|
January 30th.
2008
WHO WE FOLLOW CAN BE AN EPIPHANY
The lovely Mrs. Prior has more gifts
than I could even hope for having. However, one that she is clearly
lacking is sense of direction. She is, as we often refer to as,
“directionally challenged.”
Her inability to have an innate sense of direction forces her to be very
conscientious in obtaining very specific directions to her desired
destination. This high need to use others as a compass has led to very
interesting predicaments. “Sure…it's right up around the corner…then
take a left, and then a right (always ending with the seal the deal
statement) - you can't miss it!”
Whom we get our direction from and whom we choose to follow can be very
tricky business, if not in the most critical of situations,
life-threatening. Following one bad set of directions has the potential
of placing you in great danger.
Consequently, whom we choose to follow is not just relevant in obtaining
driving direction but in life direction as well.
“Follow me, and I will make you fish for people.” Would you bite, so to
speak, if you and your siblings were out for a day of fishing and some
fellow came along and made this bold claim to you, especially if fishing
was your livelihood? And yet, that is exactly what Peter and Andrew and,
shortly after, James and John did when approached by Jesus: “immediately
they left their nets and followed Jesus.”
It is important to note that prior to this encounter Jesus was
proclaiming, “Repent for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” To remind
you, at its core, to repent is to turn from the direction one is headed.
Thus, Jesus' call to repent, and subsequent call of the fishermen to
follow him was about going in a new direction.
Jesus calls us all as well. We, too, are called to follow Jesus. This
is Good News but not new news. The challenge is how do we know we are
taking our direction from Jesus to repent and to follow him? The
invitation to follow Jesus came at the beginning of his public ministry.
So what direction did Jesus take his new followers?
If we are about healing and wholeness, if we are working for justice and
mercy, if we are sacrificing self, our own issues our own agenda to
build up the body, if we are motivated by love and not fear then we are
following where Jesus led the fishermen and where he leads us.
Blessings,
The Rev. Brian N. Prior, Rector
Click to view archived 'Messages'
|
