The Good Shepherd Faces Violence
Children's sermon
Illustration
Preaching
Sermon
Worship
This week's lectionary readings (especially Psalm 23 and John 10:22-30) are centered around the theme of the Good Shepherd -- and with the deadly shootings at Virginia Tech still in the forefront of the nation's consciousness, these texts may provide a helpful perspective as your people attempt to come to grips with the senseless slaughter of so many "innocent sheep." In this installment of The Immediate Word, team member Paul Bresnahan discusses how Jesus, the true Good Shepherd, laid down his life to protect us and bring "order out of chaos." -- and how the Virginia Tech tragedy offers us a compelling example of a protective shepherd who made the ultimate sacrifice: Liviu Librescu, an engineering professor and holocaust survivor, who physically barred the door of his classroom so that many of his students could escape, only to be fatally shot himself. (For additional material relating to the Virginia Tech massacre, see the special "breaking news" section of last week's Immediate Word installment.) Team member Steve McCutchan reminds us that while media attention has focused on the Virginia Tech campus, widespread violence and suffering are an ongoing concern -- as is the church's call to minister to those who are victimized by these acts. He reflects on this week's passage from Acts 9:36-43 passage, and notes that the acts of charity of Tabitha/Dorcas are a model for how we Christians ought to serve others in the community, even at risk to ourselves.
The Good Shepherd Faces Violence
by Paul Bresnahan
As we recoil in horror from the events of the Virginia Tech slayings, we find ourselves glaring into the tempestuous abyss of chaos itself. It is as though we were there the day creation began, when "the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep" (Genesis 1:2). The Hebrew word for the "formless void" is a word that can be rendered "chaos" of the sort that is active and leads into the abyss.
In the next verse, God spoke and said, "Let there be light."
Thus we come to Good Shepherd Sunday, and a story emerges of a holocaust survivor who put himself between a crazed shooter and his students. Some managed to escape through the windows of a second floor classroom, and the professor gave his life so that others might live.
As much as we try to make sense of what happened on that day in Blacksburg, Virginia, we are left only with a doleful lament over the senseless loss of life of those who had so much life yet to live.
Perhaps it is time to turn to the Savior and find safe pasture. I believe with all my heart that as I find that safe pasture, Jesus will not lose even one of all that has been given him. It may require that I give my life for others, as did a devoted college professor just a few short days ago, but I will find eternal life when I do.
Let's explore what it means to "brood over the waters" and hear the Word of God who says, "Let there be light."
THE WORLD
In the wake of an experience of the Absurd, such as we confronted just a few days ago in a small town in southwestern Virginia, many wonder how God can "allow" such senseless deeds. Nothing happened -- there was no intervention from above, no savior, not so much as a whimper from heaven. Those who have championed the notion of The God Delusion seem to have more and more evidence to support the notion that there simply is no God.
There are those who would throw up their arms and say indeed that seems to be the case. There are wars, there is genocide, there was the Holocaust, the whole creation groans under the weight of exploitation that seems to be leading it toward an apocalypse of a manmade kind... and God simply isn't doing anything about it.
We stare into the abyss.
We wonder.
And then somebody like Dr. Liviu Librescu kindles a flickering candle of hope. Here is a man who, looking into the abyss, recognized it for what it was, and immediately renounced it. He threw himself into the way of a hopelessly deranged young man and screamed for his students to seek safety in the few moments he was able to give them. Several were able to get to safety by jumping out of the second story windows of that classroom. He gave them what he could. He gave them his life.
Here is an example of the Good Shepherd -- he knew his students by name; he called them by name; he laid down his life for them.
The world is awash with violence these days. There are cities where the murder rate is again climbing alarmingly. On the other hand, there are stories of ministers and pastors who take to the streets to protect their neighborhoods. Thus there is the darkness and the abyss, and on the other hand there are those who light the candles of hope.
When God confronted the abyss in the very beginning, God did what only God could do and said: "Let there be light." For those who say there is no God, there is no hope. It is as though the logic of that proclamation leads only to the abyss and an endless descent into the Absurd. I renounce that.
I would rather embrace the Good Shepherd who first embraced me. I hear his voice with church-bell clarity. I hear him call my name. He gives me eternal life, the kind of life that is worth living and if necessary the kind of life that is worth giving away for others. I am absolutely convinced that nothing can snatch me away from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, God is with me. Absolutely! I claim that faith. It resonates deeply in my soul. Nothing can separate me from Jesus. Thank God Good Shepherd Sunday came when it did this year -- it came just in the nick of time.
THE WORD
The image of the Good Shepherd comes to us particularly in the 10th chapter of John's Gospel. It is a powerful image of warmth and affection that is often enshrined in Christian art and in some of my favorite stained-glass windows. I see a lamb in the arms of Jesus, and something child-like in me feels so safe. Amazingly, Jesus knows every sheep by name, he knows the quirks of my personality, and loves me with all my faults just as I am. For no good reason that I can figure out, and certainly not for anything that I have done to earn it, he gives me eternal life. And then it just goes on and on and gets even better than I can ask or imagine. And to prove it, to demonstrate how much he loves me, and not just me but everyone, he takes the sins of the whole world on himself, he dies on the cross and rises again to his Easter triumph! And that is just a child-like image.
Then in adulthood the imagery transforms itself into something deeper and even more abiding. Everyone knows the words "the Lord is my shepherd" by heart. They are words of such compelling power that priests, pastors, ministers, and parishioners in moments of extremis still find in them comfort of a sort that transcends the most excruciating suffering. "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death." We find that even in funerals, especially in funerals, hope is kindled like a candle in the face of the Inevitable. "I will fear no evil, for thou art with me." Even those who have their doubts about this whole enterprise find their eyes filled with tears they cannot explain sometimes when they go to "pay their respects" to a dear old friend. Deep down, those with little or no faith at all have to wonder in moments like this, "maybe there is a God."
