This past week, our family gathered on the Redig Family Farm for our annual clean-up day. This is a day we set aside each year in spring to clean the family farm inside and out—washing windows, cleaning out cupboards, dusting hidden corners, weeding flower beds, trimming trees, picking up debris on woods’ trails and hauling it all away. You get the idea. And amid all this sprucing up there is lots of conversation and catching up on each other’s lives.  Of course there is the potluck meal at noon that sustains us throughout all the house and yard work. And what gathering in Winona would be complete without a sampling of Bloedows’ donuts mid-morning? A nephew so indulged us. The day ended with a cook-out of hotdogs and marshmallows plus the added joy of blessing the marriage of a niece and her husband by the family gathered.

As I reflected on the meaning of Corpus Christi,  which means, as you know, the Body of Christ, it struck me that our gathering was a wonderful sign and symbol for what this feast should call up in each of us. Jesus our brother came among us to show us how much we are each loved by God. He totally immersed himself in created life; the goodness of relationships, the ups and downs of all that life brings.  He lived and died in an all-encompassing way to show us the way to do the same.  His passage into resurrected life gave us the promise and hope of the same.

Because he wanted to remain close to all of created life even when he could no longer remain here physically; he gave us a most wonderful gift, that of the Eucharist. With his words, “This is my body, this is my blood,” whenever we gather to remember and share this sacred meal, he is with us in a special way—we don’t know how exactly, but in the words of the hymn, we remember, we celebrate, we believe!

And as wonderful as this gift is to behold and partake in; we must see it as only the beginning, the starting place in our lives as Christians, as followers of our brother Jesus.  We would do better, and I must give my husband Robert credit for this, to see the Eucharist as a verb as opposed to a noun, for you see, Jesus never intended it to be a static encounter between God and us as individuals, but the impetus for us moving out into our world and again through the words of a hymn, become “bread” for that same world.

In the past; I believe all of us got stuck in the piety of reverencing the body and blood on the altar, taking it no further, letting it be a noun, instead of a verb—an action word. Because we didn’t make the connection, we forgot about Jesus’ body and blood in the world, in all the faces, in all the lives of those that we meet each day. The reception of the Eucharist, it seems to me, was always and is today, just the starting place for us—the challenge for us is to then become the bread—the body of Jesus in our world—that is where the transubstantiation really needs to take place!

Just like my opening example of family gathered, there was at the end of the day of being together, working, sharing a meal and conversing, the hope and promise of more in the future.  Each time we gather here, likewise, to pray, to share, to eat this sacred meal; we are simply starting, and must move out then into our individual lives, choosing to be present to the body of Christ that we meet each day in our homes, at work, at the grocery store—wherever our lives take us.

Our Christian lives friends are a challenge—we are meant to be active as a result of our baptisms. In that light, another opportunity has availed itself this week in the request from the Dan Corcoran House for volunteers to do 4-hour shifts “on the house.”  This is an opportunity which may work for some of you and if interested, I can get the information to you as to how to be involved. There are countless ways for us to be bread for our world, and, through our parish, many of you are already involved very generously and for that, I am most grateful.  You are an encouragement to me and models for my actions.

Our commitment to our God must always carry us out of ourselves as St. Edith Stein, Jewish nun and convert from Judaism, living under Nazi occupation said, “Dedication to God means dedication to the whole of creation.”  The Eucharist friends, is not a static noun, but a challenging, active verb and Jesus’ words, “This is my body, this is my blood” sends us forth into our world.  Hopefully, we can respond, “Amen!”

Today, my friends, we are asked to ponder a great mystery—who is God for us?  The easy formula that we have always used in the past and into the present says well what we believe—that of the sign of the cross—where we say that we believe in Abba God, the Creator, in the name of the First-Born, or Son—Jesus, our Brother, and in the name of the Spirit, Sophia, in the Old or First Testament—the feminine face of God—three persons—All, one God.  It is a mystery that we can only take on faith as it is beyond our scope to truly understand.   I think what is easier for most of us to grasp, and where our energies should lie, is in the relational understanding of who God is for us, and of how God wants to be part of our lives.

