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| All Saints Sunday November 5, 2006 The Rev. Robert C. Granfeldt |
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Not too many minutes before I sat down to begin working on this sermon, I had been
in the Undercroft, as the Saint Elisabeth Guild’s annual Parish Fair was winding down,
making jokes about having to go across the driveway to my computer and write this
sermon.
That’s a version, I think, of what’s called, “whistling past the Graveyard.” That is, I was
kidding about it – but I really was concerned about what I was going to do for a
sermon.
The middle of the week had been very busy as I was trying to get things done so that
I’d be free to go to Washington, DC, on Friday morning, and through the meetings and
discussions I took part in on that day and yesterday, my mind kept deserting the
proceedings and returning to the Task at hand: my sermon for this morning!
And then, as I drove home alone, yesterday, I split my time between thinking about
what I had experienced over the two days, what I was coming back to and…, this
sermon!
(I have to confess that usually, on Saturday, I have more entertaining things to
compete with my sermon-oriented thoughts than the busyness of the past few days;
but I learned long, long ago that it’s really difficult to watch college football while
driving up I-95 at 70 miles per hour! So, in THAT respect, especially, yesterday was
really, really difficult. Frankly, I don’t remember when was the last time a Saturday in
autumn passed when I didn’t get to watch a single college football game! A lot of
years, I’m sure.
Okay – so what shall I talk to you about, this morning?
Well, I’m going to tell you, briefly, I hope, about something that happened about a
week ago, and at another time – soon – I’ll follow with another reflection having to do
with what was going on in Washington, this weekend. The two are connected, as you’
ll see.
Last week I spoke with an older man – not extremely so, probably in his mid to late 70’
s. I’m not going to mention his name, though some of you might guess who I’m talking
about. He and his wife were once members of the Parish, and their children, for the
most part, grew up, here – went to Sunday school, here; worshipped here.
Then – for whatever reason – they moved to another state. And in their new city, their
new neighborhood, they found a new Church to join.
It was a Methodist Church.
He still considered himself an Episcopalian, I think – but his wife, as far as I can tell,
“became” a Methodist, as did his children.
Now, he tells me, he sometimes goes to his son’s Church with him – which, by now,
has morphed, in adulthood, into a so-called, “non-denominational” Church a
“Community Church,” that “believes the bible!”
And when I heard all that, all I could think was: “another one!” Another family that
moves away from their Episcopal Church and joins the nearest church in their new
neighborhood – as if we were all interchangeable! And I wondered, again, “how can
people spend so much of their lives in the Episcopal Church and not realize that WE
ARE DIFFERENT!
We’re NOT Methodist, nor Presbyterian, nor Congregationalist or UCC. And we’re
CERTAINLY not Baptist, or Community Church, or “non-denominational,” which is, of
course, a phony concept, itself!
We’re not even Lutherans – though much closer to them than to any others!
In fact, strictly speaking – we’re not even Protestant! Not by any definition we use in
the United States. (The word does mean different things in some other countries, but
I don’t want to get too complicated!)
We are, rather, a Catholic Church! No, we’re not a “ROMAN” Catholic Church – but
neither are the Orthodox churches Roman Catholic! Nevertheless, they and we are
Catholic!
I want to give you just a simple statement of what I consider an excellent illustration
of the distinction between the Catholic and Protestant expressions of the Faith.
Essentially, non-Catholic theology and practice approach the service of Communion
as a memorial activity. The emphasis for them is on Jesus direction to “do this for the
remembrance of me.” It is a reminder of what happened in the past – right near the
end of Jesus’ life – and it honors him, anew, by doing as he said.
We “do” Communion because he directed us to, as well, but our primary emphasis is
on the OTHER things he said at the same time. That is, when he said, as he gave his
disciples the bread and the wine: “this is my Body…(and) …this is my Blood!” And we
take that understanding with utmost seriousness!
We believe that, in not too many minutes from now, when we consecrate the bread
and the wine at the altar, they will BECOME the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus
Christ!
They will become not mere symbols or signs of Christ’s Body and Blood; not just
memorials of the Son of God; but truly Christ – his Body and his Blood! Christ “really
present,” in the Sacrament – which belief is what is called the Doctrine of the Real
Presence.
Now – we do not minutely define exactly and in what way that happens, as some other
Catholics do.! We definitely do not believe – as the traditional Roman Catholic
understanding goes – that the bread and wine actually STOP being bread and wine in
their very substance, but become ONLY the literal body, and ONLY the literal blood of
Christ: a doctrine called “transubstantiation!” Nevertheless, the correspondence is
there!