Then routine returns to us all and chaos returns. Life surrounds us like a swirling tempest. Senseless decisions, expectations, and conflict again return at work, sometimes in our homes, and often in our churches. And again we wonder. And that is when we open the Book and read those amazing verses: "the breath of God brooded over the waters of the deep." And God said: "Let there be light." As God speaks, do we not also want to speak such words with the actions of our lives? Isn't that what we want to say with God and become partners with God in holding back the abyss? I hope so.
CRAFTING THE SERMON
As hard as we might try, we won't make any sense of it. CNN, FOX News, Larry King, and others can run scores of special reports, interviews, and reflections, and we'll still be left with the question "Why?" There will not be a satisfying answer to that question. There may be some frail attempts at explanation, but they will all be little more than frustrating platitudes. We flip on the news and we are left merely to recoil in horror as we often have before: JFK, RFK, MLK, Kent State, Waco, Oklahoma City, September 11, Columbine, and now this! The darkness is winning.
Or is it? Out of the above initials there came the Peace Corps and civil rights struggles, and generations of people saw their lives touched by hope and justice. From these dreadful disasters there came the stories of heroic figures that were the first responders in times of peril. And time and time again we hear of someone who stood between menace and a hapless victim. The Good Shepherd wins again!
I cannot help but think of the Good Shepherd. His whole life was dedicated to folks like the ones many of us have served all our lives. They were fishermen, farmers, homemakers, children, the sick, and the outcast. And he became their shepherd. He defended them. He healed them. He taught them the path to eternal life. He was and still is their companion along the way.
When sin had done its worst and darkness again had its hour, he came to the defense even of those who came to arrest him and said no more violence! He allowed himself to be put through an unfair trial; he was accused and scourged, convicted, and died. He put himself between the madness of oblivion and me. He even forgave the ones who did their wicked deeds and said: "Forgive them, for they know not what they do."
This Good Shepherd has come to my defense. He blocked the doorway for me so I could live. He died for all my sins and me. The Good Shepherd has faced violence and he became the conqueror. He faced suffering and made it redemptive. The two greatest monuments to our struggle for meaning are met in Jesus. Jesus faced the violence of Rome's might and he became the victor. He faced the horror of the violence of religious fundamentalism and loved his way to the resurrection.
We face nothing new in these days. It may feel new, but the terrorism of military might and religious extremism is not new to the earth. Jesus took it on 2,000 years ago and confronted it with the love of God. By offering his life on the cross he gave it meaning, and now we are invited to take up our cross and follow where Jesus led the way.
What gave the church her power in her early days was that her leaders were willing to give their lives as a ransom for many. They literally took up their crosses and followed Jesus. The Easter victory of Jesus was so vivid to his people that they were willing to say no to violence. They too confronted it with the same courage as Professor Librescu. Jesus and the professor have given us much to ponder. They invite us to live the Easter message of the love of God, which has the courage to face violence and suffering with a commodity that is rare now as it was then.
Thankfully, we do not always have to give of "the last full measure of our devotion." More often, we can face violence by searching for justice. We have a myriad of opportunities to minister to the sick and the dying. Like God brooding over the waters of chaos, we can employ our creative gifts and make "something beautiful for God." We can become "something beautiful for God."
In the Eucharist it is no mere accident that the words "lift up your hearts" are said. In the middle of our worship as we make our gifts to God, we are encouraged to be "lifted up" out of the chronic epidemic of the depression of our times. The word "encourage" literally means to "take heart." Thus we take communion and receive Jesus into our lives as we do in both the Word and in the Sacrament. We have so much to live for. Jesus has gone all the way to the edge of the abyss itself and found joy in making his gift to God. It is as though we stood there the day creation began and God said "Let there be light!"
O God, make my life a candle in this dark world.
ANOTHER VIEW
by Stephen McCutchan
Acts 9:36-43
Our attention has been riveted on the tragedy at Virginia Tech, but we also know of the continuing violence in Iraq and Afghanistan, Darfur, Turkey, etc. We are confronted daily with the reality of death and violence. As we enter this second Sunday after the tragedy at Virginia Tech, it is important to consider the role of the church in such an experience. As Paul says in 2 Corinthians 4:11 (Phillips translation): "We are always facing death, but this means that you know more and more of life." The church plays a very important role in helping our people respond to the fears created by such a reality.
This week's lectionary passage from Acts (9:36-43) provides a helpful way to reflect on such an experience. Luke, the author of Acts, made it a point throughout his Gospel to match stories about men with stories about women. As we leave the story of Saul's conversion and return to the Jerusalem church and the ministry of Peter, we again hear of the ministry of a woman disciple in the early church. Her name is Tabitha (or in Greek, Dorcas). She is a woman who had developed a ministry of charity in the city of Joppa. Reflecting Jesus' own ministry, she had chosen to focus her ministry on the vulnerable of society. When Peter arrived, Acts reports: "All the widows stood beside him, weeping and showing tunics and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was with them."
In a strongly patriarchal society that had no formal social security system, widows could quickly find themselves in severe financial difficulty. Her clothes closet had apparently addressed some of those needs. In capsule form, this short story reflects the experience of the early church. They were a vulnerable minority within society -- but rather than choosing to expend their efforts on protecting themselves, they deliberately went out into the streets and ministered to the really needy of their community. Because they were ministering to the poor and the diseased of society, they exposed themselves to the unsanitary conditions of their community. Like Dorcas, early Christians were not immune to contracting diseases themselves in the process of exercising their ministry.
Like Christians today, those early Christians also faced death daily -- but as they faced death and disease, they did not face it without resources. In this story, when personally confronted by the reality of disease and death, they drew upon the healing power of the faith community and the power of God's spirit to assist them. Peter, who symbolized the church leadership, responded to their need in the same way that they were responding to the needs of others.
As the life of Christ demonstrated, and the early church constantly experienced, believers were not immune to pain and suffering -- yet God was faithful to them in often miraculous ways. Even today, a church that is attentive to signs of the presence of God's spirit will notice ample signs of God's healing presence among them.
