My books and the birds: today’s homily.

Back in my monastic study in Belgium rehearsing my homily teaching to the sea gulls (zeemeeuwen) and church bells.

 I’m teaching this week from Acts 13:1-4, about how the elders in Antioch needed to be praying, fasting and “ministering to The Lord” (to be priestly before prophetic or kingly), before they knew who or when to send people or projects, on various spiritual missions. Heavy topic, but the birds took it lightly this morning.

That Jesus only did what He SAW the Father doing. In scriptures seeing is part of knowing. To see precedes to send or to do. That like Him, apart from God we can do nothing.

 The basic spirituality of these elders was prayer, study, teaching, seeing what Father was doing, then sending people on spiritual missions.

 It’s sort of about how the priestly precedes the prophetic and kingly dimensions of God. Seeing spiritually to know what to do. As when Elisha opened the eyes of one of his students, so he could see the bigger picture! But that sounded too heavy. So,  leaders should do their priestly intimate work before assisting others. Like on an airplane, you need the oxygen first, then administer it to others.

 But this passage comes with a warning as well. The birds seemed to stop in mid air when i said this.

 The elders must be ministering to the Lord, before they can even see who or when to send the younger ones. For The Spirit is the one who sends! We empower (lay on hands) and send only after we see. So many are pre-sent, so that people can’t even see what a christian looks like. They seemed to agree! So I’ll amplify that point when the time comes. I’m talking about the matured version of apostolic sending, i said, as I stood up. These guys knew how to send, for they themselves had been sent! (John 17)

 I went on (as i still had jet lag), apart from Him, we an do nothing. So, if a person isn’t formed yet, they won’t bear lasting fruit, and they mis-represent the image of Christ. Even Jesus, only did what He saw The Father doing.

There is also the issue of timing. Jesus was sent at the right time, and He sent at the right time. I love timing!

 Just because you have the anointing to send, doesn’t mean you should. Saul never lost his anointing, but misused it often! At one point assuming the role of priest. That got him in trouble.

 I told the birds, you remember what Ghandi said: “I would become a christian, if I ever saw one.” Be careful who and how you send, I continued, discipleship and formation precede  calling or being sent to fly or minister. If you’ve never seen a spiritually mature person, why would you want to become one. They seemed to laugh at that, or were they just squawking?

 It’s a deep word, but I heard the seagulls responding to it. Or perhaps they were just hungry. Regardless the word is out. Jeremiah talked to mountains. I prefer birds! They travel farther! Regardless, good to be back in my study in Antwerp this week with my books and the birds, thinking about the wisdom of sending. I’ll let you know as this sermon develops into a real word!

Sorry for the length, but it was Sunday when i offered this sermon, and I often get homiletic on Sundays; after all, my father is a baptist minister and my mother an operatic singer artist. The gulls seemed to like it; unfortunately, i can’t take up an offering from them! Afterwards, I sent the birds on their way, after praying of course, and seeing that it was time for them to go find today’s fish!