Proper 14, 11th Sun after Pentecost
Mother Christina Cernansky
I speak to you in the name of Source, God, Father, Son, Holy Spirit, mother of us all.
One of my favorite, most memorable movie scenes as a child is of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. Do I have any fans? Bear with me as I nerd out with you this am.
In this movie, the third in the series, the main character, played by Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones, or Indy, has to find the fastest way to the “Holy Grail” to save his father, who some bad guys shot. There are a handful of obstacles and challenges that test his knowledge of the Christian faith. His Father, also a scholar, kept a journal of clues to help him find the “Holy Grail”.
There is a great 5-minute clip if you want to get a recap, as I did to prepare for this sermon.
These obstacles are tied to clues from Indy’s father’s journal. There are three obstacles: 1- the breath of God, 2- the Word of God, and 3- the Path of God.
The first segment, Breath of God, is where we need to kneel in front of God to show humility, trusting God is present; the clue here is: “Only the penitent man shall pass.” This obstacle has giant saws come from different angles so that if you don’t kneel…;
The second, Word of God, is knowing how to spell Jevohah, and the clue is: “Follow the path of God.” Ok, side note here: (spoiler alert: it starts with an I; the ancient Latin alphabet did not have the letter “J”. In classical and medieval Latin, the sound we now associate with the letter “J” was written using the letter “I”). So this second obstacle is to teach us to know the word and understand the word. I like to think of this as having critical thinking skills when reading scripture. Indy is to step on stones with letters; a foundation lies beneath the correct letters. H first stepped on “J” but quickly corrected course after nearly falling through a gaping hole, then got up and started with the letter “I”.
Lastly, the path of God to walk with faith, the clue in his father’s journal is: “A leap from the lion’s head.” Indy looks over a gorge, a canyon, and sees the path across the gorge. But how shall he walk over? He blindly stepped out into nothing, but then…he steps onto a pathway that is so camouflaged you can barely see it.
Here, Indy is fighting against his mind’s beliefs about his current environment and his heart and soul, but his connection with God must override his mind.
You get where I am going here….
Throughout my life, I have returned to that image of walking blindly, relying on my faith to move forward without certainty. Without any confirmation that this is the right path. To trust that something is bigger at play here. To trust that I might feel alone, that I might be making the wrong decision, or that the decision might be hard, but knowing that I am not alone and all will be well…and that is having faith.
Peter also knows this; he gets it, he has seen and experienced miracles, time and time again. His faith has been put to the test, yet, through it all, he knows he can trust the teachings of Jesus.
But here we are again, dear Peter, who is doubting, needing proof, needing an explanation, needing more. Sound familiar?
We are in a new Chapter at All Saints; we get to walk together in faith into this next phase of our discernment. I joined your team for at least a couple of years, if not longer. Fr. Joseph is on sabbatical for the next three months; we have the vestry discerning paths to take after our last annual meeting, where we created our parish’s mission and vision.
We can take a page from Peter’s (and Indy’s) blind faith and humility. To sit with the word, to be humble in our actions, and to come together in community on this path. We can heed the call from Paul’s letter to the Romans: “The word is near you, on your lips and in your heart.”
The vestry has been talking with many of you about your ministries and how to deepen our community connections and our connections with one another.
We will be holding adult education forums this fall on Wednesdays & Sundays to help us deepen our understanding of our faith and the church’s mission. I made some flyers for those of you who might be considering joining us, even if you haven’t before. Maybe we can break bread together on Wednesdays beforehand?
Peter’s decision to join his teacher, to trust him, to take that first step is a testament to his faith.
So I invite you to do the same. I invite you to pray, to discern, reach within, and reach inside the parish walls and outside the walls: what is the Holy Spirit calling us to do? What is the Holy Spirit calling us to be part of here on the bench? Here in the Treasure Valley, in the world?
And I will quote Jesus here, if we might be ambivalent, “Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid.”
BCP: 817 Almighty and everliving God, ruler of all things in heaven and earth, hear our prayers for this parish family. Strengthen the faithful, arouse the careless, and restore the penitent. Grant us all things necessary for our common life, and bring us all to be of one heart and mind within your holy Church; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.