Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost

The Lord be with you.
(And also with you)

No, really, the Lord be with you. Right now. With you.

We say these words all the time, but how often do we stop to ponder what they mean?

They’re not simply an opening formula to prayer.
The Lord be with you in hard times.
The Lord be with you in prayer.
The Lord be with you in grief.
The Lord be with you in worship.
The Lord be with you in celebration.

Rejoice in the Lord always; again, I will say, Rejoice...The Lord is near.

In a passage that includes numerous favorite lines of Scripture, Paul urges the Philippians to rejoice. But this is not a false positive outlook or fake blessings for his circumstances. Paul is in prison as he writes this letter, yet he is able to tap a resounding and deep joy that comes from a strong relationship with Christ.

The Lord was with Paul despite his difficult circumstances.

Too often we are not sufficiently aware of God’s presence. Too often we are caught up in all the worry and anxiety of what might happen even when we have no control over the outcomes.

Most certainly, right now, the world may feel like a more dangerous place.

War is now being waged in Eastern Europe and the Middle East, in addition to the ongoing atrocities that pepper the globe from Africa to Asia. Our own government feels fractured at many levels, and our place among world powers seems shaky.

Given the current global situation, for those old enough to have memories of World War II, the echoes seem all too familiar. Those who lived through the Cold War are all too acquainted with the unending tension and threat of escalation.

It is heartbreaking to witness the devastation and strife. Over the last week, you’ve probably seen the images and heard the stories. And because there is no such thing as a pure “battlefield” we cannot avoid the images of buildings destroyed, civilians injured, and lives destroyed. Though we can do little more than observe, the news dominates our lives. We might find all of this leads us to react more to local events as well. Are there more disagreements among friends? Is there more tension in the everyday struggles of life?

When life feels unsteady, we tend to see anxiety in all situations and worry about possible outcomes. We may especially worry over those things we have no control over but could cause us grief or pain. How often do we invest time and energy in anxiety for outcomes that never happen? How often do we spin in worry? And yet, our worry and anxiety change nothing.

Paul recognizes this. Perhaps the Philippians are caught in their own worry spiral due to his imprisonment or other community conflicts. Yet, Paul does not beg or list out the what-ifs.
While we may feel powerless in the short term to change the situation, we do have opportunities to decide how this will reflect in our lives and the lives of those around us. Despite his own dire situation, Paul taps into the community bonds built on the power of Christ. Even though Paul knows that he may be executed soon, Paul does not give up faith in Christ.

Rejoice in the Lord always, again I say, Rejoice. The Lord is near.

Friends, when Paul declares that the Lord is near, he calls us to something more than prayer. Paul knows the transformative power of Christ. Paul expects that those who follow Christ will understand the way of love preached by Jesus. This is the love that does the work of God in us and through us, transforming us into newness in Christ.

“Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.”

Paul knows that God’s creative power is greater than the destructive power of sin and evil. Just because the news feels familiar and scary does not mean it all leads to the same outcome.

We do not have to repeat the cold war.

We do not have to imagine World War III.

We cannot ignore what is happening in the world or our nation. It is scary and unsettling. I wish I could tell you it would be all okay.

But we are also not called to allow the anxiety to take over our lives. We are not given unlimited license to amplify the fear so that it echoes into every decision.

It is okay to take a break from the news. We are given permission to care for our selves if that means not being consumed by the world events. We are each called to prayer and discernment of how we might respond, and as Christians, we are also called to put our trust in the work of God. It is up to us to imagine the possibilities for true peace and the Kin-dom of God, the Beloved Community.

How do we find our hearts and minds shift when we truly believe that the Lord is near? Again, I can’t improve upon the great words of Paul... “Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”

I have a plaque in the house with this Scripture on it. We often hear these words as daily encouragement. But I want you to consider that Paul is saying these words not in a peaceful Sunday sermon. Paul delivers these words to a beloved community that is struggling with division and conflict. He shares the words from his prison cell despite the fact that he likely faces execution. Paul shares these words in a time of anxiety and tension because he believes in and he lives in the joy of the transforming work of Christ. It is times like these when we most need to remember that the Lord is with us. The Lord walks with us and guides us, the Lord is gracious to us and gives us peace, but first, we must acknowledge and recognize God’s presence. Not just on Sundays, but each day.

The Lord by with you.
(And also with you.)
Let us pray.

O God of all justice and peace we cry out to you in the midst of the pain and trauma of violence and fear which prevails in the Holy Land. Be with those who need you in these days of suffering; we pray for people of all faiths — Jews, Muslims and Christians and for all people of the land. While we pray to you, O Lord, for an end to violence and the establishment of peace, we also call for you to bring justice and equity to the peoples. Guide us into your kingdom where all people are treated with dignity and honour as
your children for, to all of us, you are our Heavenly Father. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen. (1)

“And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

The Rev. Mercedes Clements

(1) A prayer from the Archbishop of Jerusalem, Hosam Naoum.