GOD’S GENEROSITY

SERMON PREACHED BY FR. TONY NOBLE ON NOVEMBER 12, 2006

Mark 12:38 "Jesus said: "Beware of the scribes who like to go about in long robes."

Our Patronal Festival was the subject of a report in the San Diego Reader this week. The reporter was transfixed by High Mass - he noted that there were 22 candles in the sanctuary, some big Polynesian acolytes and that the Rector changed from his glorious coat into another glorious chasuble………..he was transfixed by my long robes!

Many Protestant Churches don't have vestments. No doubt because of the reporter from the San Diego Reader! And because of this text - which seems to suggest that those of us who go about in long robes are hypocrites, or like all the attention that comes from long robes!

In the gospel reading today Jesus contrasts the religious leaders in their robes and positions of authority with a poor widow. They had privileges and seats of honor and were greeted with great respect, much like the average Episcopal Rector. She put in just 2 coins. What a contrast! But it was all she had. Think about this. They were getting something out of religion. She was giving something - giving 100%. Jesus said that those terrible scribes and pharisees devour widows’ houses. The contrast is strong: the privileged hierarchy vs. the generosity of the poor widow.

Every Episcopal Rector knows that the widows are the most generous in his congregation. Mostly they come to the early Mass on Sunday, often baking things for him, and the parishioners, to eat, and usually have a great sense of humor. Yet sometimes not only have they lost their husband, but even a child as well.

In my last parish in Australia we had a very strong and pioneering ministry to people with HIV and Aids. I did many funerals over a long period. The saddest thing for me was to see mothers mourning the death of a young son, who was often highly talented. I could not comprehend how a mother could lose a son before she died. It seems the reverse of what society expects, and I would imagine the grief was hard to bear.

So like Jesus I want to pay tribute to all the widows - to their faith and generosity, both here today and within our parish.

You may be thinking that the concept of widows, and what we call the widow's mite, is a rather strange subject for baptism. There couldn't be any harder readings for a baptism. They are much better suited for stewardship - when we renew your commitment to the church, hopefully generous like the poor widow. The temptation for your Rector to preach about giving is very strong! But there is a connection between the widow and baptism.

Going back to vestments - there are some Christians who criticize nice vestments. They think it gets between us and God. The same people are also likely to criticize the practice of baptizing babies on the grounds that they cannot answer for themselves. Those who don't agree with infant baptism and vestments might even suggest it's hypocritical to baptize a baby who cannot make a conscious, educated decision for Christ. They might say it's one of those Episcopal rituals that mean nothing - like vestments, incense, etc.

What, of course, they miss is that Baptism is a ritual act. It involves a decision made by the parents and god parents - but it is still a ritual act. It isn't the case of the Ethiopian eunach, who was traveling along and was converted and baptized on the spot. Infant Baptism is an act which the parents have chosen. And we are going to do the rite of baptism shortly involving ceremony and words because ritual is really at the heart of the gospel. I'm sorry for those churches that have not understood that.

Look at today's epistle, Hebrews 9:24-28. The writer to the Hebrews is addressing Jewish Christians, and talks about Jesus' death and resurrection in terms of the ritual of the temple. He says that when Jesus died on the cross and shed his blood for the salvation of the world, it was like when the high priest went into the temple annually, into the holy of holies, to sprinkle the blood of the animal sacrifices to make atonement for sin. And this annual ritual was at the heart of the temple, the heart of the Jewish religion, the heart of their being.

In the same way, the ritual act of baptism is our sharing in the death and resurrection of Jesus. If that seems hard to comprehend, consider that Hebrews says that when the priest did that annual event of sacrifice, it somehow symbolizes what Christ was going to do on the cross. Therefore, that ritual act can convey a meaning which is profound. And if the death and resurrection of Christ can be described by comparing it to a ritual, it could certainly now be a reality for the new people of Israel, the new people of God.

If the Jews had rituals which convey salvation - so we the new Israel, the new people of God, also have rituals. Baptism is the primary ritual because it joins us to the church, literally makes us a Christian. Ritual is part of the gospel.

Secondly, just as in today's gospel we find the generosity of the widow, so the baptism of the child reveals the generosity of God. Babies have only a little understanding of God and can hardly answer the questions. But this does not prevent God lavishing upon them all the riches of baptism, all his generosity, whereby they are made inheritors of the kingdom of heaven and members of Christ's holy Catholic Church.

It doesn't depend on how they feel - it depends on God's abundance and unrelenting generosity that he loves them so much. And the parents have responded to God's love by bringing their children for this ritual act of baptism.

Baptism is also about the generosity of the parents. Whether they are male or female, the parents are like the widow - they offer to God their child and seek to give them every advantage and blessing that God offers.

And there is a final lesson here for all of us. Just like these parents, just like that widow, we all need to offer back to God what He has given us in some token and in some ritual act - because that is how we remember, by actions as well as words, that all of life is a gift. That ultimately is what we come to celebrate today - that all life is a gift. The widow knew that, the parents of these children know that, and we know that.

So Sunday by Sunday we come to this ritual act which we call the Eucharist. And the Sacrament of Baptism is not only the primary sacrament, the one that allows us to become members of the church - but it is also one of God's great gifts.

As our collect of today says:

O God, who's blessed Son was manifested that he might destroy the works of the devil and make us the children of God and heirs of eternal life………………….

That, my dear friends, is exactly what we come to give these children today.