There is, for instance, this 1991 statement of the Anglican-Roman Catholic
International Commission that says,
The elements are not mere signs; Christ's body and blood become really present
and are really given. But they are really present and given in order that,
receiving them, believers may be united in communion with Christ the Lord.
And there is what may be my very favorite example of what we believe: a classic
Anglican statement that is usually attributed either to John Donne, or to Queen
Elizabeth I, and is included in The Hymnal 1982 (Hymn 322):
He was the Word that spake it, he took the bread and brake it, and what that
Word did make it, I do believe and take it.
End of story. We don’t feel the need – or the power – to define it further.
But that is a PROFOUNDLY different belief from our Protestant brothers and sisters –
among whom the sacrament is “sign” or “symbol” of Christ, but not his presence –
not really Him! – and what they call, “communion,” is understood as merely a memorial
meal – not the real thing!
And the important thing I want to point out to you is that this is not a minor
disagreement about some words Jesus spoke, but that there is a PROFOUND
difference between the worlds in which Catholics and Protestants live, respectively!
That there is a profound difference between the worlds in which “A” can only point to
“B”, in a symbolic way, and one in which “A” can actually participate in “B” – can
actually BE “B”, in a mysterious and profound way!
Our worlds are very different – because we believe in very different realities!
Episcopalians are not Protestants – and if we could ever figure out a way to teach our
children – and ourselves – what the Church REALLY TEACHES, we might not only be
able to hang onto our own children – but Grow! Grow in the Faith, certainly, but
maybe – just maybe – in our numbers in the world as well!
And I would ask you, if you don’t understand what I’m talking about – or even if you do
- to listen! Listen to the Great Thanksgiving; listen to the words of Institution; listen to
the whole prayer –and then imagine what the world described by those words is like!
A world of wonder and awe; a world of glory and mystery; a world of beauty beyond
our imagining in the “real” world; a world of profound depth and meaning, and a
world in which God is present and immediate!
Try it. Listen and try it!
And then join with me in wondering – how can any member of our Church, having
known all this and experienced all this, how could any of us suddenly settle for less –
just because they’ve changed neighborhoods!!!?
In Jesus Christ’s Name. Amen
in the Undercroft, as the Saint Elisabeth Guild’s annual Parish Fair was winding down,
making jokes about having to go across the driveway to my computer and write this
sermon.
That’s a version, I think, of what’s called, “whistling past the Graveyard.” That is, I was
kidding about it – but I really was concerned about what I was going to do for a
sermon.
The middle of the week had been very busy as I was trying to get things done so that
I’d be free to go to Washington, DC, on Friday morning, and through the meetings and
discussions I took part in on that day and yesterday, my mind kept deserting the
proceedings and returning to the Task at hand: my sermon for this morning!
And then, as I drove home alone, yesterday, I split my time between thinking about
what I had experienced over the two days, what I was coming back to and…, this
sermon!
(I have to confess that usually, on Saturday, I have more entertaining things to
compete with my sermon-oriented thoughts than the busyness of the past few days;
but I learned long, long ago that it’s really difficult to watch college football while
driving up I-95 at 70 miles per hour! So, in THAT respect, especially, yesterday was
really, really difficult. Frankly, I don’t remember when was the last time a Saturday in
autumn passed when I didn’t get to watch a single college football game! A lot of
years, I’m sure.
Okay – so what shall I talk to you about, this morning?
Well, I’m going to tell you, briefly, I hope, about something that happened about a
week ago, and at another time – soon – I’ll follow with another reflection having to do
with what was going on in Washington, this weekend. The two are connected, as you’
ll see.
Last week I spoke with an older man – not extremely so, probably in his mid to late 70’
s. I’m not going to mention his name, though some of you might guess who I’m talking
about. He and his wife were once members of the Parish, and their children, for the
most part, grew up, here – went to Sunday school, here; worshipped here.
Then – for whatever reason – they moved to another state. And in their new city, their
new neighborhood, they found a new Church to join.
It was a Methodist Church.
He still considered himself an Episcopalian, I think – but his wife, as far as I can tell,
“became” a Methodist, as did his children.
Now, he tells me, he sometimes goes to his son’s Church with him – which, by now,
has morphed, in adulthood, into a so-called, “non-denominational” Church a
“Community Church,” that “believes the bible!”
