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This crazy weather reminds me of a joke I heard recently about a man who gets stuck in a storm.

The rain is pounding on his windows so hard it looks like his house is going to flood. So he gets down on his knees and begins to pray, “God save me!”

Then, he hears a gentle whisper, “Fear not! I will save you!”

The rain continues.

Suddenly, his neighbors drive by offering to save him. But he says to them, “No, God is going to save me!” 

The rain continues.

Then, the water starts pouring into the first floor of his home, so he moves up to the second floor, where he continues to pray, “God, save me!”

The fire department comes and lays a ladder against his bedroom window, offering to save him. But he says again, “No, God is going to save me!”

The rain continues.

Finally, he makes his way to the roof. The Coast Guard comes with a helicopter, drops a ladder down to him, offering to save him. But, he replies once again, “No! GOD is going to save me!”

So he drowns.

When he gets to heaven, he says to God, “Where were you? You said you were going to save me!” … God looks at him and says, “I did try to save you! I sent your neighbors, the fire department, and the US Coast Guard!”

***

We can easily laugh at this man’s foolishness, but the truth is we are God’s hands and feet in the world; God works through us to accomplish his will.

And today we hear one of his deepest desires for us through the prayer of Jesus, “…that they may be one as we are one” (John 17:22). God desires a world where we live in peace.

Maybe that’s why he gives us moms, because moms want nothing more than peace in their homes, just like Jesus.

That was certainly true for me growing up.

I remember how sad Mom would be when my brother and I argued over petty things like who would sit in the front seat of the car, whether the shirt I was wearing that day was his, or whether or not I could hang out with his friends.

Mom wanted us to spend our time laughing at the dinner table, paging through photo albums she made for us, or walking together along a white sandy beach on those occasional family vacations.

When my brother and I were at peace, Mom was at peace. As she often said to us, “Seeing the two of you happy together does a Mamma’s heart good.”

***

Mom passed away four years ago. She’s no longer able to urge my brother and me to get along; rather, we must put that effort in ourselves. But she taught us an important lesson: the closer we are, the happier we will be.

The truth is we’re all called to work for deeper unity in our families, because family is God’s gift to us! They are the ones who love us first in the world.

So how can we strengthen our family bonds?

***

And secondly, how can we work for greater peace in our world?

God wants us to be “one” in mind and heart. He hates division and conflict, just like moms do.

Think about how sad God must be when he gazes upon the homebound who feel forgotten, families fighting, young people struggling with addictions, and people begging for bread on our streets.

God is not blind to their needs. He wants to help them!

But he reaches them through us. Remember the man standing on his roof, waiting for God to act. God was not blind to his need! He sent his neighbors, the fire department, and the US Coast Guard to help him.

In the same way, God sends us to bring peace to the world, and to answer peoples’ prayers. Are we willing to act on his behalf?

***

If so, then how might we do that this week? Let’s keep our eyes open and find out.

Pop culture often reflects what we think, value, and believe. For example, one thing that we all value is family.

So there’s been a variety shows over the years like the Partridge Family, the Simpsons, Married with Children, or Modern Family, that attempt to reflect different experiences of family life. We may relate to some of them, or maybe none at all.

But I’m sure we’d all agree that the family is the place where the deepest love – and yet the deepest wounds – can be felt. It’s the place where plates can fly one minute, and shouts of laughter can be heard the next.

It is where life is created, where children are affirmed, where we find our deepest sense of belonging. It’s a place where Jesus eagerly desires to make himself known.

And today he tells us how to make God present: “Love one another” (John 15:17).

***

I grew up in a single-parent household, so my family consisted of my mom, my older brother, me, and a few pets along the way. Thus Mom had the sole joy and the sole responsibility of raising us, whatever the highs or lows may have been.

For example, I remember when I was little I would occasionally have nightmares. I’d wake up in a panic, and rush downstairs to my mother’s room, where I’d curl up with a blanket and sleep at the foot of her bed.

She was never bothered by my presence. She’d just sit up, kiss me on the forehead, and assure me that everything would be ok. The boogey man lurking in my dreams wouldn’t catch me that night…

I also remember the years Mom spent driving my brother and me to school before going off to work herself. Eight to ten hours later, she’d come home, prepare us dinner, do the dishes, and tuck me back into bed.

