Sermon (March 28/Maundy Thursday) “A Very Unique Meal” by Rev. Robert McDowell

Maundy Thursday

“A Very Unique Meal”

Rev. Robert McDowell

March 28, 2024

    Maundy Thursday is an important day during Holy Week.  It’s a time for us to remember when Jesus shared in a last supper with his disciples. Soon, he would be arrested by the Roman authorities and crucified on a cross.  This last meal has become a meal we continue to receive to this day to help us reflect on what Jesus’ suffering and death mean for us.

   This is why the Apostle Paul spends time writing about the Lord’s Supper in his letter to the Christians in the city of Corinth.  They had forgotten why the Lord’s Supper is a very unique meal.

     In Paul’s day, the Corinthian Christians would have met in homes to worship, eat a meal together, and receive the Lord’s Supper.  The bread and the cup were part of that much larger meal they would have had together. 

     Somewhere along the way, they forgot the reason why they were gathering for a meal in the first place.  They forgot why the loaf of bread and the cup were part of that great spread of food.  This holy meal that was meant to remind them of their oneness in Jesus Christ had become just another meal. 

     And so, Paul reminds them of the meaning of this meal by saying how it was Jesus who offered his body and his blood for us so that we will always remember what he did for us when he died on the cross for the world. 

     Paul is saying that whenever you see the bread and the cup on that table of food, to remember that this is why we have gathered in the first place.  We have gathered because of what Jesus has done for us.

     In my first church where I served as pastor, I was celebrating the Sacrament of Holy Communion one Sunday morning. We were serving by intinction where people come forward to a communion station, take a piece of bread, dip it into the chalice of juice, partake, and then return to their seat. I was serving at one of those communion stations.        

     One of the beautiful things about the intinction method is that it is a very personal experience as people come forward one by one to receive the Sacrament.  It is also a very meaningful time for me as pastor because when I offer the bread and the cup, I can make eye contact with each person as they receive the Sacrament.

     So anyway, I was serving Holy Communion at one of the stations and one of my older members who was in her 90’s was in my communion line. As a life-long member of the church, she was seen as the matriarch of our small congregation.

     When it was her turn to receive, I lovingly looked into her eyes and said, “Florence, this is the body of Christ broken for you.”  She received the large piece of bread but then accidentally dropped it on the floor.  So, I offered her another piece of bread which she received.  

     Then I offered her the cup and said, “Florence, this is the blood of Christ shed for you.”  She then dipped the bread into the chalice and ate. And then she did something that I will never forget.  

     She looked down at that large piece of bread that she had accidentally dropped on the floor.  I assumed that she was going to gently bend over and pick it up since it would be in the way of the person behind her.  

     To my great surprise, she quickly swung back her foot, and with all of her might, she kicked that piece of communion bread as far away as possible. As she started to go back to her pew, she gave me a little smile as if to say, “Problem solved.”

     I know she thought she was doing a helpful thing but all I could think about was, “I can’t believe dear Florence just kicked the consecrated loaf of Christ.”

     The Apostle Paul wants us to know that Holy Communion is a very unique meal. He sums up the meaning of this meal in the last verse of our scripture reading when he writes, “For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.”

     The Sacrament of Holy Communion has a past, a present, and a future dimension.  When we receive the bread and the cup, we remember the past and how Jesus died on a cross for the sins of the world.  

     When Jesus died on the cross, he allowed all of the pain, brokenness, and sin of the world to rest on his shoulders, so that he would be able to defeat its power once and for all.

     The cross reminds us of how deep our vulnerability to sin is.  It also reminds us of how costly love is.  Jesus was willing to do for us what we were not able to do for ourselves.  He broke the power of sin and death.

     Whenever I get discouraged or experience disappointments, all I have to do is think of the cross and I am reminded of God’s great gift of love through Jesus Christ.  

     Approximately two thousand years ago, Jesus, the one who was the visible expression and true embodiment of God gave his life for you and me. What Jesus did is rooted in human history.

     But Holy Communion also has a present dimension.  The Apostle Paul writes that we are to receive the bread and the cup.  By receiving Holy Communion, it’s a way for us to know and experience God’s saving love in the here and now.  

