Sermons at Church of the Good Shepherd

The story of Jonah’s adventure is likely one of the first Bible stories any of us learns as little children. Every picture-Bible contains depictions of the great storm, and the huge fish, and terrified pagan fishermen throwing Jonah into the sea. Interestingly, of all God’s prophets, Jonah is the only one sent not to the Jews, but to Gentiles – and despised, brutal Assyrians at that. More significantly, of all God’s prophets, Jonah is the only one with whom Jesus compares Himself. Yet, despite this story’s unique significance - and its wonderful humor - this 3rd Sunday of Epiphany is the only time – in our entire 3 yr. lectionary cycle – that we read anything about the story of Jonah. So indulge me in a moment of Biblical fun with a quick re-cap of this reluctant prophet’s narrative.

Whenever I am asked to offer a public prayer, outside these four walls, or the walls of my own home, whether it is to open a board meeting of All Saints' Academy, or a meeting of our City Commission, or to bless the food at a meeting of a Rotary Club, or any other public gathering, I have to make a decision. Do I offer the prayer in the name of Jesus, or in the name of a generic God?

Those who founded Alcoholics Anonymous, many, as I understand it, if not most of whom, were Christians, faced the same dilemma. Is it helpful in that public setting to speak specifically of Jesus as the one who enables us to restore and maintain our sobriety, or should we, for the sake of charity, give credit to an unnamed higher power?

On Christmas morning – some 2,000 years after the spectacular events we celebrate today, there is a rather too rational question we might ask ourselves. How do we know we’ve really been in the presence of the living God who came to be with us – forever – on that first Christmas? How do we grasp that?

Many years ago, my husband and I took our children to see the Christmas show at Radio City Music Hall in NYC. We’d heard what a spectacular production we were in for, and couldn’t wait to show our children what a real Christmas celebration looked like!

Last week as I was driving in my car, tuned to one the public radio stations, the announcer invited everyone who was listening to participate in a rather interesting contest, by submitting the name of the healthiest person we know, along with our reasons why. I don't remember there being a sponsor for this healthiest person contest, like a health food store, or a health club, a hospital or a yoga association. I got the impression that it was simply somebody's bright idea at the radio station, an idea for a contest that had never been tried before that might generate a lot of interesting entrants. As I thought about the radio's invitation further, I wondered who the judges would be. And on what basis would they rank a person's health?