The Choice For God Or The World
Sermon
Sermons on the Gospel Readings
Series I, Cycle A
Once upon a time, a great and loving king ruled over a vast territory. There was something very strange about this kingdom, however. Everything was the same. The people ate the same food, drank the same drink, wore the same clothes, and lived in the same type of homes. The people even did all the same work. There was another oddity about this place. Everything was gray - the food, the drink, the clothes, the houses; there were no other colors.
One day, a majestic and very beautiful bird flew from the west into a small village that lay a great distance from the capital city. The bird deposited a yellow egg and flew off. The people were fascinated with their new possession since they had never seen anything but gray. They played with the egg and poked it. In the process the egg broke. Inside was a yellow powder. Anything that came in contact with the powder instantly turned yellow. At the outset, a few peoples' clothes and some other objects turned yellow, but the people were soon so struck with their new discovery that the whole village was "painted" yellow. The next day, the same bird flew from the west and deposited a blue egg in another small village. It did not take long before everything in this village was blue. This same scenario repeated itself on seven consecutive days, as the majestic bird deposited seven different colored eggs in seven villages.
The great king in the capital city, where all was still gray, heard about these strange events and wondered what the sign might mean. He called in his royal councilors and advisors and asked them if anything like this had happened in the past. They checked the ancient manuscripts and discovered that many generations ago the kingdom was ruled by a philosopher king. At the time there was much dissension, strife, and conflict in the kingdom. It was further discovered that the source of this dissension came about from the differences that existed among the people. The king, who wanted peace, believed that the only way to restore harmony was to eliminate all differences among the people. This is why all the people did the same things and all was gray.
The present king was worried that the various colors in the villages would again lead to dissension and strife. Thus, he ordered the royal archers to locate the majestic bird and slay it. The archers found the bird and their arrows were sent straight and true, but they had no effect on the bird which simply flew away. If the bird could not be stopped then the people must be, thought the king. Thus, he ordered the people to remove all the colors and return to gray. But the people, who were enamored with the new colors in their lives, refused to obey the king's order. Dissension, strife, and conflict ensued - the very things the king was trying to prevent.
The king was unsure as to what to do, until one day the beautiful majestic bird flew into the royal palace and deposited seven different colored eggs. The king was frustrated and angry and in a fit of rage he hurled the eggs in all different directions. They burst into an array of color. The beauty was so great that the king, in a moment of inspiration, knew precisely what he needed to do. He now realized that the bird was a sign that change was needed, but he had ignored the sign. Thus, the king ordered that all the people must have all the colors. Again there were no differences and dissension, strife, and conflict ceased. All the people lived happily ever after.1
John Aurelio's story "Colors" speaks of how a king was given a choice - follow the sign of God or ignore the sign and go your own way. His failure to heed the sign almost brought disaster for him and his kingdom. Jesus, in today's gospel, presents us with a choice - will we enter life through him, the gatekeeper, or seek another road. The choice is ours!
John's Gospel, which we know is filled with powerful images, presents us with one of the most significant in our reading today. Jesus describes himself as the gate through which all must pass who seek God and eternal life. The Lord is very clear, "I am the gate. Whoever enters by me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture" (10:9). Jesus tells his disciples that there are many ways to enter, that is to live one's life, but only those who hear the voice of the gatekeeper will discover, follow, and hold to the correct path. All who seek to find another route are described as "thieves and bandits" who have come to steal and kill. Jesus, however, has come to give abundant life to those who follow him.
The imagery of this passage provides two important and distinct messages. First, we hear a polemical warning by Jesus against all who seek to call the sheep, that is God's people, away from the only true road, namely through the sheepgate. In branding such people as criminals, Jesus is clearly suggesting that the teachings and the path that he offers must be followed if one desires to find God's presence at the end of life. So many false prophets are present in society and they come in various forms. Some of these "teachers" are prognosticators of doom, those who forecast only the worst and seemingly can never find anything in their lives or that of society to celebrate. These people have given up hope, have "thrown in the towel" and surrendered to the difficulties and obstacles of life. Other false prophets take the opposite road and declare that there are no problems and that we must maintain the status quo at all costs. Like the proverbial ostrich that hides its head in the sand, these "prophets" choose to look the other way and ignore the plight of those less fortunate, including the poor, the sick, and those who live on the margins of our society. There are those teachers, as well, who suggest that all the answers to life's questions and problems can be found in the world and all that it has to offer. The allure of power, wealth, and prestige, the three great sins of human nature, is strong and many preach this as the message of salvation. Such prophets are the thieves and bandits to whom Jesus refers in his metaphor. In many ways all are prophets of doom who insist that God should play no role in our world or our lives.
