2 Epiphany (January 15) 2012
I.
Introduction: Connected But Desperate To Unplug
Introduction: Connected But Desperate To Unplug•This past fall, I spent most of a regular weekday inside the new Foy "Union" at Auburn University. One of the many opportunities of that day, both for me and our son Dylan, was to observe the lifestyle of the 21st century American college student in its native habitat. What I saw was ubiquitous: you could go tomorrow into the student center or library of any college or university and see the same thing. Here's the picture: young people sitting, both alone and in groups, each of them with an open lap-top, into which their earphones are plugged, and beside them a smart-phone. Completely connected--alert to the blinking or vibration of the phone, texting, while scanning, reading, and perhaps writing, all the while listening to music. "Our young, our future," I thought. But the longer I looked at this phenomenon, the more familiar it seemed. And not because I see my own child do this at home, which I do. No, this seemed so familiar, I realized, because I do this myself.
This past fall, I spent most of a regular weekday inside the new Foy "Union" at Auburn University. One of the many opportunities of that day, both for me and our son Dylan, was to observe the lifestyle of the 21st century American college student in its native habitat. What I saw was ubiquitous: you could go tomorrow into the student center or library of any college or university and see the same thing. Here's the picture: young people sitting, both alone and in groups, each of them with an open lap-top, into which their earphones are plugged, and beside them a smart-phone. Completely connected--alert to the blinking or vibration of the phone, texting, while scanning, reading, and perhaps writing, all the while listening to music. "Our young, our future," I thought. But the longer I looked at this phenomenon, the more familiar it seemed. And not because I see my own child do this at home, which I do. No, this seemed so familiar, I realized, because I do this myself.•Mike will tell you that one of the first sounds in our early morning quiet is the buzz of my blackberry receiving its first round of messages. When I'm at work either in my office here at the church or at my kitchen table, I am just an older version of those Auburn students--laptop going, ipad on, phone beside me, maybe music. And I know that I am only a mild version of this present reality.
Mike will tell you that one of the first sounds in our early morning quiet is the buzz of my blackberry receiving its first round of messages. When I'm at work either in my office here at the church or at my kitchen table, I am just an older version of those Auburn students--laptop going, ipad on, phone beside me, maybe music. And I know that I am only a mild version of this present reality.•Some one of you (and I think I know who, thank you) recently gave me a copy of Pico Iyer's article from the January 1 New York Times in which he describes the current personal struggle shared by young and old(er)--"trying to escape the constant stream of too much information." He cites a recent work study finding that the average office worker today enjoys no more that three minutes at a time at his or her desk without interruption. And he observes that "the more ways we have to connect, the more many of us seem desperate to unplug." Flooded with so many thoughts, so many queries to respond to, we have lost the time and space to think.
Some one of you (and I think I know who, thank you) recently gave me a copy of Pico Iyer's article from the January 1 New York Times in which he describes the current personal struggle shared by young and old(er)--"trying to escape the constant stream of too much information." He cites a recent work study finding that the average office worker today enjoys no more that three minutes at a time at his or her desk without interruption. And he observes that "the more ways we have to connect, the more many of us seem desperate to unplug." Flooded with so many thoughts, so many queries to respond to, we have lost the time and space to think. •This in nothing new, of course, as Iyer notes. In the 17th century, French philosopher Blaise Pascal wrote that "distraction is the only thing that consoles us for our miseries, and yet it is itself the greatest of our miseries." We long for focus, to see and hear things clearly and to understand what the mean for us.
This in nothing new, of course, as Iyer notes. In the 17th century, French philosopher Blaise Pascal wrote that "distraction is the only thing that consoles us for our miseries, and yet it is itself the greatest of our miseries." We long for focus, to see and hear things clearly and to understand what the mean for us.•Indeed, this is nothing new, as our lessons today remind us. In the midst of our busy lives, God sees us and knows us--God seeks us out and calls to us. But we find it hard to know and respond to God. We may hear God's voice speaking to us in our relationships and our encounters in the world, but we are unsure what we are being told, and we are unclear about what we should do to respond faithfully. What are the choices that God would have us make in our lives--about our jobs, the use of our time, the cultivation of our gifts? How would God have us respond to a challenge with our health, in a relationship, to a difficult choice or life passage?
Indeed, this is nothing new, as our lessons today remind us. In the midst of our busy lives, God sees us and knows us--God seeks us out and calls to us. But we find it hard to know and respond to God. We may hear God's voice speaking to us in our relationships and our encounters in the world, but we are unsure what we are being told, and we are unclear about what we should do to respond faithfully. What are the choices that God would have us make in our lives--about our jobs, the use of our time, the cultivation of our gifts? How would God have us respond to a challenge with our health, in a relationship, to a difficult choice or life passage?II. I Samuel: "Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening"
•In our Old Testament lesson this morning, the young Samuel, lying down in his room, hears his name being called--"Samuel, Samuel!" And thinking it must be his master and teacher Eli, Samuel dutifully rises and goes to him. Three times. Until Eli realizes that Samuel is being called by the Lord. So, at last, Eli tells Samuel to stay still, stay in his bed. Then, "the Lord came and stood there, calling as before," and Samuel responds as Eli has told him, "Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening."
