1 of 6

Lent 2 B. 2015 The Rev Debra Sabino

The first reading today contains the seeds of our beginnings as Christians. God tells Abraham, who was about 100 years old, that he would have a child with Sarah, who was barren up until that point. He and Sarah did have a son, Isaac, and from them came the three religions; Islam, Judaism and Christiani- ty. Islam traces itself back to Abraham’s son, Ishmael, who he had with his concubine Hagar, Judaism through son Isaac who he had with Sarah, and 42 generations later Jesus was born to Joseph who traces his lineage back to King David who traces his lineage back to Abraham.

In the second reading from Paul highlighted Abraham’s faith, not obedience to the specific religious laws. Today at 10:30 [In a few moments] we are going to be baptizing three children; all relatives of Jean West who has been a very prominent member of Our Saviour Church for years. The seeds of faith starting with Abraham coming through Jesus to us today continue to be planted in the hearts of a new generation - and I wonder how they will carry their faith forward.

In the verses in the gospel reading that came directly before the one we read Jesus and the disciples, were on the way to a village called Caesarea Philippi; and he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” And they told him, “John the Baptist; and others say, Elijah; and others one of the prophets.” And he 2 of 6 asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered him, “You are the Christ.”

A lot of how we live out our faith depends on how we each answer that ques- tion. Who do you think Jesus is?

One well known Jewish figure who died this week brought his faith into his life by the phrase said after giving this hand symbol - “Live long and prosper.’

May you rest in peace Leonard Nimoy or better known as Spock from Star Trek. Nimoy wrote that he based it on the Priestly Blessing performed by Jewish priests with both hands,

,(ש) thumb to thumb in this same position, represents the Hebrew letter Shin which stands for El Shaddai, meaning "Almighty (God)", as well as for Shek- inah (which denotes the dwelling or settling of the Divine Presence of God) and Shalom (word meaning peace, completeness, a greeting of welcome). 3 of 6

The accompanying spoken blessing was "live long and prosper", and if you were blessed your reply would be "peace and long life.”

We can trace the Peace that we offer each other in our liturgy each week to back to early rabbinic greeting Shalom aleikhem “ or peace be upon you", and its reply, "upon you be peace”. It’s a phrase that Jesus would have used. When we offer each other Peace today we can say it in Hebrew- “Shalom aleikhem” or maybe even the Vulcan Star Trek “dif tor heh smusma” or simply Peace. and the reply “Upon you peace.”

Who do you say Jesus is? and how does that make a difference in your life and how might you carry that forward to share with others?

The two core things for me are baptism and sharing communion.

The promises we make in baptism are core to what we believe and how we act as Christians.

I had read a story about a priest who removed her ordination certificates from the wall of her office at church, and in their place had posted a framed copy of her baptismal certificate. She wasn’t denigrating her priestly ordination, but was sending a message to her congregation that she shared with them a gen- eral ordination that the Church confers on all her people – the sacrament of baptism. Ultimately it is baptism that makes us members of the Church and makes us ministers of Jesus Christ, not ordination or licenses to do a certain ministry. 4 of 6

My godparents were Uncle Tom and Aunt Gladys and all I remember is that Aunt Glad had orange curly hair (it wasn’t a fashion statement then like it is now - just a really bad hair dye job!) and she scared me. I think the last time I saw them was when I was 4 or 5. Hopefully godparents today won’t scare Bentson, Brody and Brayden.

Despite that I believe that that act of baptism planted seeds of faith within me, and put it into motion a Divine Reality that has shaped and formed me ever since, even during my teen years when I claimed to be an atheist. At the core baptism is a commitment to remain engaged with the Spirit and when we are faithful to that we experience newness of life, day after day - if only we keep our eyes and hearts open.

The Holy Eucharist is at the center of who we are and when I think of the question Jesus asked Who do you say I am? I think that Jesus is food and free- dom and the very pulse of life. The Holy Spirit is present in the bread we share together - we say this is our spiritual food - and take in the Divine presence, the Shekinah perhaps in another word.

The story of how Communion came to be has its roots in Jewish history of Passover when God saved Israelites as they fled for freedom from oppression.

There is a papyrus document that is in the Jewish Theological seminary in New York City that is known as Papyrus Anastasia V which tells the story about slaves that escaped from a palace at Pharaoh Ramesses the Great, the pharaoh from that story that is our story of the Exodus. The mummy Ramess- es is in the Cairo museum today. 5 of 6

From that Exodus to now God tells us over and over that we were chosen to be God’s people; free from oppression ( and that means different things to differ- ent people), nourished and fed by God to really be alive. Harriet Tubman, African-American, born in 1822 , helped to free slaves with the underground railroad. She said I have freed a thousand slaves, I could have freed thousand more if only they knew they were slaves.”

To be baptized into the Christian faith and to join in communion is to continually examine where we are being enslaved and to shake those chains loose - alcoholism, drugs, overuse of internet before 6 am :)

Some years back, I came across a poem written by Penelope Duckworth, she was the Episcopal Chaplain at Stanford University. It was a poem about bap- tism and it goes like this:

“If I could tell you what this meant, this threefold phrase, this fluid touch, this moment sanctified by promise, you in your infant distraction would certainly dismiss it, and I, the priest who dried your head, then lit a candle for remembrance, might realize again some things are taught but others are best lived and learned, as is most discernment. 6 of 6

Still something happened on this day of such simplicity, it might pass by unrecognized. Clearly there was not birth and death with human severance and pain. But portals opened that are unseen and forces moved to befriend your soul. You were enrolled by God. This may seem a small thing in the surety of youth but trust as those who brought you here: There is nothing more.”

Getting back to the question Jesus asked - Who do you say He is? Do you feel that you, each one here, is chosen and still befriends your soul?

I wonder how those who are baptized will bring forth the seeds that are plant- ed today - and how will you bring forth your own?

Live long and prosper.