Deuteronomy 8:1-10
Psalm 34:1-8
Ephesians 4:25-5:2
John 6:41-51

A reading from Ephesians 4:22-5:2

So then, putting away falsehood, let all of us speak the truth to our neighbors, for we are members of one another.  Be angry but do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and do not make room for the devil.  Thieves must give up stealing; rather let them labor and work honestly with their own hands, so as to have something to share with the needy.  Let no evil talk come out of your mouths, but only what is useful for building up, as there is need, so that your words may give grace to those who hear.  And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with which you were marked with a seal for the day of redemption.  Put away from you all bitterness and wrath and anger and wrangling and slander, together with all malice, and be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven you.  Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children, and live in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

The Gospel according to John 6:41-51

Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.  Then the Jews began to complain about him because he said, "I am the bread that came down from heaven."  They were saying, "Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, 'I have come down from heaven'?"  Jesus answered them, "Do not complain among yourselves.  No one can come to me unless drawn by the Father who sent me; and I will raise that person up on the last day.  It is written in the prophets, 'And they shall all be taught by God.' Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me.  Not that anyone has seen the Father except the one who is from God; he has seen the Father.  Very truly, I tell you, whoever believes has eternal life.  I am the bread of life.  Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died.  This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die.  I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats of this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh."

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THIS IS THE FIRST WEEK, IN ALL MY YEARS OF READING THE NEW YORK TIMES, THAT I HAVE EVER SEEN FRONT PAGE ARTICLES ABOUT THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH FOR FOUR DAYS RUNNING. ALONG WITH THAT, THE RADIO AND TV STATIONS HAVE PROVIDED CONTINUOUS NEWS ABOUT THE CONFIRMATION OF THE ELECTION OF GENE ROBINSON AS BISHOP OF NEW HAMPSHIRE. IT KIND OF BOWLS ME OVER WHEN I REALIZE, DESPITE OUR RELATIVELY SMALL SIZE, HOW IMPORTANT THIS ELECTION HAS BEEN TO THE NATION. IT SCARES ME. DOES THAT MEAN PEOPLE WILL BE THROWING MUD IN OUR FACES, OR WILL THEY RESPECT US, OR WILL IT BE SOME OF BOTH? I REALIZE WE HAVE BEEN A WELL RECOGNIZED CHURCH SINCE THE TIME OF THE SIGNING OF THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE. SO MANY OF THOSE SIGNERS WERE MEMBERS OF THE ANGLICAN COMMUNION. BUT, AS I SAID EARLIER, IN THE SCHEME OF THINGS WE ARE A SMALL DENOMINATION.

OUR EPISTLE THIS MORNING FROM EPHESIANS I THINK GIVES US A JUMPING OFF POINT IN UNDERSTANDING WHAT IS GOING ON AT THIS TIME. IT STARTS WITH THE CALL "TO BE RENEWED IN THE SPIRIT OF YOUR MIND, AND TO CLOTHE YOURSELVES WITH THE NEW SELF," THIS CALL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY GOD IN JESUS CHRIST AND IT’S AN INVITATION TO CHANGE. WHEN I READ THIS, I ASK MYSELF WHAT IS THIS ALL ABOUT? WHAT DOES A NEW LIFE LOOK LIKE? CONTINUING ON, THE AUTHOR TRIES TO GIVE US A PICTURE OF THE "NEW SELF."

I ALWAYS FIND IT HARD TO LISTEN TO A LITANY OF VICES AND VIRTUES. AND ON FIRST GLANCE THAT WOULD SEEM TO BE WHAT WE’RE IN FOR IN THIS PASSAGE, THE AUTHOR TELLING US WHAT TO DO. SOME OF THE ADMONITIONS DEAL WITH SPEECH, THE HARM WE CAN DO WITH MALICIOUS SPEECH. OTHERS HAVE TO DO WITH WRONGFUL ACTIONS. SOME HAVE TO DO WITH HOW WE TREAT PEOPLE IN OUR CHURCH COMMUNITY, OTHERS CLEARLY INCLUDE LIFE OUTSIDE OUR INTIMATE GROUP.

NOT ONE OF THESE COMMANDMENTS IS PARTICULARLY SURPRISING TO US, OR NEW. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT MAKES THE PASSAGE INTERESTING TO ME, IS THE WAY THE WRITER INTERTWINES ETHICAL ADVICE WITH A RATIONALE FOR ACCEPTING THAT ADVICE. FOR EVERY RULE HE GIVES US REASON TO CHANGE, EXCEPT PERHAPS IN THAT COMMENT ABOUT THE DEVIL. THESE ARE NOT THREATS, THEY ARE APPEALS.

