Meditating on Proper 8: Being Made Acceptable to God

 

Proper 8    

The Sunday closest to June 29

Almighty God, you have built your Church upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone: Grant us so to be joined together in unity of spirit by their teaching, that we may be made a holy temple acceptable to you; through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Preface to the Lord's Day

I have always enjoyed DIY, construction, and remodeling shows on television. I enjoy seeing how some projects can be undertaken by a homeowner and how some ought to be left to professionals. I enjoy doing little DIY projects around the house and am fine with fixing things up, repairing or replacing light switches and outlets, installing fixtures, and that sort of thing. But when it comes to plumbing, that’s where I draw the line. I may be an Episcopalian, but when I do plumbing, I become an instant Baptist, and everything gets immersed and the Lord’s Name is invoked with great intensity.

Salvation is NOT a DIY project. As Saint Paul makes clear, our works don’t save us (although Saint James adds a wonderful corrective reminding us that faith without works is likewise dead). Our prayer today reminds us we are all a work in progress, and we’re part of a construction project that will never end. The apostles and prophets didn’t just “lay” the foundation; they ARE the foundation, and Jesus is the cornerstone.

Sometimes these metaphors become trite through over-use. For two thousand years we have thought of the church as a holy temple being constantly built. It’s easy to take a glance, nod in agreement, and then flit off to the next image, the next concept, the next big thing. But I would invite us to stop a moment and consider the words of our prayer. “Grant us to be joined together in unity of spirit by their teaching …”

“By their teaching.” The other day I was asked to engage in some continuing education courses that are required to maintain one’s license to function as a priest in retirement. Yes, one may retire, but one never stops learning, never stops working to remain qualified to function. I like that word “function.” That means it works the way it’s supposed to. We pray, asking God to keep us functioning properly. How?

By doing and saying things that are pleasing to God (“acceptable to you”). Think about a temple for just a moment. Yes, a physical temple. What do you notice about it? In our tradition, you’ll likely note beautiful stained glass windows. Many traditional stained glass windows tell stories, like the stilling of the storm, the farmer casting seed, women weaving, shepherds standing watch, apostles writing, Jesus preaching and teaching, the Good Samaritan, etc. Those aren’t just stories “of old.” They are our stories, too.

We, too, have dramatic stories to tell of God working in our lives. We, too, have stories of being helped by total strangers. We, too, have stories of being protected at times we were most vulnerable. We, too, have stories of being fed when hungry, visited when lonely, given a drink when thirsty, cared for when wounded or in prison. We have been the recipients in those stories, and oftentimes we have been the heroes in the stories of others. Ironically, we seldom look or feel like heroes. That’s because we’ve just done the right things as the occasions fell to us. Why? Because we are made of god-stuff, filled with angel-fluff, and have found ourselves set in place by the One who is not just the chief cornerstone, but the chief bricklayer, glass blower, framer, dry-waller, hod-carrier, roofer, electrician and, yes, plumber (although he may have delegated that to Johnnie B,* but who knows?).

Keep looking at that temple in your mind. Does your temple have a single spire pointing heavenward, or does it have twin towers representing the divinity and humanity of Jesus? Is it wood framed or solid stone like the great cathedrals of Europe (or our own national Cathedral)? Is it small, or does it have room for everyone? Does it have steps up to the Great Entrance; does it include a ramp to enable folks with mobility needs to enter? Does light shine from within? Wait; is that your light we see reflected on those massive walls as you approach, making the temple visible to all the world?

Suddenly, I see this prayer as more than just a quaint request to spiff up God’s kingdom here and there, sweeping dirt and dust off the furniture and beneath the rug, and setting out a few store bought cookies and microwaved coffee for our guests (whoever they might be). God sees each and every one of us as a precious and necessary asset for the building up of God’s kingdom. We are not a vanity project for the Divine, but a living, breathing member of the Divine. Jesus has placed each of us right where he knows we belong, and where we will do the most good. Stand firm. Stand tall. And if you see a leak, for heaven’s sake, call Jesus!

Amen.

* John the Baptizer