In striking contrast to this first message, is Jesus' insistence that there must be a strong bond between the sheep, God's people, and the gatekeeper, Jesus. This missive of hope is integral to the whole mission of Christ, and states that all who follow him faithfully will never see death, but rather will enjoy the eternal life which is God's gift to all who believe. We must listen to the voice of the true shepherd, the gatekeeper, amidst the noise of many false prophets. This is often a difficult task, but if we keep our attention fixed on Christ, then we will not be swayed by the errant messages that seem to surround us. Christ is the light at the end of the dark tunnel; we must persevere and diligently hold fast to the road and not seek detours or shortcuts. There is one, and only one, way to find life and that is through Jesus, the gatekeeper.
Today's society presents us with many choices and possibilities that only seem to grow more numerous with time and the "advance" of culture. They say that "variety is the spice of life" and I suspect it is true. Yet, the many choices that stand before us can be confusing. We need to learn how to wisely use the gift of free will, our ability to choose. This gift, if used constructively, can provide much good for our world, but if abused it can create untold grief.
Wisdom dictates that in order to use our gift of free will wisely, we must ask ourselves some important questions concerning how well we follow Jesus, the shepherd and gatekeeper, in the decisions we make. What are the criteria that we use to make the important decisions of our lives? Do we seek out family and friends, colleagues and associates? What place does God have in our decision making process? What responsibility do we feel for those God has entrusted to us? Young people, students, or subordinates at work all look to elders and superiors to lead them. By following our lead will people find the pasture of life or are we leading people astray by the conduct of our lives? What choices have we made lately? Were they helpful and did they aid us along the path of life or were they destructive? If they were harmful, did we have the courage to change and make a better choice? When we make decisions are they based solely on our needs and wants or do we consider the desires of others? If we find ourselves in positions of authority, do we make choices that are beneficial to all or are we selfish in our choices? Jesus' life demonstrates that suffering is part of the Christian life. Are we willing to make the decision that may cause suffering because it is the right choice, or do we shy away because we are afraid to endure a crisis for the sake of Christ's name?
All of these ideas concerning decisions beg one more important and pertinent question - why does the world suffer? Why do pain, problems, and suffering exist in such abundance? We all believe that God is all good, all love, full of compassion, and all powerful. This is how we define God and we believe this is true. Thus, the question bears repeating, why does our world suffer? Why do wars exist and people die in innocence? Why do people in positions of public trust commit acts that cause others not only to lose faith in the individual, but in the system as well? Why do people fight one another when the only difference between them is the color of their skin, their political preference, or religious belief?
The basic answer to these challenging questions is personal choice, our free will to say, "Yes" or "No," to God at any time in any way. Søren Kierkegaard, the famous nineteenth--century existentialist philosopher and theologian, once wrote, "Faith is a matter of choice, our personal decision in finding God." This personal decision, our free will, is why the world suffers. It is free will that allows the drunk to drive and kill others. It is free will that allows people in public service to break the law and, thus, lower the integrity of the system. It is free will that places certain members and groups in society on the fringe and does not allow them to participate. Free will moves us closer to or further from God. As Kierkegaard wrote, it is our decision; faith is our choice.
Jesus, the gate that leads to life, invites us to follow him to his pasture. Our great gift of free will allows us to say, "Yes" or "No," to God. God loves us so much, that we were given the option whether or not we wish to follow the Lord. In some ways it might be easier if we were animals that relied totally on instinct. We would then be programmed to follow the Lord and find eternal life. God, however, believes that the choice must be ours. God wants us to give our daily ascent to his invitation. Many will present themselves along the way as the gate we should employ. We must find our way through the maze of false teachers, hopeless situations, and problematic circumstances to find Jesus and the true path to God which he provides. The choice is ours! Jesus put it well in Matthew's Gospel (7:13--14): "Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the road is easy that leads to destruction, and there are many who take it. For the gate is narrow and the road is hard that leads to life, and there are few who find it."
