Sermon by the rev'd. Pamela Snare

Sermon
Mother Pamela P. Snare
September 24, 2006

“The [ungodly] reasoned unsoundly, saying to themselves,’…let our might be our law of right, for what is weak proves itself to be useless.’” (Wisdom 2:1a, 11)

“The wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without a trace of partiality or hypocrisy.” (James 3:17)

“[Jesus] sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all.’” (Mark 9:35)

My love for the Rule of St. Benedict, a way of life in community for monastic Christians, goes back many years. But it has most recently been awakened and nourished by living in a Benedictine monastery for a month two years ago, and by my participation in the Community of Hope, a training program and discipline for lay pastoral caregivers, which uses the Rule as a way of helping people to learn how to listen and to be with others in pastoral situations and in all of life. The Rule is divided into portions for daily reading and reflection, and it has become part of my daily devotions.

This past week, we began Chapter 4, entitled, “What are the tools of good works?” Last Tuesday’s reading was just what the doctor ordered, so to speak…at least for me.
“Do not act under the impulse of anger.
“Do not reserve anger for later.
“Do not have deceit in your heart.
“Do not give a false peace.
“Do not abandon charity…
“Tell the truth with your heart and with your mouth.
“Do not return evil for evil.
“Do not wrong others, but endure patiently the wrongs done to you…
“Do not be proud…
“Do not be a grumbler, nor one who runs down the reputation of others.
“Place your hope in God.

All of this came back to my mind and my heart as I read today’s scriptures – about gentleness, peace, willingness to yield, mercy, good fruits, lack of partiality and hypocrisy. It came to my mind also because it describes attitudes which are the opposite of the disciples arguing, and their vying for greatness and exaltation. And finally, it came to my mind because it describes attitudes which certainly are counted as “weakness” by a goodly portion of folks in this world.

Indeed, all of today’s readings reminded me of how far all of us are from the Kingdom of God. Of how difficult it is to learn how to become last of all and servant of all. Of how hard it is to learn gentleness, peace, willingness to yield, mercy, lack of partiality and hypocrisy. Of how different God’s ways are from the ways of the world.

I need help, and the Rule of Benedict helps me because it breaks down God’s ways and the gospel into bite size portions that I can remember and work on each day.

“Do not act under the impulse of anger.” I can carry that with me each day, as a guard, a protection. And when I forget it, or am unable to accomplish it, I can remember the last of the tools of good works: “Never despair of the mercy of God.” And I am given the strength and the hope to begin, again.

“Do not reserve anger for later.” My spiritual director, Sister Sarah, translates that, “Do not collect stamps against another. Do the interior work of pardon. Think of something to do that signifies that you have pardoned that person.” When I am having difficulty in a relationship, I try to think of something I can do for that person. I try to build bridges, rather than create chasms.

“Place your hope in God.” That was perhaps the most powerful and the most useful tool for me this week. I was anxious about how I would balance work and care for a husband who had bypass surgery a week from yesterday. A sudden clarity came to me. “Pamela, if God has preserved the life of your husband, he will show you the way to care for him, and to do what needs to be done. He doesn’t work a miracle and then withdraw the grace you need to live with the miracle.” As Benedict says, “Never despair of the mercy of God.”

These are for me tiny, practical ways – baby steps – tools I can carry with me daily in my tool belt--in learning how to become the last, the servant of all. In learning gentleness, peace, willingness to yield, lack of partiality and hypocrisy.

To paraphrase St. Augustine, “Humility exalts and self-exaltation abases.” Becoming/being last of all is actually a grace-filled place to live. And that is so because it is the way of Jesus, the gospel way, God’s way.

Learning to become last of all is a process. St. Bernard of Clairvaux identifies three stages to this process. The first is discipline. “We have to learn from others what to do in order to be good,” to become more like Christ. After practicing this for many years, virtue becomes habitual; it becomes our second nature, the second stage. Finally, “actions that once cost us so much become not only dutiful or habitual but even gratifying.” At this stage, we are so changed “that Godly acts are no longer a strain but a source of delight.”

May God speed us on this process, this journey, of learning to become last of all and servant of all. May his ways become for us less and less difficult and more and more a delight. May we never despair of his mercy and place more and more our hope in him.

The Reverend Pamela P. Snare

Return to Recent Sermons