Sermon for Last Epiphany
02/06/05
St. Luke’s Church
“Turning Points”
Last Sunday was a turning point in the history of Iraq,
a day when finally the world focused not on American policy in Iraq,
but on the Iraqi people themselves,
on their aspirations, their dreams.
According to the Washington Post,
“The elections represented their moment not only to seize the future,
but also to reject a legacy of dictatorship
and the bloodshed and hardship
that have followed the U.S. invasion.”
“Sunday's vote [also represents] perhaps the freest,
most competitive election in an authoritarian Arab world.”
Many people hope this will be a turning point not just for
Iraq,
but for the whole region,
a movement toward open, democratic and free
societies.
That remains to be seen, of course.
Only time will tell what will happen in Iraq and the rest of the Arab
world.
Will they go forward toward democracy, freedom and prosperity,
or backward into civil war, anarchy and more violence?
This turning point in Iraq reminded me of turning points in our own nation’s
history.
Next week we will celebrate the birthdays of our two greatest
presidents,
men who presided over our most important turning points.
We often take it for granted,
but once our own liberty and democracy hung in the balance of war.
It was the great rebel warlord and freedom fighter, George
Washington,
who led us against great odds to victory and
independence.
And when Civil War tore our nation apart,
it was Abraham Lincoln who led us through strife and bloodshed
to the America we celebrate in the pledge of allegiance—
“one nation, under God, indivisible with liberty and
justice for all.”
Those turning points seem like ancient history now, foregone conclusions.
But at the time, history lay in the balance.
Things could easily have tipped the other way.
Imagine America today divided into two hostile
governments,
or still fighting to resolve the issue of
slavery.
Turning points are nothing new.
The Bible takes us back thousands of years to the children of Israel.
They faced many turning points in their history,
but none greater than today’s story from Exodus.
When Moses went up on the mountain to receive the ten commandments,
he was receiving a new relationship with God
forever embodied in the Law,
and symbolized in those two stone tablets.
To this day, the Law of Moses remains
one of the pillars of Judaism.
The Law along with the Prophets are the source
of Jewish religious faith and tradition.
So it was no coincidence when Jesus went up his own mountain,
that he met two familiar figures – Moses and Elijah.
Moses representing the Law,
Elijah representing the Prophets.
Their presence told Peter and the others that this was no nature walk.
Something important was happening – a turning point.
Jesus ministry of teaching and healing had begun
with a significant turning point—his Baptism.
Now it was coming to an end with another—his Transfiguration.
From now on Jesus would set his face toward Jerusalem
and walk deliberately on toward his Passion, his Cross.
At this pivotal moment as Jesus pondered his calling, his destiny,
he was reminded of all that had come before,
the whole history of his people that had led up to this
moment.
His decision to choose the Cross, to choose suffering and death,
was based on a lifetime of discernment and preparation.
This was no whim, no spur of the moment choice.
It was a decision based on his upbringing in the faith and tradition of his
people,
the faithful parenting and example of Mary and Joseph.
And it was based on his own unique and intimate relationship
with God,
a relationship nurtured through a lifetime of prayer and
obedience.
That preparation is what got him through this moment of decision, this turning
point.
And that’s what it takes for us as well.
All of us face turning points in our lives,
moments of testing, moments of decision.
We too have the choice to take up the cross of obedience,
or turn aside from our calling.
Some turning points are predictable,
while others surprise us at unexpected times.
What makes the difference is how we have prepared.
Have we grown strong in the practice and traditions of our faith?
Have we nurtured our relationship with God
through a discipline of prayer and obedient listening?
Today marks a turning point for Kaydance Joy Paladino.
Today she is transfigured, transformed from one life into another.
Today she is baptized into the death and resurrection of
Jesus,
and marked as Christ’s own forever.
But, as important as this is, today is not the only turning point in her life.
She will face many choices, many decisions.
Today her parents and godparents speak for her.
But one day she will have to speak for herself.
How she meets those turning points will depend on how she has prepared.
And that preparation is our responsibility.
Certainly, it is first Melodie and Joe’s responsibility as her
parents.
And it is her godparents special responsibility as well.
But all of us here today share in this promise,
to support Kaydance in her Christian life,
to help her grow into the full stature of Christ.
That’s what the church is for.
Because it is not just Kaydance,
but all of us who need support as we prepare ourselves
for the turning points of our lives.
We need this fellowship of support and love.
We need this rhythm of prayer and worship.
We need this grounding in knowledge and understanding
in classes like “A Journey of Faith.”
I invite you, therefore, as we begin another season of Lent,
to make this preparation a priority in your life.
Whether it is at church or at home, alone or in a small group,
use this time to renew your connection to God.
As you know, our major offering this Lent will be our Wednesday night program,
called “A Journey of Faith.”
But there are a host of other options as well.
If nothing seems to be working, talk to one of the
clergy
and we will help you find the path that
works for you.
