Sermon preached by the Reverend John E.
Kitagawa at the Celebration of the Holy Eucharist on Sunday,
It would be easy to gloss over the Genesis reading
in order to get to the traditional Lenten theme of Jesus’ forty days and forty
nights in the wilderness, the Judean desert.
Instead, let us linger to absorb what we can from a few reflections on
God’s covenant with Noah. The concept of
covenant is found throughout Scripture.
The covenant that God announces to Noah, however, is different from any
other.
… whereas the
covenants made with the patriarchs and with
Hear again from the
Book of Genesis:
As for me, I am
establishing my covenant with you and your descendants after you, and with
every living creature that is with you, the birds, the domestic animals, and
every animal of the earth with you, as many as came out of the ark (Genesis 9: 9-10).
We would miss something terribly important
if we overlooked God’s covenant with Noah.
It is significant because it is the most inclusive covenant in the
Hebrew Scriptures. It is a covenant not
only with the nation, but also with all of creation. In my mind, there is a direct connection with
God’s assignment of the stewardship of creation to humankind in the Genesis creation
story. This may seem like an unexpected
Lenten theme, but the people who put the lectionary together may have had two
things in mind. First, the concept of
covenant is all about relationship, specifically our relationships with
God. In Lent, the Church calls us to
examine our relationships with God, and how we have kept faith with or fallen
short of our end of the relationship.
Secondly, taking God’s Covenant with Noah seriously forces us to contemplate
a shift in our basic ways of thinking—shifting “from an anthropocentric to a
theocentric understanding of creation.” Translation:
taking God’s Covenant with Noah seriously shows us the need to shift from a human-centered
to a God-centered theology of creation.
Last fall, an article in the International
Bulletin of Missionary Research made this bold statement:
A Copernican
revolution must take place in our theology of creation; instead of existing
primarily for human benefit, creation is to be understood as God’s creative
masterpiece, an object of [God’s] pleasure and a witness to [God’s] presence
and power. Humans are God’s image
bearers, but they are only part of the divine expression. Other elements of the creation declare the
glory of God in ways that humans cannot duplicate. Although we rightfully use and enjoy the
resources of our planet, we acknowledge the intrinsic value of creation and our
role of stewardship and caretaking[2].
Among the implications of this theological
shift is the very way we think about God and salvation. When we adopt this inclusive view of
creation, we have to see ourselves in a new light. We are “only part of the divine expression.” We, therefore, have to grapple to understand
the
For all creation
waits with eager longing for the revealing of the children of God; for the
creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will but by the will of the
one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from
its bondage to decay and will obtain the freedom of the glory of the children
of God. We know that the whole creation
has been groaning in labor pains until now; and not only the creation, but we
ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly while we
wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies (Romans 8 19-23).
Implicit in this theological perspective is
a rejection of some contemporary theology, sometimes dubbed “an eschatology of
abandonment.” These views are based in
the thought that
“Creation
is destined for destruction and that all that really matters is how people
settle the issue of their eternal destiny.
In this line of thought, people get saved, wait until Jesus raptures
them away, and then get to watch the planet burn.”[4]
To
the contrary, we must correct this defective theology by emphasizing God’s love
for the whole of God’s creation, and that creation is an integral part of God’s
redemptive plan. As a Church, we are
called to love what God loves. We are
called into sacred covenant and partnership with God. We are called to align our mission with God’s
plan.
In this light, please listen to the most
frequently used Collect in the Book of Common Prayer. It is used on Good Friday, at the Easter
Vigil, and at the Ordinations of Bishops, Priests, and Deacons.
O God of unchangeable power and eternal
light: Look favorably on your whole
Church, that wonderful and sacred mystery; by
the effectual working of your providence, carry out in tranquility the plan of
salvation; let the whole world see and know that things which were cast down
are being raised up, and things which had grown old are being made new, and
that all things are being brought to their perfection by him through whom all
things were made, your Son Jesus Christ our Lord[5].
I have prayed
this prayer and loved this prayer for decades.
However, until I put it into the context of this sermon, I have missed
the comprehensive and fully inclusive scope of the prayer. I confess that I have not fully appreciated
the meaning and significance of “all things” being brought to their perfection.
Lent is a good season to examine our
relationship with God’s creation, especially theologies that put creation at
our service, and open the way for exploitation and abuse. This theological shift offers rich
opportunities for Lenten reflection in terms of our covenantal relationship
with God; in terms of our understanding of our place in relationship to
creation; and, in terms of our appreciation of the comprehensive and inclusive
nature of God’s plan of salvation.
Today’s Gospel focuses on the Temptations of
Christ. Jesus is teaching about temptations that lead people to abandon God and
accommodate evil. Lent is a time for striving
towards spiritual health by refocusing and re-centering our lives in God. Lent is a season to prepare for renewal, for
turning from our mistaken ways, and turning toward the light of the risen Christ. Lent offers us the opportunity to refocus our
priorities and values.
Today's Gospel reminds us that
Satan has numerous ways to tempt us, and to lure us away from God. Jesus experienced Satan's desire to lead us away
from God by offering to fill our most immediate and pressing needs. These are the spiritual roots that open the
way to the exploitation and abuse of creation.
Jesus recognized Satan's plot to have us make unwise assumptions about
our relationship with God, and about our attempts to have God affirm what we
desire. These are the spiritual root
causes of our lack of clarity about God being the creator, redeemer, and
sustainer of all life. Jesus recognized
Satan's skillful appeal to our desire for control and power over our lives and
the world around us. These are the
spiritual root causes of our inability to believe in “the effectual working of
God’s providence.” We know that to
succumb to such temptations is to distance ourselves from God and God's love
and grace. Lent is the right time to
contemplate how we succumb to temptations, and how we can set straight our
relationship with God. Lent is a good
time to reflect on the Good News of God's immense love, of God's constant
yearning for us to mend our ways and for us to live in the fullness of God's
embrace.
AMEN.