The first reading from Deuteronomy finds Moses marveling to the people, now freed from Egypt, of how their God had worked so wonderfully in their lives and of the signs God had shown to bring them out of bondage.  “Know this today, therefore, and take it into your hearts: Your God is God indeed, in heaven above and on earth below and there is no other.” And more than even the feats of strength, the power shown in the wonders of nature, was the fact that God had chosen them from all the nations, in their belief, a small, rather insignificant people to raise up and make them God’s own.   We think of Psalm 8, used to preface the Gospel today: “When I behold your heavens, the work of your hands …who are we that you should be mindful of us?” How had they been so fortunate? Had they in fact done anything to deserve this kind of care?  The answer of course for them and us was and is, often times, “No.” We too can share stories of how God was with us mightily in times of trouble and we certainly can echo St. Paul’s words—“I know the right thing to do, but I often choose otherwise.

But getting back to the fact of this insignificant people being chosen—we see as we follow the readings for today through to understand who our God is, that the choosing of us–of all people, does go on to the present—to each one of us–to our children and our children’s children. A literal read of this passage from Deuteronomy would tell us that our God is exclusive, choosing one group of people over another to the detriment of those not chosen, but we know in Jesus, that is not so—Jesus was about calling and choosing all of us.

So friends, we see in reading much of the First Testament texts that we need to look for the fulfillment of them in the Second—in the message of Jesus. In Jesus, we see that all, in effect, are chosen, are cherished, are loved and are wanted.  One of Jesus’  last commands to his flock was that they would make disciples of all the nations—baptizing them in the name of the Three Persons, the Creator, the Savior and the Spirit—all comprising one God.  And when we struggle to follow Jesus, we remember his most comforting line before physically departing the earth—“Know my friends that I am with you always, even until the end of the world.”

Now, I don’t know about you, but I can do much in this world with that knowledge—that I am doing it with Jesus at my side.  I can put up with the struggles, the misunderstandings at times to keep moving forward, to keep answering the call to love wherever and with whomever–as long as I know that God is with me! That gives me great hope!

Looking at the second reading from Paul to the Romans, we get a sense of how intimately we are connected to this Triune God.  We are not subjects, nor slaves, we are children of God, heirs with Jesus, the Christ—the First-Born of God.  And because we are heirs—Jesus is our Brother and Friend, not a Lord over us.  You will remember that Jesus called the disciples his friends in his priestly prayer before he died.  And again, that is why I always call you friends when I address you—I see myself as your equal—not as one above you, as seems to be have been the trend in recent years in the patriarchal church, bent on returning to pre-Vatican II times. But now, with Francis; we are seeing a turn once again, forward a bit, to a Church on more equal footing.  I say, “a bit” because Francis hasn’t yet been enlightened on women.

God, the Creator, is our loving parent, the term—“Abba,” means that.  The Spirit is the spirit of Jesus. I once learned as a child that the love of God the Creator for the First-Born, Jesus, was so great that it caused a third entity—and that is the Spirit.  That always made sense to me.  Most of us can wrap our minds and hearts around that—which is the model for procreation—the love between two is so great that a third entity is born. This is in the very best sense of course, because we know that procreation happens that does not include true love and self-giving but only passion and power-over. Both love and passion are necessary to give birth to more love in our world—a love that will nurture created life, in the model of our loving God for each of us.

This aspect, that love and passion are necessary “to give birth to more love in our world” has been very much part of the defense, if you will, for sanctioning the love relationships of gay and lesbian couples.  “Love is love is love,” as my friend and songwriter, Paul Alexander has so aptly said. Wherever there is love, there is God, our brother Jesus has said, so why would we not want to uplift that?  The Church hierarchy’s defense against love that seems to not follow the rules has been that such actions will be “confusing” to the people.  I believe the only confusing actions are in fact when we do anything that is against love—using love as a measure always trumps the law.

