Jan 19 ~ No One Gift is Above Another

A recording of the sermon is available by clicking above.

Sermon, by Pastor Joel

January 19, 2025

Isaiah 62:1-5  

Psalm 36:5-10  

1 Corinthians 12:1-11  

John 2:1-11   

The context of this sermon is

100% written by a human

Which is more valuable to you: freedom or equality? Depending on how people answer this question, they often find themselves on different sides of the political spectrum. Conservatives will say that for people to be free some inequality must exist. On the far left, ensuring equality justifies a certain level of restriction on freedom. Freedom and equality are two ideals of a just society. To feel both free and equal are marks of a happy human life. And yet they are often pitched against each other. Or societies try to find the right balance, with mixed results. Too much freedom in the market place, and the gap between rich and poor grows. Alexandria Ruble wrote “Entangled Emancipation”: a book about East Germany exploring how during the socialism of the cold war, women, in many ways, enjoyed more equality – at home, at university, and at work – than their western counterparts. And yet they had to worry about a police state, about keeping silent in the public square, about shortages in essential supplies. So, force control upon people, even if it increases equality, and freedom suffers painfully. But must they always be in conflict?

My first-year university son Samson introduced me to an American philosopher named Elizabeth Anderson, who says “No.” A society can aim for both freedom and equality by thinking about that goal in a different way – and thus bring together increasingly polarized political views. First, she says, look at the roots of a tolerant society.  It began, she argues, with the peaceful settling of religious differences. As a result, space was made in the public sphere for different approaches to faith. This progressive notion of equality before God then led to freedom for individuals who could express different identities in different parts of their lives: work, home, church. “Is that not what it means to be free?” Anderson asked? Not to be caught by a single identity in every step you take, but to have the ability to adopt identities that work to the best of your ability. For women, we see what this has meant – the freedom to be both a talented engineer, a nurturing mother, an empowered romantic partner. But we also see how without efforts by society to strive for equality – without good childcare for one example, and true access to traditional male professions for another --  that freedom is hindered. A society that seeks to be both free and equal, Elizabeth Anderson argues, creates systems and policies that provide equal opportunity for the exercise of one’s talents.

This is the point that Elizabeth Anderson is making – and it is the point that our second lesson makes this morning, as clear an argument for both equality and freedom as we might find in Sacred Text.  We are told there is a variety of gifts, which we might in our modern time, translate to skills or abilities or talents. Some might have the gift of wisdom, or the ability to impart knowledge. Others might have faith, the ability to communicate with people, the ability to heal. What else is the gospel describing then but teachers, and lawyers and philosophers and caregivers and mediators, and tradespeople, and nurturers. And the second lesson goes on to make clear that all of these are activated by the one and the same Holy Spirit.  There are varieties of gifts by one Spirit. And varieties of services, but one God. No one gift is above the other.  To each is given, for the common good.

What, then, does this mean for us, as individuals and as a society, if we truly accept this idea in scripture – that all talents are created equal? First, we must reject the inherent status, imposed by free market societies, that some jobs are higher status, and these are usually the ones – in finance, law, entertainment, and politics – that are most rewarded.

It is nonsensical from a community point of view – for what would we do, how long would our communities function, without teachers, and paramedics, and garbage collectors, and nurses – jobs less rewarded financially? We must rightly ask ourselves about this system. Some countries already have – which is why in Norway, for instance, early childhood educators receive much higher salaries and much more status than they do here.  The question that Anderson asks – the point raised in our Second Lesson – may lead us there. If indeed all talents are equal before God, is it not our responsibility to ensure that we remove barriers to people engaging those talents to their fullest? This is where Anderson brings her point home – the idea is not to hand out money paternalistically, to see the ‘haves’ of society so charitably tossing coins at the ‘have-nots’. This may make things more equal but not necessarily free. (For are not ‘have-nots’ still subject to the generosity of the ‘haves’?) But perhaps to ask deeper questions, such as, “What structurally must happen in society to maintain freedom by equalizing opportunity?” Public health care surely falls into this argument.  One example is making buildings wheelchair-accessible – by allowing everyone the freedom to enter, they are given equal access to the space.

So, we have a Second Lesson this morning that begins by reminding us that God has found the balance between equality and freedom. With the gifts of the Holy Spirit, we are made equal. Through the love and acceptance of God, we are granted freedom. But this lesson also raises significantly more substantive questions about what we want society to look like.  For example, “What is our calling to extend these two ideals into our public places and institutions?”