"PUT AWAY FALSEHOOD, SPEAK THE TRUTH TO OUR NEIGHBORS." IS THE FIRST ONE, THE REASON, BECAUSE "WE ARE MEMBERS OF ONE ANOTHER." AS A CHURCH, I THINK WE MUST REMEMBER THAT WE ARE NOT JUST ON THE ROLLS OF SOME ORGANIZATION. WE BELONG TO THE SAME BODY, AND ONE PART OF A BODY CANNOT EASILY DECEIVE ANOTHER. I HAVE BEEN IMPRESSED BY OUR NATIONAL CONVENTION BECAUSE AS STRONG AS PEOPLES’ CONVICTIONS ARE FOR ONE SIDE OR THE OTHER AS TO WHETHER A GAY MAN SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO BE A BISHOP, THERE HAS NOT BEEN A LOT OF VICIOUSNESS, AT LEAST AS REPORTED BY THE PRESS. THE TRUTH, AS UNDERSTOOD, HAS BEEN SPOKEN WITHOUT DECEIT. THE CLOSETED HAVE BEEN ABLE TO BE OPEN. DIFFERENT OPINIONS HAVE BEEN RESPECTED, AND WE ARE STILL ONE BODY.

THE NEXT ADMONITION IS ABOUT ANGER. I CONFESS TO BEING REALLY ANGRY LAST WEEK WHEN THAT MAN, AT THE LAST MINUTE, SENT AN ACCUSATORY EMAIL TO DERAIL THE ELECTION. YOU ALL KNOW THE ALLEGATIONS, AND FORTUNATELY THEY DIDN’T EFFECT THE RESULTS. BUT IT TOOK ME A DAY OF ANGER TO LET GO OF MY FEELINGS THAT HE WASN’T PLAYING FAIR. "BE ANGRY BUT DO NOT SIN.....AND DO NOT MAKE ROOM FOR THE DEVIL." I HEAR THAT.

THE THIRD ASSERTION READ, "AND DO NOT GRIEVE THE HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD WITH WHICH YOU WERE MARKED WITH A SEAL FOR THE DAY OF REDEMPTION." THAT’S A MOUTHFUL. OUR OWN BEHAVIOR CAN GRIEVE GOD’S OWN SPIRIT, AND I AM SURE THAT GOD’S OWN SPIRIT IS GRIEVING OVER THE DISUNITY OF HUMANITY, AND ESPECIALLY THE DISUNITY OF OUR PEOPLE NOW OVER THE ELECTION OF GENE ROBINSON. ARCHBISHOP VENABLE OF SOUTH AMERICA CALLED THE DECISION "A SLAP IN THE FACE OF THE ANGLICAN CHURCH AROUND THE WORLD." HE GOES ON TO SAY, "WHAT UPSETS PEOPLE MORE THAN ANYTHING IS THIS PATRONIZING ATTITUDE. THEIR (MEANING US) ATTITUDE IS, ‘YOU’LL GET THERE SOME DAY.’" BISHOP KANUKU OF KENYA SAID, "YOU IN THE WEST MAY NOT CONSIDER IT A SIN, BUT WE IN AFRICA DO." BUT, AND I AM THANKFUL FOR THIS, HE ADDED THAT HE PLANNED TO PRAY FOR THE GAY BISHOP AND THE CHURCH AS WELL.

YES, WE HAVE GRIEVED GOD AS A DENOMINATION BY THIS DISHARMONY. AND YET WHEN WE ALLOW THIS EPISTLE TO SPEAK TO US WE HEAR AGAIN THAT THE GREAT DESIGN OF GOD IS TO GATHER INTO ONE ALL THINGS AND PEOPLE IN CHRIST. IT SEEMS TO ME THAT WE MUST CONSIDER THOSE GAY AND LESBIAN PEOPLE WHO ARE CHILDREN OF GOD, AS WE ALL ARE. PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN CONDEMNED FOR SOMETHING WHICH IS NOT A CHOICE. I THINK GOD HAS BEEN JUST AS GRIEVED ABOUT THAT AS ABOUT THE DISHARMONY.

I DON’T THINK ANY OF US COME EASILY TO OUR DECISION ABOUT WHETHER HOMOSEXUALITY IS A SIN OR NOT. I CONFESS THAT I NEVER EVEN CONSIDERED THIS SUBJECT AT ANY GREAT LENGTH UNTIL I BECAME THE CHAPLAIN TO THE AIDES CLINIC AT GRADY IN 1991. AS A CHAPLAIN IT WAS MY CALL TO LISTEN TO THE STORIES OF THOSE WHO WERE INFECTED WITH HIV, MOST OF WHOM WERE GAY AND MANY OF WHOM WERE NEAR DEATH, PARTICULARLY IN THOSE EARLY DAYS. OVER AND OVER I HEARD OF THE REJECTION THESE PATIENTS HAD KNOWN, FROM FAMILY AND FRIENDS. MANY WERE FILLED WITH GUILT, SHAME, AND FEAR ABOUT GOING TO HELL. THEIR CHURCHES HAD REJECTED THEM. AND THE THEME THAT RANG CONTINUOUSLY THROUGH THEIR STORIES WAS THAT BEING GAY WAS NOT THEIR CHOICE. THE MOST REASSURING QUESTION I COULD ASK OF THOSE WHO WERE SCARED AND WANTING AN ANSWER WAS "WHAT DID JESUS HAVE TO SAY ABOUT HOMOSEXUALITY?" THE ANSWER WAS NOTHING, AND IT’S CLEAR HE HAD PLENTY TO SAY ABOUT THINGS THAT HE CONSIDERED SINFUL. I KNOW THAT THOSE LETTERS WWJD HAVE BEEN OVERUSED AND ABUSED, BUT IN THIS PARTICULAR MINISTRY I BELIEVE THAT LOOKING TO OUR SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST WAS THE WAY TO GIVE COMFORT AND ASSURANCE.

