One year ago today I resigned from my office job to go on this quixotic seminary experience. (In my writer's paranoia, I had to look up "quixotic" to make certain that it fit precisely what I want to say--"exceedingly idealist; unrealistic and impractical"--yup, that about captures it.) Honestly, I haven't regretted for a nanosecond that decision, although I do have a fond remembrance of those bimonthly paychecks.
This sermon was delivered at Yale Divinity School in 2020 for the class Sacred Moments in African-American Preaching. I begin with a simple observation. Of the four canonical gospels, Matthew is the only one that ends with the words of Jesus. Mark, Luke, and John all end in the narrator’s voice, but Matthew closes with the words of Jesus. Mark ends at the tomb, with the women fleeing in terror and amazement. Luke ends with the disciples in Jerusalem, praising at the temple. John ends on the shore of the Sea of Tiberias, with a dialogue between Jesus and Peter. And here Matthew ends with the disciples in Galilee, meeting Jesus at the mountain where he had directed them. Matthew gives Jesus the last word. But before we get to those last words, there are three other words in this passage that I call to our attention because I find them astonishing. Let me read verse 17 once more. “When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some do...
But when that Call does come, there's no turning back, or even *wanting* to turn back.
ReplyDeleteAnd how wonderful is that??!!
Mom