Continuing
a theme of Christian hospitality and prayer that we’ve been hearing through
some of our lectionary readings lately…
This
morning, I feel my grandmother’s faith coming through the final words (the
writing ends with verse 20) we’ve heard that are attributed to James (James 5:13-20). Tradition is that this letter was written by Jesus’s
brother. And, some scholars believe that
it is one of the earliest writings that we have record of, perhaps dating even
a few years before the Gospel according to Mark (note: other scholars believe James
was written much later). We don’t know
much about the context for his writing, other than that he addresses it to ‘the
twelve tribes scattered’ (read: kin everywhere) and that he is presenting
practical advice for how to live out Christian faith on a day-to-day
basis.
James
is clear that for whatever ails us, we should pray. And, not just pray privately ourselves, but involve
the elders of our community in praying for us as they anoint us with oil. Citing the efficacy of his ancestor Elijah’s
prayers, James proclaims that “prayer of the righteous is powerful and
effective.”
James
is commending a community of prayer. He
encourages us to be honest with each other about how we’ve missed the mark or
gone astray and then have faith and confidence that we’re healed of the
consequences of these sins through mutual prayer. I don’t believe he’s saying that we have power; more James is pointing us
toward the restorative power of God’s grace that we experience individually and
collectively through our prayers.
His
letter concludes with a compelling statement about the salvation found in
seeking each other out when we wander from the truth, “whoever brings back a
sinner from wandering will save the sinner’s soul from death and will cover a
multitude of sins.” What I’m hearing is
that when we seek out those who are lost or wandering, and bring them back into
the community of God’s Word, we’re participating in their salvation and
restoration – both here in our earthly community and in God’s heavenly family.
The
image of bringing back sisters and brothers who are wandering from truth resonates
with what I believe we’re up to in our campus ministries.
[anecdotes about our current ministries and
the role of cultivating prayer practices. E.g., weekly prayer services at KSU and KU;
prayer request box; ‘praying in color’ exercise in Emporia; instinctively circling
to pray in Wichita when we received word someone was in a car accident en route
to our fellowship activity]
One of
the greatest gifts we can provide young-adults is opportunities to cultivate their
prayer life and help strengthening their prayer muscles through practice.
Lesson’s
from today’s Gospel (Mark 9:38-50) also resonate with our mission in campus
ministry.
[anecdotes to complement the following
concepts]
“Whoever
is not against us is for us” - radical openness we have to honoring
people where they are on the journey in a relationship with God. Most of our mission field is outside the
boundaries of our Episcopalian tribe and is not following our particular
tradition. Just as Jesus encourages his
disciples keep a wider view of who’s included in his mission, so are we
encouraged to mission beyond our little clique and keep the boundaries that
distinguish us permeable and charitably fluid.
‘Gives
you a cup of water…” We’re all thirsty and hungry for good
news. In our campus ministries, we begin
building rapport and trust by satisfying physical hunger (hospitality meals)
aware that we’re aiming to lead people to living water.
Remove
stumbling blocks and things that cause you to stumble… Our ethos of
reasonable and critical conversation about faith and discipleship encourages
honesty about what stands in our way and distracts us. Helping young-adults help each other grapple
with stumbling blocks in the college years equips them with skills of discernment
and discipline for the challenges that
continue to present later in life.
“Have
salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.” Salt was an essential and valuable commodity
at the time Mark was written (ref: preservative power and ‘salary’ used as
payment to Roman soldiers). Salt preserves
skin from spoiling and protects flesh from rotting. In like manner, through more authentic
fellowship, where young adults are invited to share what is really eating at
their hearts and troubling their minds, and prayer for each other, our campus
ministries are seeking to preserve and protect against the corrosive elements
that otherwise eat away at us and break us down.
[anecdote about Tisha Lynn May’s
persistent invitation to me throughout our college years together to pray and to
invite Christ into my heart… and her subsequent assistance selecting a Bible,
etc.]
Modeling
what James is commending to us, and mindful of what we’ve heard in today’s
Gospel lesson, let us remember that at their best, our campus ministries provide
a radically welcoming and safe space for young-adults to confess what ails them,
pray about it individually and together, and renew faith in forgiveness and
healing through demonstration of constant concern for each other.
A year
and a half ago, I went to visit my grandmother (who celebrated her 94th
birthday this month) in the care facility where she’s been since the death of
her husband and her suffering a stroke that has left her unable to speak well. When I walked in to see her, it was the first
time she had seen me in my clerical collar.
We were both overcome with emotion.
After a big hug, we sat down and I said, “I want you to know that your
faith was one of the primary inspirations for me opening up to my own sense of
God’s call for my life. One of my
earliest memories of your life instructions to me was ‘pray about everything’”
(she grinned and nodded in recognition of what I was saying). “Thank you for
setting the example of me and for being so persistent and consistent in your
own prayer life… it has been a gift of love from you that I’ll always have with
me in my heart and will want to share with others.” We both started to tear-up again and gave
each an even bigger hug.
Upon my
ordination to the priesthood, nearly twenty years after her ministry to me in
college, I put the word out to my network of friends that I was trying to
locate Tisha Lynn May – essentially, through cyberspace I launched a message in
a bottle for her, “And, finally, to my beloved grandmother, Frances Green, and
my college friend, Tisha Lynn May (wherever you are today), know that you each
have been angels in my life, showing me God’s love by example and teaching me
to pray – may my life serve as such a positive influence on the lives of others.”
A
little while later, I received a reply from Tisha (now Tisha Cottman) which
read, “I just wanted to say "Hello" and offer to you my heartfelt
congratulations on your upcoming ordination. Arlette Gilmore forwarded your
announcement to me, along with your very kind comments. I am extremely happy
for you, and I know that the Lord has wonderful things in store for you, your
parish, and your ongoing ministry.” And she closed with a quote from Proverb 3:5-6,
“ Trust in the LORD with all of your heart. Lean not unto your own
understanding. In all your ways, acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your
paths.”
Our
campus ministries are also an opportunity for us to renew our convictions of
faith and exemplify what sustains and encourages us. By so doing, we are able to scatter seed to
this next generation and encourage them to cultivate their own faith and discipleship.
Thank you
for your continuing sowing in the field of campus ministry. It might be years from now, but some of those
seeds will mature, blossom, and bear fruit for others in Christ’s name.
“God of welcome, your people are called to be distinct not by
width of separation but by depth of hospitality and peace within our lives;
root out our resentment and free us to welcome all who work for life and
liberation, whatever path they tread; through Jesus Christ, the companion of
many ways.”
(Shakespeare, Steven. Prayers for An Inclusive Church (NY:
Church Publishing, 2009) p.72)
AMEN
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