On this Trinity Sunday, a word about terminology for God—this is something I have shared with you before, but it bears repeating.  We know from Scriptures that the Spirit is continually renewing the face of the earth and so our understanding of God must grow too.  If you listen carefully to me, you will realize that I seldom address God as Father, Son and a Spirit that is male, exclusively.  I do this primarily because God is bigger and more than, as theologian, Sandra Schneiders, says, “Two men and a bird.”  I do it as well to help women, myself included, and men, realize that female flesh does image our God too.   If God is bigger than two men and a bird—if God is mother, father, sister, brother, friend—women and men will begin to see God in the feminine face and not primarily in the masculine face alone.  If women are given the privilege along with their brothers to serve at the altars of our churches—women will begin to recognize God in their experiences as men do in theirs. And friends, this is our goal—to see God through our lives, on this earth, because after all, our eternity will be with God; best to get acquainted now with who God really is!

Speaking of ordination for women, I recall the words of a priest friend back some 15 years ago who when we were discussing this possibility and he very matter-a-factly said to me, “Well Kathy, no one has a right to ordination.” I looked at my friend and said as lovingly as I could, “Well you have much more of a right than me simply by the nature of how you happened to have been born!”  Something doesn’t ring true about a mindset of exclusivity when we are considering a God in Jesus who came to let us know of his Abba’s over-the-top love for each of us.

This reminds me of the present-day prophet, Joan Chittister who is fond of saying and I paraphrase:  Our God who is all powerful, all wonderful, has all strength and wisdom, can move mountains, is simply undone when it comes to women!  Friends, the inability to see the image of Jesus in women is a mindset, pure and simple and is not of love, and certainly is not of God.

In respect for our history and where we have come from, it is good to remember, if we could ever forget, that we grew out of a patriarchal society where some gods were seen as “fathers” because these ancient people considered human fathers to be the source of life, loving protectors and attentive guides.  In these patriarchal societies only a male child could be an heir.

This would explain the importance given through time to sons.  Now, let us underscore—“ancient” times in this consideration.  We now live in modern times and to hold onto a theology where God’s face is only revealed in male form and experience is to denigrate half of God’s human creation.  It is holding onto these ancient ideas that justifies to this day, women being paid less than men in many professions for comparable work.  The fact that men are considered better than women and of more importance justifies then, using and abusing them in society and in our homes.

Even the example of my priest friend who over the years was always very supportive of me as a woman in chaplaincy, stopped short of being able to see me as a priest.  He and others, trained so well, could not imagine women totally imaging Jesus our brother at the altar.

A Church that does not look equally on all of its congregants and see what our loving God sees in each one, what Jesus saw, is at least, not worthy of the term “human” and at most, should not be touting the label of “Christian.” Our Churches that operate out of a patriarchal mindset where men are seen as better than women do in effect encourage abuse of women in our society. This too my friends is why I lay such importance on the language that we use for people and for God—those with the language are those with the power.  Our Churches should be modeling for society the good, the best we can be as persons, not the status quo or what is most convenient.

Within our Christian churches we should be able to see the face of Jesus, who continually saves—recognize the work of on-going creation and the renewal of the Spirit that is ever calling us to be more—to move ever closer to God as we move ever closer in relationship, understanding and appreciation of each and every person.   The Triune God, my friends is a mystery—a wonder and a reality.  Let us pray today to be ever more cognizant of how our God has loved us from creation onward until now and wants and expects us to love our world and its people in the same way.

                     Heal our wounds, our strength renew;

                   On our dryness pour your dew;

                   Wash the stains of guilt away:

                   Bend the stubborn heart and will;

                   Melt the frozen, warm the chill;

                Guide the steps that go astray.

 

   On Pentecost Sunday, over time, we have heard the above prayer and it seems to say well I believe what each of us needs as we welcome the Spirit more fully into our lives on this Sunday.  We marveled I’m sure listening to the reading from Acts at all the manifestations of power that those 1^st disciples exhibited and we almost dream for those times when we could do the same—when the Spirit would touch us in that same way.  But my friends, we do have that same power; we just must use it!

