COME, SEE AND TASTE
John 1:35-39, 43-46 Mark 9: 27-36
Rev. Gary Paterson
September 20, 2009
While drifting through some files the other day, my eye was caught by an article by Ruth Walker in an old Christian Science Monitor (May 23, 08) entitled “The five words you need most”. Having just returned from a wonderful holiday in Berlin, it’s not surprising that I immediately thought of words needed when travelling in a foreign land. Now, my German is rudimentary, but enough to get through most difficulties; well perhaps I exaggerate…. so, Ruth Walker got me thinking.
The first word she believes is essential is “Hello” – in German, “Guten Tag”, and if you’re feeling adventurous, then “Guten Morgen” when greeting people before lunch, “Guten Tag” for the afternoon, and “Guten Abend” when you’re wandering around in the evening hours. The next word… and I liked this… the next word is “Thank you.” “Danke” in German, and when you’re particularly grateful and want to be expansive, then “Danke schon” (schon being the word for beautiful… isn’t that a nice turn of phrase, “beautiful thanks”?). That was the one word that my partner Tim was able to master. Then, says Ruth Walker, you need the word “Excuse me”… “Entschuldigung”… a bit of a tongue twister, I know, believe me, but oh Lord, is it helpful. It covers all those moments when you accidently bump into someone on the subway; when your elbows are working just a little overtime as you move to the front of the line; when you run afoul of unknown social customs; when you feel tired and cranky, and take it out on someone else. Entschuldigung… I’m sorry, pardon me. Works wonders, especially when accompanied by an apologetic smile. Then, number four, “please”, or “Bitte”. And given the delightful peculiarities of the German language, that’s also the same word for “You’re welcome” -- a nice recognition of the reciprocity of the asker and the giver, the dance between host and guest. Bitte. And then finally, “Good-bye” – and I prefer the German version, “Auf Wiedersehen”—much more gentle, like the French “au revoir”, less final… “upon seeing you again”… as if this moment of parting is just another step in our mutual journey, and we’ll definitely be re-connecting some where down the road. Ruth Walker suggests that you could perhaps do without “good-bye”… a wave and a smile would do the trick; but the one word you probably most need is the good old “Entschuldigung”… excuse me, I’m sorry. Sounds very theological, frankly.
This listing of the five most essential words left me pondering. I almost wanted to stretch it into a David Letterman “ten,” and began making a list; perhaps words like “enough” or “help”, or “where is…” (as in “Where is the toilet?”); there would need to be some kind of word like “WOW”… or “wunderbar;” and then, maybe, if you’re lucky, perhaps the words, “I love you.” Hard to know; hard to choose. But I leave you with a question… what would be your five or ten most important words? No, let’s be more specific -- if you look into your afternoon, this afternoon, what words would be essential… lunch, maybe… but after that?
All this is a long, round-about way of approaching today’s Gospel reading from John. It’s the first day in the ministry of Jesus, after his baptism by John the Baptist. You need to remember that John’s gospel is very different from the other three, Matthew, Mark and Luke; in John’s first chapter, Jesus begins calling his disciples, and it’s not the old familiar “I will make you fishers of men” with Peter having the starring role. No, instead we have a scene where two disciples of John the Baptist are intrigued by what their master says about this Jesus, and they want to check him out a bit more. At first these two men are unnamed, although later we discover that one of them is named Andrew… given that he’s one of our church’s patron saints, it felt a little personal. Which is not a bad thing. Jesus turns to look at them, and then speaks… and it’s a strange thing… the very first words that Jesus speaks according to John, his first in a list of essential words … do you remember… no? …. “What are you looking for?” Now there’s a phrase that will stop you in your tracks; it hangs there in the air, a question that gives Andrew something to think about; and us, too. It would be a good question to ask yourself as you pause at the front door of this church on a Sunday morning, whether it’s your first time here, or your 500th… what are you looking for in this time of worship, when just maybe there might be an encounter with Jesus Christ?
What are you looking for? – a good question when examining your life, and what it’s all about, and maybe what it hasn’t been about. What have you settled for? Yes, but then, what are you looking for? Answering that question could take up a month of sermons, so let me throw out just two comments – through a cartoon and a prayer. The first comes from “The New Yorker” – a couple are sitting at a restaurant table where it appears some serious courting has been going on, and now, Cynthia has obviously asked a significant question, and her potential true love, beaming all the while answers, “ O.K., Cynthia. I’ll tell you about my hopes and my dreams, my joys and my passions. But be forewarned – they all concern a particular sports team.” You can see by Cynthia’s face that this is not what she’s looking for, not even if said team were to win the Grey Cup.
Then… a prayer by Jack Shaver, a bit of a mentor for me, who was Chaplain at UBC for many years, and then ended up as the minister at First United in the Downtown Eastside. And Jack prays,
What are you looking for? Maybe finding ourselves where we ought to be; put right, and part of putting the world right; known for who we are; with a holy love filling our hearts. Maybe that’s what we’re looking for, despite the fact that too often we settle for the adventures of a particular sports team… or whatever.Gracious God, as we enter this time of having a word with you,we become aware that the vital word we have with youis a prayer for the word from you.This is no life to lead, if we are not where we ought to be.This is no life to lead, if we are not put right,and not a part in putting the world right.This is no life to lead, if we aren’t known for who we are.This is no life to lead, unless your love is poured into our hearts.Address each one of us, O God, and give us ears to hear.
