Sermon on John 14:15-21

Pastor Jennifer Garcia

As we start wrapping up our creation care theme for Lent and Easter this year, there’s a lot that still feels heavy.

The world’s problems feel so big.

Climate change and ecological overshoot feel inevitable.

Wars feel unstoppable.

Overconsumption feels overwhelming.

There’s an island of plastic in the Pacific Ocean twice the size of Texas.[1]

Of the 292.4 million tons of Municipal Solid Waste that were generated in the US in 2018, only about a third of it was recycled or composted.[2]And that was one of the more optimistic figures I found.

We breathe in and consume the equivalent of a credit card amount of microplastics at least every year.[3]

In the hard moments, sometimes it feels like the best we can hope for is that things won’t get unbearable before our lives end.Maybe if I can maintain a reasonably comfortable lifestyle during my lifetime, I guess that’ll be okay.

But we know that’s not enough. We care about people who are younger than us. We care about future generations. We care about this beautiful planet we’re blessed to live on. We want our kids and grandkids and great-grandkids to be able to enjoy the natural world we grew up with. We want them to camp in picturesque forests and make sandcastles on clean beaches. We want them not just to survive but thrive. We want humanity to thrive. We want the natural world to thrive. We want the Earth to thrive.

But sometimes that feels like too much to hope for. The world’s problems feel too big to fix. It can feel like it’s all up to us to save the world, and it’s already too late—that all hope is lost. It can feel lonely on this little planet in the depths of space.

When Jesus was giving his farewell discourse in our Gospel reading, he knew his disciples were about to feel alone after his death. What could he say that would comfort his followers after he was gone and give them hope?

And Paul sensed a longing for something more as he was walking around Athens. In our reading from Acts, he gave a speech on a hill named for Ares, the god of war, near the temple to Athena, the goddess of wisdom, which they used as a courtroom.

Hespoke of their religious practice and the way it pervaded their life (including politics, considering the location where he gave his speech). He told them about finding an altar “to an unknown god.” Whether they were just covering their bases or earnestly seeking something beyond their knowledge, Paul wanted to address their desire for something more. What could he say that would be compelling to the Athenians? What would give them hope?

The answer to what could bring hope that both Paul and Jesus gave was God’s presence.

Jesus promised his disciples that he wouldn’t leave them orphaned. He would send the Holy Spirit to comfort and inspire them. Jesus said, “On that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you.”Through the giving of the Holy Spirit, his disciples were brought into relationship with the dance of the Trinity.

Followers of Jesus are part of the web of all life, breathed into existence and sustained by God. Though they would certainly grieve Jesus’ physical presence no longer being with them in the same way, his followers would be intimately connected with God beyond any possible separation. They would never be alone.

And the Athenians Paul addressed could be brought into that same communion, never having to wonder what higher power was worthy of their love. This was a God not confined to human constructions, but a creative God beyond our imaginings.God permeates everything—we’re inside God not God inside human made altars, temples, or other holy places.

Far from an “unknown god,” the God Paul worshiped is the Knowing God, intimately present and concerned with everything and everybody that exists. The Athenians could recognize their place in the web of life and relationship with God that Jesus told his disciples about.

In the face of loneliness, grief, and uncertainty, God provided hope.

And God still provides hope, even in the face of the world’s many and deep problems.

It can feel like we humans have messed everything up so badly that God wouldn’t even want to be present in the world, but that’s not how it is. The same God who was present with the disciples and the Athenians is with us in our grief and confusion.

God hasn’t given up on us or this planet, and neither should we.

I usually try not to make a huge deal out of Mother’s Day or Father’s Day at church, because while they’re beautiful and meaningful holidays for many people, they can also be extremely painful holidays for others for a multitude of reasons.

But I do think the image of Mother God or Parent God could be something we need when facing the enormity of the world’s problems. Mother God doesn’t shy away from the pain or danger. Mother God cares for this planet and specifically for you no matter what. There’s nothing too big or scary for us to bring to her. She’s seen it all and loves you anyway. She’s eager to help when we ask and even when we don’t know how or what to ask as we seek to love her creation too.

I found this short poem this week by Fred LaMotte, which speaks to the importance of ordinary people continuing to live in hope of a better world and embodying the love of Mother God:

This planet will not
be healed
by powerful politicians
in big cities
who spend trillions
on a global strategy
that never quite begins.
They also burn
much fuel.
Earth will be healed
by villagers
who sing,
by backyard gardeners
like you,
who walk more slowly
right here,
who feel the green
through bare soles,
speaking fewer words,
cradling
each others anger
like mothers,
awakening
the heirloom seeds
of the heart.