     We believe that the Sacrament of Holy Communion is one of the means of grace by which God offers his love and grace to us anew. Every time we receive the Sacrament, we can have an assurance that God will be present with us just as he was present with Jesus and the disciples in the Upper Room 2,000 years ago.

     And Holy Communion also has a future dimension.  In the last verse of our I Corinthians scripture reading, Paul writes, “For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.”  Those last three words are so important in helping us to understanding the meaning of this Sacrament.  “Until he comes.”  

     Whenever we receive the bread and the cup, we are reminded that there will be a day when Christ will return and all of God’s people will feast at his heavenly banquet.  This is the ultimate hope of our faith that one day God will make all things new, and it will be a time when there will be no more suffering, sadness, mourning, sin, and death.

     Every time we receive this Sacrament, it’s a time for us to look forward to that time in the future when there will be new heavens and a new earth. And until that time, we are called as the church to live out our faith and share this hope with others.

     Somewhere along the way, the church at Corinth forgot that this was a very unique meal.  Maybe it was good that they forgot, or we wouldn’t have this scripture from Paul to help us understand the meaning of this meal.

     During church camp one year for elementary age children, a pastor noticed that that one of the children was always misbehaving, even during their worship time in the evening.  One of the counselors explained this boy’s story with the pastor.

     This boy whose name was Adam, along with his brother were staying with their grandparents because their parents had recently divorced.  The grandparents thought that it would be good for her grandchildren to attend church camp.  The boys had never attended church, so all of this was very new to them.

     To help the situation, the pastor and this counselor partnered Adam with a high school counselor whose name was also Adam.  Big Adam was to help explain to young Adam why they were doing the camp activities and why they had closing worship each night. This high school counselor helped changed little Adam’s behavior. 

     On the final evening of worship, they all celebrated Holy Communion.  Each camp family picked two persons from their group to serve Communion to the other members. 

     As young Adam’s group came forward, the pastor asked for the two persons to come and join him at the altar to receive the communion elements to serve to their family.

     Little Adam was one of those chosen. The pastor served him and the other student, and then he handed the elements to them to serve their camp family.  

     Tears filled this pastor’s eyes as he watched this young student serve the bread and the juice and share the words of communion to his group. 

     This young boy who was going through a very difficult time in his life was experiencing transformation and newness of life, all because somebody took time to come alongside of him.

     On a Maundy Thursday several years ago, I took my Holy Communion kit with me to a rehab center to visit a retired United Methodist pastor. I just thought that he would like Holy Communion since he wouldn’t be able to attend our Maundy Thursday service that night.

     When I arrived at the rehab facility, he was having his therapy session. Fortunately, he was taking a break, so we had time to talk. He was so glad to know that I brought my Holy Communion kit.

     As I got out my communion kit to set things up on one of the tables, his physical therapist came over to us and my pastor friend introduced me to her. Looking at my communion kit, she asked me if I always take the Sacrament with me during my visits.

     I told her that I brought it because it was Maundy Thursday and I thought Clarence would like to receive the Sacrament to remember Jesus’ Last Supper. She said, “Today is Maundy Thursday? I should have known that! Do you have enough for me?”

     I said, “Sure. Pull up a chair and join us.” I was about ready to offer a communion prayer when another patient came over and asked, “Mind if I join you?”

     No sooner had this man joined us that another staff member noticed what was going on and said, “I’ll come over, too if that’s OK!”

     So many joined us for Holy Communion in that physical therapy room, that we almost needed to have ushers and acolytes!

     There is something very unique about this meal, isn’t there?

     It’s a meal that is rooted in the past when Jesus died on the cross for our sins. It’s a meal that includes the present because Christ promises to be with us whenever we receive it. And it’s a meal that points us to that future hope when one day, we will all feast at Christ’s heavenly banquet together.

     Past, present, and future. It’s all part of this meal that we call, “Holy Communion.”

Maundy Thursday (March 28) Pastoral Prayer

March 28, 2024

Beulah UMC & Oak Grove UMC

O God, we are wondering if there is a place at the table for us tonight. Is there room for me? Will there be enough room for us? Did we first need to make reservations? Or have you figured all that out and there will be more than enough room for sinners like us to come to the gospel feast? Thank you for inviting us and for providing a space for each one of us here in the Upper Room right next to your disciples.