In our Old Testament lesson this morning, the young Samuel, lying down in his room, hears his name being called--"Samuel, Samuel!" And thinking it must be his master and teacher Eli, Samuel dutifully rises and goes to him. Three times. Until Eli realizes that Samuel is being called by the Lord. So, at last, Eli tells Samuel to stay still, stay in his bed. Then, "the Lord came and stood there, calling as before," and Samuel responds as Eli has told him, "Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening."•God comes to Samuel. Samuel does not have to go to God. But he does have to stay still long enough to hear God speak and to respond by listening. Pascal also remarked, way back in the 17th century, that all of man's problems come from his inability to sit quietly in a room alone. Samuel learns how to do this. And in doing so, he is able to hear the word God has for him and God's directions for him.
God comes to Samuel. Samuel does not have to go to God. But he does have to stay still long enough to hear God speak and to respond by listening. Pascal also remarked, way back in the 17th century, that all of man's problems come from his inability to sit quietly in a room alone. Samuel learns how to do this. And in doing so, he is able to hear the word God has for him and God's directions for him. III. Gospel: "An Israelite with no guile"
•Our gospel lesson today gives life to a scene familiar to us. It is the subject of the Tiffany window here in the middle of the north wall, the Middleton window. Nathanael comes to see Jesus. And when Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him, he remarked, (in the KJV of our window inscription) "Behold, an Israelite, indeed, in whom is no guile!"
Our gospel lesson today gives life to a scene familiar to us. It is the subject of the Tiffany window here in the middle of the north wall, the Middleton window. Nathanael comes to see Jesus. And when Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him, he remarked, (in the KJV of our window inscription) "Behold, an Israelite, indeed, in whom is no guile!"•Here is a man, Jesus is saying, who comes with no agenda, without a plan for tricking, without seeking his own advantage, without looking for an angle, without wanting to have the edge, without seeking to "win."
Here is a man, Jesus is saying, who comes with no agenda, without a plan for tricking, without seeking his own advantage, without looking for an angle, without wanting to have the edge, without seeking to "win." •And Nathanael knows that Jesus knows him. And he wants to know how. Jesus replies that he saw him under the fig tree before Philip called him. But Nathanael's reply to this--"Rabbi, you are the Son of God!"--indicates that he understands deeply what this means. This man, Jesus, is the same God who came and stood beside Samuel's bed. This is the same God of whom the Psalmist writes: "Lord, you have searched me out and known me; you know my sitting down and my rising up; you discern my thoughts from afar. You trace my journeys and my resting places and acquainted with all my ways. [...] You press upon me behind and before and lay your hand upon me."
And Nathanael knows that Jesus knows him. And he wants to know how. Jesus replies that he saw him under the fig tree before Philip called him. But Nathanael's reply to this--"Rabbi, you are the Son of God!"--indicates that he understands deeply what this means. This man, Jesus, is the same God who came and stood beside Samuel's bed. This is the same God of whom the Psalmist writes: "Lord, you have searched me out and known me; you know my sitting down and my rising up; you discern my thoughts from afar. You trace my journeys and my resting places and acquainted with all my ways. [...] You press upon me behind and before and lay your hand upon me."•Jesus tells Nathanael that, because he has recognized this, he will see "greater things than these." He will see the connection, the mingling of earth and heaven.
Jesus tells Nathanael that, because he has recognized this, he will see "greater things than these." He will see the connection, the mingling of earth and heaven.IV. Conclusion: "Illumined by your Word and Sacraments"
•How can we, almost overcome by our agendas and connections and angles and duties, respond as Samuel and Nathanael did? How can we be clear and focused enough to hear and to see God as God comes to us in our lives?
How can we, almost overcome by our agendas and connections and angles and duties, respond as Samuel and Nathanael did? How can we be clear and focused enough to hear and to see God as God comes to us in our lives?•Well, we are doing it right now, in this hour this morning. Worship. Being relatively still in body and mind for an hour. Listening to music. Hearing and speaking words that are old and beautiful, and holy. Looking carefully at the artistry around us. Realizing that all of this is prayer, listening to and responding to God. So that we are, in the words of our collect for today, "illumined by your Word and Sacraments." Made ready to go back into our lives as God's people, attending to and doing the things that God is telling us this morning to be about.
Well, we are doing it right now, in this hour this morning. Worship. Being relatively still in body and mind for an hour. Listening to music. Hearing and speaking words that are old and beautiful, and holy. Looking carefully at the artistry around us. Realizing that all of this is prayer, listening to and responding to God. So that we are, in the words of our collect for today, "illumined by your Word and Sacraments." Made ready to go back into our lives as God's people, attending to and doing the things that God is telling us this morning to be about.•Our connectedness, our technology, is a good thing, which can be used for good. And, of course, it is our reality. What I am saying now is going into this new little digital recorder beside me on the pulpit, and tomorrow it will be on our website, along with pictures of our beautiful windows and lots of useful information. We hope that soon some of our music can be heard there, too.
Our connectedness, our technology, is a good thing, which can be used for good. And, of course, it is our reality. What I am saying now is going into this new little digital recorder beside me on the pulpit, and tomorrow it will be on our website, along with pictures of our beautiful windows and lots of useful information. We hope that soon some of our music can be heard there, too.•But it is only by having some distance from that connectedness, some sustained moments away, that we can see the world more wholly and understand what God would have us do in it. I hope and pray that your worship here, and in your private time at home, "illumines" your life. And that you can share the good news of God's love for the world with everyone you encounter. AMEN
But it is only by having some distance from that connectedness, some sustained moments away, that we can see the world more wholly and understand what God would have us do in it. I hope and pray that your worship here, and in your private time at home, "illumines" your life. And that you can share the good news of God's love for the world with everyone you encounter. AMENSermon
The Second Sunday after The Epiphany
January 15, 2012
The Rev. Canon Beverly Gibson
