St. Francis' Episcopal Church

Serving Eureka, Wildwood, and Surrounding Communities

We Can Be Right or We Can Be Open to God

Sometimes, if I’m lucky enough to slow down to learn something, real insight happens.  A couple of weeks ago, The Rev. Ralph McMichael visited St. Francis’ in the middle of a snowstorm and taught about Epiphany.  This is the season that we’re just completing—the period of time between Christmas and Lent.  Ralph writes:  Jesus Christ is the epiphany of God.  This means that Jesus shows us more than who he is.  Through his identity he manifests the presence of someone else.  Ralph then suggested that each of us has been baptized into Jesus’ life of epiphany.  What the heck does that mean? 

Well, as I understand it, it means that as baptized persons, we are called to respond somehow to the God whom we know in Jesus Christ.  Ralph suggests that this response takes three forms:  fidelity, transparency, and perception.  It’s the middle one that’s been occupying my thoughts and prayer life for the last couple of weeks—but we can’t get to the second one nor be effective at the third without dealing with the first.  Fidelity.  Faithfulness.  But faithfulness to what?  That’s simple.  The Baptismal Covenant asks us:  Will you be faithful to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, the breaking of bread, and the prayers?  Fidelity as epiphany people means regular presence at the Holy Eucharist, learning more than we currently know about our faith, reading the Bible, hanging out with folks who are seekers of truth, and praying regularly.   That’s Christianity 101, and here at St. Francis’ we try to provide opportunities for all to be strengthened in these areas. 

Transparency may be the tougher discipline though.  Ralph writes: Transparency requires us to leave places of our lives and our understandings or views open.  There needs to be space in our lives and thoughts for someone else to shine through.  One of the great dangers of becoming disciples of Jesus Christ (or even of Mohammed or the Buddha) is that we come to believe that we have all and know all truth.   Convinced of the rightness of our choice, we can come to think that everything we think we know is right.  This attitude closes minds and closes the door to our hearts.  Ironically, it doesn’t allow God in.  But wait a minute.  If I’ve come to the conclusion that I’m right, then I am right.  Right?  One of the problems in our culture today is that we think that if we’re not right, then we must be wrong.  And no one wants to admit that they’re wrong. 

But living a godly life isn’t about being right, it’s about being open.  I may absolutely believe that Jesus Christ is the son of God (and I do).  But I may be able to learn something from his holiness, the Dalai Lama, or even his holiness, the Pope.  It doesn’t mean that they are more right than I.  It’s not about being right or wrong.  It’s about being open to knowledge that might just get me a tiny bit further into an understanding of the mystery of God.  It is that openness that will allow us to “manifest the presence of someone else.”  This is the only way that God can work and shine through us.  Think of any religious person: Christian, Muslim, Hindu, who believes that they have all the answers, and they are right!!! Are you able to see God in them? 

History is littered with the bodies of those killed by people convinced of the rightness of their cause.  Ironically, many of those who killed did so, and continue to do so, in the name of a God of love and peace. 

As you go through this Lent, I invite you to the discipline of fidelity.  There will be new opportunities to worship, to study, to pray.  Seek answers to your questions.  Rejoice when you receive answers, but remain open to new answers.  God will shine through you then, and you’ll see God in others.