Mom wasn’t perfect, but in many ways, she was my hero. She put clothes on my back, food in my stomach, and a roof over my head. Most importantly, she loved me. She said it, she showed it, and I knew it.

***

I’m sure all of our parents gathered here this morning make the same sacrifices for their children.

You get up and go to work everyday, even when you’re tired; you bring them to church, you do the laundry, cook dinner at night, buy your children clothes and toys, even when money is tight…

… you listen to their dreams, cheer them on at their sporting events, affirm them with hugs, and hope that somehow their futures will be better than your own.

This is how Jesus reaches out to us – he hugs us, he laughs with us, he cries with us, and he blesses us through our families.

Together, we build up the kingdom of God one day, one small gesture, at a time.

Let’s pause, then, and consider how exactly we do that in our own homes. How do we build up the kingdom of God by loving one another as Jesus has commanded us?

***

Conversely, do we ever tear that kingdom down? Are we ever rude or disrespectful towards one another? Do we ever fight? Do we miss opportunities to listen to each other, to pray together, or to spend quality time together?

Are there ways that we might grow in love?

***

Let me offer just one suggestion. We must remember our grandparents. They are the bearers of our history, the ones who loved us first.

But life can get so busy that we can forget to include them, causing some of our grandparents to fear they will be forgotten. If you’re able to, thank them and tell them you love them today.

***

And maybe that’s the key for any family, any marriage, or any close relationship – end each day on a positive note, reminding those closest to you just how much they’re loved.

If we do, then we will continue building the kingdom of God one day, one small gesture, at a time.

 

 

Spring is finally here! For some of us, that’s not good news, as spring awakens our allergies, bringing weeks of sniffles and sneezing.

But, at the same time, spring is the most beautiful of seasons: it’s that time when nature comes fully alive.

Just drive down Harrison Avenue. We’ve all seen those trees bursting with life. The branches are so full of petals they look like puffs of pink and white cotton candy.

***

Now I’m not a gardener, but I do know this: every tree or plant has two types of branches: those that bear fruit and those that don’t. Or, we might say, those that give life versus those that take it.

And herein lies our first lesson from Jesus today: get rid of those branches that aren’t bearing fruit.

We’ve all seen them. They are the dark, limp, decaying ones that shrivel up in the sun. Yet even as these branches are dying, they demand energy from the vine. And they give nothing back.

I find that a fascinating truth – branches take energy to die.

This is why a gardener’s eye is trained to look for them, because they sap the vine’s energy, making it harder for the healthy branches to grow and bear fruit.

***

In a similar way, there are two types of branches in our lives: those that bear fruit and those that don’t.

Let’s focus, in particular, on those withering branches, the ones that sap our energy and bring us down. Think of those times when we get frustrated, stressed out, or when our heart is filled with fear and negativity.

These emotions are like withering branches. They drain us, keeping us from feeling healthy and at peace. Thankfully, Jesus offers us his help. He wants us to be happy, just as much as we do.

Where am I withering? Where am I being drained by negative thoughts, habits, or emotions?

Call on the name of Jesus, the Divine Gardener, who can prune those dead branches in our hearts.

***

Lesson number two: Stay connected to the vine. Remember, your life is part of something bigger.

Let’s consider this from the perspective of someone who is not connected to the vine.

Imagine a driver who gets behind the wheel drunk, thinking, “It’s me and the road.” He sees himself in his own car, on his own highway, on his own mission to get home. He’s stuck in the world of, “Me, Myself, and I.”

In that moment, he doesn’t understand just how much his actions affect other people. He fails to see the bigger picture.

***

On the other hand, there are those who see themselves as connected to the vine. They are part of their family, their community, their church, and the world.

They understand that their actions affect other people, so they work to be a force for good, even in little ways.

That may be as simple as listening to a friend’s troubles, smiling at a stranger, or praying for those who are struggling, even that driver behind the wheel.

How are we connected to the vine? In what ways do we strengthen others and give back to our family, our community, and our church?

***

Remember Harrison Avenue. The trees are bursting with life. But if you look a little closer, you’ll notice two types of branches, those that are blossoming, and those that are not.

That’s really an image for our own lives. We’re all beautiful creations, bearing fruit for Jesus. But there may be areas in us that need to be pruned, withering branches that drain our energy and bring us down.

Will we let Jesus heal us? As he says today, “By this is my Father glorified, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples” (John 15:8).