First Presbyterian Church - Willmar
July 1, 2012
“Where to Start?”
In Act III, scene I of Hamlet, Shakespeare has the troubled prince utter some of the most famous lines in English literature. “To be, or not to be….” In that soliloquy, the prince has been contemplating the pluses and minuses of suicide. He longs for eternal peace, but there’s the rub. Who knows what really comes next?
For in that sleep of death what dreams may come when we have shuffled off this mortal coil, must give us pause:
For who would bear the whips and scorns of time, the oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely, the pangs of despised love, the law's delay, the insolence of office and the spurns that patient merit of the unworthy takes,
When he himself might his quietus make
with a bare bodkin? Who would fardels bear,
to grunt and sweat under a weary life,
And then in line 28 he says:
The word “conscience” appears a lot in Hamlet.
Shakespeare uses it to describe an inner sense of fear that should hold us back from wrongdoing. I don’t think that old Will thought much of people. I don’t think old Will gave any serious thought to the gift of God whom we call Jesus.
Shakespeare uses it to describe an inner sense of fear that should hold us back from wrongdoing. I don’t think that old Will thought much of people. I don’t think old Will gave any serious thought to the gift of God whom we call Jesus.
In our Gospel lesson, Jesus said “Do not fear; only believe.” Put all fear aside because there is nothing that you can do anyway to improve your situation. But God can. Now believe and watch what happens next.
“Where to start?” This is where to start: “Do not fear; only believe.”
There is an enormous richness for our faith to be found in the Gospel stories. There is a great deal to be gained from simply reading and reflecting on the life and words and actions of Jesus, God incarnate. I don’t have much to add.
A woman, scorned and rejected by her community as an outcast because they didn’t understand the disease that she had, touches his cloak and is healed. Was there some mysterious power in the cloak? No! "Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease." “Do not fear; only believe.”
In a collection of the poetry of Ralph Wright titled “life is simpler towards evening,” there’s a poem in which Wright, a Benedictine monk, runs out of words because words won’t describe the fullness of God’s grace. It’s a poem about where to begin, and it’s titled “The Feel of the Rain.”
This time I have barely a word
To launch you forth
Into the wide bold world
That awaits you –
Only the feel of the
Wind and the rain and the sun
On your nose and your eyes
And a dim sense of peace in the presence
Of someone whose eyes would say
“Be not afraid, I am with you
wherever you are –
I am with you to love you in sunlight,
To keep you in rain,
To guard you in lightning, thunder and darkness
And be with you always
- beyond all silence –
offering a life that will blend
with these few moments of time
into my life without end.”
“Do not fear; only believe.”
Since this is the weekend in which we look forward to America’s birthday celebration, I want to bring you one more contribution to English literature from one of America’s philosophers. He’s not necessarily a person whose overall philosophy I embrace, but he is uniquely a product of this society. Vince Lombardi paraphrased Shakespeare in this way: “Fatigue makes cowards of us all.”
The life of faith requires perseverance, endurance and courage. Paul and other New Testament authors wrote a lot about perseverance. If we rely solely on our own will power, our own stamina, our own judgment, we will run out of steam.
There are few things more refreshing than reflecting on the love of the God who has invited us into His “life without end.” There are few things more refreshing than sharing the generous love of our God with one another. Take the time to get past your sin and bask in the sunshine of God’s loving forgiveness and recognize with gratitude what God has done.
God doesn’t want you to wallow in your sin.
The only purpose that reflecting on our own enslaving sin can serve is to make us aware of how great God’s love is for us. When you reach that recognition, then you will be ready to worship God and live your life in gratitude for the unfathomable love of God.
Take the time to share that love and forgiveness with one another, among your family and your friends, with your lover and with a stranger. Take the time.
Where does it all start? Let nothing make you a coward before God. Gratitude, not fear, is what our God desires, for he has already made our lives new and invited us to share his life without end.
“Do not fear; only believe.”
Amen.
Comments
Post a Comment