Let me give you an example from the Presbyterian Church, while reminding you that you could find similar examples by going to the web page of your own denomination. A day after the news of the Virginia Tech tragedy, the following information appeared on the Presbyterian Church's web page (http://www.pcusa.org):
Presbyterians are already involved in providing care. Three members of the Presbyterian Disaster Assistance National Response Team are on their way to the [Virginia Tech] campus to be a presence and resource to the community. The three team members are:
The Rev. Robert Barnes of Santa Fe, New Mexico, a retired police chaplain with extensive training and experience in responding to school shootings. He was the lead on behalf of Presbyterian Disaster Assistance at the Columbine shooting in Littleton, Colorado.
The Rev. James Kirk, Associate Pastor, The Moorings Presbyterian Church, Naples, Florida. Jim also has extensive training and experience in responding to school shootings and similar events.
Anne Van Allen from Annapolis, Maryland, a retired school counselor with more than 30 years of school-related mental health experience.
The team has already been in contact with Catherine Snyder, Presbyterian campus minister, George Goodman, of the Presbytery of the Peaks, and with Alexander Evans, Pastor of Blacksburg Presbyterian Church. Evans is also a chaplain with the fire department. Our early contacts with those providing care in the area have been met with gratitude for the tremendous and quick response from the church, and indeed others around the world.
In times of tragedy, even people who have grown cynical about the church suddenly find themselves turning to the church and the faith for signs of life in the face of death. It is our privilege to proclaim to them in both word and deed that God, not death, has the final word. It is a gospel that our people need to hear.
ILLUSTRATIONS
Probably none of us will ever forget April 16, 2007, the day a lone gunman opened fire at Virginia Tech, killing more than 30 people. The young man's murderous rampage shook our country from coast to coast: many colleges and universities held vigils that evening; radio and TV stations featured the story off and on all day -- or sometimes continuously; and the internet crackled with urgent messages.
Never before had such a shooting outrage happened in our country. Thirty-some people, gunned down! And if it could happen in a peaceful little place like Blacksburg, Virginia, it could happen where we live. Our feelings of security were badly shaken.
It might be helpful, then, to realize that on that very same day:
* Four bombings in the city of Baghdad killed 157 people, almost 5 times as many as died at Virginia Tech, and the violence goes on and on there.
* 30,000 children in Third World countries died of malnutrition, hunger, and preventable diseases.
That's 30,000 children in one day -- 1,000 times as many as died at Virginia Tech.
And 30,000 of these children die every day, day in, day out -- and have for many years.
Yes, we're very concerned about the 30 who died at Virginia Tech, and we should be. May there never be another day like it. May we do all we can to try to keep it from ever happening again.
So what might our Lord be calling us to do about the 30 thousand Third World children who die, needlessly, every day?
***
For the Christian there is no such thing as a stranger. There are only neighbors.
-- Edith Stein
***
In October 2006, the authoritative British medical journal The Lancet published its estimate of the number of Iraqi civilians who have died in violence since the US-led invasion and occupation began in March 2003.
The Lancet estimated statistically that 601,027 Iraqis had died violently, "the most common cause being gunfire."
-- The Catholic Worker, March-April 2007
***
He Leadeth Me
He leadeth me,
in pastures green? No not always.
Sometimes He who knoweth best
in kindness leadeth me in weary ways
Where heavy shadows be;
Out of the sunshine warm and soft and bright,
Out of the sunshine into the darkest night.
I oft would yield to sorrow and to fright
Only for this: I know He holds my hand
So, whether led in green or desert land
I trust, although I cannot understand.
He leadeth me.
Beside still waters? No, not always so.
Oft times the heavy tempest round me blow,
And o'er my soul the waves and billows go.
But when the storm beats wildest, and I cry
Aloud for help, the Master standeth by
And whispers to my soul: "Lo, it is I."
Above the tempest wild I hear him say:
"Beyond the darkness lies the perfect day;
In every path of thine I lead the way."
So whether on the hilltops, high and fair
I dwell, or in the sunless valleys, where
The shadows lie -- what matter? He is there.
And more than this; where're the pathway lead
He gives to me no helpless, broken reed,
But His Own hand, sufficient for my need.
So where He leads me I can safely go.
And in the blest hereafter I shall know
Why in His wisdom He hath led me so.
***
A young man who had grown up and spent his whole life in the city accepted as his first call out of seminary a small rural church in western North Dakota. As they used to say at seminary, "western North Dakota is not the most remote place on earth, but you can sure see it from there." Anyway, as it so happened his duties began just before Advent, and his first project would be the annual Christmas program with the Sunday School class. One of the first things he did at the first rehearsal was to assign the sheep. Now, these farm kids knew animals, and in no time a half-dozen sheep began wandering around the middle of rehearsal, crawling under the altar and walking out the door. Finally the pastor stopped the chaos and said, "Stop moving. Pay attention. What are you doing?" And with a surprised look on her face, one girl replied innocently, "We're sheep" -- as if no other explanation was necessary.
I must confess that I probably learned about sheep the same way as this young pastor -- from Hallmark cards, babies' nurseries, and Little Bo Peep. But I have come to understand that their fleece is not as white as snow and the sheep do not always follow Bo Peep wherever she goes. And what's more, at least from my experience at the state fair, you can often smell sheep before they arrive.
I think Jesus also knew sheep -- he knew they were easily lost, defenseless before wolves, and in deep need of a shepherd.
***
In a land and during a time before large, commercial farms, electric fences, and barbed wire, pastures for sheep were lined by rocks. Fortunately, Palestine is a land of rocks -- and the people learned how to make the best use of them. For centuries, the people separated their properties with high rows of free rocks, and then, to further their use, many landowners would drape the rocks with a variety of grapevines.
Now, these little areas circled by rocks were really only "sheepfolds," enclosures designed to hold a small number of sheep -- perhaps 15 to 50 -- during the nighttime for protection. The rocks were high enough so that the sheep would not jump out, and the thorny grapevines were meant to be a deterrent to intruders of many sorts.
