Enduring Catastrophe

Enduring Catastrophe

Sermon preached by the Rev. Lowell E. Grisham, Rector

St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Fayetteville, Arkansas

November 17, 2013; 22 Pentecost, Proper 28, Year C

Episcopal Revised Common Lectionary

(Luke 21:5-19)  When some were speaking about the temple, how it was adorned with beautiful stones and gifts dedicated to God, Jesus said, "As for these things that you see, the days will come when not one stone will be left upon another; all will be thrown down."

They asked him, "Teacher, when will this be, and what will be the sign that this is about to take place?" And he said, "Beware that you are not led astray; for many will come in my name and say, `I am he!' and, `The time is near!' Do not go after them.

"When you hear of wars and insurrections, do not be terrified; for these things must take place first, but the end will not follow immediately." Then he said to them, "Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and plagues; and there will be dreadful portents and great signs from heaven.

"But before all this occurs, they will arrest you and persecute you; they will hand you over to synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors because of my name. This will give you an opportunity to testify. So make up your minds not to prepare your defense in advance; for I will give you words and a wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to withstand or contradict. You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, by relatives and friends; and they will put some of you to death. You will be hated by all because of my name. But not a hair of your head will perish. By your endurance you will gain your souls." 

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hen we studied “Happiness” a while back during a Sunday morning 10:00 series, we talked about one of the interesting characteristics of particularly fulfilling times.  It’s what some researchers call “Flow.”  When you are in the “flow,” you can find yourself completely absorbed, losing track of time, concentrating and working at your full capacity.  Flow includes challenge.  The work you are doing is challenging enough that you might fail at it.  It stretches your capacity.  It calls on your skills.  You may do your best and yet still come up short.  But the challenging work is worthwhile, and the effort itself is fulfilling. 

We thrive on challenge.  Human life where all is given, or easy, or routine, grows stale and flaccid.  Even anxiety can place a constructive part in motivating us to creative, disciplined or sustained effort in the face of challenge.

But sometimes a challenge can grow so large that it appears overwhelming.  How do we cope when we face something that looks far beyond our skill or capacity to handle? 

Jesus speaks to some predictable futures:  wars and insurrections; earthquakes, famines and plagues; dreadful portents and great signs from heaven.  And something more personal:  Jesus speaks of the injustice that often happens when powerful things run over vulnerable people.  He tells them they may be betrayed, “and they will put some of you to death.”

Then Jesus says this to his vulnerable and frightened listeners:  “Not a hair of your head will perish.  By your endurance you will gain your souls.”

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his week we’ve seen and heard of the devastating impact of Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines.  The images are terrifying.  An educator offered some advice to parents whose child might see these pictures and be frightened.  Say to the child, “Look for the people who are helping.  Can you see them?  Watch them.”  I’ve started doing that.

Whenever there is tragedy and loss, some brave and noble souls always step up to the challenge.  They do the work of rescue and relief.  And the rest of us are charged with encouraging and supporting them.  Our denomination does that through our relief arm Episcopal Relief and Development and through our Anglican partners around the world, including the Episcopal Church in the Philippines, which was a diocese of the Episcopal Church until it grew into its own province in 1990.  Our brothers and sisters are on the ground there today working.  And we are contributing to their efforts.  They are bringing hope and healing out of tragedy.

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t some point though, every one of us meets our limits.  Every person faces challenges that seem greater than our power.  Sometimes we even face catastrophe. 

Is there a way to stay just on this side of the fear and panic that catastrophe provokes in us?  Is there a way to face the full reality of whatever threatens to swamp us, and stay in the “flow” – bringing all of our skill and resources to bear, and then trusting God for the rest, so that somehow, “by your endurance you will gain your souls”? 

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he whole world has been captured by the courage and luminosity of young Malala Yousafzai, the Pakistani girl who started writing a blog when she was 11 years old.  In her blog she described the atrocities of the Taliban, and she fearlessly promoted education for girls as the Taliban was trying to shut down schools.  Now age 16, she has survived an assassination attack and been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. 

Maybe you saw young Malala on the Daily Show recently when John Stewart asked her what she would do if attacked again by a gunman – after all, she is still wanted by the Taliban.  With a calm voice and clear eye Malala said, “I would tell him how important education is, and that I would even want education for your children as well.  That's what I want to tell you; now do what you want.”  After thunderous applause, John Stewart said, "I know your father is backstage and he is very proud of you, but would he be mad if I adopted you?"

Many of us know David Lewis, whose daughter Scarlett lost her son Jesse in the tragic shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School.  Can a parent imagine anything worse?  Scarlett has faced her catastrophe by forming a foundation and writing a book about forgiveness and about turning anger into love, it’s titled “Nurturing, Healing Love.”  Scarlett says, “It’s my journey of trying to turn an unspeakable tragedy into something that will make the world a better place.” 

Malala and Scarlett met their limits.  Tragic events beyond their control.  Yet each of them accessed a spiritual power of hope and endurance to find a way through their tragedy to endure and transcend. 

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ou all know that I am not a Biblical literalist.  But there are certain words of scripture that are so full of wisdom that they deserve being embraced with a literal and unwavering trust.  Here’s one of those for me.  In 1 Corinthians 10, Paul says this:  “God is faithful, and will not let you be tested beyond your strength, but with the testing God will also provide the way out so that you may be able to endure it.” 

Believe that.  Trust it.  “God is faithful, and will not let you be tested beyond your strength.”  When you face your limits, turn to God and challenge God to give you the strength and the direction to endure.  Then, when your strength is not enough, surrender yourself into God’s hands and God’s strength.  Our model is Jesus and his surrender on the cross when he faced his limits.

Notice.  Neither Paul nor God promises that what threatens us will not kill us.  The preamble to Paul’s promise that “not a hair of your head will perish” and “by your endurance you will gain your souls” is the stark reality, Paul says, that “they will put some of you to death.” 

Whenever it is that we will die, whether it is untimely or after a length of days, we are invited to surrender our lives into God’s hands while simultaneously asking God for strength to face our end with enduring strength.  In fact, all our lives, and each day of our life, we are invited to surrender our lives into God’s hands while simultaneously asking God for strength to face our ends with enduring strength.

I know that I have seen people broken under the weight of tragedy and suffering.  Human beings can be broken.  Like Peter during his time of trial, when he broke, and betrayed his friend Jesus three times.  But even that failure and betrayal is not the last word.  After Jesus’ breaking, he rose and appeared to Peter and asked Peter three times, “Peter, do you love me?”  And three times Peter said, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”  And three times Jesus commissioned him to ministries of service – “Feed my sheep; tend my lambs.”  Especially when we are lambs led to the slaughter.

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ou see, God is with us in our darkest and weakest moment.  Trust God when your strength runs out.  You may find, like Malala and Scarlett that you can endure more than you believed.  You may find a new edge in the flow of life, where your courage can face deep challenge, even catastrophe.

But even if you can’t; if you fail – trust God in your failure.  And you may find like Peter, that you are nonetheless accepted, loved, healed, and empowered anew for service.  Until the end.  When you are embraced into the eternal, loving arms that are deeper than any depth.  For “God is faithful, and will not let you be tested beyond your strength, but with the testing God will also provide the way out so that you may be able to endure it,” unto eternal life.