We will have an election this year – a chance, whatever your politics, to debate and consider what we value. We have all around us countries being torn apart, or frenzied into controversy, by this very discussion – should freedom reign supreme above equality, or should equality come at the expense of freedom? We have, in our faith, the example of this balance – perfected in our relationship with God. It is not so easily turned into practice on earth, but surely, we must try -- for our society, ourselves, and our children.  Surely that is what God, who sets the example, calls us all to do. Thankfully, as those verses from Corinthians remind us, we are blessed – each one of us, in our own way – with the gifts meant to be used toward that ideal goal - that time when freedom and equality are not traded off but exist in harmony.

Amen.

Jan. 12 ~ Humility is an Awareness of Something Greater Than Self

A recording of the sermon is available by clicking above.

Sermon, by Pastor Joel

January 12, 2025

Isaiah 43:1-7

Psalm 29

Acts 8:14-17

Luke 3:15-17, 21-22  

The context of this sermon is

100% written by a human

Every time John the Baptist shows up in our gospel, he is compelling. For me, he is perhaps one of the most human characters in our gospel story – and also one of our best role models. John the Baptist doesn’t care what other people think – as his bombastic language suggests. He doesn’t worry about small stuff – as his style of dress suggests. He is clear about his purpose and won’t be deterred from his values. His human flaws of being rude and brash only bring him more to life. Of all the people we meet in the gospel narrative, he never wavers – from God, his purpose, and, of course, from Jesus.

And no more so than this morning, when he scoffs at the people who think that he might be the Messiah. The one who is coming, he says, is far greater than I. “I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandal.” And there is John, baptizing people in the River Jordan, when Jesus approaches and asks John to do the same for him. Our gospel this morning doesn’t go into details. But in Matthew, we hear that John protested because he didn’t feel it was appropriate. And Jesus said to him, “In this way we will do all that God requires.” And so John baptized Jesus.

Why is John such a powerful character? I would argue it is because he is the quintessential humble servant. He is someone who could have seized power – he had his throng of adoring fans. He could easily have stepped into the limelight. He could have been swept up in his own acclaim. And yet, he held fast. He showed humility, perhaps his greatest power, and certainly provided a good lesson for us all.

Is humility a quality we admire? In other people, absolutely. We enjoy the company of the humble person who doesn’t feel the need to brag, who shows an openness to other people, who seems comfortable with themselves and what they don’t know. People who score high on humility, research suggests, are more other-centred than focused on themselves. That alone makes them pleasant company.

And yet, parents don’t exactly look at their kids and say, I really hope he or she is humble when they grow up. In fact, society tells us that the successful path is to do the opposite of John – to seize power, to attract the limelight, to bask in acclaim. To be humble is to be weak, a wall flower, and less than. When we talk about someone’s humble clothes, we don’t mean elegantly simple. When we say someone has a humble manner, or a humble house, the sense of that description is less than. Do we see humility as central to success, as evidence of a security of self that is enviable? For what is a humble person - and who was John – but that? Certain and sure-footed, released from the chase of external validation, and true to what was inside himself. That was John – the humble servant.

What does humility achieve in the world? Humility in CEOs has been linked, in studies, to a willingness to listen, to admit mistakes, to consider other perspectives, and to remain open to other solutions to a problem – all skills that come in handy in complex situations. The humble CEO empowers more employees – that is, they bring out the best in people.

Other work suggests a link between humility and happiness. Being humble appears to improve well-being and increase life satisfaction. Perhaps that is because humble people have a closer and warmer social circle; perhaps it is because their outlook on life is less self-critical or judgemental. I expect it is both.

How can we practice humility if it doesn’t come naturally to us, as we might assume it did for John the Baptist? (And who knows? Maybe he had to work at it too, for a time.) I suppose our first steps would be to listen more carefully to others, to avoid even the humble brag, to remain open to what we don’t yet have figured out, and to worry less about personal accomplishment and more about contribution.

In a 2014 research paper, a team of business researchers referred to Humility as the disposition of a person that reflects “a self-view that something greater than the self exists.”

“A self-view that something greater than the self exists:” Could even John the Baptist have put it better? In that River Jordan, John finally saw for himself the power of that greater thing, in the divinity of Jesus, when the Holy Spirit appeared above him as a dove, and the voice of God named him. And he would know that man – as we do – to be the humble servant he had been. Not a king, even though a kingdom was his for the seizing. Not a dictator, even when his followers might have wanted him to take control. Not a braggart, immune even to the Devil’s tempting him in the desert. And indifferent to those who would push him off his path of purpose, even when those people were his closest friends - like Peter - and meant well.

Let us look to the model of John the Baptist, whose humility was never weakness, but only strength. His willingness to humble himself brought him closer to God. Humility is also a gift: an awareness that something greater than self exists, and that we are not alone.

Amen.

Jan. 5 - Look up to the Magi in our midst, to find the wisdom of Epiphany

A recording of the sermon is available by

clicking the box below.