We come to you as fellow beggars who have at least one important thing in common; we are all in need of your grace. And so, we come in humility. Nothing in our hands we bring, simply to thy cross we cling.

Thank you for your cross that reminds us of the depth of your love for us when Jesus died for our sins. Thank you for this holy meal in which you are present with us as we receive the bread and the cup. And thank you for the future hope we have that one day, we will feast at the heavenly banquet with you and all of your people, that time in the future when there will be no more suffering, sadness, mourning, sin, and death. We long for that time when you will make all things new in heaven and earth.

And until that time, we continue to lift up to you the pain, brokenness, and needs of those who are on our hearts and minds. We lift up to you those who are facing illnesses and in need of healing, and in particular all of the people who are on our church’s prayer list. Just as you are present with us tonight as we prepare to receive the Sacrament of Holy Communion, be present with all who are in need of your care and love, especially in places in our community and world where there is so much pain and suffering.

Tonight, we join people in our community and all around the world who like us, are receiving the bread and the cup, a very holy and unique meal in which we are invited to receive your wondrous love anew. We pray this in the name of Jesus who taught us to pray together…

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

Sermon (March 24/Palm Sunday) “Crosses of Jesus: The Crucifix” by Rev. Robert McDowell

March 24 (Palm Sunday), 2024 Sermon

Rev. Robert McDowell

     As we conclude our “Crosses of Jesus” sermon series in which we have looked at the Latin Cross, the Jerusalem Cross, the Tau Cross, the St. Andrew’s Cross, and the Celtic Cross, we focus this morning on another cross of Jesus which is known as the Crucifix.

     First, a bit of history.

 

     Archaeologists have found no evidence of the image of a crucified Jesus used in Christian worship until the 5^th century.        In fact, the early Christians avoided the use of even a plain cross.  For one thing, the shape of the cross was still the form of capital punishment used for non-Roman citizens throughout the Roman Empire.  And to highlight such a gruesome symbol in that time period could have easily been too overpowering for people to absorb.

 

     Also, to use a cross as a Christian image would have drawn attention to oneself as a follower of Jesus, a dangerous thing to do during times of persecution for Christians.

 

     For this reason, early Christians identified themselves with the sign of the fish.  Some of Jesus’ disciples had been fishermen:  Peter, Andrew, James and John.  Jesus invited them to become his disciples and told them that they would no longer catch fish.  Instead, they would fish for people and encourage them to become followers and disciples of Jesus Christ.

 

     Early Christians could mark their homes or businesses with a fish and other Christians would know that they could safely talk about Jesus together.  But pagans throughout the Roman Empire might just assume that they were fishermen by trade, or that it was just a decoration.

     The earliest representations of a cross used in Christian imagery were made using an anchor.  You can see that there is the shape of a cross hidden in the design of an anchor. Also, by introducing an anchor as a Christian symbol of the cross, Christians were able to keep within the fishing and sea imagery that they had already been using.  

 

     In addition, our faith reminds us that Jesus is the Lord of all and who keeps us secure in the midst of life’s storms.  Hence, the anchor is a very good Christian symbol, and it too, could be used safely by early Christians without facing persecution.

 

     When early Christians did try and represent Jesus crucified, they did not use an image of the body of Jesus nailed to a cross.  Rather, they used the image of a lamb, the Passover Lamb.  They understood the symbolism of the Passover Lamb from the Old Testament, and that Jesus was the perfect Lamb of God crucified to take away the sins of the world.  Often, the lamb is shown carrying a banner.

 

     In the fourth century, the Roman Emperor Constantine converted to Christianity, and the persecution of Christians came to an end in the Roman Empire.

 

     In the fifth century, the Western Roman Empire fell after years of invasions by many northern Germanic tribes.  Finally, the empire fell completely when the Visigoths invaded.

 

     The earliest depictions of the crucified Jesus in the Middle Ages show him with his eyes open and with no trace of suffering.  Although the humanity and the divinity of Christ was an accepted doctrine of the Church during this time, emphasis was generally placed on Christ’s divinity and that’s why Jesus tended to be painted without any emphasis on his suffering and death.