I HAVE SINCE LOOKED MORE CLOSELY AT SCRIPTURE, TO THINK ABOUT THE KINDS OF DECISIONS THAT WERE MADE AT THE CONVENTION, AND I CELEBRATE WITH THE MAJORITY IN THEIR DECISIONS. AND I THINK IF WE CAN GRIEVE GOD’S HOLY SPIRIT BY OUR DISHARMONY, WE CAN ALSO MAKE THE SAME SPIRIT GLAD WHEN WE COMMIT OURSELVES IN PRAYER TO THE VISION OF INCLUSIVENESS IN CHRIST.

THE AUTHOR OF EPHESIANS TELLS US TO DO AWAY WITH SUCH THINGS AS "BITTERNESS AND WRATH AND ANGER AND WRANGLING AND SLANDER, TOGETHER WITH ALL MALICE." WE ARE TO BE KIND AND FORGIVING AS GOD IN CHRIST HAS FORGIVEN US. THE LAST SENTENCE IN TODAY’S PASSAGE IS ONE WHICH IS OFTEN SAID, WITH A FEW CHANGES, AS AN OFFERTORY SENTENCE IN OUR WORSHIP. "LIVE IN LOVE, AS CHRIST LOVED US. AND GAVE HIMSELF UP FOR US, A FRAGRANT OFFERING AND SACRIFICE TO GOD." WHAT WORDS OF WISDOM.

OUR BISHOP HAS SENT US A PASTORAL LETTER WITH HIS THOUGHTS ABOUT THE CONVENTION. HE SHARES AN EXPERIENCE, AND I QUOTE; "ONE EVENING, THE BISHOPS AND THEIR SPOUSES GATHERED TO BID FAREWELL TO THE BISHOPS WHO ARE RETIRING BEFORE OUR NEXT MEETING. AS THE PRESIDING BISHOP WAS LEADING OUR TABLE PRAYERS. I LOOKED ACROSS THE ROOM AND SAW ONE OF THE FLORIDA BISHOPS AND ONE OF THE CALIFORNIA BISHOPS , STANDING WITH THEIR ARMS AROUND EACH OTHER, LEANING TOWARD EACH OTHER, AND DEEPLY ENGAGED WITH EACH OTHER IN THE WORK OF PRAYER. IT WAS NOT LOST ON ME THAT I WAS SEEING TWO BISHOPS WHO ARE ABOUT AS DIFFERENT FROM EACH OTHER AS ANY TWO BISHOPS COULD BE; DIFFERENT IN STYLE, DIFFERENT IN CONVICTIONS, DIFFERENT BY ALMOST ANY MEASURE. YET DESPITE ALL OF THEIR DIFFERENCES, THEY WERE HOLDING LIGHTLY TO EACH OTHER, COMMITTED TO LIVING TOGETHER, PRAYING TOGETHER, AND BUILDING UP THE CHURCH TOGETHER. TEARS CAME TO MY EYES AS I WATCHED THEM. IT WAS A MOMENT THAT MADE ME DEEPLY GRATEFUL TO BE AN EPISCOPALIAN. THEY WERE A LIVING SYMBOL OF THE KIND OF CHURCH WE ARE WHEN WE ARE AT OUR BEST."

A NEW THING HAS HAPPENED. AS THE LETTER TO THE EPHESIANS CLAIMS, WE ARE INVITED TO CLOTHE OURSELVES "WITH THE NEW SELF, CREATED ACCORDING TO THE LIKENESS OF GOD." SOME OF US ARE UNCOMFORTABLE WITH THIS NEW THING, AND IT IS SO IMPORTANT THAT WE HONOR THAT, KNOWING THAT CHANGE IS HARD, SOMETIMES IMPOSSIBLE. BUT THIS VISION OF UNITY IS SOMEHOW MADE MANAGEABLE IN THIS EPISTLE. WE ARE INVITED TO SHOW GRACIOUSNESS AMONG OURSELVES AND OTHERS, TO BE AWARE AND CONCERNED, AND TO REACH OUT AND BUILD UNITY WITH THOSE WHO ARE DIFFERENT FROM US, AS WELL AS THOSE WHO ARE FAR AWAY. IT SEEMS CLEAR THAT WE HAVE TAKEN ONE SMALL STEP TOWARD GOD’S PLAN TO MAKE ALL CREATION ONE.

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