A Parish Story

August 11, 2013: texts: Isaiah 1:1,10-20; Psalm 50; Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-16; Luke 12: 32-40 We are all on a journey of one kind or another. Life is a journey. Some of us are on a journey of faith, just as Paul writes about Abraham and our ancestors in the faith – who set out “not knowing where they were going... but looking forward to the city whose architect and builder is God.” We could say that St.Matthew's is on just such a journey. We could say that Jesus' disciples were on such a journey. And Jesus in our gospel reading offers his disciples, and us with them, advice for the journey. He starts his advice in the passage right before today's gospel. He says: ‘Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat [he says look at the ravens, God gives them the food they need], or about your body, what you will wear [he says, look at the lilies and their beautiful attire]. [and then he says:] do not keep striving for what you are to eat and what you are to drink, and do not keep worrying. For it is the nations of the world that strive after all these things... Instead, [Jesus says] strive for God's kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well. "Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. So... Sell your possessions, and give alms. Make purses for yourselves that do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Don't strive after material things, and don't worry [which is to say: have faith]. Sell your possessions and give the proceeds away. Enter the great gift economy that gives life. And expect the unexpected... Hard teachings, hard advice to follow. Indeed it is completely counter-cultural. Unless this seems so far fetched as to be rightly dismissed, I want to share a story that has deeply touched my heart. Walderes Brito is a Brazilian student at the University of Winnipeg who has worshipped with us for a year. He left to go home yesterday and he sent this note to us here at St.Matthew's. I have copies for you at the back, but I want to share his letter as an amazing example of a faith journey. I hope that you will hear in it deep echoes of the truth of Jesus' gospel teaching and of our mission as a parish. Here is a slightly edited version of Walderes' letter: Dear sisters and brothers, When you receive this note, my place at Sunday service at the back side will be empty, but my mind and soul with be among you. At the last journey of the earth around the sun, I was in your land, and, believe me, my life cannot be the same anymore. This is not my first experience away from my own land, but now, as a mature man, the loneliness made me feel even more challenged than the long, severe and famous Winnipeg winter. The sensation was frequently similar to what I used to feel when I had to leave my parents at the farm in order to continue my studies in the city. At that time I was ten. Until now, my desire to improve my education has pushed me into the unknown. I come from poor and illiterate ancestors whose knowledge came from their connection to the Mother land and the free Spirit. I had to wait a long time and to fight hard to interrupt this obvious destiny for myself. So, I carry with me all my people and that is why life brought me to the Canadian prairies. The best thing in this kind of experience, even when being a teenager is a distant memory, is seeing everything unfamiliar. The brain receives an incredible energy, and, I hope, my perspective on the world becomes broader and more generous. The second awesome event in such an experience is finding the unexpected – and for sure, St.Matthew's community is at the top of this list. I spent [he writes] all my youth in social movements founded in Liberation Theology. But, today, honestly, I have no reason to be part of the dominant Christian groups in Brazil. So, to be part of a church was not exactly what I had imagined for my time in Canada. That is why St.Matthew's fully surprised me and slowly turned into something so special: a small group of people concerned about the poor and the vulnerable, touching music, women in leadership... How could I imagine something like that in the rich North? I know this community is not perfect, but, fortunately, my poor English did not allow me to understand more than the essential and, at the same time, evident features. From now on when I talk to my people about Canada, I must say: “In the First Nation's land, in a place where two big rivers become one, there is a memorable community, in the heart of the city, in the heart of God.” At this time from my own heart, I can listen to Suss' piano and I can see each one's friendly smile saying “God's peace!” I'll always be specially thankful to you, Mr. Sasha, because you opened St.Matthew's door to me; to you, Rev. Cathy, because you made me feel this place as my home; to you, dear Peggy and Richard, who gave me a family where I was a stranger. Will we be together one again? Who knows... While this moon is arriving, I leave you all a plate made from the wood that gave Brazil its name. I chose a plate in part because nothing is deeper for me than the time in which you share the same bread at the table where all are welcome. It is exactly the same at Sao Felix do Araguaia Prelacy, a very small and special Roman Catholic church at the border of the Amazon Forest, which inspires many Latin American dreamers whose faith is nourished by the blood of the “martyrs of the walk.” Two things now I can see from my own experience: the Spirit is free and blows where it wants; and probably there are more connections between us than we can imagine. Your friend in the South... Walderes Brito And so three prayers, three hopes: 1. May we treasure this plate and use it, with your permission, as our paten, to remind us of Walderes' teaching: the Spirit indeed is free and blows where it wants - for the Spirit is the engine, the heart, of the great gift economy of life in which all of us are connected – the great gift that Christ gives us each Sunday in bread broken and wine poured out for all – calling us to be bread and wine for the world ourselves; and 2. May we at St.Matthew's, here in the heart of the city in the heart of God, be true to Walderes' testimony and always be a place of refreshment and nourishment for people a long way from home, and indeed for anyone God draws to us in their journeys of faith; and 3. may we as Jesus' urged: always strive for God's kingdom, and trust, without worry, that all the things [that we need] will be given to us as well.