Sermons

Circle of Love

The Rev. Beth Ellis
Associate Rector, St, Matthew's Episcopal Church

I'd like to start out with a riddle today. What do John the Baptist, Winnie the Pooh and Attila the Hun all have in common? Their middle name, of course. Now, a second riddle for you: What do Colin Powell, Sandra Day O'Connor and Jerry Garcia all have in common? They're all Episcopalians. And here are a few more faithful Episcopalians: Winston Churchill, Buzz Aldrin, Sir Isaac Newton, Nat King Cole, Donald Rumsfeld, Jane Austen, Charles Dickens, Madeline L'Engle, William Shakespeare, Duke Ellington, Robin Williams, Tennessee Williams, Vincent Price, Sammy Sosa, Thurgood Marshall, Ethel Merman and Dorothy Sayres. Now if an eclectic group like that can all be members of the same Church, surely we can, too!

Today's Epistle from the letter of James warns us that our dissentions and arguments amongst ourselves are not from God; that we are called as brothers and sisters in Christ to live peaceably with one another. Yet this may seem an insurmountable task. We are so very different, you and I. Sitting next to you in your pew today are people who may seem like you and yet do not put themselves in the categories as you do yourself. In fact, we place ourselves and others in a variety of circles. We call ourselves Democrats, Republicans and even Independents. We are conservatives and liberals. We are lawyers, teachers, clergy, computer geeks and artists. We are different colors and nationalities, we speak different languages, love different people and dream different dreams.

Yet we persist in categorizing each other out of fear-- fear that we are not good enough. We fear that we are not good enough to be loved and accepted by others, and more importantly, by God. And so we go on drawing lines in the sand to cast others out, all in the vain hope that the spotlight of disapproval will shine on someone else for just a moment, and spare us our own shame. And in the midst of this fear, Jesus calls out to us how much we are loved. How He has known us since before we were born. How He knows the number of hairs on our head and that He has called us by name and we belong to Him forever. There is nothing we can do to earn or to lose his love; it simply is. A song I learned as a child goes like this: When we all come together, in the beauty of the Lord, we can feel His Holy Spirit drawing nigh. Yes, we hear His Spirit calling, each one by his name, to a holy life He's promised to sustain. Now we can worship and adore Him 'cause He's removed our shame, and boldly draw before His throne of grace with joy.

Which of us, having been invited to a dinner party, would dream of telling our host whom she ought to send home, because they were unworthy? Jesus has laid a heavenly banquet for every one of His beloved children, and shame on us if we would say to one of them, "You are not welcome." The table belongs to God, and it is big enough for us all.

My favorite poet, Edwin Markham, wrote a poem entitled, Outwitted, and I want to share it with you now.

      He drew a circle and left me out
      Heretic, rebel, a thing to flout
      But Love and I had wit to win
      We drew a circle and took him in

Amen.

Sermons

Circle of Love

The Rev. Beth Ellis Associate Rector, St, Matthew's Episcopal Church

The Rev. Beth Ellis
Associate Rector, St, Matthew's Episcopal Church