It can feel lonely on this planet, like it’s already too late to hope for something better. It’s okay if hope feels far away. Our Mother God is still with you, holding you in your grief, fear, and confusion.

In the times you do feel hope, share it with others. Our reading from 1 Peter advises to “always be ready to make your defense to anyone who demands from you an accounting for the hope that is in you.” This was important for people being persecuted for following Jesus. This passage encourages Jesus followers to hold fast to their values and make sure their behavior is beyond reproachin a culture so hostile to their faith.

Our daily life is very different from theirs, but it’s still important to be able to give an account for the hope that is in us. Certainly, being able to respectfully share why Jesus matters to you with someone who doesn’t share your faith is a good thing. And also, being able to share whatever hope you have with each other can help us keep hope alive in challenging times.

We need each other’s hope, because hope isn’t always easy to find. It’s part of why we need community. Today, you might be feeling down, and maybe the poem I shared gave you hope that ordinary people can actually make the world a better place. Tomorrow, I might not be feeling hopeful, so I need you to tell me about your grandchild organizing a tree planting event for their Eagle Scout project.

We need the hope that is in each other. As Jesus told his disciples, we are part of the unity of God, and the Holy Spirit lives in us, comforting and inspiring us with hope for a new day. Let the love of Mother God embrace you, and then wrap your arms around the world.

[1]https://theoceancleanup.com/great-pacific-garbage-patch/

[2]https://www.epa.gov/facts-and-figures-about-materials-waste-and-recycling/frequent-questions-regarding-epas-facts-and

[3] Total Garbage book

Sermon on Matthew 6:25-34

Pastor Jennifer Garcia

Being humans, we tend to be pretty human-centric at church. We sometimes picture God as a human man with a big white beard. We picture salvation as something just for humans.

We assume loving our neighbor means loving our human neighbors and don’t always have imagination for what it might mean to love our non-human-animal neighbors or our plant neighbors, soil neighbors, ocean neighbors, or even algae neighbors. We sometimes act like humans are the only important lives and relationships that exist.

Yet, we’re interdependent. God created a beautiful web of life, not just a static backdrop for a stage dominated by humans. There are other actors: animals big and small, all kinds of plants, fungi, even the bacteria in our guts that I try not to think too much about but am very happy is there. We couldn’t survive without each other.

And it’s not always just about survival—we can genuinely enjoy relationships with the non-human world. This can take many forms, but since we’re doing a blessing of the animals today, we’ll focus on our relationships with our pets.

Pets can be some of the most important beings in our lives. They’re with us day in and day out, seeing the most mundane and intimate parts of our lives without judgment (generally). They miss us when we’re gone, greet us when we return home, snuggle with us, comfort us when we’re sad, and sometimes insist on playing with us, even when we’re trying to write a sermon…Thank you, Clara.

For many of us, a pet’s death was our first experience of grief. It’s a paradigm-shattering experience to encounter the reality of death for the first time. And yet, people so often downplay the death of a pet, saying things like, “you can just get another dog,” or “why are you still sad—it’s been a whole week!”

But, just like the death of a human, a pet’s personality can’t be replaced. The time spent, memories created, and trust built can’t just transfer to a new pet like downloading your photos from an old phone to a new one. The loss is real, the grief is real, the love of our pets is real. Yet, society doesn’t always treat them that way.

Even Jesus in our Gospel reading suggested that humans are more important to God than birds: “Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?”

But perhaps rather than giving a factual hierarchy of creation, like one human equals53.25 birds, Jesus was just using our human-centered worldview in his attempt to turn us from our worries about God’s provision to focus instead on building Beloved Community, where there’s abundant life for all, like we talked about last week.

Jesus was using the more than human world to teach us self-centered humans to trust God, who takes care of the birds of the air and the lilies of the field and even the fleeting blades of grass. The natural world trusts God’s provision, not worrying about the latest fashions or diet craze, but doing what they were made for.

Animals have so much to teach us. Isaiah, too, used animal imagery to help us imagine God’s shalom, the peace that goes far beyond lack of war and instead brings wholeness to the world. Only in God’s shalom can the wolf live with the lamb, the leopard lie down with the baby goat, bears and lions graze likecows, and venomous snakes remain peacefully in their dens. This is what will happen, Isaiah tells us, when “the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.”

