Epiphany 3 2016

3 Epiphany 2016 Redux of 2013 (Year C)

There is an old saying that a camel is a race horse that was designed by committee. The joke here, of course, is that while the camel represents the combination of a lot of wonderful characteristics—it looks very little like a race horse. In other words, there is no guarantee that a whole bunch of “good ideas” will all add up to one super-great idea… And the saying only serves to illustrate how messy, and sometimes counter-productive the work of committees can be at times.

This isn’t a slight against group work (or meant as an offense to camels), rather it reminds us that individuals doing group work must always keep the group’s purpose in mind, developing plans that suit their purpose. In the case of the camel joke, even apparently good ideas can come together to create something that looks nothing like a race horse.

In Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians, we can see how the Apostle is trying to help these believers to understand that each person in the community of faith is called to their particular role in the life of the Church. And, using this extended metaphor of the human body, he describes that as each person finds their role, and lives into it, the body (or rather the Church) functions in a healthy, vital way.

  

What’s more, Paul makes it clear that no matter what the part or role in the Church—all are necessary. So in this case, more like the camel, the Body of Christ (wherever it is found) is given exactly what it needs to be what it is supposed to be within its context… In other words, camels may be appropriate where race horses are not, and vice versa—the problem is in knowing the difference.

Anyway, this concept that Paul uses is most likely something that he borrowed from Disney Pixar films. Whether we’re talking about Inside Out, or Minions we find characters who don’t always seem to fit in, but later find their place. But there is also the affirmation that no matter what, we all have our particular role in the wider world—that’s regardless of quirks, or even mistakes we’ve made along the way.

It’s a pretty standard plot for all of their movies, and it works in a number of different genres. And the reason it works, is because it’s something that we need to hear regularly. All of us experience times in life where we need to figure out our respective places. We have times and places where we’re suddenly made aware of our shortcomings, or even our particular eccentricities, and we may find ourselves in those times wondering how our lives fit into the grander scheme of things. The problem is that with Disney Pixar, everything seems to come together for the protagonists in a big, clear way. Whereas, for the rest of us; we may have to settle for a bit more subtlety. Meaning and purpose for most of us is a bit more murky.

But with all of that said, the Disney Pixar formula will continue to sell because it gives us a kind of hope that we can find our places in life. And maybe we can if we start to take to heart our call and vocation of faith and implement it into our lives. And yet the truth is, finding one’s purpose and place in life was old news even when Paul was writing about it in the late First Century…not much had even changed back then.

However, rather than be discouraged, we should be comforted by the fact that we’re not the first to try to figure this all out. All the same we may wonder what chance we have in succeeding where so many others have fallen short. And in this case, I think figuring out this idea of one’s place in the life of the Church is task enough for one sermon.

But where do we even begin to understand that task? Well, like so many things in the spiritual life, we begin with prayer and discernment. Our prayer is the asking, “where are we needed,” and the work of showing-up to wait for God’s call. And discernment has this idea of carefully unraveling tangled threads. In this case, we’re called to untangle our talents and gifts to try and make connections to those things God needs for us to do as people of faith.

All of this is then very much rooted in our community—specifically the places that each of us come from, the places and concerns we bring with us when we come to church. This also includes the community and place where St. John’s is located, this community where this church was called to be planted over 180 years ago. And when all of these pieces: discernment of gifts, prayer, being in dialogue with the needs of our communities and families; the questions of whether or not the Church is relevant or vital just become irrelevant.

This is because the meaning of who we are is so inextricably part of our work and mission. We operate as a body because we are a Body—the Body of Jesus Christ in the world. 

The trick, however, is getting all of the parts to understand that they need to work, and work toward a common purpose. We already know that each one of us is necessary—we just haven’t all recognized that each of us have parts to play in the operation of a healthy body. What’s more, it doesn’t help for toes and ears to do one thing, while the nose and knees are doing another—all the while the Body needs to eat, or go to work… Suddenly we find the Body in disarray and the simple, necessary tasks go untended, and eventually the whole Body suffers. So, it’s not a matter even of certain groups being simply “active.” For the Body to function properly, all of the Body, each of its parts must work together as intentional action. In this way, the Body’s operation can be healthy and meaningful—lively and graceful, rather than something that moves in a shambling rigor mortis. We’re the resurrected Body of Christ not a zombie.

So where is your place in this Body? What part do you play in this risen, world-changing life of the baptized? Whatever it is, regardless of how small it may appear to some—please trust that it is no less essential. And, if your part seems like a really big role, almost overwhelming—well, please believe that there will be provision and help, because each part of the Body relies upon another for its fullest participation in life.

The Body of Christ is anything but a racehorse designed by committee. Instead, the Church is the Bride of Christ, redeemed by his blood, and called the children of God. So if we have all that we need to be who we are meant to be, and who we are is truly essential to the people of this world—why wouldn’t we try to take our places in the work?