Homily of the Rev. Dr. David A. Killian
All Saints Parish
Brookline, Massachusetts
Third Sunday of Easter
April 26, 2009
Luke 24:36b-48
I
I think many of you are familiar with the tradition of newly ordained priests offering their "first Mass" at the altar of their home parish. We follow that custom here and have welcomed several newly ordained priests from our parish to offer their "first Holy Eucharist" here at All Saints. The other day, as I was thinking about my ordination anniversary that is coming up on May 1st, I remembered my first Holy Eucharist at my home parish, St. Paul’s Church, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. I had invited friends and family members to this event. Several aunts, uncles and cousins had driven long distances from northern Wisconsin and had arrived at my parent’s home to freshen up before the ceremony. We were all just about to leave the house to drive to the church when the door bell rang. I went to answer the door, thinking that perhaps another relative had just arrived. However, I was surprised to discover that instead it was a young man from the Jehovah’s Witnesses who wanted to know if I had been saved and whether I and the other people in the house could have a few minutes of his time. It was somewhat humorous really – not what I would have expected on the morning of my first Holy Eucharist in my home parish. I explained to the young man at the door that he was unlikely to make any converts in our house this day.
When you hear the words, "evangelism" and "evangelist", what do you think about? Do you think of someone ringing your door bell and wanting to convert you to his religion? Do you think of a preacher on television pounding on his Bible? Evangelism, the "E" word, is not a word that most Episcopalians are comfortable with. Most of us do not think of ourselves as evangelists and we do not think we are an evangelical church. In fact, given the stereotype, I suspect that many of you are very proud of the fact that we are not an evangelical church and that you are not an evangelist.
II
And yet, if you look at the word evangelism, it comes from the English word "evangel" that means "good news." In its root meaning, an evangelist is someone who shares good news. In our world today when we have such an abundance of "bad news" don’t we yearn for some news that is positive and hopeful? Don’t we need people whose lives are full of joy and who can communicate a hopeful message for ourselves and our planet?
This winter, our Vestry and Staff went on a retreat where we explored the kind of an evangelism that we might want for our parish. Becky Taylor of our Staff and Junior Warden Roberta Schnoor role-played a dialogue where one person in a very natural way described what was happening at her parish. The other person was curious and genuinely interested. It then seemed perfectly normal in the role play when Becky invited Roberta to join her for church some Sunday.
Later, when Vestry and Staff talked about the role-play, they said that they did not find Becky’s style of evangelism to be obnoxious, arrogant, or offensive. On the contrary, it was friendly, gentle and engaging. The question was then put to each of us: "Could you ever invite any one to come to Church?" For some, this was a scary question – like inviting some one to jump inside of an active volcano. For others, it was not so scary at all – more like inviting some one to a Red Sox game. Each of us then talked about times when we could see ourselves inviting friends and neighbors to events at church. We would be the bearers of good news if we could do it in way that was natural and unforced. In the coming months, I invite all of us to look at ways that we can share the good news of our faith in our community.
III
In today’s Gospel, Jesus asks the disciples, "Have you anything here to eat?" They give him a piece of boiled fish, and he takes it and eats it in their presence. Jesus demonstrates to the disciples that they have something valuable to share. As the disciples fed Jesus, they also can feed others in Jesus’ name. Bishop David Birney said that evangelism is simply one poor beggar showing another poor beggar where to find food. Sharing the good news is the essence of evangelism. In today’s Gospel Jesus tells the disciples that they are witnesses of his death and resurrection. This is the good news that they and we are called to share.
Marian Wright Edelman has devoted her whole life to sharing the good news of hope and possibility for children. She worked with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., in the civil rights movement and saw how discrimination and poverty rob children of a chance for a meaningful life. She founded the Children’s Defense Fund to improve the conditions of children in our country and around the world. Her message is to call individuals, communities, and governments to provide for the safety and welfare of children. Marian Wright Edelman is a woman of great faith, as she expresses so beautifully in a prayer in her latest book, The Sea is so Wide and my Boat is so Small:
"God, we have pushed so many of our children into the tumultuous sea of life in small and leaky boats without survival gear and compass. Forgive us and help them to forgive us. Help us now to give all our children the anchors of faith and love, the rudders of purpose and hope, the sails of health and education, and the paddles of faith and community to keep them safe and strong when life’s sea gets rough." Three weeks from today, we will present the All Saints Spirituality and Justice Award to Marian Wright Edelman and Mrs. Edelman will be the preacher at this service. We will honor her for her role as an evangelist for the dignity of children. This would be an excellent time for each of us to invite our neighbors and friends to come to All Saints.
Each of us also is called to bring good news to our troubled world. If I asked you, "Are you willing to be an evangelist?" I would not be surprised if you answered, "Not on your life." However, if I ask, "Are you willing to invite someone to share a precious gift?" I think many of you might say yes.
We have a precious gift to share — our faith. I invite you to be bearers of the good news of God’s great love and mercy and to share that gift with others.
Amen.