____________
1. "Colors," paraphrased from John Aurelio. Colors! Stories of the Kingdom (New York: Crossroad, 1993), pp. 134--136.
One day, a majestic and very beautiful bird flew from the west into a small village that lay a great distance from the capital city. The bird deposited a yellow egg and flew off. The people were fascinated with their new possession since they had never seen anything but gray. They played with the egg and poked it. In the process the egg broke. Inside was a yellow powder. Anything that came in contact with the powder instantly turned yellow. At the outset, a few peoples' clothes and some other objects turned yellow, but the people were soon so struck with their new discovery that the whole village was "painted" yellow. The next day, the same bird flew from the west and deposited a blue egg in another small village. It did not take long before everything in this village was blue. This same scenario repeated itself on seven consecutive days, as the majestic bird deposited seven different colored eggs in seven villages.
The great king in the capital city, where all was still gray, heard about these strange events and wondered what the sign might mean. He called in his royal councilors and advisors and asked them if anything like this had happened in the past. They checked the ancient manuscripts and discovered that many generations ago the kingdom was ruled by a philosopher king. At the time there was much dissension, strife, and conflict in the kingdom. It was further discovered that the source of this dissension came about from the differences that existed among the people. The king, who wanted peace, believed that the only way to restore harmony was to eliminate all differences among the people. This is why all the people did the same things and all was gray.
The present king was worried that the various colors in the villages would again lead to dissension and strife. Thus, he ordered the royal archers to locate the majestic bird and slay it. The archers found the bird and their arrows were sent straight and true, but they had no effect on the bird which simply flew away. If the bird could not be stopped then the people must be, thought the king. Thus, he ordered the people to remove all the colors and return to gray. But the people, who were enamored with the new colors in their lives, refused to obey the king's order. Dissension, strife, and conflict ensued - the very things the king was trying to prevent.
The king was unsure as to what to do, until one day the beautiful majestic bird flew into the royal palace and deposited seven different colored eggs. The king was frustrated and angry and in a fit of rage he hurled the eggs in all different directions. They burst into an array of color. The beauty was so great that the king, in a moment of inspiration, knew precisely what he needed to do. He now realized that the bird was a sign that change was needed, but he had ignored the sign. Thus, the king ordered that all the people must have all the colors. Again there were no differences and dissension, strife, and conflict ceased. All the people lived happily ever after.1
John Aurelio's story "Colors" speaks of how a king was given a choice - follow the sign of God or ignore the sign and go your own way. His failure to heed the sign almost brought disaster for him and his kingdom. Jesus, in today's gospel, presents us with a choice - will we enter life through him, the gatekeeper, or seek another road. The choice is ours!
John's Gospel, which we know is filled with powerful images, presents us with one of the most significant in our reading today. Jesus describes himself as the gate through which all must pass who seek God and eternal life. The Lord is very clear, "I am the gate. Whoever enters by me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture" (10:9). Jesus tells his disciples that there are many ways to enter, that is to live one's life, but only those who hear the voice of the gatekeeper will discover, follow, and hold to the correct path. All who seek to find another route are described as "thieves and bandits" who have come to steal and kill. Jesus, however, has come to give abundant life to those who follow him.
The imagery of this passage provides two important and distinct messages. First, we hear a polemical warning by Jesus against all who seek to call the sheep, that is God's people, away from the only true road, namely through the sheepgate. In branding such people as criminals, Jesus is clearly suggesting that the teachings and the path that he offers must be followed if one desires to find God's presence at the end of life. So many false prophets are present in society and they come in various forms. Some of these "teachers" are prognosticators of doom, those who forecast only the worst and seemingly can never find anything in their lives or that of society to celebrate. These people have given up hope, have "thrown in the towel" and surrendered to the difficulties and obstacles of life. Other false prophets take the opposite road and declare that there are no problems and that we must maintain the status quo at all costs. Like the proverbial ostrich that hides its head in the sand, these "prophets" choose to look the other way and ignore the plight of those less fortunate, including the poor, the sick, and those who live on the margins of our society. There are those teachers, as well, who suggest that all the answers to life's questions and problems can be found in the world and all that it has to offer. The allure of power, wealth, and prestige, the three great sins of human nature, is strong and many preach this as the message of salvation. Such prophets are the thieves and bandits to whom Jesus refers in his metaphor. In many ways all are prophets of doom who insist that God should play no role in our world or our lives.