    By the thirteenth century, there was increasing theological importance placed on the incarnation of Jesus, or his taking on of full humanity.  Depictions of the crucifixion began to portray Jesus’ twisted body, and his bleeding on the cross.  The crucifix became the centerpiece in most churches and cathedrals and became the favored object of devotion and contemplation for the mystics. 

 

     Some historians believe that depictions of the crucifixion of Jesus became more realistic during the Middle Ages because the Great Plague had ravaged across Europe and killed more than one-third of the population with an agonizing and unstoppable death.  European artists became fascinated with depicting death.

 

     Then, during the Renaissance, Jesus’ depiction on the cross was transformed once again according to the prevailing optimistic spirit of that era.

 

     The Protestant Reformation of the 16^th century put a divide in the use of portrayals of the crucifixion between the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches on one hand, and Protestant Churches on the other.  Protestant reformers got rid of crucifixes in their churches, and in the case of John Calvin’s followers, even plain crosses were banned.   

 

     Crosses have again become prominent in most Protestant Churches, although a few still adhere to strict “no ornamentation” beliefs.  However, the crucifix has remained almost exclusively associated with Roman Catholicism.  

 

     Both Protestants and Catholics understand that both the crucifixion of Jesus, and his resurrection are pivotal points of our Christian faith.  And one is meaningless without the other.  If Jesus had not been crucified, he could not have been resurrected from the dead.  And if Jesus had not been resurrected from the dead, he would have been just another Jewish man crucified by Roman authorities.

 

     So, what can we learn from the Crucifix?

 

     A crucifix is a Latin cross with the body of Jesus, called the Corpus hanging on it.  It signifies the sacrifice that the Son of God willingly made on our behalf.  It reminds us of the incredible agony and suffering that Jesus endured to take away our sins.

 

     This type of capital punishment was known to be brutal and painful over a long period of time.  And Jesus, being fully human, felt every bit of its pain and torture.

 

     This was capital punishment reserved for the lowest people in the empire—slaves, servants, and criminal non-Roman citizens.

 

     God’s servant to humankind came and died a servant’s death.

 

    The crucifix also reminds us that we as Jesus’ disciples are also called to live our lives serving others.

 

     A teacher named Patty Bonds shares her own story of the reason she wears a crucifix. Here is what she shares:

 

I was assisting in a history class one day shortly after my conversion.  I was wearing a crucifix and the history teacher, who was not Catholic, commented that crucifixes always bother her.  She asked me why we Catholics kept Jesus on the cross when he was risen from the dead.  She expressed her offense at the sight of Jesus hanging there 2,000 years after the fact.

 

Prompted, I believe, by the Holy Spirit, I broke into a chorus of an old hymn traditionally familiar to many Protestants:

 

Lest I forget Gethsemane,

Lest I forget thine agony

Lest I forget thy love for me,

Lead me to Calvary.

 

She walked away with raised eye brows and a pensive nod.

 

Patty Bonds continued:  Could it be that the sight of the price paid for us makes some very uncomfortable? Could it be that as we look upon Christ giving his last drop of life for us, we realize that we are called to the very same sacrificial life? Could it be that fixation on the resurrection, made “sanitary” by the omission of the crucifixion, allows us to believe we are called to live in painless power rather than in humility and sacrifice?

 

Could it be that the sight of the crucifix brings to the surface our regard for sin? Should it not be impossible to set our eyes on a crucifix and allow any sinful thought to linger in the same mind that is filled with that sight? Does the sight of our sacrificial Lamb make us feel the pangs of every imperfect fiber of our beings?

 

 So, it is with gratitude I wear this crucifix. It keeps my heart focused on the lover of my soul; it keeps me submitted to the cross I must take up daily to follow Him; it reminds me how much he loves the rest of the world and how much he wants me to give to reach them.

 

Lest I forget . . . Lead me to Calvary.”

 

     This is why we remember both the Palms that were waved during Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem and the Passion of our Lord on this one Sunday.  Lest we forget.

 

     This is why we will gather for Holy Communion this Thursday and recall the new commandment Christ gave us to love one another, and serve one another.  Lest we forget.