Many times Pentecost is called the birthday of the Church because it was on that day, blessed by a power beyond themselves—the holy Spirit of Jesus, that the apostles finally went public—they left the Upper Room that had become a place of hiding, to meet the world and proclaim without fear that Jesus had lived, died, rose from the dead and now lived eternally with the God of all life—to state in fact that he had forever changed their lives and the lives of everyone!  These disciples and friends of Jesus, were now armed, not with swords and spears as one would expect if they were to physically take over a nation—take their land back from the Romans, as many of these 1^st  followers thought that Jesus, as the Messiah was about. No, these disciples were armed with the strength and power of the very Spirit of God.  Their weapons to fight evil and renew the face of the earth were the gifts of language, spoken in a way that all tongues could understand; the gift of words to preach as Jesus had, opening the hearts and minds of all who heard them.

I think we marvel when we read these scriptures about Jesus’ first followers speaking in a way that everyone could hear, but what we must realize is that these first followers were availing themselves to the power of the Spirit and she spoke through them.  I say “she” because in the Old or First Testament Scriptures, the Spirit has traditionally been the feminine face of God in the entity, Sophia. Pentecost seems a good time to unearth the inclusiveness of our Great God!

I think sometimes we assume, and this is part of the “marveling,” if you will, that this first Pentecost was a different time and place and that we here today can only observe and say, “Wasn’t that great!”  But, really friends, we must be aware that the language that was heard, the message all these different visitors to Jerusalem heard, was the language of love. When we “show up” as author Anna Quindlen is fond of saying, the Spirit can speak the message of love through us too, to a world that so needs to hear it, to embrace it!

Last week I invited us to think of our own confirmations in our faith, either on that day or another day when we committed, in some way to following more fully our brother, Jesus.  That is where we are at on this day—on Pentecost Day—we are being asked again to re-commit—if being a Christian really means anything to us.  We all profess to be Catholics and that is the place we start—but it strikes me that what we must strive for really, is to be, Christians.  What we attempt to do here at All Are One is the latter—we aren’t ultimately bound by rules and regulations—denominational religion falls into this trap unfortunately, from time to time. As Christians we are ultimately bound by love and must always ask, what is the loving thing to do?—not, what do the rules say?

The Scriptures tell us that these disciples were filled with joy to move out in truth and love, to share Jesus’ goodness, mercy, and justice with all that they met. And we know that they brought many into the Church that first day—they were irresistible to all who met them, heard them, saw them—they were authentic, they were true and people wanted what they had!  And again, we reflect, why can’t that happen to us?—and again I repeat—it can, my friends—it can!

Sometimes we look at what is wrong in our Church and our first reaction is to look at whom we can blame.  And while that is understandable, it is not of the Spirit on this Pentecost Sunday or that 1^st Pentecost Sunday either.  The Spirit came upon those first disciples to set them on fire to go out and preach truth to power, share the love that had been so generously given to them by Jesus, care for the needy, help those who couldn’t help themselves, be hope for our world.

Each of us, my friends have been called by God for a special task—each of us has a voice—if we but use it—speak up when you see the injustices, the actions that are not of love, but of power.  Let us ask the Loving Spirit of Jesus today to renew within each of us that initial fervor and speak our truth wherever we can—be it in our world, city, in our churches, which some of you attend besides coming here—call for reform—call for justice and demand that finally the love of Jesus be made evident in not only all that we speak, but more importantly in all that we do—where finally, finally, all are welcome at our tables of celebration, regardless of status, gender or lifestyle.  Where finally, finally, women are blessed and not considered less, people to use who are expendable—where finally, finally, the laity is included in real decision making about who leads us—where finally and at last all are one in the Spirit of Jesus—these things, as we know, won’t come because we wish for it to happen—we all must speak truth to power and finally, finally become Pentecost people, living out our call to be truly followers of Jesus, the Christ! Come, Spirit Come and enkindle in us the fire of Jesus.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus tells his friends that he is sending them—we are included in that sending—and we must not fear, because we are not alone—Jesus said—I will be with you!  And here is where we must break out of the binds that religion has put us in to be truly Pentecost people. Jesus gave us as Church people all that we need when he said, this world is yours—what you bind will be bound, what you loose will be loosed! Come; Spirit, come! Amen! Alleluia!