St. Charles' Episcopal Church– St. Charles, IL

The Sixth Sunday of Easter – Easter 6 – Year C

Sunday May 13, 2007 – Mothers Day/Rogation Sunday/Confirmation Weekend

Acts 14:8-18 -- Psalm 67 -- Revelation 21:22-22:5 -- John 14:23-29

Rev. William R. Nesbit, Jr.

In the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, Amen.

“...Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives.”

It finally began to come to me on Friday afternoon as I strolled around the grounds of the Park Ridge Country Club with three dear friends. A lovely walk in the country, spoiled by a little white ball it was not. Definitely not! It was a time of refreshment as laughter competed with birdsong in the windy air. Later that evening as I stood in the auditorium at St. Mary’s in Park Ridge, I couldn’t hear myself think. Both laughter and birdsong wouldn’t have had a chance in the face of electric guitars and screaming crowds.

On Saturday morning our own parish hall was over-run with busy-ness as scouts fell over each other in acts of hospitality and servant-hood at their annual pancake breakfast. Later that day as the sun passed its zenith hundreds gathered at St. Andrew’s in Downers Grove to witness and affirm the confirmation of many from across the Aurora deanery. As I began to prepare for the sermon this week and read the Gospel, I first thought about Peace and the Mother’s Day silent prayers. I started by looking up everything I could find about Mother’s Day, but somehow nothing seemed right. I knew I was going to have a busy weekend and so I wanted to get writing the sermon early, but nothing would come to me. I could find no peace in peace! The anxiety of fast approaching deadlines would have overcome me, I’m sure, but God made sure I was just busy enough.

And so, as I said, it all started as I was driving north to Park Ridge on Friday. “...the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything.” It started like an itch that you are just barely aware of. While playing golf and sharing stories about our churches I began to see a hint of the Spirit moving through the stories in different ways, some more obvious than others. We were surprised again and again by the Spirit as we wandered around the course. (And I do mean wander!) Surprised by its power and its unpredictability.

So you’d have thought I would have been better prepared for the U2charist that was held that evening. For those of you who don’t know, U2 is an Irish rock band that started in the early eighties. You probably do know their lead singer and songwriter Bono from his political activities and dedication to the Millennium Development Goals. I have never been a U2 fan, though I have heard some of their songs on the radio. Though not a “Christian” rock band, many of their songs speak strongly to Judeo-Christian themes and social justice. The poetry of their lyrics is often very powerful. For many people, most about ten years younger than I am, U2 has had a profound effect on their faith life, or as Fr. Jarrett Kerbel put it, “They were church for me when the church wasn’t...They got me through a lot.” A U2charist is nothing more than a Eucharist where all the music is various songs from U2. But it is so much more. The first U2charist was started by an Episcopal priest in Maine on July 31, 2005 and has caught on like a house o’ fire ever since then. It has been a powerful and effective engine calling the church to support the Millennium Development Goals. I have to say, I’m still not a U2 fan, but I’m a big U2charist fan.

You’ve never seen so many people fired up about the work of the church. Unless, that is, you happened into our church yesterday morning. I had six, almost personal, waiters at the pancake breakfast, each more happy and excited to serve than the last. There are twelve points to the scout law and at any given instant at least six were in clear evidence -helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, and cheerful. As vibrant as the religious fervor was the night before, the actions of the Spirit were no less obvious in the practical deeds of a scout troop at its best.

And that brings me to the Deanery Confirmation service. For those who like big church services, it was a whopper. Not quite the consecration of a Bishop, but close! Carl Larson, Chris Lester, and Nate Nesbit were confirmed, and Theresa Larson was received, along with forty or so of their closest newfound friends. It was amazing and moving liturgy. Even the news of Bishop Persell’s illness could not hold us back. The energy of all those young people (and some slightly less young, though no less young at heart) rededicating themselves to the life of faith was truly awesome to be a part of. Like the U2charist service the night before it was the church doing what it does best, when we let it; speaking a word of hope and faith to the people gathered, and sending them out with a new outlook to be the hands and feet of Christ to a broken world, a world that too often doesn’t understand us.

In many ways a U2charist is about as far away from a confirmation service as you can get. But one thing they both share is a clear connection with the Spirit. “The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” So it is with everything born of the Spirit as well. Hard to predict. Hard to see coming. But you know it when you see it. You know it by the fruits that grow in its presence. Grow and come to ripeness. Love. Joy. Peace. Patience. Kindness. Generosity. Faithfulness. Gentleness. Self-control.

When we remember that we are all created by God, that Christ came to Earth to show us the way and to redeem even our most pitiful attempts to model his life, we keep our hearts open to the movements of the Spirit. And when we remember that the Spirit moves around and through us constantly, shaking off our sloth like the wind that clears the branches after a heavy snow, or giving us the will to persevere like a breeze that cools the brow on a sultry summer afternoon, we open our souls to the grace of God. And love pours in. And the kingdom of God comes near. Be watchful. Be mindful. The Spirit is coming. You will never be the same again. Amen.