 

     This is why we pause on Good Friday to ponder what Jesus was willing to do for us when he died on the cross.  Lest we forget.

 

     Several years ago, a friend of mine traveled to Haiti on a seminary transcultural trip.  It was a trip that changed his life.  My friend shared with me an entry from his journal that he wrote on his last day in Haiti, and I’d like to share it with you.  Here is what he wrote:

 

“In the afternoon, we went to Cité Soleil, which is the worst, most impoverished part of Port-au-Prince.  I understand that Mother Teresa once described it as being “hell on earth”, and she had obviously seen a lot of impoverished, hellish places.

 

A woman who sells souvenirs outside of St. Josephs’ Orphanage where we are staying in Petionville, went with us because she lives there.  We sat in the van for about fifteen minutes on the edge of Cité Soleil before we drove in.  The woman and Yvon our translator went into a school for her son or something.

 

While we sat there, I just watched people. I watched two men sitting next to a pile of garbage of rotten fruit.  There were more flies than I have ever seen in one place swarming over the garbage and landing on the men too.  They seemed oblivious.

 

I watched an old man pulling a huge wooden cart laden with something.  It was so large and heavy that is seemed to control him.

 

I watched dozens of children, ages 7-10, fetching water in 5-gallon containers on their heads.  Most seemed very curious about us and would smile and wave brightly when I waved or smiled.  I kept trying to imagine my young daughters Abby or Allie fetching that water and working that hard, and I just couldn’t imagine it.

 

We drove down to the dock where some small-sized boats were docked.  Some people were bathing in the water, and some pigs were in the shallow water.  The water looked filthy.  

 

Within sight of the dock is an oil refinery.  Some time ago, the refinery released some waste oil, and it flowed down the central open sewer canal of Cité Soleil. Then, rains came and flooded Cité Soleil causing an oil slick to cover everything.  When the water receded, everything was covered with oil.  The government’s solution was to set fire to Cité Soleil to burn off the oil, but they didn’t warn people.  Several hundred people died.  Everything is wood and so close together.  It would have been horrendous!

 

We started for the woman’s home who came with us.  We walked over open sewers, down narrow alleys that seemed to form a maze between these little shacks.  People were sitting in the narrow passages; some were bathing or cooking.  Children were amazed to see us, and shouted, “Hey, you!” and ran after us.  Some wanted to hold our hands.  Others shouted, “Blanc, blanc” which means “White, white.”  A woman tried to give her baby to one member of our group because she believed he would have a better life.

 

For some reason, the thought that went through my mind was that this must have been what the Via Dolorosa was like for Jesus.  The surroundings were utterly depressing and hopeless.  People were calling out; some seemed friendly, others seemed to call out only because we were “blanc”.  

 

I saw a side of humanity—all of humanity—that Christ died for.  It seemed to be all of the human brokenness in the world, gathered into one place.

 

The woman’s house was small.  Two dark rooms with no windows.  They were oppressively hot.  They had dirt floors.  Thirteen people live there.  A baby sat on the ground, and I remembered the statistic that most children in Haiti die before their fifth birthday.

 

The woman showed us the shed where she keeps the things that she makes to sell.  I bought a wooden crucifix which seemed appropriate given that I’d been thinking about Christ’s sacrificial love for the world as I’d walked through those narrow alleys.  

 

As we left Cité Soleil, I could not find words to express what I had just seen.  The van was very quiet on the drive home.  

 

That night, I sat up on the roof of the orphanage for a while looking at the lights of Port-au-Prince down below, and the mountains up above.  It dawned on me that God is with us, each of us no matter where we go.  It doesn’t matter if it’s where I live in the United States or Haiti, or anywhere else.  God is there.  More significantly, God is in Cité Soleil, and with God’s people there just as much as he is anywhere else.  

 

What would it mean for me to identify with the suffering of the people in Haiti’s poorest slum?  What would it mean to take on that suffering, and try to make a difference?

 

What does it mean for Jesus to identify with the suffering of the whole world?  I am thankful that the crucifix helps me to remember.” 

 

So ends my friend’s journal entry.

