldest son came back from college this weekend, so it’s been a while since I’ve been around an 8 month old, but I have some memory of the joy of those first months—well, joy and exhaustion. Some of what passes for joy is simply giddiness from sleep deprivation…but there is joy…true joy…that comes from being in the presence of new and vibrant life.
His father was baptized at All Saints…thirty-something years ago. The joy that his parents probably felt then is now compounded by the birth of their grandson, and then compounded even more, by having the whole family return here—what has been their church home for so many years—return for this Sacrament of belonging…Joy.
“Night and day we pray most earnestly that we may see you face to face,” and we are finally able to do that…with layers of precautions…but still…The joy of being together…of being face to face…How can we thank God enough for all that? For the joy that we all feel before God because of you? Not just […] and his family…but all of you. All of you who continue to weather the storms, meet the challenges life…Who continue to gather here…to celebrate…to mourn…to support one another…to grow in faith…How can we thank God enough for all that?
Is it odd to think that these verses came from the apostle Paul? We don’t often think of the Paul as being particularly joyful. In many of our imaginations, Paul is dour, cantankerous, kind of a scold…but today he is effusive: “How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy we feel because of you?”
Of course, even when he’s brimming with joyful thanks, he’s also encouraging us to reach for more…to expect more of ourselves, and each other…to go a little further down the road…”And may God make you increase and abound in love for one another…and for all…just as we abound in love for you.”
Did you hear that…”May God make you increase and abound in love for one another…and for all…For. All. For everyone…And that’s the challenge, isn’t it?…Taking this love, this joy that we have for […], for our own children, for those closest to us…and extending it to all…
How do we do that? How do we thank God for the joy we feel?…By abounding in love for one another…by extending…sharing…increasing that love for one another…but it doesn’t stop there…it doesn’t stop at those walls…it doesn’t stop at the door to your house…it doesn’t stop at the border of our state, or country…No…we are called to abound in love for all.
As Christians we are called to take the love and the joy we feel in the presence of those most dear to us…and translate that to the people, animals, the created world that becomes less and less like us the wider that sphere becomes…to translate that love to all.
That is the commitment we are taking on in the Sacrament of Baptism. Baptism is important…because learning how to translate this love—this joy—is—I would say—impossible on your own. We need a community in order to learn how to do it…We need a communion…And that’s what the vows his parents and godparents will make on his behalf—and that the rest of us will recommit to in just a few minutes—that’s what those vows are all about…
Continuing in the apostle’s teaching, in the breaking of the bread and in the prayers…we learn how to abound in love for all by gathering here…by sharing meals…by praying for one another.
We learn how to abound in love by doing our best to resist evil, and by asking for forgiveness, and making amends when (not if but when) we do cause harm to others.
We learn how to expand the sphere of love by seeking and serving Christ in all…by learning over and over and over how to see every single other as beloved of God.
We learn to expand the sphere of love even further by striving for justice and peace…for all…And by not simply respecting but upholding…insisting on the dignity of every single human being.
We learn how to expand that sphere love to its fullest by cherishing creation, and caring for it—not only because it sustains us (it does), but by caring for it so that it will continue to sustain generation after generation after generation after us.
We abound in love and joy by proclaiming by word and example the Good News…Just like that old song…Oh, It’s not in any of our hymnals, but y’all know it. It goes: “We are one in the spirit…we are one in the Lord…We are one in the Spirit. We are one in the Lord. And we pray that all unity will one day be restored…and they’ll know we are Christians by our”…what? Love. By our joy. “Yes, they’ll know we are Christians by our love.” [read about the history of this hymn]
Even in this liminal season…even in the midst of all that is so uncertain in our lives…even in the midst of times that are heartbreaking…and painful…and overwhelming…There are always moments of joy. There is still love. There is life. And an ongoing community of people committed to abounding in that love…for one another and for all.
How can we thank God enough for that?
Amen.