Sermon on John 17:1-11

Pastor Jennifer Garcia

Today is the final Sunday of the Easter season, which begins with Jesus rising from the dead and concludes with Jesus rising into the sky. We’ve been lighting the Pascal candle each week to remind us of Jesus’ physical post-resurrection presence on earth.

Next week, we’ll celebrate Pentecost, when tongues of flame instead adorned the foreheads of Jesus’ followers, who were to carry Jesus’ message throughout the world.

But the story of Jesus’ ascension is strange. His poor disciples had just received their risen rabbi back from the dead a mere few weeks before, and then Jesus led them to a mountain, where he levitated up into the clouds.

As unexpected as the resurrection was, the disciples surely didn’t expect Jesus to be taken away from them again so soon. He wouldn’t be there to guide them and teach them in the way they were used to. They were losing their friend and rabbi all over again.

No wonder they had to be prompted by divine messengers to stop looking at the clouds. They were probably in shock and starting to feel the waves of grief all over again. It would be easy to succumb to despair and return to fishing or whatever else they had done before their time with Jesus. It’s a strange way to end the Easter season.

This year’s Easter season and the previous season of Lent, we’ve been focusing on creation care.

1.    Throughout Lent, welamented our broken relationship with the earth.

2.    We’ve discussed microplastics and considered the impact of our decisions on seven generations into the future.

3.    We had handouts with creation care challenges for the Lenten season.

4.    We toured our local landfill and will tour our water district this coming week.

5.    We used local rosemary branches to signify remembrance for Palm Sunday.

6.    Throughout Easter, we’ve been celebrating that we have a God of new life.

7.    We blessed our pets past and present.

8.    We’ve been talking about hope and community and how to live even when hope is hard to find.

We’ve come a long way. Our challenge now is not to go back to old habits and ways of understanding.

It would be easy to check off the creation care box as “done” and move on, forgetting everything we’ve talked about and experienced.

We could do our best to numb ourselves to assuage our guilt at choosing a less expensive option that will do more damage to the planet. We could unsubscribe fromnewsletters from environmental organizations to shield ourselves from bad news. We could let our reusable bags and thermoses collect dust in our closets and cabinets.

Like the disciples who could have gone back to fishing after Jesus’ ascension, we could try to go back to the way we were before Ash Wednesday. It would be more convenient to live like nothing we do will make a difference.

But if all of the disciples had done that, we wouldn’t be here today in this room, worshiping our risen Savior.

They didn’t stay craning their necks at the sky. They didn’t go back to fishing or tax collecting or whatever they were doing before they started following Jesus.

What did they do instead?

They got together and they prayed.

Jesus had promised the Holy Spirit, but she hadn’t arrived yet (we’ll get to that next week).

In the meantime, they stayed together—men, women, anyone who had been following Jesus. They needed community with each other.

And the prayed—they needed community with God as well.

They trusted that God was still with them, that they weren’t alone even though Jesus had ascended.

Jesus wasn’t just sitting up in the clouds somewhere. He was still with them, because they were the Body of Christ. He prayed in our Gospel reading the night before he was killed that they would be one as he and God the Father are one. Jesus wasn’t physically with them in the same way, but he was still with them, because God is everywhere. There’s nowhere God isn’t. God hadn’t abandoned them or this world and never will.

So, they gathered together and prayed, continuing to learn from and be strengthened by their beloved rabbi, their Savior, their God, as they waited for the Holy Spirit to make God known to them in a new way.

That same Holy Spirit dwells in us. That same God still loves this world and will never abandon it. We are part of that same Body of Christ that gathered and prayed.

That’s what we do every week. That’s what we’re here to do today. We meet together as the Body of Christ to proclaim that God is here, wherever we are, because God is everywhere.

Even as we face the difficulties of this world, we continue to love it, because God loves it and delights in it and us. Our hope isn’t in some puffy clouds and pearly gates, because God is right here with us now. We don’t have to wait to see God—we can see God in Creation and in each other.

And so we gather together and pray, talking to the Creator of the universe, listening to the Holy Spirit, and embodying our Savior.

When we leave this room, we don’t go back to the way we were before we came in. Sure, we return to our jobs and our homes and our families and our volunteer positions, but we go back changed. Maybe a little more peaceful. Maybe a little less settled. Maybe comforted. Maybe challenged. Maybe all of the above. The Holy Spirit doesn’t work in neat categories.

In the same way, hopefully these seasons of dwelling with the concept of creation care have changed you in some tiny way. Don’t go back to the way you were. There’s no way to get straight A’s in living an environmentally friendly life—we don’t have to and, indeed, can’t get this “right.”

But we can strive to love the world a little more each day, to see it like God sees it. We can keep learning and trying new things and encouraging each other on the way. We need each other. No individual can make enough of a difference on their own. It’s why God gave us each other. It’s why we need Beloved Community, which encompasses all the family of life. We are the Body of Christ together, loving the cosmos traced with God’s fingertips. We can’t do this on our own, and thank God, we don’t have to.

After all, in case you forgot what Pastor Jaz reminded us: hope is a group project.

So, let yourself be changed, and love God with all that you are, and love this planet and all our neighbors of all species as you love yourself.

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.