 

And as we encounter suffering here in our community, throughout the world, and even in our own lives, maybe this is a cross that we need as well.  A cross which reminds us that God knows what it’s like to suffer for the sake of the world.

 

That’s why we need the crucifix.  Lest we forget.

 

Sunday (March 24/Palm Sunday) Pastoral Prayer

March 24, 2024

Beulah UMC & Oak Grove UMC

O God, on this day in which we wave our palm branches to welcome you ride into Jerusalem, we are reminded that in just five days from now, we will be reflecting on how you died on a cross for the sake of the world. Even on this Palm Sunday, we are already trembling at the thought of what will happen.

 

Grant us the courage to walk with you this week to the Upper Room, to Golgotha, and to the tomb. Lest we forget.

 

Grant us the courage to walk with you this week and reflect on how we betray and deny you. Lest we forget.

 

Grant us the courage to walk with you this week and be reminded of the great lengths you will willing to go for the sake of the world. Lest we forget.

 

Grant us the courage to walk with you this week and be mindful of the pain and suffering that we see and hear about throughout this world that you love so much. Lest we forget.

 

Grant us the courage to walk with you this week as we pray for those on our hearts and minds who are in need of healing, hope, direction, and a new beginning. Lest we forget.

 

Grant us the courage to walk with you this week and serve others even if it’s as simple as giving someone who is thirsty a cup of cold water, running an errand for a neighbor, being a good listener and helping people feel heard and accepted, offering a word of encouragement to someone who is feeling down, donating food to a shelter. Lest we forget.

 

And grant us the courage to walk with you this week and join together in boldly praying this prayer that you taught us to say together…

 

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

Sermon (March 17/Lent) “Crosses of Jesus: The Celtic Cross” by Rev. Robert McDowell

 

March 17, 2023 Sermon (Lent)

“Crosses of Jesus: The Celtic Cross”

Rev. Robert McDowell

     During the Season of Lent, we’re spending this time focusing on six different types of crosses which have been used throughout Christian history to help people have a deeper understanding and appreciation for the meaning of Jesus’ cross.

     So far, we have focused on the Latin cross, the Jerusalem cross, and last Sunday, we were going to focus on the St. Andrew’s cross but that didn’t happen because I was sick. Thank you for your prayers, by the way!

     Before we look at today’s cross, here are a couple of highlights about the significance of the St. Andrew’s Cross. Primarily, it is a cross that emphasizes the importance of humility because it is named after the disciple, Andrew who died for his faith.

     Interesting to note is that all of the disciples ended up being killed for their faith except two of the twelve, Judas who killed himself because of his betrayal of Jesus, and John who was able to live to an old age.  

     Instead of being crucified in the same manner as his Lord, St. Andrew asked to be crucified upside down which is why this shape of cross looks like the letter, “X.” Here’s what is what this shape of cross looks like.

     St. Andrew’s cross reminds us that humility is at the heart of what it means to be followers of Jesus. Jesus is the ultimate example of what it means to be God’s humble people.

      The verse that was used for last Sunday is about humility. James 4:10 says, “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.”

     In this Season of Lent, the St. Andrew’s Cross reminds us that just as Jesus emptied himself for the sake of others, so we are called to love and serve others.

     And just this last thing about St. Andrew’s Cross, which is really interesting. It is the flag of Scotland because several centuries after Andrew died for his faith, tradition tells us that his relics were brought to Scotland by a missionary, and he became the Patron Saint of Scotland.

     For this fourth Sunday in Lent and on this St. Patrick’s Day, we turn to the Celtic cross.  And as you can see, the Celtic cross is pretty much the Latin style of cross which we talked about on the first Sunday of this series, only there’s also a circle surrounding the middle of the cross tying the four parts of the cross together.

     In preparing for this sermon today, I have been reminded of just how important the shape of the circle is for people from the Celtic faith.  And by Celtic Christianity, I’m referring to the Christian Church of the British Isles which dates all the way back to the 2^nd or 3^rd century and continues to be an important expression of our Christian faith today.  

     In a few moments I want to share some brief highlights of the history of Celtic Christianity, but for now, I want to say a quick word about the powerful symbol of the circle for people who are from the Celtic Christian faith.

