Twenty-Sixth Sunday after Pentecost

Sunday, November 18, 2018

Proper 28

Year (cycle): B

Epistle: 

Hebrews 10:11-14 (15-18) 19-25

The longest journey, from the head to the heart.

Sorvillo

“Then Jesus began to say to them, “Beware that no one leads you astray. Many will come in my name and say, ‘I am he!’ and they will lead many astray. When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed; this must take place, but the end is still to come. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines. This is but the beginning of the birthpangs.”

This section of the Gospel of Mark feels like it comes right off the page of your local new source. In our “quick-click-culture,” we almost can’t help but get our iPhone updates, our website push notifications, and incoming email chimes that tell us about the latest tragedy, political altercation, or election update.  We can easily get distracted, if not consumed, by the addictive need to be “up-to-date” with all that is going on. Our attentions get overwhelmed and our minds numbed into submission.

And then, we are brought back from the brink by our reading from Hebrews:

“… since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us approach with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who has promised is faithful. And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching”.

A “true heart in full assurance of faith”…”hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience”…”bodies washed with pure water”.  I don’t know about you, but that sounds much better than all the distractions of our minds as our hearts are being pursued by the God of hope and the Christ of our salvation. So, where do we allow our attention to rest?  Is it in the world, or in heavens? God offers us a peace that passes our understanding. This is ours for the taking, IF we are willing to trust, to walk in love, to offer grace, and to know what we are sinners in need of a savior!! As we approach the holidays, which can be a nightmare for many, may we approach the throne of grace with our hearts … and lead others to do the same.

– The Rev. Dr. James A. Sorvillo is rector of Church of the Ascension in Orlando.