In striking contrast to this first message, is Jesus' insistence that there must be a strong bond between the sheep, God's people, and the gatekeeper, Jesus. This missive of hope is integral to the whole mission of Christ, and states that all who follow him faithfully will never see death, but rather will enjoy the eternal life which is God's gift to all who believe. We must listen to the voice of the true shepherd, the gatekeeper, amidst the noise of many false prophets. This is often a difficult task, but if we keep our attention fixed on Christ, then we will not be swayed by the errant messages that seem to surround us. Christ is the light at the end of the dark tunnel; we must persevere and diligently hold fast to the road and not seek detours or shortcuts. There is one, and only one, way to find life and that is through Jesus, the gatekeeper.
Today's society presents us with many choices and possibilities that only seem to grow more numerous with time and the "advance" of culture. They say that "variety is the spice of life" and I suspect it is true. Yet, the many choices that stand before us can be confusing. We need to learn how to wisely use the gift of free will, our ability to choose. This gift, if used constructively, can provide much good for our world, but if abused it can create untold grief.
Wisdom dictates that in order to use our gift of free will wisely, we must ask ourselves some important questions concerning how well we follow Jesus, the shepherd and gatekeeper, in the decisions we make. What are the criteria that we use to make the important decisions of our lives? Do we seek out family and friends, colleagues and associates? What place does God have in our decision making process? What responsibility do we feel for those God has entrusted to us? Young people, students, or subordinates at work all look to elders and superiors to lead them. By following our lead will people find the pasture of life or are we leading people astray by the conduct of our lives? What choices have we made lately? Were they helpful and did they aid us along the path of life or were they destructive? If they were harmful, did we have the courage to change and make a better choice? When we make decisions are they based solely on our needs and wants or do we consider the desires of others? If we find ourselves in positions of authority, do we make choices that are beneficial to all or are we selfish in our choices? Jesus' life demonstrates that suffering is part of the Christian life. Are we willing to make the decision that may cause suffering because it is the right choice, or do we shy away because we are afraid to endure a crisis for the sake of Christ's name?
All of these ideas concerning decisions beg one more important and pertinent question - why does the world suffer? Why do pain, problems, and suffering exist in such abundance? We all believe that God is all good, all love, full of compassion, and all powerful. This is how we define God and we believe this is true. Thus, the question bears repeating, why does our world suffer? Why do wars exist and people die in innocence? Why do people in positions of public trust commit acts that cause others not only to lose faith in the individual, but in the system as well? Why do people fight one another when the only difference between them is the color of their skin, their political preference, or religious belief?
The basic answer to these challenging questions is personal choice, our free will to say, "Yes" or "No," to God at any time in any way. Søren Kierkegaard, the famous nineteenth--century existentialist philosopher and theologian, once wrote, "Faith is a matter of choice, our personal decision in finding God." This personal decision, our free will, is why the world suffers. It is free will that allows the drunk to drive and kill others. It is free will that allows people in public service to break the law and, thus, lower the integrity of the system. It is free will that places certain members and groups in society on the fringe and does not allow them to participate. Free will moves us closer to or further from God. As Kierkegaard wrote, it is our decision; faith is our choice.
Jesus, the gate that leads to life, invites us to follow him to his pasture. Our great gift of free will allows us to say, "Yes" or "No," to God. God loves us so much, that we were given the option whether or not we wish to follow the Lord. In some ways it might be easier if we were animals that relied totally on instinct. We would then be programmed to follow the Lord and find eternal life. God, however, believes that the choice must be ours. God wants us to give our daily ascent to his invitation. Many will present themselves along the way as the gate we should employ. We must find our way through the maze of false teachers, hopeless situations, and problematic circumstances to find Jesus and the true path to God which he provides. The choice is ours! Jesus put it well in Matthew's Gospel (7:13--14): "Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the road is easy that leads to destruction, and there are many who take it. For the gate is narrow and the road is hard that leads to life, and there are few who find it."
____________
1. "Colors," paraphrased from John Aurelio. Colors! Stories of the Kingdom (New York: Crossroad, 1993), pp. 134--136.