     In Celtic Christianity, there’s a wonderful traditional prayer that goes like this:  Circle us Lord, keep love within, keep hatred out.  Keep joy within, keep fear out.  Keep peace within, keep worry out.  Keep light within, keep darkness out.  May you stand in the circle with us, today and always.”

     This prayer and the image of a circle are meant to help Christians remember that God is always with us no matter what we may be facing in life.  

     We’ll get back to the meaning of the circle in a little bit, but for now, I want to briefly sketch a little of the history of Celtic Christianity to help us better understand this unique shape of the cross of Jesus and how this cross can help us prepare for Holy Week and Easter.

     A lot of people don’t realize that Christianity originated in the British Isles as early as the 2^nd century – less than 200 years after the time of Jesus.  Christianity first arrived in that area because of missionaries who had been sent there from the Church in Rome.  

     Christianity grew and grew in this region thanks to three Christian saints in particular – St. Ninian in Scotland, St. Dyfrig in Wales, and St. Patrick in Ireland.

     Before we talk more about the Celtic cross, here are some unique features of Celtic Christianity in general which I think are really helpful for us to know.  I’ll share these rather quickly.

     Celtic Christianity emphasizes love of nature and of God’s creation.  They have a love and respect for art and poetry.  They are orthodox in their Christian beliefs with a heavy emphasis on the Trinity; God who is known as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. And they also have a special focus on the importance of liturgy and prayers.

     Celtic Christianity has been influenced more by the Christian faith in the Eastern part of the church rather than the Western part of the church.

     And maybe that’s why people today are so intrigued by Celtic Christianity because we have become so accustomed to the Western branch of Christianity, that we are just now beginning to reclaim the wonderful tradition of the more Eastern dimension of our Christian faith.  Celtic Christianity helps us to reclaim this less familiar side of our Christian history and tradition.

     Also in Celtic Christianity, women were given a more prominent role in the life of the church than in other Christian faith traditions.

     Celtic Christianity emphasizes the need for each Christian to have a spiritual guide and to not try to be a follower of Jesus Christ on your own.  

     Celtic Christians tend to be great story tellers because of their wonderful oral culture tradition.

     They are really big into offering Christian hospitality and they emphasize the importance of family and kinship ties.

     And they also have their share of some of the greatest Christian saints who have ever lived over the course of Christian history.  

     Saints such as Patrick who had a huge hand in preaching the gospel in Ireland.  Aidan who in the 7^th century, restored Christianity in Northumbria after unsuccessful attempts by previous leaders; Columba, a faithful and determined monk who in the 6^th century converted pagan kings and traveled on vigorous missionary journeys throughout his seventy-six years of life.  

     Other Celtic Christians saints include Cuthbert, from the 7^th century, who traveled by horseback all over England sharing the gospel with people who were scattered in outlying and sparsely settled areas encouraging them to not rely on their charms or amulets, but to pray to God and to put their trust in Jesus Christ, alone.

     Brigid was another wonderful Celtic saint.  She lived in Ireland during the 5^thcentury, left her pagan religion, and was baptized in the Christian faith at the age of fourteen.  Thanks to her sensitive and respectful approach, many of the Druid people accepted the Christian faith through her ministry. 

     And then of course, another saint from the Celtic Christian faith is St. Robert McDowell of Scotland.  You might have read about him. 

     Now, back to the Celtic Cross which I mentioned briefly at the beginning of the sermon.  The Celtic Cross is basically a Latin cross, which is the most popular shape of cross but this cross also has a circle in the top middle of it connecting all four points of the cross.

     As the story goes, St. Patrick, who lived during the 5^th century, is the one who came up with this particular style of cross.  During St. Patrick’s time, the circle represented a pagan moon goddess, and by incorporating a symbol from the pagan faith with the Christian cross, it showed those he was converting to Christianity how the Christian faith connected to their religious symbols.  

     Consequently, St. Patrick ended up ordaining many Druids to serve as Christian priests which is pretty remarkable if you think about it.

     Another symbolism of the Celtic cross also comes from the circle.  The circle is a symbol of eternity that emphasizes the endlessness of God’s love as shown through Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross.  The circle reminds us that there is no end to God’s immeasurable love.  And I think this particular meaning is worth stopping for a moment and giving some thought.

