Groundbreaking
Matthew 21: 14-22
October 26, 1997
P.D. James, the British mystery writer, has come out with a disturbing novel called The Children of Men. The setting is in the near future.
It takes place in a time when people have lost the ability to conceive children. For 25 years, no children have been born. Women have taken to pushing around dressed-up animals in baby carriages. Dolls are sometimes bought and treated as children. Playgrounds have all been shut, and the entire world is preparing to close down when the last survivor dies.
In this future world, no one wants to deal with the unpleasantness at the beginning or ending of life, and so the government has made sure that women can’t conceive and has also arranged for mass suicides. The old and the weak are drugged, floated out to sea in barges, and sunk as a bank plays “Somewhere over the Rainbow.”
Meanwhile, adults are entitled to government-sponsored massages and all the creature comforts, as no one needs any longer to deal with the drain on resources of young children and older folk.
Like all such troubling visions of the future, this one is intentionally disturbing. A world where children have no place. A world, which doesn’t have time for those who are not making a contribution to society, is a scary place.
It’s a world that starts out by being indignant that children are shouting praises to God. It’s a world that says, “Children should be seen and not heard.” It’s a world in which the sick and the weak are ignored. It’s the world of the first century. But it’s also a world view that cuts close to home.
We live in a world where children are one of the most endangered species. We live today in a country where we spend more time and pass more legislation to disenfranchise those who can contribute the least.
Today, we are taking one small step to reverse that trend. Today, we are reminded that there will be no St. Philip’s or any church if we don’t pass on our faith. Today, we are investing, in a small way – maybe the only way – in saving this planet from P.D. James’ story line. Today, we are taking a risk, believing it, trusting that what we ask for in prayer, God will provide by challenging the hearts of this community.
As soon as I finish this homily, we are going to take up our regular offering. This is what we give for our ongoing ministry at the present_ But as a part of that liturgical act, as soon as the ushers have finished, rm going to ask you to get up and follow the brass quartet and choir to the parking lot, where we will complete our offering by blessing the pledges to the “Yes to the Future” drive, as well as breaking ground for the Children’s Center
Two stories before we begin our offering. First, the financial people sent me a note last week questioning the bill for the brass quartet. (You people don’t come cheap.) The finance people were saying, “We don’t have all the money collected. Things are tight. Why the expense for a brass quartet?” Well, ended up paying for the quartet myself. Not because I have a big discretionary income, but because I felt that we, as a community, were taking a giant step of faith, and we ought to have a brass band. And believe me, this is a giant step. If we don’t raise $600,000 in the months ahead, we’re going to be in deep trouble, and I’m going to be out of a job.
So lets follow the brass band. For those of you of little faith – you can say we’re following the brass band to the poor house. For those of you who believe what Jesus said, “Whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive,” then you know that with banners flying, we’re moving into God’s future.
The second story. A Tibetan lama, who crossed the Himalayas on foot when the Chinese occupied his country, was asked by reporters, “How did you manage such a difficult journey?” He replied, “One step at a time. One step at a time.”
Today, we are taking one giant step into the future. I invite you to walk and take these steps with me. Amen