Lent: 3/10/09
March 10, 2009
Genesis 42:1-17
1 Corinthians 5:1-8
Mark 3:19b-35
“Family”
A crowd was sitting around him; and they said to him, “Your mother and your brothers and sisters are outside, asking for you.” And he replied, “Who are my mother and my brothers?” And looking at those who sat around him, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.” – Mark 3:32-35 (NRSV)
Obviously we all have a family of origin. We all have at least a mother and a father. Some have siblings. Others have large extended families with multitudes of aunts, uncles and cousins. Sometimes our family of origin is a source of incredible strength and encouragement. Sometimes it is not. Other times our families can be a source of pain and shame. We cannot choose the family we were born into nor can we take total responsibility for the actions of others who are related to us by birth.
Too often the family of our origin has too much power over our lives. We use them as an excuse for our failure or more often our mediocrity. This is not the vision that the gospel paints for us.
In our baptism we become a part of a larger holy family. This new family is based on doing the will of God. This is a family that seeks to build us up and continually seeks to push us beyond the limits of what we think is possible. Rather than just a few relatives, we find ourselves surrounded by many church “aunts” and “uncles”. I cannot begin to tell you the number of people I have known that have been formed and encouraged by this extended family. Maybe you have a story about being “adopted” by a faith community that has changed your life. This is how it is suppose to be.
Today, your church family needs you to step up and start (or continue) being the source of encouragement and strength that others need to succeed. Over the past few generations “our family” has suffered from a lack of commitment and engagement. We have allowed ourselves to become selfish consumers of church programs and voyeurs of worship. Many who call themselves Christian are more like the brother-in-law that sleeps on the couch than leaders and role models. We can do better. We need to begin “adopting” the next generation and help them to become the Christians that we wish we could be.
For those who have painful experience in the family of our birth, this is a chance for a new start. For those who have been raised by a faith community, this is a chance to continue the cycle of growth and health. This is our responsibility and privilege as children of God.
Please join me in prayer…
O God our Eternal Parent,
You have blessed us with a large and lively family filled with love and opportunity.
We thank you for the members of your family that have loved and nurtured us over the years.
Help us to be more like these saints. Help us to become so filled with love for you that it overflows and covers all our relationships.
Where there is hurting… send us to heal.
Where there is emptiness…send us to fill.
Where there is doubt… send us to affirm.
Where there is joy… send us to celebrate.
Wherever your children are… send us to with them…so that we might be with you. Amen.