Many of these makeshift nighttime pens had no doors and no gates -- particularly for those of modest means. Instead, somewhere along the stone-walled fence there was an opening 4 to 6 feet wide.
Prior to nightfall, the shepherd would go out into the fields to the larger herd, consisting of perhaps many different flocks, and he would call out the names of his own. What sheep lack in intelligence and defense they evidently make up in hearing, for they have no doubt heard this one voice since they were lambs. It was a familiar voice, a voice they could recognize above any other shepherd's voice -- a voice that drew them out of the larger flock, one by one, and led them safely into the awaiting nighttime, stone-walled pen. Once inside, the shepherd, having made sure that all the sheep were safe and accounted for, would then lie down across this 4-6 foot wide opening and spend the night. You see, he was the door; he was the gate -- much like Jesus.
***
Probably the worst industrial disaster in the history of the world happened in 1984 in Bhopal, India. A massive amount of methyl isocyanate (MIC), a highly toxic gas, escaped from a Union Carbide chemical plant and spread through a densely populated area -- and 3800 people died terribly painful deaths.
In an American industrial community, near a place where there was also a storage area for MIC, people were naturally both sympathetic and anxious. A pastor was talking with a couple of industrial workers during that time, and one of them commented, "If that had happened over here, I believe someone would have done something to stop the escaping gas." The pastor realized that the man was saying that someone would have done something heroic, maybe that he would have tried to do something heroic.
We have recently heard of a heroic act done by Liviu Librescu in the tragedy at Virginia Tech. Should we expect that heroism should happen whenever there is a crisis? It would be good to be able to expect heroism. But are we ready to accept the responsibility that goes with being a part of a community in which heroism is expected?
***
On the evening after 33 people were shot by a deranged young man at Virginia Tech, a scheduled debate went on at another university, sponsored by the ACLU. It was about the second amendment to the constitution, having to do with the right to keep and bear arms vs. gun control. In spite of all arguments to the contrary, one of the participants insisted that there should be no restraint upon any American's right to have any kind of firearms he or she wants. When pressed, he said, "Everyone has a right to experience the thrill of firing a machine gun." Is that true? Do we really have the right to do anything we want to, regardless of the danger that freedom may create for others?
***
In front of the sanctuary of a certain large church, there is a fountain and pond of water, in the middle of which stands a rather somber-looking life-size bronze statue of Jesus, with arms outstretched, as he might have looked coming up from the water of baptism. It is not a particularly joyful representation. But on a particular evening, after a performance by the African Children's Choir, the people coming out of the church were so "up" that the joy was contagious. They had seen little children, rescued from the massive tragedy that afflicts so many children in the third world, singing songs of faith and hope. Some of the teenage girls present that night were so excited that they started dancing around the rim of the pool and stepping over to a place where they could hug the statue of Jesus and hold his hands. They appeared to be dancing with Jesus. Suddenly it seemed a joyful and perfectly appropriate thing. When we are caught up in the experience of hope and of love, we may very well live in a way that amounts to dancing with Jesus to the same music that Jesus hears.
WORSHIP RESOURCES
by Thom M. Shuman
Call to Worship
Leader: We gather in the presence of God,
People: where grieving people and children with skinned knees
have their tears wiped away.
Leader: We gather with the people of God,
People: to worship the One who provides what we need,
not just what we want.
Leader: We gather at the Table of God,
People: to feast on the goodness of God,
to drink from the cup of mercy.
Prayer of the Day
Lead us, God of Goodness:
lead us into those places where we discover your mercy
waiting to nourish and restore our famished souls.
Lead us, Gentle Shepherd:
lead us to those places where we have the joy of filling the emptiness of others,
because the table you have prepared is to be shared with all.
Lead us, Mercy's Mother:
lead us on the right paths,
and down the streets where we can do justice for all wronged by the world;
lead us to the living waters,
where we can fill our selves and then empty them for those parched by pain and loss.
Lead us, God in Community, Holy in One,
as we pray as Jesus has taught us, saying,
Our Father . . .
Call to Reconciliation
We know the wrong turns we have taken, the poor choices that shape our lives,
the mistakes that have hurt God and others.
Let us confess our sins to the One who leads us into life, praying . . .
(Unison) Prayer of Confession
Taught by our culture to want everything, Comfort of the righteous,
we confess that emptiness that sends us searching for still more.
Our constant desire for greener pastures fills us with every lust and envy.
Our belief that still waters are stagnant
sends us thirsting for whitewater thrills and adventures.
Our trust in the promises of the world turns us away from the shelter you offer.
Forgive us, Source of goodness and mercy.
Call us back from our wayward lives,
that we might find rest in your heart,
healing from your hands,
and unity in life together as disciples of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.
(silent prayers may be offered)
Assurance of Pardon
Leader: Hear God's voice:
I will walk with you in every moment;
I fill you with my grace and hope;
I know you and love you.
People: Amen!
Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving
and honor and power and might belong to our God forever and ever!
Amen.
CHILDREN'S SERMON
Safe in His Hands
John 10:22-30
Good morning! Jesus tells us some wonderful things in today's Gospel. He says that his sheep will hear his voice and follow him, that they will never be lost, and that nobody can take them away from him. Now, who are his sheep? (Let them answer.) Yes, that's right. We are his sheep! You and I! Doesn't it make you feel good that we are safe in his hands and nobody can drag us away from him? (Let them answer.)
Okay, let me show you what Jesus is saying to us. Let me be Jesus for a moment and __________ (pick a child who will let you hold him or her firmly) can come to me. Now, as I hold __________ firmly, I want __________ (pick a small child who will not pull too hard) to try to take him/her away from me. You see, __________ can't take __________ away from me because I am holding him/her firmly. That's how Jesus holds onto us and keeps us safe.
But, look what happens if __________ decides to leave me. (Let the child leave without holding on to him or her.) You see, there is no problem for __________ to leave if he/she wants to. We can walk away from Jesus. He won't hold on to us if we want to leave, but he won't let anybody take us away from him as long as we want to be his child. Do all of you want to stay with Jesus and be his children? (Let them answer.) Good! As long as you don't leave him, he won't leave you!
