From the Pulpit

Excerpts from messages being presented at area places of worship this weekend.

The Rev. Nancy Tomlinson, St. Paul United Methodist Church

The Scriptures are full of men, women and children living lives modeled after others; heroes and heroines, successes and failures. Modeled after lives that may have been outwardly counted failures but in truth were wondrously and miraculously successful.

Consider the outward appearances: a pregnant, unwed, young teen mother; a “cuckolded” fiance; a child born to great expectations but who died an ignominious death in his early 30s; and 12 motley followers who wandered around the countryside following a homeless preacher. Yet these people (Mary, Joseph, Jesus and the 12 disciples) birthed a movement whose followers number in the billions.

As we look for heroes and heroines today, who are we judging a failure and unworthy of our respect, when we should be emulating their lives? Who around us lives a life of success cloaked in outward failure?

Rabbi Mordechai Levin, Beth El Synagogue

We can always aspire to be better. For a good example of this, compare Moses at the beginning of his leadership (in the Book of Exodus) and toward the end of his life (in the book of Deuteronomy). When God first spoke to Moses from the burning bush and charged him to become the man who would lead the Jewish people out of Egyptian slavery, Moses responded (Exodus 4:10): “Please, O Lord, I have never been a man of words, either in times past or now that You have spoken to Your servant; I am slow of speech and slow of tongue.” And God answered (4:11-12): “Who gives man speech? Is it not I, the Lord? Now go, and I will be with you as you speak and will instruct you what to say.”

Many years later, the book of Deuteronomy records Moses' long discourses, in which he reiterated God's teachings and the history of the exodus. Gone were the limitations of speech and words. In the end, Moses was not the same man he was early on: He grew, he matured, he was better.

And just like Moses, we too can change. This does not mean we should aspire to the impossible, such as being a great pianist or football player, when we do not have the ability to succeed. But it means making the most of the abilities we possess. With effort, perseverance and help from God, we can grow in our lives just as Moses did.

The Rev. Chris Margaritis, Greek Orthodox Church of Greater Omaha

On an Aegean pilgrimage to the Island of Patmos, where Revelation was written, one of the tourists raved about the site's importance, yet said what a shame that it was “now” Greek Orthodox. Sadly, it's statements like these that make history such as the Crusades more painfully meaningful. “Pilgrim” is defined as a wayfarer to foreign lands, a traveler to a holy place as a devotee. What pilgrim visits a “foreign” place unwilling to appreciate its culture, its holiness? Is this not intolerance and ignorance?

Many of us read the Bible in the exact same way, as if we are reading about Americans living in ancient Ephesus, Tarsus, Jerusalem or Rome. Biblical narratives are steeped in the language and colloquialisms of foreign people. It's essential the message be viewed through the understanding and embracing of these cultures, not in ignorance of them.

Pilgrimage is a chance to visit holy sites, to grow, to touch and experience where God poked His divine finger into history. This can't be done taking snapshots. It's about coming out of yourself, being touched, letting sites speak to you beyond language, becoming one with the people, their land and their past. Such journeys require open-mindedness, not rejection. Why expect hospitality and inversely give none? Why expect that same God to touch us when we ourselves intentionally remain aloof foreigners?

Scripture itself IS a pilgrimage, calling us out of ourselves, to join others who found God, even if they are of different lands, languages or even times.

The Rev. Jane Florence, First United Methodist Church

I always loved the start of a new school year — whether I was a student, a teacher or a principal. For me the new school year was truly a fresh start. The green pages of the grade books were spotless; there were no bad grades, tardy marks or discipline notes. Everyone starts out even.

In school we might call it a “clean slate.” In a neighborhood basketball game, a missed shot might get a “do-over.” On the golf course, friends might give you a “mulligan.” Call it what you want, Jesus calls it New Life. The church calls it grace.

We are given a fresh start, a clean slate, with every moment, every decision, every day. The Divine Goodness is ever present with us and around us, gifting us with new spiritual beginnings and new life-giving possibilities.

Because we receive, we give. We provide do-overs, fresh starts, new possibilities to those who have been oppressed, marginalized and devalued. Our medical community offers fresh starts through transplants and stem-cell treatments. Our social service agencies offer do-overs through housing subsidies and education grants. Our country offers new beginnings through immigration opportunities.

The grace of God offers salvation not just of spirit, but also of body. When we extend opportunities for new beginnings to others, we extend the presence of Holy Love in very real, life-giving ways.

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