Sunday, October 30, 2005
Readings: Micah 3:5-12; Psalm 43; 1 Thessalonians 2:9-13, 17-20; Matthew 23:1-12.

The Rev. Dr. Hilary B. Smith

Imagination as Gift

Tomorrow is Halloween. It is the eve of All Saints' Day; our modern holiday come to us from the faith. The focus for society tomorrow will be one to which all can relate. The spirit of the day is one of creativity. Young people and adults get to be creative and pretend. Using our imaginations-giving them some exercise-opens us to possibilities.

People dress up and take on a new identity. Sometimes the new identity says something about who we want to be or it might express a part of ourselves that rarely has a chance to be seen. As I told the kids last year, the costume I remember most from my childhood was Batman. I was Batman. I didn't care that Batman was a boy and I was a girl. I was brave and wanted to help people. Batman had cool gadgets. If you have seen me with my cell phone lately-you know not much as changed since I was seven.

Our imaginations are a gift from God. God uses the gift to move us into the future-to shape the future. If it can be imagined it can happen-peace, justice, an end to hunger in the world. Rosa Parks could imagine (Our nation has been mourning the passing of this great American hero-often referred to as the mother of the civil rights movement). If it can be imagined it can happen-a loving family, friends, a good job. What do you imagine? What costume did you put on when you were young? Do you see in yourself now aspects of your childhood dreams? Imagination is a gift from God-a positive, wonderful, divine gift.

Our imaginations can create realities that are not yet in positive ways. People also dress up to deceive-or their dress is deceptive because it has nothing to do with the reality of the person. Jesus had much to say about those who appear to be one thing but were really another. The religious leaders who liked to dress to be seen as holy received Jesus' disapproval. They did not practice what they taught. Their teaching was sound, but their hearts were not. They cared about how they appeared, but did not have the internal character indicated by the external trappings.

Matthew's gospel was written at a time when the church was being created. Temptations existed to focus on the external-to focus on the hierarchy. Matthew is reminding the new religious leaders of his time-these new Christians-who is who and what is what. "All who exalt themselves will be humbled, and all who humble themselves will be exalted." The only way to humility is through truth. When we know the truth of who we are in God, we are humble.

Do you ever have that feeling of who God is and just feel overwhelmed by the greatness of God? The result of that is humility and it feels good. We are exalted because God is great, and we are united to God through Jesus Christ. There is one Father-the one in heaven, and there is one instructor-the Messiah.

Unfortunately, Matthew's words - Jesus' desire - have not always been heeded. People-both clergy and laity-can forget who it is who has the true power and authority. We do so at our peril because as soon as we take our eyes off of God, we loss all direction, clarity, and humility.

God calls us to be a community of ministers-all students of the Gospel-all of equal value in the eyes of God. We have a shared ministry as the people of this congregation. As your priest, I am here to lead in certain ways-but not in every way. Clergy and congregations often get into trouble when the clergy are seen as the professional Christian who is employed by the people. That understanding will not work for us, and it will not work for God-we are all ministers of the Gospel.

We have all been called to be here-yes, we have different roles, but we are all equally responsible for the mission of this church. Together we form a Spirit led community. There is precious little in other realms of life show us how to be a faithful, humble community led by the Spirit. Most of our other experiences encourage competition, telling us that we either win or we lose. Most of our other experiences encourage control over letting go-maintaining the status quo rather then stepping out in faith.

But there is hope for us; there is salvation. The Spirit is here and is powerful. When we know with what is true and real within us and as a community and are able to express that to others, we become more and more the people and the community God calls us to be.

Using our imaginations-engaging in prayerful reflection-can be a way forward with God. Halloween gets me thinking about the divine gift of imagination. How would you like to dress-what costume would you put on to tell others of what God is bringing forth inside you? What costume would you put on to express your hopes and dreams for our world? When we can put something on, not to hide what is inside, but to show it more clearly-that is a gift from God and a pathway to humility. Amen.