Prayer: Dear Jesus: Thank you so much for holding us and keeping us safe. Amen.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
The Immediate Word, April 29, 2007, issue.
Copyright 2007 by CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Lima, Ohio.
All rights reserved. Subscribers to The Immediate Word service may print and use this material as it was intended in sermons and in worship and classroom settings only. No additional permission is required from the publisher for such use by subscribers only. Inquiries should be addressed to permissions@csspub.com or to Permissions, CSS Publishing Company, Inc., 517 South Main Street, Lima, Ohio 45804.
The Good Shepherd Faces Violence
by Paul Bresnahan
As we recoil in horror from the events of the Virginia Tech slayings, we find ourselves glaring into the tempestuous abyss of chaos itself. It is as though we were there the day creation began, when "the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep" (Genesis 1:2). The Hebrew word for the "formless void" is a word that can be rendered "chaos" of the sort that is active and leads into the abyss.
In the next verse, God spoke and said, "Let there be light."
Thus we come to Good Shepherd Sunday, and a story emerges of a holocaust survivor who put himself between a crazed shooter and his students. Some managed to escape through the windows of a second floor classroom, and the professor gave his life so that others might live.
As much as we try to make sense of what happened on that day in Blacksburg, Virginia, we are left only with a doleful lament over the senseless loss of life of those who had so much life yet to live.
Perhaps it is time to turn to the Savior and find safe pasture. I believe with all my heart that as I find that safe pasture, Jesus will not lose even one of all that has been given him. It may require that I give my life for others, as did a devoted college professor just a few short days ago, but I will find eternal life when I do.
Let's explore what it means to "brood over the waters" and hear the Word of God who says, "Let there be light."
THE WORLD
In the wake of an experience of the Absurd, such as we confronted just a few days ago in a small town in southwestern Virginia, many wonder how God can "allow" such senseless deeds. Nothing happened -- there was no intervention from above, no savior, not so much as a whimper from heaven. Those who have championed the notion of The God Delusion seem to have more and more evidence to support the notion that there simply is no God.
There are those who would throw up their arms and say indeed that seems to be the case. There are wars, there is genocide, there was the Holocaust, the whole creation groans under the weight of exploitation that seems to be leading it toward an apocalypse of a manmade kind... and God simply isn't doing anything about it.
We stare into the abyss.
We wonder.
And then somebody like Dr. Liviu Librescu kindles a flickering candle of hope. Here is a man who, looking into the abyss, recognized it for what it was, and immediately renounced it. He threw himself into the way of a hopelessly deranged young man and screamed for his students to seek safety in the few moments he was able to give them. Several were able to get to safety by jumping out of the second story windows of that classroom. He gave them what he could. He gave them his life.
Here is an example of the Good Shepherd -- he knew his students by name; he called them by name; he laid down his life for them.
The world is awash with violence these days. There are cities where the murder rate is again climbing alarmingly. On the other hand, there are stories of ministers and pastors who take to the streets to protect their neighborhoods. Thus there is the darkness and the abyss, and on the other hand there are those who light the candles of hope.
When God confronted the abyss in the very beginning, God did what only God could do and said: "Let there be light." For those who say there is no God, there is no hope. It is as though the logic of that proclamation leads only to the abyss and an endless descent into the Absurd. I renounce that.
I would rather embrace the Good Shepherd who first embraced me. I hear his voice with church-bell clarity. I hear him call my name. He gives me eternal life, the kind of life that is worth living and if necessary the kind of life that is worth giving away for others. I am absolutely convinced that nothing can snatch me away from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, God is with me. Absolutely! I claim that faith. It resonates deeply in my soul. Nothing can separate me from Jesus. Thank God Good Shepherd Sunday came when it did this year -- it came just in the nick of time.
THE WORD
The image of the Good Shepherd comes to us particularly in the 10th chapter of John's Gospel. It is a powerful image of warmth and affection that is often enshrined in Christian art and in some of my favorite stained-glass windows. I see a lamb in the arms of Jesus, and something child-like in me feels so safe. Amazingly, Jesus knows every sheep by name, he knows the quirks of my personality, and loves me with all my faults just as I am. For no good reason that I can figure out, and certainly not for anything that I have done to earn it, he gives me eternal life. And then it just goes on and on and gets even better than I can ask or imagine. And to prove it, to demonstrate how much he loves me, and not just me but everyone, he takes the sins of the whole world on himself, he dies on the cross and rises again to his Easter triumph! And that is just a child-like image.
Then in adulthood the imagery transforms itself into something deeper and even more abiding. Everyone knows the words "the Lord is my shepherd" by heart. They are words of such compelling power that priests, pastors, ministers, and parishioners in moments of extremis still find in them comfort of a sort that transcends the most excruciating suffering. "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death." We find that even in funerals, especially in funerals, hope is kindled like a candle in the face of the Inevitable. "I will fear no evil, for thou art with me." Even those who have their doubts about this whole enterprise find their eyes filled with tears they cannot explain sometimes when they go to "pay their respects" to a dear old friend. Deep down, those with little or no faith at all have to wonder in moments like this, "maybe there is a God."
Then routine returns to us all and chaos returns. Life surrounds us like a swirling tempest. Senseless decisions, expectations, and conflict again return at work, sometimes in our homes, and often in our churches. And again we wonder. And that is when we open the Book and read those amazing verses: "the breath of God brooded over the waters of the deep." And God said: "Let there be light." As God speaks, do we not also want to speak such words with the actions of our lives? Isn't that what we want to say with God and become partners with God in holding back the abyss? I hope so.
CRAFTING THE SERMON
As hard as we might try, we won't make any sense of it. CNN, FOX News, Larry King, and others can run scores of special reports, interviews, and reflections, and we'll still be left with the question "Why?" There will not be a satisfying answer to that question. There may be some frail attempts at explanation, but they will all be little more than frustrating platitudes. We flip on the news and we are left merely to recoil in horror as we often have before: JFK, RFK, MLK, Kent State, Waco, Oklahoma City, September 11, Columbine, and now this! The darkness is winning.
