The Rev. Charles L. “Chaz” Howard, university chaplain at the University of Pennsylvania, began by stating that his message was taken from Isaiah 2. Isaiah spoke of the “mountain of the Lord” (verse 3, NIV). Isaiah saw the nations going to the mountain and saying, “He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths” (verse 3).

The mountain of the Lord is a place to stop fighting and serve the Lord. The name Isaiah means “salvation is the Lord’s.” Isaiah saw the Lord settling disputes after the people climbed the mountain to be with him.

Howard put forth his first challenge:

Why Are You Climbing?
What is your mission in climbing the mountain? For whom are you doing this? Are you climbing the mountain for yourself and your cause?

Isaiah goes on to say that when the Lord settles disputes, the people will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks (verse 4). They will no longer fight but will work together to produce good.

The sword is used for battle; the plowshare is used to plant a garden. The sword brings forth death, but the plowshare brings forth life.

Howard then presented his second challenge:

Are You a Sword or a Plowshare?
Because the focus of this convention was on the youth, Howard mentioned that he sees and talks with college students every day in his line of work and has found the No. 1 reason youth leave the church is that we are “swords” who are too ready to fight and fight too much. We need to become “plowshares” if we want the youth to come back to or stay with the church.

The future of the church depends on it.

The Rev. Chaz Howard’s Eucharist Message delivered at the Diocesan Convention of Central Florida, 2016.