Your Ministry

The Most Rev. Michael Curry has been everywhere from the View to the Today Show since the Royal Wedding.

If you got trapped under a rock this past week you may not know that our Presiding Bishop, the Most Rev. Michael Curry, preached at Saturday’s Royal Wedding between Megan Merkel and Prince Harry. And, by most accounts he knocked it out of the park. He delivered a lively homily for the ages. He wowed the 2 billion people watching. And, he even got some startling reactions from the Royal Family. It was masterful. It was fun. It was a moment that we can be proud of as Episcopalians. But, it will all be a waste if we simply sit around and pat ourselves on the back.

Some have criticized Presiding Bishop Curry for using the afterglow of that moment. He got on Twitter to tell folks that if they liked what they saw, then it might be meet and right to head over to their local Episcopal Church the next day. “Oh, that’s shameful marketing!” some suggested. In response Curry has continued to point not to his own ministry, but to that of the Church and more importantly to the ministry we share in Christ Jesus. Did you know that?

Did you know that you share in the ministry not just of this Church, but of Christ Jesus himself? Did you know that you—yes I am talking about you—are part of this same movement of love? “Oh,” you say, “I don’t know about all that.” Then, the reasons why you do not qualify begin to roll off your tongue:

-“I don’t follow all the right rules.”
-“I need to do more service towards others.”
-“I haven’t achieved enough status to qualify yet.”
-“I am not special enough to be part of that ministry.”
-“I do not know enough yet.”
-“I am not part of this prestigious group.”
-“I am not happy enough.”
-“I do not the leader of the group.”
-“I am not at peace enough to belong.”

You and I both have our reasons for thinking that we just do not make the cut. And, all of those reasons are bogus. They are bologna!

God has chosen you to be part of this movement. That is why you are alive at this precise moment. That is why you exist right now. That is why God continues to call you into being alive every second of everyday of your life thus far. It’s pretty magnificient and at the same time our part in this grand ministry is pretty miniscule. But, that’s okay because it’s not really about how grand I am or you are. No, it’s about how collectively we are called by God to take part in the ministry of Jesus. Today of all days, is a day to remember and celebrate this truth.

Four times throughout the year the Church sets apart special days dedicated to ministry. They are called Ember Days. They happen on the Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday before the Fourth Sunday of Advent, the Second Sunday of Lent, Trinity Sunday, and during the third week of September. However, most just remember Lenty-Penty-Lucy-Crucy… For Lent, Pentecost, St. Lucy’s Day (in December), and Holy Cross Day in September. More than the timing what matters is the purpose behind these days.

These days are times when those preparing for ordination have special observances, practice fasting, and write a letter to their bishop. “Alright,” you may be thinking, “what does this have to do with me?” Well, while this is an occasion set apart for those preparing to take on formal ordination vows in the Church, the readings, the themes, and the spirit of this day connects to God’s call for each of us—whether we are ordained in Holy Baptism or at another ordination service. Again, you have a ministry that is part of Christ’s ministry. But, what does that mean and what does that look like?

First, let’s cover what it looks like to be in this Jesus Movement. Returning to our Presiding Bishop’s message, it is fantastic that he spoke so powerfully of God’s love that changes the world, but now how do we live into that? It is quite easy to just go about our lives with our heads down plowing along. Letting the cuts and bruises of life affect us. As we do, we may end up hard-headed and hard-hearted. Our reading from Ezekiel though, tells us the truth of what God wants for us. God wants to remove our stubbornness, so that we might have soft, fleshy hearts and creative minds that see the world with new eyes on a daily basis.

Our Gospel lesson for today illuminates this more fully. The Sons of Thunder aka James and John wanted to be the best of the lot, the rulers of the disciples. Jesus though challenged all his followers to flip the world on its head. We—when we let God’s love take hold of us—do not seek lofty positions of power, but lowly places of servitude. That is what it looks like to be part of this movement, to seek and serve others every chance we get. But what does it mean to be part of the ministry of Jesus?

When we are part of the Jesus Movement we recognize the vision of Romans 6 as the truth of our existence. We know that death no longer has power over us, neither does sin, nor corruption, nor any other forces of evil. We have been buried with Christ. And, in this death Christ destroyed death and all its minions. If we no longer fear death, then the question begs to be asked, “What is it that we are afraid of?”

If we are no longer fearful of forces of evil, if we are instead clothed in Christ’s death and resurrection, what can’t we do? This is what it means to be part of the Jesus Movement. We are eternally alive in Christ. We are living in God’s death-conquering love.

Now, this does not mean we won’t physically grow old and die. It does not mean that evil does not exist in this world. Nor, does it mean that we won’t make mistakes. Rather, as we choose to live life in Christ what we become is part of the life-altering, death-destroying, universe-changing movement of love that will transform everything. You are part of this ministry. Do not doubt that for a moment.

So, let us not rest on the laurels of our leader’s wedding sermon heard round the world. Instead, may we have soft hearts to receive God’s love, may we live out of that love as we become servants of all, and may we know that we are all ministers in Jesus’ Movement of universe-changing love! And for that calling, thanks be to God. Amen.