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| SERMONS Sean Gilbert –27/06/10 Rosa, You and Me… To celebrate my birthday recently, Rod and Julie took me out to a Cabaret Show at the Festival Theatre. None of us knew the artist - I think that is half the fun of such events – and the act did have an obscure, if not forgettable title: Rosa, the Russian Beautician. From beginning to end it was warmly engaging, if not hilarious, made even better by the unexpected participation in the show by our good friend, Peter Smith (another story). Well, wonderfully so, we met Rosa afterwards (out of character) as she made her way toward the piano bar to sing. She came over to thank Peter for being such a good sport and to gently chide him for nearly stealing the show from her. All of us were interested in her story: she graduated from Nida (Melbourne) who in the course of her studies had the privilege of seeing and hearing Barry Humphries addressing the student body. Right there and then, she said, she knew what she wanted to be: a satirist, comedian, entertainer in the same extroverted, outrageous mould. A mixture of song and humor, writing and delivery, all highly engaging of the audience, if not demanding its participation. So determined was she to follow in his path and learn his art, she went to New York City, where he was living and performing at the time and learnt as much as she could from a very gracious mentor. That obviously paid off and you could actually see and hear Humphries in both her scripting and delivery. Forgetting all the analysis for a second, I haven’t laughed so much for a good while. It was a good night indeed. It might initially seem like a big stretch, but Elisha, the disciples of Jesus, Rosa you and me, all politically have something very much in common: that being, the ever present possibility to not only recognize what calls out to us for our attention, but to respond with great intentionality. And very often this will involve an attraction to a particular path in life due to how another has embodied it. Most importantly it holds out to us the need of determination, even in the face of disinterest or ridicule from others. In other words, when the light goes on inside, or when the heart leaps with meaning and hope, it is time to follow and to follow and to follow. And whilst I’m conscious of age at this point, I’m also conscious that it is only a barrier if we choose it to be that way. As an aside, I well remember graduating with Mary, a spritely 85 year old back in 1995, who had completed a Masters degree in Religious Studies. Mary outshone many of us with insight and life application, that was for sure. Age is never a barrier to new beginnings and new paths. Philip Carter said to me during the week, that in the end what we have to offer in life is but our disposition, nothing more, nothing less. Openness, teachability and intent being critical, fundamental to all else. Indeed all else flows from these things. And in this case, an openness, belief and intent toward what is true to us, what is authentic. For Elisha there existed such a deep desire to continue the prophetic line and ministry to God’s people, that he will not leave Elijah’s side, and then demands a double portion of his Spirit. Remarkably for the disciples, a growing desire to embody the values and being of Jesus himself. For Rosa, you and me, not necessarily an overly religious desire, but spirited and spiritual none the less. Too often we frame such callings in purely religious or churchy terms and by doing that discount or belittle the movements of love/life in ourselves. Now wouldn’t want to necessarily create a whole theology around it, but Rosa’s humor is a service, a needed ministry to others. I’m still laughing about the show. Correspondingly, that which attracts, inspires, even captivates us in the expression of self and service to others is, in fact, the following of Jesus. Well, even in the writing I’m aware of how broad such a definition is but I’m also aware how narrow the path can be so far as genuine intention and determination is concerned. Other voices, other values apart from our own, can so easily separate ourselves from ourselves. They can shape life – choices that are more imposed than they are uncovered and then gladly owned. In saying as much, I’m keenly aware of a legacy of an overly ‘churched Christianity which would have us believe that genuine discipleship is about doing the very things we don’t want to do, and that such behavior is virtuous because of its dutiful sacrifices. I honestly don’t know how you can serve anyone – fully and freely – from a place of obligation and ultimately a falsehood. In fact, I know you can’t. Our deepest points of connections always, always come from the places of love and passion. Susan mentioned to me on Wednesday a French chef - the Master Chef finalists recently met in Paris, I think - who at an early age fell in love with the culinary arts – clinking of glasses... She also mentioned a famous children’s author who felt like he wanted to eat books as a boy, such was his great love of reading. And it’s that depth of love and passion that is attractive, if not converting, in the person of Elijah, Jesus and even the likes of Barry Humphries; a love and passion not simply for religious things, but for the furtherment and broadening of life itself. For it’s the breaking out of the confines, the self doubts, the self absorption, the fears and despairs, and entering into that always new and needed terrain of Spirit – the playfulness of mind and heart in the service of the world and its wellbeing. That is what will always carry weight and leave its healing mark. This time next Sunday, we will welcome back one of my own friends and mentors (a mantel bearer) in the person of Mark Burrows. But it’s never a matter of initiating someone like Mark – that would be totally counter productive – but it’s about being both encouraged and inspired by what he represents – a searching, melodious, scholarly and justice seeking heart, cum disposition. I don’t think that sense of following and desiring should ever need to cease, even unto our dying days. I know Jesus to be right on this one. Our disposition need always face the front, for to look back or to go back is to shut up shop, to opt out of the journey that is faith and life. Our calling saves us to that destination. Thanks be to God. Amen. | |||||||||||||
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