Or is it? Out of the above initials there came the Peace Corps and civil rights struggles, and generations of people saw their lives touched by hope and justice. From these dreadful disasters there came the stories of heroic figures that were the first responders in times of peril. And time and time again we hear of someone who stood between menace and a hapless victim. The Good Shepherd wins again!
I cannot help but think of the Good Shepherd. His whole life was dedicated to folks like the ones many of us have served all our lives. They were fishermen, farmers, homemakers, children, the sick, and the outcast. And he became their shepherd. He defended them. He healed them. He taught them the path to eternal life. He was and still is their companion along the way.
When sin had done its worst and darkness again had its hour, he came to the defense even of those who came to arrest him and said no more violence! He allowed himself to be put through an unfair trial; he was accused and scourged, convicted, and died. He put himself between the madness of oblivion and me. He even forgave the ones who did their wicked deeds and said: "Forgive them, for they know not what they do."
This Good Shepherd has come to my defense. He blocked the doorway for me so I could live. He died for all my sins and me. The Good Shepherd has faced violence and he became the conqueror. He faced suffering and made it redemptive. The two greatest monuments to our struggle for meaning are met in Jesus. Jesus faced the violence of Rome's might and he became the victor. He faced the horror of the violence of religious fundamentalism and loved his way to the resurrection.
We face nothing new in these days. It may feel new, but the terrorism of military might and religious extremism is not new to the earth. Jesus took it on 2,000 years ago and confronted it with the love of God. By offering his life on the cross he gave it meaning, and now we are invited to take up our cross and follow where Jesus led the way.
What gave the church her power in her early days was that her leaders were willing to give their lives as a ransom for many. They literally took up their crosses and followed Jesus. The Easter victory of Jesus was so vivid to his people that they were willing to say no to violence. They too confronted it with the same courage as Professor Librescu. Jesus and the professor have given us much to ponder. They invite us to live the Easter message of the love of God, which has the courage to face violence and suffering with a commodity that is rare now as it was then.
Thankfully, we do not always have to give of "the last full measure of our devotion." More often, we can face violence by searching for justice. We have a myriad of opportunities to minister to the sick and the dying. Like God brooding over the waters of chaos, we can employ our creative gifts and make "something beautiful for God." We can become "something beautiful for God."
In the Eucharist it is no mere accident that the words "lift up your hearts" are said. In the middle of our worship as we make our gifts to God, we are encouraged to be "lifted up" out of the chronic epidemic of the depression of our times. The word "encourage" literally means to "take heart." Thus we take communion and receive Jesus into our lives as we do in both the Word and in the Sacrament. We have so much to live for. Jesus has gone all the way to the edge of the abyss itself and found joy in making his gift to God. It is as though we stood there the day creation began and God said "Let there be light!"
O God, make my life a candle in this dark world.
ANOTHER VIEW
by Stephen McCutchan
Acts 9:36-43
Our attention has been riveted on the tragedy at Virginia Tech, but we also know of the continuing violence in Iraq and Afghanistan, Darfur, Turkey, etc. We are confronted daily with the reality of death and violence. As we enter this second Sunday after the tragedy at Virginia Tech, it is important to consider the role of the church in such an experience. As Paul says in 2 Corinthians 4:11 (Phillips translation): "We are always facing death, but this means that you know more and more of life." The church plays a very important role in helping our people respond to the fears created by such a reality.
This week's lectionary passage from Acts (9:36-43) provides a helpful way to reflect on such an experience. Luke, the author of Acts, made it a point throughout his Gospel to match stories about men with stories about women. As we leave the story of Saul's conversion and return to the Jerusalem church and the ministry of Peter, we again hear of the ministry of a woman disciple in the early church. Her name is Tabitha (or in Greek, Dorcas). She is a woman who had developed a ministry of charity in the city of Joppa. Reflecting Jesus' own ministry, she had chosen to focus her ministry on the vulnerable of society. When Peter arrived, Acts reports: "All the widows stood beside him, weeping and showing tunics and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was with them."
In a strongly patriarchal society that had no formal social security system, widows could quickly find themselves in severe financial difficulty. Her clothes closet had apparently addressed some of those needs. In capsule form, this short story reflects the experience of the early church. They were a vulnerable minority within society -- but rather than choosing to expend their efforts on protecting themselves, they deliberately went out into the streets and ministered to the really needy of their community. Because they were ministering to the poor and the diseased of society, they exposed themselves to the unsanitary conditions of their community. Like Dorcas, early Christians were not immune to contracting diseases themselves in the process of exercising their ministry.
Like Christians today, those early Christians also faced death daily -- but as they faced death and disease, they did not face it without resources. In this story, when personally confronted by the reality of disease and death, they drew upon the healing power of the faith community and the power of God's spirit to assist them. Peter, who symbolized the church leadership, responded to their need in the same way that they were responding to the needs of others.
As the life of Christ demonstrated, and the early church constantly experienced, believers were not immune to pain and suffering -- yet God was faithful to them in often miraculous ways. Even today, a church that is attentive to signs of the presence of God's spirit will notice ample signs of God's healing presence among them.
Let me give you an example from the Presbyterian Church, while reminding you that you could find similar examples by going to the web page of your own denomination. A day after the news of the Virginia Tech tragedy, the following information appeared on the Presbyterian Church's web page (http://www.pcusa.org):
Presbyterians are already involved in providing care. Three members of the Presbyterian Disaster Assistance National Response Team are on their way to the [Virginia Tech] campus to be a presence and resource to the community. The three team members are:
The Rev. Robert Barnes of Santa Fe, New Mexico, a retired police chaplain with extensive training and experience in responding to school shootings. He was the lead on behalf of Presbyterian Disaster Assistance at the Columbine shooting in Littleton, Colorado.