We need these images, because peace like that is hard to imagine. In my more cynical moments, I wonder if peace will come to animals first before humans will give up war. I don’t think we can get there without God. Thankfully God has a bigger imagination than I do.

Until the manifestation of God’s shalom and the fulfillment of the Beloved Community, I’ll cuddle my cat and try to be as lovable as she seems to find me.

While every animal has its own personality, in general, our pets past and present can help us remember God’s unconditional love. Our pets love us even when we flub the presentation at work or forget our friend’s birthday or get broken up with. They don’t care what our hair looks like, what car we drive, or how much money we make (as long as there’s room in the budget for treats).

They can be role models for us in focusing on what’s really important: relationships, affection, andlove—all components of shalom and Beloved Community.

Someone shared a poem by Angi Sullins online that perfectly illustrates God’s unconditional love:

god is a dog

not metaphorically

not in some poetic

kind of way

I mean literally

panting

drooling

wiggling

grace with paws

god doesn’t sit up

in some cosmic control tower

judging your calories

and catastrophes

nope

god is under the table

hoping you’ll drop

a potato chip

and when you do

she doesn’t say

“too bad that’s trans fat”

she says

“holy wow thank you

that was delicious

I love you

I love you

I LOVE YOU”

you stumble

in the door

after screwing up everything

again

and god bolts toward you

like you’re the best thing

that ever happened to Tuesday

she doesn’t care

that you yelled in traffic

or forgot to return the call

or ate the entire pint

of Ben & Jerry’s

with a spoon

that still had peanut butter on it

she just wants

to sit in your lap

and sniff your face

and listen

I don’t know about your theology

but mine’s built on

salty snacks

dark chocolate

and the unshakable truth

that mercy wears a collar

and chews socks

when you’re crying

in bed at 3 a.m.

when you feel like

a burnt piece of toast

that no one wanted anyway

god jumps up beside you

licks your tears

and falls asleep with her nose

in your armpit

not because you smell good

'cuz chances are you don’t

but because

that’s where you are

and god always

wants to be where you are

she’s not interested

in your five-year plan

she’s not keeping score

she doesn’t care if you meditate

or hydrate or

know the number

for your senator

she just wants to be with you

god is a dog

and love

real love

has fur on the furniture

and forgiveness in the eyes

that’s all the theology I need

So today, at the beginning of National Pet Month, as we bless our animals, remember how much we have been blessed by the great pack, clowder, flock, nest, warren of witnesses and our great God who had wisdom enough to know we need their example and boundless love to help us connect with our unconditionally loving God.

Sermon on John 10:1-10

Pastor Jennifer Garcia

During Lent, we read the story of Jesus bringing sight to the man who had been born blind. The religious leaders interrogatedthe man,they cast him out, and Jesus called him to be his follower.Today’s reading comes right after that.

Jesus starts a lengthy speech on being the Good Shepherd.There’s shepherd and sheep imagery throughout the Hebrew Bible. There’s Psalm 23—the Lord is my Shepherd—probably one of the most famous parts of the Bible.The prophets talk about some leaders of God’s people as bad shepherds. Jesus’ speech here builds on that traditional imagery.

Just as the prophets criticized kings and rulers, Jesus was criticizing the religious authorities for casting out the man who had been born blind and for being suspicious of Jesus for healing on the Sabbath and upsetting the status quo. The bad shepherds in the Hebrew Bible weren’t infiltrating and bringing threats from outside—they were the leaders who had been raised from within the tradition of God’s people.

And the thieves and bandits Jesus talked about weren’t outside threats either—they were the trusted authorities tasked with caring for God’s people. Jesus was criticizing from within his own tradition.

It doesn’t take outside forces to bring division. We see this in the polarization in our own country and world. It just takes people who care deeply about things but disagree on priorities and strategies.I think very few peoplewould say they don’t want fresh air to breathe or clean water to drink or who actively want species to go extinct.

There are disagreements, though, on how responsible humanity is for climate change, the extent of its effects, what strategies to pursue to mitigate those effects and whether they’ll make a worthwhile impact when compared to the economic effects.

Those are important questions to wrestle with. We may disagree with someone’s answer, and when they have power to make what we perceive as harmful decisions, it’s distressing, but it doesn’t make them a villain. We do great harm when we villainize or dehumanize people.It makes it hard to see their point of view. It makes it easy to write them off. It makes it hard to want to work with them. It makes it easy to make them an enemy.We deal with a lot of division in our world today.

