Blog: Random Thoughts on Sunday's Sermon

Yesterday afternoon a massive tornado ripped through Moore, Oklahoma, killing 91 people and leaving hundreds injured. In this moment, we are all shedding tears and saying a prayer for those grieving the loss of loved ones.

The level of devastation from one tornado is hard to comprehend. Where once families lived in tight-knit neighborhoods, in manner of minutes there are now heaps of rubble in the place they used to call home.

We are all reeling and trying to make sense of this, especially with Hurricane Sandy, the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary, the explosion in West, Texas and the Boston Marathon Bombing fresh on our minds.  Yet insurance adjustors will survey the damage and have an explanation ready: it will be labeled an “act of God.”

We shouldn’t let this label bleed over into how we make sense of this, because it doesn’t make sense. There is no tidy theological category that will explain the pain and suffering that has resulted. What we do know is this: in the midst of tragedy and loss of life, God is grieving and filled with compassion.  This is a clue for how we are to response. Right now, in the midst of grief and great loss, our faith does not ask us to explain this. Instead our faith calls us to respond to it—with compassion and action.

As we do, let us remember the words of Psalm 46:1-3:

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change, though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea; though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble with its tumult.”

This doesn’t explain what happened, nor does it provide immediate relief from the pain and suffering. But it does give us a place to turn to find the comfort and strength we need to rebuild our lives in times of trouble.

On Sunday I spoke about the new craze in America: doing genealogies. It is the second most popular topic on the Internet and some report that it is America’s number one hobby.

The excitement of doing your genealogy is that you never know what you’ll find. Business Week reported that Ancestory.com discovered that President Obama is related to Brad Pitt, Warren Buffet, Sarah Palin and Rush Limbaugh. What a family gathering that would make!

I recently learned that I’m related to Amelia Earhart.  Even though I remember many trips to Grandpa Earhart’s home, I never would have made this connection.

When we do genealogies we are searching for those interesting and famous relatives that make us stand out—something that establishes our pedigree and sets us apart from the rest.

Here’s some startling news: we’re all related! Steve Olson, along with researchers from Yale and MIT, have concluded that we only have to go back 5,000 to 6,000 years to find that every living person today has the same set of ancestors. This means that if you’re reading this blog, you and I are related!

This is an understanding that is underscored from the beginning to the end of the Bible. It says we are all descendants of Adam and Eve. We are all children of Abraham. And Jesus taught us to see all people as God’s children and to treat them as our brothers and sisters.

We like to categorize the world to make us different—black and white, Muslim and Christian, Republican and Democrat. But we need to remember that whatever the person looks like, whatever they believe, they are family. Wouldn’t it be revolutionary if we followed Jesus’ lead and treated everyone like they were!

Here's a riddle for you on this rainy Thursday:

How long does it take a seven-year-old to eat breakfast?

The answer? Exponentially longer depending upon how late you are for school.

I spent 15 minutes cajoling my son into finishing his toaster waffles this morning, begging him to hurry. "Stop talking... Don't look at your sister... Don't tell me that story, just eat…."

That's the way our mornings go. Sometimes it's breakfast, sometimes it's putting on socks. Sometimes it's a last-minute bathroom run. I find myself sitting in the hall, fully-dressed, begging my son to Hurry. Up. That isn't the way it has to be.

My mother has a great gift for mornings. When we were growing up, and now even as she is not getting kids off to school, she has a morning routine that is a spiritual exercise in peace. Her secret? Waking up a little bit earlier. Our mornings began with breakfast at the table, whether it was a bowl of cereal or a bacon-and-eggs extravaganza. There was time to shake off the sleepiness, chat, and even watch an episode of the Brady Bunch. Unlike most of my friends, I got dressed after eating breakfast, and it was bliss. When I grew into an exhausted teenager, I continued the practice. I woke up early with my family. Sometimes I was just stretched out on the recliner, drinking coffee, and trying to wake up, but I was up and around.

What gifts of time do we give our children in the hectic pace of the city? When do we need to stop rushing and just be? Have you watched enough Brady Bunch lately?

This is another day, O Lord. I know not what it will bring forth, but make me ready, Lord, for whatever it may be. If I am to stand up, help me to stand bravely. If I am to sit still, help me to sit quietly. If I am to lie low, help me to do it patiently. And if I am to do nothing, let me do it gallantly. Make these words more than words, and give me the Spirit of Jesus. Amen.

Book of Common Prayer, 1979

On Friday evening I joined throngs of commuters and took a bus to New Jersey. It was my first time using the New Jersey Transit, and I was very confused! Did you know that there are over 300 gates? Once you get to your gate, you need to know your door number, which I did not know. And to complicate things further, not all of the buses on this line make all stops, so you need to know the schedule well to ensure you get on the correct bus.

When I arrived at my gate, a man must have seen my confused look and asked where I was going. I told him, and he directed me to the correct door. Honestly, I thought he had a “you moron” look in his eyes. When a bus arrived at the appointed time, I asked if it was my bus. He said, “It should be but it’s the wrong one.” As it turned out, this bus would end one stop short of what I needed.

The man approached the driver and explained to him that they have the wrong bus here. The driver didn’t seem to care, nor would he call for a manager. The man then saw someone in a uniform walking in the terminal and shouts, “Hey, over here!” Luckily, it was a manager and he instructed the driver to extend his route and go to the final stop—my stop!

The entire time my assumption was that he and I were getting off at the same stop. To my surprise, this man actually was one of the early stops. He had intervened on my behalf to ensure I arrived at my destination. He didn’t know me. We hadn’t engaged in any chitchat.  He did it so some stranger could find their way.

Why do I share this? Because the Bible teaches us not only to look to our interests, but also to the interest of others (Philippians 2:4). I realized on my little journey how powerful this can be.