     This means that no matter how much we have failed God in the past or in the present, or how much we will fail God in the future, that God’s love for us is always the same.  As a friend of mine likes to put it, “God loves you and there’s nothing you can do about it.”  I find this circle of love to be a great thought for us during this Season of Lent, that God’s love has no end.

     When I think of Celtic Christianity’s emphasis on God’s unconditional love, I think of the story of the Prodigal Son.  We’ve heard this story.  It’s one of Jesus most famous parables and it’s about a father and two sons and how the youngest son demanded his share of the inheritance, left home, and squandered the money in loose living.

     This son had done the unthinkable.  Not only did he disrespect is father by asking for his inheritance, but he also turned his back on his own family.

     After he spends all of the money on wild living, he finally comes to his senses and decides to return home to become one of his father’s servants.  At least then, he would be able to eat real food and not the food of the pigs which he had been eating just to survive.

     Imagine this scene as this youngest son returns home.  All the way home, he is going over his apology for what he had done to bring shame to the family, knowing that his father might not even allow him to be his servant, let alone his son.

     And then, picture in your mind, the way this parable ends.  When the father sees his son off in the distance, this father is filled with compassion and begins running toward him.  

     We have lost the shock of this story because in Jesus’ day, adults never ran outside like that in public.  That would have been a disgrace.

     So, here’s this father, going against social protocol, throwing caution to the wind by running in public, all because he is overjoyed that his son who was lost has now come home.  And he was willing to go to these great lengths even though his son had hurt him deeply.

     After he embraces his son, he throws a huge welcome home party and spares no expense.  And Jesus told this story because he wants us to know of God’s immeasurable love for us.  The circle that is in the middle of the Celtic cross is to always remind us of God’s eternal love.  

     There is nothing we can do to make God love us more and there is nothing we can do to make God love us any less.  God loves us unconditionally, and there’s nothing we can do about it.  It’s just the way it is.

     Celtic Christians often use the phrase, “Thin Place” to convey how the spiritual and natural world often intersect and overlap.  These thin places are the moments when we experience a deep sense of God’s presence in our everyday, ordinary, and even mundane living.  Thin places represent the razor thin distance between heaven and earth and all we need to do is to be open to these everyday holy moments.

     And this is why we call so many of the Celtic Christians, saints.  Because of their deep sense of God’s presence and of God’s overflowing love for all people, that’s why Celtic saints like St. Patrick were willing to travel on dangerous missionary journeys.  

     They believed each place to be a place of one’s resurrection where only God could bring new life and it was their task to pray, preach, care, worship, and wait till the resurrection would most certainly come.

     And as we wait upon the celebration of Easter and the celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, like our Celtic brothers and sisters, it is our primary task to pray, preach, care, and worship wherever we travel.

     For this all to be said about us, we need a circle in the middle of Jesus’ cross reminding us of God’s eternal and never-ending love. 

Sunday (March 17) Pastoral Prayer

March 17, 2024

Beulah UMC & Oak Grove UMC

Thank you for the Celtic cross, O God and for it’s powerful symbol representing the endless circle of just how much you love us by sending us Jesus who lived, died, and rose again.

 

Just as your circle of love welcomed the Prodigal Son back home, may we also always know that we can come home to you because you are our loving father. And so today, we especially pray for those who feel far off from you and unworthy to return home to you.

 

On this St. Patrick’s Day, help us to reclaim the more creative and poetic side of our faith as expressed so beautifully through Celtic Christianity.

 

Be thou our vision to see your beauty displayed through your creation for this is our Father’s world.

 

Be thou our vision as we share the love of Jesus wherever we go and to whosoever we visit.

 

Be thou our vision when we are feeling lost and confused and in need of direction.

 

Be thou our vision when we feel alone and separated from you for you are ready to run out and welcome us home.

 

Be thou are vision when our own vision prevents us from seeing your goodness and beauty in others.

 

Be thou are vision so that we might recognize those “Thin Place” moments that occur in our day-to-day living, reminding us of your holy and mysterious presence.

 

Be thou our vision, as we pray this prayer that you taught us to say together…

 

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.