And so did Jesus in the first century.He adds to the long tradition ofgood shepherd/bad shepherd imagery, and his speech is harsh—comparing respected religious authorities to thieves and bandits.

But as is so often the case, Jesus was concerned with the marginalized. He was defending the man who had been born blind, his new disciple, from those who would use him to discredit Jesus and make him a pawn in their political games instead of treating him like a beloved sheep of God’s fold.Jesus said he had come “that they [the sheep] may have life and have it abundantly.” He had little patience for those who would stand in the way of that goal.

God, of course, loves all people, and also God stands on the side of the powerless, the excluded, the marginalized, the forgotten, the suffering. Abundant life doesn’t mean having five houses, fifteen cars, and a yacht. Abundant life means having enough to share. It’s often those with the least that show that kind of love, sharing what little they have.

We see an example of that kind of abundant life in our reading from Acts: “All who believed were together and had all things in common; they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need. Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having the goodwill of all the people.”

There may have been some wealthier patrons (such as Lydia) in the community, but unsurprisingly, the Jesus movement attracted a lot of people who had little: enslaved people, women, poor people.These people shared what they had, ate together, worshiped together, and experienced joy together. That’s what abundant life looks like.

In our world today, it can be easy to focus on the division, polarization, violence, and dehumanization around us. It’s important not to ignore those things as we strive to bring God’s peace and love to the world, but it’s also important to look for already-existing examples of abundant life.

This past Wednesday was Earth Day, and it can be easy to focus on climate change and what’s wrong in our relationship with the natural world. But it’s also an opportunity to look for good news and find hope. After all, as Pastor Jaz reminded us a couple weeks ago: “Hope is a group project.” Say it with me: “Hope is a group project.”

I was encouraged by an article[1] about a community in Colombia called Gaviotas, meaning “seagulls,” because of the many seagulls in the area. It was founded in 1971 by Paolo Lugari, an Italian-Colombian man with political ties and enough money to buy land on which to build a settlement in the harsh climate of Los Llanos, which alternates between heavy rain and intense heat.

Engineers, Indigenous folks, scientists, and farmers collaborated to create anenvironmentally friendly community. Things have changed a lot over the years, but they’ve developed a ton of inventions: things like incorporating a children’s see-saw into a mechanism to pump water and low-cost wind turbines. They planted a forest of fruit trees for food.They use a mixture of pine and palm oil for fuel, which still has emissions, but is cleaner than fossil fuels. They cooperated with their local environment to find strategies for sustainable living.

It’s easy to idealize stories like this. It’s hard to convey in a short news article the hardships, disagreements, challenges, and heartbreaks of a community over more than fifty years.

And it’s easy to idealize the picture of the early church in Acts. It’s way easier to daydream about a cooperative and generous community than to live it. At the end of the day, we’re all still people with our flaws and egos and insecurities and differing views and experiences. Abundant life is easier to dream about than to realize.

One striking thing about Gaviotas is that they don’t patent their inventions. Lugari explained the reasoning this way: “So people, fortunately, can imitate us and copy us all they want, and if someone wants to patent one of our projects and paralyze it, well, the Gaviotas imagination, the only thing that’s for sure, will work to make some changes and make something new again.” This trust in their own ingenuity, resourcefulness, and creativity allows them to be generous with their ideas. They can share their abundant life with others because they trust each other to continue to adapt and innovate for the good of their community.

Perhaps the early church in Acts grew and thrived despite their disagreements, conflicts, and challenges because they trusted their community and their Good Shepherd to guide the way. They could share their abundant life because they had been given so much.

Thankfully, we too have our Good Shepherd to guide the way, leading us to abundant life for all. It’s not easy, and we can’t do it on our own, but the Holy Spirit allows us to seek abundant life for all on this beautiful planet we celebrated this week.

As we continue our creation care theme for the rest of the Easter season, consider where you see abundant life in this community. What does it look like? Where is it lacking? How can we meet that lack with generosity? What pastures is the Good Shepherd leading us to?

Think about those questions this week, and in the meantime, receive this blessing:

Little children, sheep of the Good Shepherd:

As we journey toward the fold,

we travel through the valley of shadow,

growing in grace, becoming a blessing.

Baptismal wells restore our souls,

a rich feast is spread by divine abundance,

and divisions end as our cup overflows. Amen.

[1]https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20260331-a-1960s-green-utopia-tried-to-reinvent-the-world