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SUNDAY READINGS
Genesis 37:1-4, 12-28
Psalm 105, 1-6, 16-22, 45b
Romans 10:5-15
Matthew 14:22-33
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August 14, 2008
From the Rector's Desk
 I'm not sure what you've been doing lately, but I've been spending a larger amount of time than usual in front of the television. Every four years, since I was a child, I follow a similar pattern. And although my family has never been particularly 'into' sports, we are drawn, like millions of others, into the drama, tension and excitement of the Olympic Games. My own interest is not unusual, although it's probably strengthened by the fact that I once attended a school that utilized a former Olympic pool for its swimming lessons, and by a friend of mine who actually won a silver medal in the Montreal games. These kinds of ties only heighten the mystique and cachet of the Olympics for me.
But I'm not drawn, especially, to the pursuit of gold, silver and bronze. The daily medal 'counts', as they are reported by the media, seem to undermine what we want to be able to say about such contests, that they are about struggle and endurance, not winning for its own sake. I am captivated by the 'backstories'—those personal sagas that illustrate, in some ways far better than the games themselves, what's really at stake. Who can resist the strength of character of the single mom who raised the boy who would become the most decorated Olympian in the games' history? Or the heart of the diminutive female weight-lifter who is in Beijing, separated from her family and her autistic son, clear in her mind about the greater priority? Or watching things come to a halt as people search the sand for a cherished wedding ring that had slipped from the finger of a contestant during a volleyball match? These are the things that make the games real, with the races themselves just symbols of something much deeper.
The original games shaped the ancient world. Begun in 776 B.C. in Olympia, Greece, they were held every four years until 393 A.D., when the Christian emperor put an end to them because of their pagan connotations. For over a thousand years they were a focus of energy and commerce throughout the Greco-Roman world, and spawned other major athletic contests. One of these, the Isthmian Games, was held in Corinth from about 582 B.C. until they met a similar fate under Emperor Theodosius 1.
Although they were associated with Pagan ritual, St. Paul does not hesitate to use them as a metaphor for the spiritual life in his first letter to the Corinthians--listeners who would have known the games well. "Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave that that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize." (I Corinthians 9: 24-27)
St. Paul is not pulling any punches, rhetorically, that's for sure. If I am to live as a Christian the way the Olympians train and compete, then ........well, you can fill in the answer for yourself, just as I must. Is the Apostle Paul kidding? Do I have the singularity of focus and desire and commitment to compete, let alone win? What changes do I need to make in order for that to be more true for me in my life? These are some vital questions to ponder as we sit comfortably in the glow of our televisions each night watching images from the other side of the world.
As St. Paul wrote from prison, "But one thing I do: forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize from which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 3: 13-14) Rather than inducing guilt and showing us how far we fall short (although they may do that) these words inspire us to step up to the line, look down the track, and welcome the opportunity to run the path that God has called us to. As future missionary Eric Liddell reflects in Chariots of Fire, "I believe that God made me for a purpose. For China. But He also made me fast. And when I run, I feel His pleasure. To give it up would be to hold Him in contempt. . . . To win is to honor Him."
I look forward to worshiping with you this Sunday, and trust that your life this week is full of joy, holy pleasure and the awareness of God's forward call under your feet.
Blessings!
Jay
The Rev. Jay L. Greener, Rector
Church of the Redeemer
frjay@redeemernorthshore.org
Youth - Fall Kickoff Bike Trip
Saturday August 23rd, we are having a Fall Kickoff Bike Trip! We will be biking from Half Day Preserve to Independence Grove in Libertyville. The day will start at 9:00 am at Half Day Preserve, meeting in Parking Lot A followed by an 11 mile bike trip to Independence Grove, lunch and then a return trip to Half Day Preserve. We are inviting both Parents and Students. All friends are welcome!
Directions:
- 41 North
- Exit Half Day
- West on Half Day Rd.
- Right on Milwaukee Ave.
- Right into Half Day Forest Preserve, 2000 N. Milwaukee Ave.
Redeemer Kids Meeting
All parents and teachers are invited to gather on Sunday, August 17 after the worship service for a time of planning as we look toward children's ministry this fall! Please contact Allyson Entner if you have questions.
Office Need
Church of the Redeemer is in need of an Office Administrator to run the day to day operations of the church office and offer administrative support to our ministries. This is a 25 hour per-week position. A full job description is available by emailing Redeemer@redeemernorthshore.org, and will also be posted on our website.
Stewardship
Average offering needed each week: $6900
Offering last Sunday: $5,398
Prayers in the Body
- pray for Dan Becker and family in the death of his mother
- pray for Eliana Faith and the Richards family. See last week's note
- pray for Kaitlyn Bohlin, who used to be a part of Redeemer. She had a bad fall while climbing out West, and is in intensive care in Las Vegas. She is much improved, but has a long way to go.
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