Discipleship: A Work of Many Duties, But One Task

Based on Matthew 10: 24-33

Anyone who has ever cooked anything knows that it is never enough to decide exactly what you are going to make. You need all the right ingredients, the right kitchen tools and you need a plan of what goes first, second, third and so on. Yet, for all the ingredients that can go into one recipe, we soon learn that there is more than one way to make a particular dish. A recipe in a book, on paper or off of the internet is just a bunch of ingredients and instructions until we actually get to work creating the meal. Being of Italian descent in which I had my great Aunts and Grandmother on my mother's side, we were never short of good things to eat. My great Aunt Clara and Grandmother Emily always had a routine for making their tortellini, squash pies, or anything they made. Yet, when the opportunity arose they also were never afraid to try something just a little bit different. From some of their experimentation, they got nothing but compliments. From others, they were told to just stick to the same old way of doing things.

The task of being a Disciple of Jesus Christ is a work of many duties. It is not just a matter of reading the Bible, going to church, writing some good words, or saying a few prayers every day. All of these things are good and noble things to do. Without returning to the source to find out what we need to do, without the guidance of those who can help us along the way, and without sharing some thoughts and remembering each other before God, it can be difficult to plan what we are going to do. Yet, even when we do make a plan, we know that life can throw us some curve balls that might cause us to take a different approach to doing the same job.

How many college students have started with one career major in mind, yet before they get through the first half of a semester, they've changed their mind? Some have even changed their major about 3 times with in their college career, either because of life situations, difficulties with certain subjects or even because of a particular college or departments lack of organization.

Benedictine Monks make vows of Stability, Conversion of life and Obedience. The vow of Stability is more than just about the individual monastery being their one and only home for how ever long they live there. Stability is relying on God as their constant and only supplier of what they need. Yet, they are also committed to Conversion of life. While finding their Stability in God and in their particular monastery, they put their trust in God to constantly change them into a better example of following the Lord, through his life in the community in all the various forms it may take. Monasteries like anywhere else, there are human men (or women in woman's communities) who experience conflict and tension. They go through difficulties with changes, and intimacy. Yet, in all that they experience, God is their constant companion on their journey. So it is and should be for us all.

As we go through life, change will happen. Change is part of the human and Christian experience of life. Change will bring it's difficulties and graces. Change will mean altering our course of actions, ideas and methods of how we approach and deal with things and people. The work of being a Disciple has many duties, but is the same task. That task is about the Church being the community of the Holy Spirit where all of God's people can share in God's goodness and experience salvation in and through the Name of Jesus Christ. Everyone's experiences will not be the same, but everyone does have their place in the Church, and all must be included so as to allow them the opportunity to encounter God and deal with those changes that we all experience.

The work that involves many duties, means seeking to build a community of equality, justice and peace for all people. The community of the Holy Spirit, being the Church, is a place of many people, with diverse gifts and abilities. Every person regardless of their sexual orientation, gender, race, challenge, and yes even political position has a place and contributes to the greater good of all.

While I cannot condone many of the policies and positions of former President George W. Bush, I can say that during those eight difficult years we saw the LGBT community come together in ways that perhaps they would not have. I remember back in 2003 when we in the State of Minnesota were dealing with former Minnesota State Representative Arlon Lindner who wanted to remove sexual orientation from the Minnesota Human Rights laws. In the very beginning when we were trying to organize people to become active in our efforts to stop this legislation form passing, we had a very difficult time getting individuals in the local LGBT community involved because of how apathetic many had become during the Clinton years. As I was collecting signatures for a petition we were going to take with us to LGBT Lobby Day that year I had a few ask me the question: "Why should I get involved in Politics? No one really cares!" And indeed, I can totally understand this attitude. Year after year, we have often spoken up and gotten no action in return. It can be like beating yourself against a wall, or talking to someone who never participates in the conversation with any level of integrity. However, I responded by saying the following: "You need to be involved in politics, because you are involved whether you want to be or not. You are being targeted by political and religious minded people who are telling you that you are nothing." "They are trying to tell you that you are such low life scum that they can take away your jobs, very possibly your home, they can refuse you business, or medical assistance just because of who you are. If you don't get involved, you are basically telling them, they are right."

And what does all this say about the Gospel today? Well, Jesus did say "So have no fear of them; for nothing is covered up that will not be uncovered, and nothing secret that will not become known." (Matthew 10: 26, NRSV). There is nothing about us that God does not already know. There are no secrets hidden from God. God made us who we are, as we are to do the work given to us in our creation and by virtue of our Baptism. Sharing the Gospel means being willing to take those chances by performing a work of many duties, but fulfilling one task. And how dare religious fundamentalists talk as if there is only one group of people among a few who have no place in that task! It is not theirs to decide. How dare the Pope and Catholic Bishops and clergy say from the Catechism that "Every sign of unjust discrimination in their (homosexuals) regard should be avoided." (Paragraph 2258, Page 566). In other words, there are moments in which discrimination is not okay and others where it is. How is this honoring every Disciples opportunity given to them by God, to do a work of many duties, as part of one task?

While there is room in God's community of Faith for everyone, there also needs to be room for change, inclusion and incorporation of everyone in to the work for the good of the kingdom of God. Jesus excluded no one. Those who came to Jesus realizing that without him and God's love in their lives, they could not accomplish what God created them to do, were received by Jesus with loving compassion and redemptive conversion. They were given a sense of mission, with duties to be done in the one task. However, those who came to Jesus feeling as if they had it all worked out, not willing to change, thinking that all they had to do was follow the rules and show themselves to be authorities of the law, Jesus usually had words of warning for them. But when it was all said and done, Jesus loved everyone even his enemies.

Let us pray for each other, that we will be agents of change in God's work. Let us allow for each other to play their role, never accepting or condoning injustice and inequality, but still respecting each other as difficult as it is so that there may be hope for building God's kingdom on earth. When others, even Religious leaders attempt to tell us that there is no place for us, let us find a place and being our work of many duties as Disciples, by participating in the one task.

"Direct us, O Lord, in all our doings with your most gracious favor, and further us with your continual help; that in all our works begun, continued and ended in you, we may glorify your holy Name, and finally, by your mercy, obtain everlasting life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen." (Book of Common Prayer, #57, Page 832)