On the bus to work in the morning, two passengers behind me were chatting. Usually, passengers don’t talk because it’s pretty early in the morning to activate your brain to engage in a conversation. That morning around 6:50 am wasn’t a quiet ride. I unwillingly overheard these two passengers’ conversation. It really was nothing important but that Wegmans was coming in Parsippany. They were very excited about this new supermarket coming closer to their towns that is supposed to be a bit cheaper than the Whole Foods but more expensive than Shoprite or Stop & Shop.
A supermarket matters so much to us in our time. It’s where we buy things we need in our daily life such as food and household products. It summarizes what we humans need and use to sustain and sanitize our lives. On the other hand, it’s a symbol of consumerism. We are given so many options to choose from. Buying a carton of eggs, for example, takes some time. We look at if it’s cage-free, pasture raised, organic, or non-GMO. We are swamped by too many choices. In this marketing strategy of consumerism, we might at first think we’re choosing out of our freedom, but this process of making a choice presupposes our dissatisfaction with one or the other. The General Motors’ research division in regards to changing car models every year calls this “the organized creation of dissatisfaction.” (Paraphrased from Being Consumed, William Cavanaugh, p. 17) Consumerism encourages us to create desires to choose. Once chosen and consumed, we quickly move on to other products and detach ourselves from those we once possess. I think we may be too used to taking what we want, refusing what we don’t want, and complaining when it’s not available. This consuming habit of choosing and detaching might have influenced the way we build our relationships around and think about God. We might take who we want, refuse who we don’t want, and complain when they’re not good enough. About God, we might take the god who gets what we want, refuse the god who doesn’t get what we want, and complain when we don’t get what we want. In today’s gospel, Jesus says something quite countercultural to this consuming habit of choosing and detaching. He says, “You did not choose me, but I chose you.” Jesus chose you, not the other way around. We did not choose him, but he did. This goes directly against the spirit of consumerism. It’s never “I choose, therefore I am” but “Jesus chose, therefore I am.” Each one of us here is personally chosen and called by Jesus himself through the power of the Holy Spirit. And by God’s mercy, we simply respond to that calling. Some of us more than others might have been more attentive to this divine choice of Jesus to the Christian calling. If you’re not a cradle Episcopalian, you may be much more conscious of your choice of being an Episcopalian. I have a mixed religious background such as Buddhist, Confucianist, Catholic, and Protestant. I remember when I was a child I seriously considered which religion I must choose. I was already exposed to different religious traditions. It was my fourth year at the seminary when I chose to become an Episcopalian after once again being exposed to different Christian traditions. Perhaps this way of pick-and-choose was the way of consumerism. But, I do know that when I became an Episcopalian, being confirmed and as well as ordained, the whole purpose of my choice was to become more faithful to Jesus. I wanted to be a better follower, disciple, and abider of Jesus in the tradition that is wide and deep enough. I might say I “chose” to be an Episcopalian. But thinking back, not really. I think it’s in this Anglican tradition Jesus chose me and you to spiritually mature and grow as part of the universal church. At some point, I hope to see more of Episcopalians who can proudly say, “I’m a credo Episcopalian,” not so much of a cradle Episcopalian. And whether you’re a cradle or credo Episcopalian, Jesus chose you to be here. The bottom line is Jesus first chose you, not that you first chose him. This divine act of choosing happens in the first lesson we heard today. In the Book of Acts, the Holy Spirit descends upon all those who heard St Peter’s preaching. What’s astounding and even shocking is that the Holy Spirit does not discriminate. The Holy Spirit falls upon every single one of them whether they’re Jewish or not. These gentiles start speaking in tongues and praising God. St Peter says, “Can anyone withhold the water for baptizing these people who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” Basically, there’s no reason for him not to baptize the gentiles at this point. The Holy Spirit comes to everyone, not just to the circumcised. This also means that the gentiles did not choose but the Holy Spirit alone. Having been chosen, their hearts are filled with gratitude and praise, coming out of themselves and speaking in tongues. At this point, we might wonder about two things. First, what happens when you realize that you’re chosen? Second, for what are we chosen? This experience and realization of being chosen by Jesus through the power of the Holy Spirit brings a sense of joy. This joy comes out of the fact that you’re unconditionally loved no matter what you or others think of yourself. What this divine compassion of God the Father spoken and lived in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus does is that it heals the broken heart. Being saved means being healed, reconciling all the broken pieces in your heart and creating something beautiful out of them. When you feel loved by God, what do you feel and what do you do? You feel thankful and joyful. This love you’re receiving makes you praise and love God. The specific moment of experiencing this love may be at times expressed as what’s called ‘conversion.’ This love of God changes people. It converts people to look at the source of that divine love. It turns people to seek Jesus who is the divine compassion made flesh. So this transformation of the heart answers to the first question, “What happens when you realize you’re chosen?” Being chosen by Jesus is being loved by him. For this, we are being chosen: to be loved, to love him, and in turn to love others. God’s love compels and moves our hearts to love. We may have experienced this sense of love fulfilling our hearts some time in the past. It is easy to love someone when our hearts are filled with God’s love loving you. But it fades away. It comes and goes. Though God’s love is unconditional, our love is conditional. It’s like a candle flickering before the wind, yet is never extinguished because the source of our love comes from the power of the resurrection which is God’s love at the climax. The greatest commandment that Jesus tells us to do is right in our face. Love one another as Jesus loves you. No one has greater love than this to lay down one’s life for friends. This is what we are chosen for. Simple as it sounds but extremely difficult to do. It’s utterly impossible to do it on our own but very possible with the help of God. One thing we should keep in mind is not to romanticise this commandment of love. It’s not really about swallowing all the bad behaviors of others and pretending to forgive them. Love is earthy, filthy, getting your hands dirty and messy. Love is not about my personal preference. It's different from liking which sometimes happens automatically. Love is being patient with others, seeing good and bad in them and helping them flourish, never giving up on them but holding the hope that Jesus has already planted in their hearts. That’s all there is to this love. While we are being patient with others and are placing ourselves in that state of patience, we bear the fruit that will last. In this state, God the Father will give us whatever we ask him in the name of Jesus. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. |
Paul"...life up your love to that cloud [of unknowing]...let God draw your love up to that cloud...through the help of his grace, to forget every other thing." Archives
January 2025
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