Readings for All
Saints Sunday: Eclcus. 44:1-14; Mt. 5:1-12
November 4, 2001
The Rev. Karen Siegfriedt
St. Jude the Apostle Episcopal Church, Cupertino,
CA
Jesus said to his disciples: "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God." (Mt. 5)
Sometime in the 1950's, Karen Fox and her family left the United States and went to Ethiopia. They lived in a rather large house with many servants. One day when she was about nine years old, Karen asked the cook's assistant if she could accompany her to the local market. Being a curious little girl, she noticed every thing along the way. As they were arriving into town, she spotted three men off to the side of the road. They were naked. Two were sitting down while the very tall man was standing up. Her eyes met his and she described the encounter as "a piercing of her soul." She asked the cook's assistant, Askara, who they were, why they were naked, and why they were standing off to the side. The cook pulled the little girl gently ahead and mumbled: "Oh, they are the forgotten ones."
A few days later, Karen asked Askara once again if she could go to the market. Most of the women in Ethiopia carried a basket on their head when doing the shopping and so on that morning, Karen did also. As they were about to pass by the forgotten ones, Karen motioned for Askara to go on ahead, while she hesitated at the side of the road. She approached the three naked men, looking into their eyes with compassion. She then placed down the basket that was on her head and reached into it and pulled out a sheet. She wrapped sheets around the two men who were crouched down. Then she motioned to the tall man to bend down while she wrapped the third sheet around his body. As the tall man adjusted the sheet over his body to cover his leprous wounds, she could see a tear running out of the corner of his eye. He reached over and got a coin that had been given to him, bought a piece of fruit at a nearby stand, and then gave it to the little girl.
The next morning, Karen heard her mother scolding the servants, demanding to know who stole the sheets. Karen's heart sank. She knew that if she didn't admit to her deed, then all of the servants would be fired. She meekly went up to her mother and confessed that she had taken the sheets. Her mother told her to go to her room. She knew what was in store. Her mother spanked her severely and after much crying and pain while sitting in her closet, she made a resolve. "No matter what anyone does to me, I will never shut down my heart." At the age of 24, as a single parent and sole supporter of two children, Karen was diagnosed with cancer. But she never let anyone or anything shut down her heart. In 1985, she founded the Adventures in Caring Foundation, a hospital ministry whose mission is to provide a friendly face and a good listener at the patient's bedside.
Today is All Saint's Day, the day on which we remember those saints who have gone before us: some known and many unknown. What is it that makes a saint? Is it heroic deeds? Is it a great personality? Is it someone who stands out of the crowd for being blessed with tremendous gifts? I think that what makes a saint, "a saint" is the resolve to never let anyone or anything shut down one's heart.
Today we are in the business of making saints. We are about to baptize Sarah, Harris, and Alpha into the body of Christ. They or their Godparents will make a promise never to allow anyone or anything to shut down their hearts. For at the core of the Christian faith is the Great Commandment: To love God and love one's neighbor. Everything else in the Christian tradition is simply commentary on this great commandment, including one of the most notable pieces of Scripture: "The Sermon on the Mount." This is what was read from today's gospel.
The Sermon on the Mount is perhaps the highest reach of New Testament thought. It requires a high level of consciousness to fully embrace its impact. While most of us have not yet attained this high level of consciousness, the Sermon on the Mount remains as a signpost to where we are heading as Christians who have made a vow to follow Jesus as Lord and Savior. In Matthew's gospel, the Sermon on the Mount follows the summary of Jesus' message: "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near." A translation of this "churchy language" is: "Get yourself a new orientation for the way you live your life and then act on it!"
Today we hear only a partial reading of the Sermon on the Mount where Jesus revises the general value system of 1st Century Palestine. In those days, it was believed that the poor, the suffering, or the persecuted had lost favor in God's sight and thus were being punished. Jesus says "NO" to this kind of thinking! Jesus looks at his disciples and sees people who are meek, ministers of mercy, workers for peace. He sees righteous people who have been unfairly persecuted and those who are in mourning. Instead of condemning them, he blesses them and offers them a word of hope. For without hope, the human heart would break. And his word of hope is this: When the reign of God comes in its fullness, life will be different. It will be a life where justice, mercy, righteousness, compassion, peace, humility, generosity, and purity are the operating principles. In summary, it will be a life where the love of God and neighbor is the primary orientation of the heart.
Christianity is not a scheme to reduce stress, lose weight, advance one's career, or preserve one from illness. "The Christian faith is a way of living based on the firm and sure hope that meekness is the way of God, that righteousness and peace will finally prevail, and that God's future will be a time of mercy and not cruelty. So blessed are those who live this life now, even when such a life seems foolish, for they will, in the end, be vindicated by God." (NIB)
Sarah, Harris, and Alpha: You will probably never become a like a Mozart who had an exceptional gift for creating music. You will probably never become like a Rembrandt who had an exceptional gift for creating fine art. But you can become like Christ. This transformation begins with a commitment to follow Christ as your Lord and Savior. It continues with the resolve to never let anyone or anything shut down your heart. Finally, becoming like Christ requires a purity of heart; a heart that is not divided but is fully committed to only one orientation. For you can not serve two masters but only one. This orientation of the heart does not follow the ways of the world of success. Rather, purity of the heart means keeping your gaze upon God (and only God) as you seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving your neighbor as yourself.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
| Updated 11/04/01 |
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