The Rev. Richard Lampert
Pentecost 4
Father’s Day
“What is your name? My name is Legion, for we are many!” Lk. 8.26-39
Mother’s Day (the Second Sunday in May) was always greeted with much enthusiasm in the early 1900‘s. Father’s Day was met with laughter and ridicule by many people and newspapers. Some called it just another campaign to fill the calendar with “mindless commercial promotions.” Some days it’s tough to be a Father, a Mother or a Kid!
Thanks be to God for Sonora Smart Dodd of Spokane, Washington! In 1909, while listening to a sermon about the newly recognized Mother’s Day in The Central Methodist Episcopal Church, she decided that fatherhood also needed to be honored! She wanted a celebration that would respect fathers like her own. William Jackson Smart (a Civil War veteran) raised his family of six by himself after his wife died giving birth to their last child. Since Sonora’s dad was born in June, she chose to celebrate Father’s Day on June 19, 1910. Today, Father’s Day is celebrated in 55 countries on the third Sunday of June. Today, we honor fathers (and mothers and kids too)!
Of course, the lessons this morning apply to every mother and father; to each of us. Isaiah proclaims, “Here am I, here am I!” Paul says in Galatians, “……… There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, neither male nor female; we are all one in Christ! ” In The Gospel, a man is possessed/demonized by the unclean spirits which turn out to be “a legion”, or we are many! This man’s condition was dangerous not only to himself, but also to others. Don’t we all even today often battle with our own “evil spirits”? Aren’t there forces which can, sometimes do assault our very being, personality and name? Yes, I think so! In the first century this story was understood as Jesus’ power over demons, compassion for the demonized man, anticipation of the apostles’ power over evil spirits. Yes, different names now, but perhaps the same demoniacs?
Many people today in our highly Westernized cultures attribute such demonic powers to either forces of nature and/or internal emotional problems. Yet, still in many traditional cultures around the world (African, Hispanic, Caribbean) to know and say the name of an evil spirit gives one control over him. Some persons are known to have this necessary power to confront these spirits. It is also interesting to note that over the past fifteen plus years, all the major medical schools have now initiated courses on faith and medicine, faith and the healing process. So, when we hear this story it should still ring out loud and clear as Christ’s Message and Mission of Saving Grace and Hope! It’s a notice for all of us who have ever suffered from anxiety, an-ger, depression, compulsive behavior, sickness, temptations or fear! Like “Legion”, starting with myself, at times “we all are many!” So, are we really so different from the man in today’s Gospel story? I think not? We’re all vulnerable; all have our “legions” to bear!
Most respected religious leaders like Billy Graham agree that fear and anxiety have now become the hallmarks of our age and culture. We are often beset by temptations from with-in and without. As we confront our enemies, we discover forces such as pride, envy and greed. When we dig deeper we find anger and bitterness, worry, fear, even evil. Then, we all experience disappointments and failures; conflicts and revenge; suffering and losses. They’re part of every-one’s life, our human and theological condition! We cannot totally avoid them, but we can learn to better respond, with new reactions, new hope, more forgiveness (ourselves and others). Above all, we can grow in our faith and life as we begin to depend more upon God, trusting more in Him, not just upon ourselves!
What can we do? And if we’re people of faith, WHY do we still have so many problems? God’s Holy Spirit now lives within us, but that doesn’t free us from life’s problems, nor guarantee that we will never sin! So, are there any ideas, tools or roadmaps which can help us along The Way? Yes, I think there are!
HERE ARE THREE PROBLEMS AND THREE SOLUTIONS:
About Temptations: It’s not a sin to be tempted; it is a sin to give in! Four steps: recognize it; fight it; learn from your experience; when we/you fail, repent & ask God’s forgiveness; then believe in His restoration
On Anger: get rid of it; confess it; take practical steps to avoid it; forgive others and then be forgiven yourself
Anxiety & Fears: Give them to & tell Christ; believe God’s Promises (Ps. 23); pray without ceasing- for strength, balance in life’s storms, and wisdom.
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Trust in God, not just in yourself: The power comes from Him, not from us!
God wants change inside & outside: remember, our thoughts steer our actions;
We have to commit both our hearts and bodies/lives
The Christian Life isn’t a set of rules; it’s a relationship: The only way to get
that, have that, keep that is to have a personal, ongoing, regular relationship with “The Living God.” That means we’ve got to work at it, pray at it, practice at it all the time, get better at it and really want it!
Today’s Father’s Day! The Gospel Story today speaks to all of us. There are some things we can do (as mentioned above). I want to end with a prayer which we use every Friday at The Healing Service:
“May God, in His great mercy, forgive us our sins, release us from suffering, and restore us to wholeness and strength. May God deliver us from all evil, preserve us in all goodness, and bring us to everlasting life………. May God the Father bless us,
God the Son heal us, and God the Holy Spirit give us strength.
May God the holy and undivided Trinity guard our body, save
our soul and bring us to His heavenly country.”
Amen