Andrew sidesteps Jesus’ question; perhaps like most of us, he’s not exactly sure how to answer. Maybe what he is looking for shifts and changes, depending on context and what’s happening all around him. Maybe he only knows that he carries an inarticulate discomfort with the way his life is unfolding. Hard to know how any of us might answer that question. So Andrew says instead, “Where are you staying?” So typical, eh… when feeling uncomfortable, redirect the conversation; we’re good at that.
That’s when Jesus offers his second essential phrase; “What are you looking for?” is now followed by two verbs joined by a conjunction: “Come and see.” What an invitation -- no qualifications necessary; no test, no dress code; no entrance fee. Just come and see; check it out; no commitment necessary, other than a willingness to take a first step. After all, you do have to “come”; get the body into motion; leave, at least for an exploratory moment, the familiar rut or routine… come. And then see… it’s one of John’s favourite words. See with your own eyes; seeing is believing; I couldn’t believe my own eyes. And while you’re at it, be sure to see with the eyes of your heart.
These are words that sparked the imagination of our staff, especially Kathryn and Tim, as they wondered how to shape our fall educational offerings; as they pondered how to share their own dreams and gifts; as they seek to get connected with you, the members of the congregation. “Come and see” felt like such a helpful invitation, as together we discover what God might be calling us into. But then they found they wanted to add a third word, another on their list of essentials -- “Taste.” Come and see and taste. They wanted to ensure that the experience, whatever it might be, was earthy, real, concrete. Taste… swirl, smell, chew and swallow. Take it right in. It’s as if Tim and Kathryn want to crack open the story of faith, of community, of our lives, like a ripe pomegranate, filled with ruby red seeds, tart, pungent -- Biblical seeds of insight and challenge; seeds that sprout into prayer and spiritual practice; seeds that push out into the world, engaging in witness and change.
Come, see, and taste. A welcome to everyone; a place for all. The boundaries are fluid; this is an inclusive community. But it has an identity – this is not just a community centre, nor the NDP at prayer. Because no matter how broad the boundaries, how low the barriers, at the very centre shines the Spirit of Jesus Christ.
Let me explore this a little more, by putting this reading from the gospel of John along side the reading that was assigned for the day, from the ninth chapter of Mark’s Gospel. Here we are not at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, with his first words; no, here we are at the half-way point. We are walking with the disciples, those who came and saw and tasted… and stayed a while (although Mark is clear that in fact even at this point, the disciples didn’t really “see.”) At this moment in the story Jesus asks a second question of his followers, for after “What are you looking for?” comes a more challenging and focussed question, “Who do you say that I am?” Jesus is a good experiential teacher, always inviting folk to do their own work, to discover for themselves the light at the centre of the circle. “Who do you say I am?” he asks, and the disciples stumble in their response, just as puzzled and challenged as we are today, despite having two thousand years of theological wrestling as we attempt to answer that question.
So many answers to that question… and a million and one sermons. But at the very heart of the church’s witness is a faith that Jesus is Christ… the revelation of God. Which is to say, in the story of Jesus, in his teachings and actions; in the person of Jesus, in his living, dying and rising; and in the Christ Spirit of Jesus; here is where will encounter the Holy. Yes, perhaps there are other places of encounter, but if you want to know what God is like, then come and see, and taste this story, this story of Jesus Christ. If you want to see what your life might be like, how you might live a real life, your truest life, then come and see and taste. If you want to connect with the Spirit, to be filled with Holy Energy, then stay, and follow and live.
The light of Christ at the centre of the circle… that’s what each one of us will discover, although each of us will see something different, a grace that reflects our own need, that shifts and changes depending on our context. It’s another prayer, this time from the Iona Community in Scotland, that for me best catches that multiplicity of vision. You’ve heard me speak these words before; indeed, we’ve said them together as part of our worship; but they’re worth hearing again:
In you, O [Christ]the widowed find a caregiver,the orphaned find a parent,the fearful find a friend.In you,the wounded find a healer,the penitent find a pardoner,the burdened find a counsellor.In you,the miserly find a beggar,the despondent find a laughter-maker,the legalists find a rule-breaker.In you, Jesus Christ, we find our Maker and our match.And if some need to say, “Help me;”and if some need to say, “Save me;”and if some need to say, “Hold me;”and if some need to say, “Forgive me;then let these be said now, in confidence, by us.Yes -- and perhaps some of us need to simply say “Hello, Guten Tag” – I’m here God, I need to talk; maybe some of us need most of all to say “Danke schon, thank you,” letting our joy and praise resound. Surely others of us need to say “Entschuldigung” – excuse me, sorry, pardon, as we hold up our off-track lives; and then, maybe, “Bitte” – a please help, love, give, restore, heal, mend, bring laughter, wholeness… please. Your words… what would they be? What do you need to say to Christ?
I like how Jesus ends his first encounter with would- be disciples, with Andrew, Peter, Philip… and us. “What are you looking for?” segues into “Come and see”… but it ends with yet another phrase --“Follow me.” Jesus knew how to choose his words, and make them count. Follow me – and then I can imagine him smiling, not saying good-bye…. no, not ever. But maybe “Auf Wiedersehen”… we’ll be seeing you again. Isn’t that his promise? Isn’t that the promise that holds us together? Auf Wiedersehen.