And when I heard all that, all I could think was: “another one!” Another family that
moves away from their Episcopal Church and joins the nearest church in their new
neighborhood – as if we were all interchangeable! And I wondered, again, “how can
people spend so much of their lives in the Episcopal Church and not realize that WE
ARE DIFFERENT!
We’re NOT Methodist, nor Presbyterian, nor Congregationalist or UCC. And we’re
CERTAINLY not Baptist, or Community Church, or “non-denominational,” which is, of
course, a phony concept, itself!
We’re not even Lutherans – though much closer to them than to any others!
In fact, strictly speaking – we’re not even Protestant! Not by any definition we use in
the United States. (The word does mean different things in some other countries, but
I don’t want to get too complicated!)
We are, rather, a Catholic Church! No, we’re not a “ROMAN” Catholic Church – but
neither are the Orthodox churches Roman Catholic! Nevertheless, they and we are
Catholic!
I want to give you just a simple statement of what I consider an excellent illustration
of the distinction between the Catholic and Protestant expressions of the Faith.
Essentially, non-Catholic theology and practice approach the service of Communion
as a memorial activity. The emphasis for them is on Jesus direction to “do this for the
remembrance of me.” It is a reminder of what happened in the past – right near the
end of Jesus’ life – and it honors him, anew, by doing as he said.
We “do” Communion because he directed us to, as well, but our primary emphasis is
on the OTHER things he said at the same time. That is, when he said, as he gave his
disciples the bread and the wine: “this is my Body…(and) …this is my Blood!” And we
take that understanding with utmost seriousness!
We believe that, in not too many minutes from now, when we consecrate the bread
and the wine at the altar, they will BECOME the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus
Christ!
They will become not mere symbols or signs of Christ’s Body and Blood; not just
memorials of the Son of God; but truly Christ – his Body and his Blood! Christ “really
present,” in the Sacrament – which belief is what is called the Doctrine of the Real
Presence.
Now – we do not minutely define exactly and in what way that happens, as some other
Catholics do.! We definitely do not believe – as the traditional Roman Catholic
understanding goes – that the bread and wine actually STOP being bread and wine in
their very substance, but become ONLY the literal body, and ONLY the literal blood of
Christ: a doctrine called “transubstantiation!” Nevertheless, the correspondence is
there!
There is, for instance, this 1991 statement of the Anglican-Roman Catholic
International Commission that says,
The elements are not mere signs; Christ's body and blood become really present
and are really given. But they are really present and given in order that,
receiving them, believers may be united in communion with Christ the Lord.
And there is what may be my very favorite example of what we believe: a classic
Anglican statement that is usually attributed either to John Donne, or to Queen
Elizabeth I, and is included in The Hymnal 1982 (Hymn 322):
He was the Word that spake it, he took the bread and brake it, and what that
Word did make it, I do believe and take it.
End of story. We don’t feel the need – or the power – to define it further.
But that is a PROFOUNDLY different belief from our Protestant brothers and sisters –
among whom the sacrament is “sign” or “symbol” of Christ, but not his presence –
not really Him! – and what they call, “communion,” is understood as merely a memorial
meal – not the real thing!
And the important thing I want to point out to you is that this is not a minor
disagreement about some words Jesus spoke, but that there is a PROFOUND
difference between the worlds in which Catholics and Protestants live, respectively!
That there is a profound difference between the worlds in which “A” can only point to
“B”, in a symbolic way, and one in which “A” can actually participate in “B” – can
actually BE “B”, in a mysterious and profound way!
Our worlds are very different – because we believe in very different realities!
Episcopalians are not Protestants – and if we could ever figure out a way to teach our
children – and ourselves – what the Church REALLY TEACHES, we might not only be
able to hang onto our own children – but Grow! Grow in the Faith, certainly, but
maybe – just maybe – in our numbers in the world as well!
And I would ask you, if you don’t understand what I’m talking about – or even if you do
- to listen! Listen to the Great Thanksgiving; listen to the words of Institution; listen to
the whole prayer –and then imagine what the world described by those words is like!
A world of wonder and awe; a world of glory and mystery; a world of beauty beyond
our imagining in the “real” world; a world of profound depth and meaning, and a
world in which God is present and immediate!
Try it. Listen and try it!
And then join with me in wondering – how can any member of our Church, having
known all this and experienced all this, how could any of us suddenly settle for less –
just because they’ve changed neighborhoods!!!?
In Jesus Christ’s Name. Amen
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| Calvary Episcopal Church, Rockdale |
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