The Rev. James Kirk, Associate Pastor, The Moorings Presbyterian Church, Naples, Florida. Jim also has extensive training and experience in responding to school shootings and similar events.
Anne Van Allen from Annapolis, Maryland, a retired school counselor with more than 30 years of school-related mental health experience.
The team has already been in contact with Catherine Snyder, Presbyterian campus minister, George Goodman, of the Presbytery of the Peaks, and with Alexander Evans, Pastor of Blacksburg Presbyterian Church. Evans is also a chaplain with the fire department. Our early contacts with those providing care in the area have been met with gratitude for the tremendous and quick response from the church, and indeed others around the world.
In times of tragedy, even people who have grown cynical about the church suddenly find themselves turning to the church and the faith for signs of life in the face of death. It is our privilege to proclaim to them in both word and deed that God, not death, has the final word. It is a gospel that our people need to hear.
ILLUSTRATIONS
Probably none of us will ever forget April 16, 2007, the day a lone gunman opened fire at Virginia Tech, killing more than 30 people. The young man's murderous rampage shook our country from coast to coast: many colleges and universities held vigils that evening; radio and TV stations featured the story off and on all day -- or sometimes continuously; and the internet crackled with urgent messages.
Never before had such a shooting outrage happened in our country. Thirty-some people, gunned down! And if it could happen in a peaceful little place like Blacksburg, Virginia, it could happen where we live. Our feelings of security were badly shaken.
It might be helpful, then, to realize that on that very same day:
* Four bombings in the city of Baghdad killed 157 people, almost 5 times as many as died at Virginia Tech, and the violence goes on and on there.
* 30,000 children in Third World countries died of malnutrition, hunger, and preventable diseases.
That's 30,000 children in one day -- 1,000 times as many as died at Virginia Tech.
And 30,000 of these children die every day, day in, day out -- and have for many years.
Yes, we're very concerned about the 30 who died at Virginia Tech, and we should be. May there never be another day like it. May we do all we can to try to keep it from ever happening again.
So what might our Lord be calling us to do about the 30 thousand Third World children who die, needlessly, every day?
***
For the Christian there is no such thing as a stranger. There are only neighbors.
-- Edith Stein
***
In October 2006, the authoritative British medical journal The Lancet published its estimate of the number of Iraqi civilians who have died in violence since the US-led invasion and occupation began in March 2003.
The Lancet estimated statistically that 601,027 Iraqis had died violently, "the most common cause being gunfire."
-- The Catholic Worker, March-April 2007
***
He Leadeth Me
He leadeth me,
in pastures green? No not always.
Sometimes He who knoweth best
in kindness leadeth me in weary ways
Where heavy shadows be;
Out of the sunshine warm and soft and bright,
Out of the sunshine into the darkest night.
I oft would yield to sorrow and to fright
Only for this: I know He holds my hand
So, whether led in green or desert land
I trust, although I cannot understand.
He leadeth me.
Beside still waters? No, not always so.
Oft times the heavy tempest round me blow,
And o'er my soul the waves and billows go.
But when the storm beats wildest, and I cry
Aloud for help, the Master standeth by
And whispers to my soul: "Lo, it is I."
Above the tempest wild I hear him say:
"Beyond the darkness lies the perfect day;
In every path of thine I lead the way."
So whether on the hilltops, high and fair
I dwell, or in the sunless valleys, where
The shadows lie -- what matter? He is there.
And more than this; where're the pathway lead
He gives to me no helpless, broken reed,
But His Own hand, sufficient for my need.
So where He leads me I can safely go.
And in the blest hereafter I shall know
Why in His wisdom He hath led me so.
***
A young man who had grown up and spent his whole life in the city accepted as his first call out of seminary a small rural church in western North Dakota. As they used to say at seminary, "western North Dakota is not the most remote place on earth, but you can sure see it from there." Anyway, as it so happened his duties began just before Advent, and his first project would be the annual Christmas program with the Sunday School class. One of the first things he did at the first rehearsal was to assign the sheep. Now, these farm kids knew animals, and in no time a half-dozen sheep began wandering around the middle of rehearsal, crawling under the altar and walking out the door. Finally the pastor stopped the chaos and said, "Stop moving. Pay attention. What are you doing?" And with a surprised look on her face, one girl replied innocently, "We're sheep" -- as if no other explanation was necessary.
I must confess that I probably learned about sheep the same way as this young pastor -- from Hallmark cards, babies' nurseries, and Little Bo Peep. But I have come to understand that their fleece is not as white as snow and the sheep do not always follow Bo Peep wherever she goes. And what's more, at least from my experience at the state fair, you can often smell sheep before they arrive.
I think Jesus also knew sheep -- he knew they were easily lost, defenseless before wolves, and in deep need of a shepherd.
***
In a land and during a time before large, commercial farms, electric fences, and barbed wire, pastures for sheep were lined by rocks. Fortunately, Palestine is a land of rocks -- and the people learned how to make the best use of them. For centuries, the people separated their properties with high rows of free rocks, and then, to further their use, many landowners would drape the rocks with a variety of grapevines.
Now, these little areas circled by rocks were really only "sheepfolds," enclosures designed to hold a small number of sheep -- perhaps 15 to 50 -- during the nighttime for protection. The rocks were high enough so that the sheep would not jump out, and the thorny grapevines were meant to be a deterrent to intruders of many sorts.
Many of these makeshift nighttime pens had no doors and no gates -- particularly for those of modest means. Instead, somewhere along the stone-walled fence there was an opening 4 to 6 feet wide.
Prior to nightfall, the shepherd would go out into the fields to the larger herd, consisting of perhaps many different flocks, and he would call out the names of his own. What sheep lack in intelligence and defense they evidently make up in hearing, for they have no doubt heard this one voice since they were lambs. It was a familiar voice, a voice they could recognize above any other shepherd's voice -- a voice that drew them out of the larger flock, one by one, and led them safely into the awaiting nighttime, stone-walled pen. Once inside, the shepherd, having made sure that all the sheep were safe and accounted for, would then lie down across this 4-6 foot wide opening and spend the night. You see, he was the door; he was the gate -- much like Jesus.
