Coming full circle

Last Pentecost, Christ the King Sunday
November 23, 2008

For the morning services, this sermon included props - a chance of stoles to illustrate the color changes each season, a Godly Play wall-sized calendar of the Church year (and a child-sized helper to move the arrow) - and after each discussion of a season, we sang a verse of a hymn that expresses particularly well the theology of the season.  For the late Celtic service, there were no props or hymns and instead I added reflection questions and some silence for each season.

Happy New Year’s Eve!  Or almost, anyway.  This is the last Sunday of the Church year.  Next Sunday, with the first Sunday of Advent, we’ll begin our cycle of seasons and celebrations again. 

 

          And so this seems like a good time to reflect back on the seasons that make up the Church’s year, at the same time, of course, knowing that we are also looking forward to our journey for the coming year.  We’ll do it partly through the hymn book, so get one of those ready.  If you’ve been around the Episcopal Church long you have probably noticed that there’s a lot of theology in here.  Plus, as my music professor in seminary always tried to convince us, and as I’m sure our organist Mark Gilliam would agree, “When you sing once you pray twice.”

We begin the Church Year in Advent, a word that means "coming".  During the four Sundays of Advent we hear prophets foretelling the coming of a Messiah and we experience the waiting of the Israelites.  Advent is a season of longing and expectation; not because we seek a Messiah yet to come, but because the Christ has come and we yearn for him to come to us again. The contrast between the quiet of Advent and the bustling commercialism we see around us in the world during December reminds us of the disconnect between our secular and religious lives and our need for God. (Hymn 66)

           Is there a part of your life that feels disconnected from God?

The waiting and longing of the Advent season culminates in the joy of Christmas.  During the short twelve days of the Christmas season, we celebrate the gift of the infant who was born in a simple manger and yet was a King.  The child who fulfills all of our Advent expectations by being “God with us”, Emmanuel.  (Hymn 100)

           Is there a time when you knew God to be with you over the past year?

After Christmas comes the season of Epiphany, which means “to make known.”  Epiphany begins with our remembering the Wise Magi who brought gifts to the infant Jesus.  As the first Gentiles to acknowledge Jesus as "King," the Magi are one of our first indications that Jesus came for all people and that the work of God in the world is without limit.  Throughout the season of Epiphany we remember the ways in which God is revealed through Jesus Christ and the ways that revelation continues even now.  (Hymn 119)

How have you seen God act in an unexpected way over the past year?

Lent begins with ashes on our heads during the Ash Wednesday service as we are reminded of our humanity and our need for God.  For six weeks we trace Jesus’ three years of ministry. We become acquainted with people much like ourselves.  People who were sometimes faithful and sometimes selfish; people who sometimes heard the good news and responded, and sometimes walked away.  (Hymn 142)

           Where have you seen a place of great need this year?

The season of Lent culminates in “Holy Week,” which begins with the joyful entry of Jesus into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday and ends with his horrible crucifixion and burial.  We are thrown headlong into the events of Jesus’ last week.  We witness the earliest communion, the bittersweet last supper of Jesus and his friends.  And we have the opportunity to have our feet washed along with Jesus’ disciples as a reminder of their responsibility to serve each other in love. (Hymn 172)

          Is there someone who has served you with love this year?

Morning dawns and Mary Magdalene, weeping at the tomb, is told the good news "He is not dead! He has risen!" And that call echoes through the centuries of Christians around the world who have joyfully cried out on the highest and holiest day of the Christian calendar: "Alleluia! Christ is Risen! The Lord is Risen indeed! Alleluia!"   The fifty days of Easter are filled with the joy and hope that our Risen Savior brings. We listen in on the conversations of the disciples as they struggle to wrap their human hearts and minds around this new revelation. We watch as some who had previously persecuted the people of God have their lives turned around.  And we are invited to experience for ourselves the gift of new life that is our heritage as people of God.  (Hymn 207)

           Where have you seen evidence of new life this year?

On Pentecost we remember the great rushing wind and the dancing flames that signify God’s ever-continuing presence with us.  The disciples and followers of Jesus were one moment huddled in fear in a small upper room.  And then the breath of Jesus baptized them with the Holy Spirit and they were empowered to rush into the streets, telling everyone about the good news of God.  Like them, one day we are ordinary people, the next we are God’s evangelists, and pastors, and healers, and mercy-bringers.  Like them, we are the Body of Christ.  (Hymn 508)

How have you served as Christ’s body this year?

The season of Pentecost continues a very, very long time.  The many weeks between Pentecost and Advent are sometimes called “Ordinary Time” because they remind us of the ordinary times of life.  During this season we hear parables and instructions about the Kingdom of God, and we are shown a vision of the Church and our responsibility within it.  We are urged to take our ordinary lives and do extraordinary things for God – to be God’s people in a world that is hungry for grace and love and peace.  (Hymn 490)

           How have you been able to keep God close even during the ordinary moments this year?

          Which brings us to today, the last Sunday of Pentecost and the last Sunday of the Church year.  This day is called “Christ the King” Sunday because today we celebrate the present reality of the Kingdom of God that Jesus brought into the world.  We rejoice in our Lord, whose rule is not one of power and authority but of love and service.  And we also express our hope for the future Kingdom, in which the world will once again fully reflect its Creator.  Christ the King Sunday is a sort of bridge between the liturgical seasons of the past year and the cycle that is about to begin again with Advent next Sunday.  (Hymn 450)

          As we say in Godly Play, for every beginning there is an end, and for every ending there is a beginning.  And so we come full circle, with our God who is present not only in every season of the church year, but in every season of our lives.  Amen.