Beyond 20/20
Beyond 20/20 (January 15, 2012, Epiphany 2b) I Sam. 3:1-10 with John 1:43-51 as b.g
How's your vision? If your eyesight or my eyesight is measured at 20/20 does that mean that we have excellent vision? Or if our eyesight is measured at something significantly less than 20/20 does that mean that we have poor vision?
A blizzard can underline how quickly we can lose our vision, even if we are blessed with wonderful eyesight. Once winter winds begin to drive the falling snow, a whiteout can occur within a few seconds. Any movement after that is dangerous. We may have our eyesight but then our vision is seriously impaired.
Samuel and the old priest Eli lived at a time in which the word of the Lord was precious, but rare. There was no "frequent vision". In our own day there often seems to be no word or vision. Many people are confused. Our society emphasizes the importance of freedom, yet much so-called freedom seems to lead to enslavement. Addictions abound: 'entertainment' on chat lines, drugs - over the counter and on the street. Even food itself can become an addiction in a variety of ways. Some people aren't sure where they are located in life, the direction they could or should be going. We may wonder if there is anyone that we can fully trust. Nor is this true only of individuals – but even of groups and institutions. Confusion about identity and purpose abounds.
Samuel hears a voice at night. He thinks he knows whose voice it is. But it wasn't Eli's. The voice comes to Samuel again and again. Samuel is not sure what to make of all this. After all there is only he and Eli there. But old Eli finally figures out whose voice Samuel is hearing. Eli tells Samuel to respond with these words: 'SPEAK LORD, for your servant is listening." Samuel obeys Eli. God then breaks through the silence in Samuel's life. God speaks to Samuel again and again and again.
God has a habit of breaking the silence with us. God breaks the silence with us in order to call us beyond ourselves, beyond our limited but intense obsessions into the full and deep reality of life with God, with others and with creation.
Nor is Samuel an isolated case. There's Noah, Abraham and Sarah, Moses, Zechariah, Mary, maybe even you and me. When any human being hears God – well often the human race ( large or singular parts of it) are blessed with new life.
As Mary listens and obeys, God breaks the silence with we human beings for good. God does the unthinkable: bridging the gap between divinity and humanity. In Mary God finds a woman willing to give birth to a child, God's very own Son. That beloved child also listens to the voice of His Father. In so doing He breaks the power of evil and death.
This beloved child is God's Word in the flesh. Through this One, this Jesus, we are given a glimpse of God, of God's hope and dream for the world.
Today we also meet Philip. Philip has been encountered by Jesus. Philip is moved to trust Jesus. So, Philip invites the skeptical Nathanael TO COME N SEE JESUS. Philip longs for Nathaniel's mind, eyes and ears to be opened to the reality of Jesus, to actually experience Jesus. As Nathanael approaches Jesus he learns Jesus is more than OK with questions, so long as they are honest, questions that are open to receiving even more than one initially asks for or expects.
While speaking to Nathanael Jesus reveals something of Nathanael's past. In that exchange, Nathanael the skeptic begins to see both himself and Jesus in a new way. It's like the sun is just coming up over the horizon – and Nathanael's vision of reality begins to expand in quantum leaps. With this new vision, Nathanael declares of Jesus, "YOU - ARE THE SON OF GOD!" (Jn 1:49)
What's your vision of reality? Do you ever seek to discern a word from God – what God might want through you, from you – for and with others? It's not always easy to discern such a word. We are probably much more used to sitting back, or being consumed with our own activity – making a living, raising our kids, just escaping for that little while in between jobs, responsibilities. And all of those may well be very important. Some of them may even very well be part of what God wants us to do. But sometimes we get lost in all of that. Instead of such tasks being life-giving, we are drained, exhausted or continually running, afraid, worried or angry.
But God has broken, God breaks the silence. Christ as the Word of God will not give up on us or others. Christ as the Word of God seeks us in the same way He sought Philip and Nathanael. We also are invited to COME AND SEE JESUS! As we do so we are called to follow Jesus, as God's very own children.
Who are you? Who am I? We are more than men or women, husbands, wives or partners. We are more than brothers or sisters, friends, parents, sons or daughters of Ken and Vera or Joe and Mary. In Jesus through the Spirit we are called to live as children of God.
For God is a relentless seeker. God calls to us, wanting us to hear God. God calls to us wanting us to follow God's Son, God's very Word, Jesus. Maybe that's why Francis Thompson, referred to God as the Hound of Heaven.
In all the events of our lives, those sunny clear days, those days when for many reasons nothing at all is clear, may we listen for God's voice.
I want to close by sharing with you the vision of another follower of Jesus. He wrote this a mere 2 months before he was assassinated.
"Every now and then I think about my own death and I think about my own funeral. If any of you are around when I have to meet my day, I don't want a long funeral. If you get somebody to deliver a eulogy, tell them not to make it too long.
Every now and then I wonder about what I want them to say. Tell them not to mention that I have a Nobel Peace Prize, THAT ISN'T IMPORTANT. Tell them not to mention that I have many other awards, THAT'S NOT IMPORTANT. Tell them not to mention where I went to school.
I'd like someone to mention that day that I tried to give my life serving others. I'd like someone to say that day that I tried to love somebody. I want you to be able to say that day that I did try to feed the hungry. I want you to be able to say that day that I did try, in my life, to clothe those who were naked. I want you to be able to say that I did try to visit those who were in prison. I want you to say that I tried to love and serve humanity.
Yes, if you want to say that I was a drum major, say that I was a drum major for justice; say that I was drum major for peace; that I was a drum major for righteousness.
And all of the other things won't matter. I won't have any money left behind. I won't have the fine and luxurious things of life to leave behind. But I just want to leave a committed life behind. And that's all I want to say." (Pause)
Can you guess the author? Martin Luther King Jr.
So, what's your vision? Are you, are we listening for the voice of God? Surely in this time and this place, God continues to speak, even if sometimes we think the word is rare. When by God's grace we begin to hear that voice may we join young Samuel in genuinely responding, "SPEAK LORD, for your servant is listening."
Like Nathanael, may we ask honest and tough questions beginning with God, but moving out to ourselves and others. Who knows, God may answer them by opening even our hearts and minds in ways that we had never thought possible. Then new vision and life will result – a vision that demands our full life participation
Speak Lord. Help us to listen and to respond. Amen.