***
Probably the worst industrial disaster in the history of the world happened in 1984 in Bhopal, India. A massive amount of methyl isocyanate (MIC), a highly toxic gas, escaped from a Union Carbide chemical plant and spread through a densely populated area -- and 3800 people died terribly painful deaths.
In an American industrial community, near a place where there was also a storage area for MIC, people were naturally both sympathetic and anxious. A pastor was talking with a couple of industrial workers during that time, and one of them commented, "If that had happened over here, I believe someone would have done something to stop the escaping gas." The pastor realized that the man was saying that someone would have done something heroic, maybe that he would have tried to do something heroic.
We have recently heard of a heroic act done by Liviu Librescu in the tragedy at Virginia Tech. Should we expect that heroism should happen whenever there is a crisis? It would be good to be able to expect heroism. But are we ready to accept the responsibility that goes with being a part of a community in which heroism is expected?
***
On the evening after 33 people were shot by a deranged young man at Virginia Tech, a scheduled debate went on at another university, sponsored by the ACLU. It was about the second amendment to the constitution, having to do with the right to keep and bear arms vs. gun control. In spite of all arguments to the contrary, one of the participants insisted that there should be no restraint upon any American's right to have any kind of firearms he or she wants. When pressed, he said, "Everyone has a right to experience the thrill of firing a machine gun." Is that true? Do we really have the right to do anything we want to, regardless of the danger that freedom may create for others?
***
In front of the sanctuary of a certain large church, there is a fountain and pond of water, in the middle of which stands a rather somber-looking life-size bronze statue of Jesus, with arms outstretched, as he might have looked coming up from the water of baptism. It is not a particularly joyful representation. But on a particular evening, after a performance by the African Children's Choir, the people coming out of the church were so "up" that the joy was contagious. They had seen little children, rescued from the massive tragedy that afflicts so many children in the third world, singing songs of faith and hope. Some of the teenage girls present that night were so excited that they started dancing around the rim of the pool and stepping over to a place where they could hug the statue of Jesus and hold his hands. They appeared to be dancing with Jesus. Suddenly it seemed a joyful and perfectly appropriate thing. When we are caught up in the experience of hope and of love, we may very well live in a way that amounts to dancing with Jesus to the same music that Jesus hears.
WORSHIP RESOURCES
by Thom M. Shuman
Call to Worship
Leader: We gather in the presence of God,
People: where grieving people and children with skinned knees
have their tears wiped away.
Leader: We gather with the people of God,
People: to worship the One who provides what we need,
not just what we want.
Leader: We gather at the Table of God,
People: to feast on the goodness of God,
to drink from the cup of mercy.
Prayer of the Day
Lead us, God of Goodness:
lead us into those places where we discover your mercy
waiting to nourish and restore our famished souls.
Lead us, Gentle Shepherd:
lead us to those places where we have the joy of filling the emptiness of others,
because the table you have prepared is to be shared with all.
Lead us, Mercy's Mother:
lead us on the right paths,
and down the streets where we can do justice for all wronged by the world;
lead us to the living waters,
where we can fill our selves and then empty them for those parched by pain and loss.
Lead us, God in Community, Holy in One,
as we pray as Jesus has taught us, saying,
Our Father . . .
Call to Reconciliation
We know the wrong turns we have taken, the poor choices that shape our lives,
the mistakes that have hurt God and others.
Let us confess our sins to the One who leads us into life, praying . . .
(Unison) Prayer of Confession
Taught by our culture to want everything, Comfort of the righteous,
we confess that emptiness that sends us searching for still more.
Our constant desire for greener pastures fills us with every lust and envy.
Our belief that still waters are stagnant
sends us thirsting for whitewater thrills and adventures.
Our trust in the promises of the world turns us away from the shelter you offer.
Forgive us, Source of goodness and mercy.
Call us back from our wayward lives,
that we might find rest in your heart,
healing from your hands,
and unity in life together as disciples of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.
(silent prayers may be offered)
Assurance of Pardon
Leader: Hear God's voice:
I will walk with you in every moment;
I fill you with my grace and hope;
I know you and love you.
People: Amen!
Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving
and honor and power and might belong to our God forever and ever!
Amen.
CHILDREN'S SERMON
Safe in His Hands
John 10:22-30
Good morning! Jesus tells us some wonderful things in today's Gospel. He says that his sheep will hear his voice and follow him, that they will never be lost, and that nobody can take them away from him. Now, who are his sheep? (Let them answer.) Yes, that's right. We are his sheep! You and I! Doesn't it make you feel good that we are safe in his hands and nobody can drag us away from him? (Let them answer.)
Okay, let me show you what Jesus is saying to us. Let me be Jesus for a moment and __________ (pick a child who will let you hold him or her firmly) can come to me. Now, as I hold __________ firmly, I want __________ (pick a small child who will not pull too hard) to try to take him/her away from me. You see, __________ can't take __________ away from me because I am holding him/her firmly. That's how Jesus holds onto us and keeps us safe.
But, look what happens if __________ decides to leave me. (Let the child leave without holding on to him or her.) You see, there is no problem for __________ to leave if he/she wants to. We can walk away from Jesus. He won't hold on to us if we want to leave, but he won't let anybody take us away from him as long as we want to be his child. Do all of you want to stay with Jesus and be his children? (Let them answer.) Good! As long as you don't leave him, he won't leave you!
Prayer: Dear Jesus: Thank you so much for holding us and keeping us safe. Amen.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
The Immediate Word, April 29, 2007, issue.
Copyright 2007 by CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Lima, Ohio.
All rights reserved. Subscribers to The Immediate Word service may print and use this material as it was intended in sermons and in worship and classroom settings only. No additional permission is required from the publisher for such use by subscribers only. Inquiries should be addressed to permissions@csspub.com or to Permissions, CSS Publishing Company, Inc., 517 South Main Street, Lima, Ohio 45804.