Sermon, by Pastor Joel

January 5, 2025

Isaiah 60:1-6

Psalm 72:1-7, 10-14

Ephesians 3:1-12

Matthew 2:1-12  

The context of this sermon is

100% written by a human

I am married to someone who loves the colour and sparkle of Christmas and would probably leave up the decorations for months. But of course that is not liturgically correct. And so we have reached a compromise. On the first day of epiphany the gold and glitz of Christmas are put away. But the lights remain on the tree, as does the greenery, sparkling up the house during the long days of winter until Lent. This compromise has not only maintained peace in my marriage but has also kept the comfort and quiet spirit of epiphany in our minds, well after the signs of Christmas have been packed up for next year.

Indeed, it is the glow of wisdom in epiphany that should speak to all of us in the weeks ahead. We heard this morning about the Magi who, having dodged Herod’s inquisition and followed the star, have finally arrived at the manger. These educated people, who have come to see Jesus we are told, lay their gifts before him and are overwhelmed with joy. How that experience informed their teachings from that day forth, we can only guess. But at least, we understand, they did not turn around and go back to Herod to spill what they’d seen. As the gospel says, they avoided the angry ruler by taking another road home.

Where do we find the wisdom of Epiphany? How do we follow the star in the sky that leads us to the comfort and peace of the manger, however that manifests in our lives? Perhaps we might look for Magi in our midst and take guidance from them.

This year, my partner, Erin, came up with an interesting idea in her job covering happiness for The Globe and Mail. She asked Canadians to send in the names of the “happiest people they know.” More than 100 names were sent in, and Erin so far has interviewed only a small number. But I have been hearing about them for weeks – their inspiring idea of happiness, the clarity of their own priorities, and the advice they would offer for those of us searching to be happier. In the end, Erin’s story included 12 kernels of wisdom from the group.

What comes through when you read their stories is that they did not have perfect lives. A young woman had lost her father when she was in university. A father waiting for his first child was diagnosed with an incurable cancer. Maybe, they all said, their personalities leaned toward happiness to start. But they had also worked hard to develop their sense of self, to build happy and meaningful lives. One woman learned to forgive her ex-partner and the friend of hers with whom he had started a relationship. A retired principal, who had left his training to become a Jesuit priest, had wrestled with what he would now do, and went off to Calcutta to volunteer. He found himself, one afternoon, sitting with Mother Teresa, asking her for guidance. Follow your deepest desire, she told him, and it will work out. What I think Mother Teresa was saying was know yourself – learn who you are – and your path will be clear.

So what were the 12 lessons from these happy Canadians? I will share four that especially resonated with me.

The first one: Stay curious about the people you love, a young woman advised. She said she never has her phone out when talking to her closest friends: she listens carefully, watches their body language, and asks questions to truly understand their words. Active listening. A skill we could probably all improve.

The second: When Life is hard, maintain perspective. Today is not tomorrow. The young father had received his cancer diagnose in late winter 2020, around the same time his wife discovered she was carrying their first child. Of course, you know what happened in 2020: the pandemic delayed his surgery, and when he finally started treatment, his wife could not visit. After his daughter was born, he had to return alone to hospital to continue his care. And yet, when he looked back on that year, he had to laugh. It could have always been worse he said. What’s more, he insisted, today cannot be allowed to define tomorrow. You can grow and change and adapt. Perhaps embracing life comes into particular relief when you are not yet 40, and facing your own mortality. But isn’t the time for embracing life right now – whatever your age?

The third: Talk to strangers. I have spoken about this before, but these people were also the ones who would say good morning to their neighbors, who struck up a conversation at the mechanic’s, who learned about the people buying their tomatoes. “Don’t spend a lot of time talking about the weather,” one of them said. When you ask deeper questions, you come away having learned more –even if you never see that person again.

And finally -- this one was Erin’s favourite, and she has won me over, so I will include it: “Have fun. Blow Bubbles. Dance and Sing.” The people talked about how, as adults, we don’t place enough value on fun – blowing bubbles with your mom might seem frivolous when you have work to do. But in these fun, silly moments, they said, you create memories and connections that sustain you when life gets hard. By having fun, you practice joy, you learn to care less what other people think, and build a life of meaning.

In this season of Epiphany, this is my New Year’s Resolution. Not to define 2025 by don’ts. If you want to add some don’ts -- don’t drink alcohol, don’t eat too many cookies – give it a go. But for every don’t, create at least two dos: Do talk to strangers. Do practice gratitude. Do listen better. Do have fun.

The Christmas story is not defined by what the people in the manger didn’t do – but what they did. Just like the Magi following the star, we can be active participants as well. We can follow the gospel, rather than bending to law. For there lies the spirit of God and the divine life. And for the people whom others see as at peace and wise, there lies happiness.

Amen.