Second Sunday in Lent (Mark 8:31-38)  03/01/2015

Earlier this week I was attending a gathering with my clergy colleagues. We met at a church located close to a college campus and the topic of young adults and faith came up in our conversation. Someone shared the observation that a number of college students who regularly attend worship services and claim that the practice of their Christian faith is important in their lives had been questioned by their peers for their faith in God; often challenged for their faith and devotion…behavior deemed to be irrational. Irrational…meaning one exhibiting behavior that lacks normal mental clarity, reason or understanding. As I listened to my clergy colleague tell this story that placed such a great value on reason and understanding, I was reminded of a recent interview on an Irish TV show called, “The Meaning of Life,” hosted by Gay Byrne. The guest of the show was Stephen Fry, (well-known actor, author, and atheist), and Byrne asked him, “[I know that you do not believe in God, but] suppose it’s all true, and you walk up to the pearly gates, and are confronted by God. What will you say?” Fry responded, “I would say this: How dare you? How dare you create a world to which there is such misery that is not our fault. It’s not right, it’s utterly, utterly evil. Why should I respect a capricious, mean-minded, stupid God who creates a world that is so full of injustice and pain. That’s what I would say.” Fry’s words are quite strong and perhaps a bit unedited toward the One we believe is holy and almighty, and perhaps like the host of the show your jaw has dropped a bit from its normal resting place.

Today, in our Gospel lesson from Mark, we hear Peter approach Jesus with an indignant rebuke not too far from the sentiments shared by Mr. Fry. Our lesson today marks a new phase for Jesus and his friends: the time of traveling the roads of Palestine to heal and teach alone are coming to an end and the tension and suffering associated with Jesus’ passion will soon become quite obvious. With love, compassion, and trust, Jesus clearly explained what the future would bring. Peter was astonished; the Messiah, the King of kings should not suffer this way…this is not how the House of David should be reestablished, so Peter took Jesus aside and rebuked him for this truth! Given the choice, I believe nearly everyone would agree with Peter…why would the Son of Man, the Messiah sent from God need to suffer in the way explained by Jesus. But without hesitation, Jesus rebuked Peter with words as strong as we have ever heard from him. “Get behind me, Satan! For you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.” Now, the notion of suffering is horrible, and of this we know Jesus would agree, for he spent most of his ministry healing those who were suffering. In this lesson, the aspect of suffering is the point of tension, the point of departure from thinking in one way or another, in thinking in human terms or divine. The central point of this lesson for Jesus is faithfulness, as Paul expressed to the Romans, “our lives depend on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace.” This is an important point for this story, for if we walk away believing that Jesus has taught us to endure all suffering, regardless of the cost, we have missed the lesson. Jesus taught that faithfulness in our journey with God will require much from us; at times, a setting aside of personal desires to follow the path where God calls us to go…this is called Christian discipleship.

Lent is the time for intentionally doing the work of discipleship, the time to examine our lives and try to set aside those things that get in the way. And there is an important aspect to discovering the things that get in the way of our relationship with God; and that is that sometimes we can identify these things or at least have a sense of them, and sometimes we have no idea where the obstacles lie. Peter was a faithful disciple, he gave up much as he left his life of fishing to follow Jesus. Yet, clearly he lacked understanding in our lesson today. And he continued to lack understanding as he denied Jesus and as he fled from the foot of the cross. Not until many days after Easter morning would he understand the mystery and power of discipleship. So, we might ask ourselves, how can we know the faithful and fruitful life of discipleship if even Peter struggled so mightily with the difficult questions of life in Christ?

An important part of our life in Christ is letting go of our reliance on worldly reason alone and placing our faith in God. Stephen Fry’s challenging response to God as he stood at the pearly gates did not go unnoticed. After much discussion in social media and the news outlets, former Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams was questioned during an appearance on the BBC and was asked for his thoughts about Fry’s intended comments to God. Williams responded, “It’s interesting that in the Psalms and in the Book of Job you are already beginning to hear this protest voice within religious communities…it would be a stupid and insensitive person that never felt [the emotions expressed by Fry]. What’s mysterious is that people in the heart of suffering…somehow maintain a trust and a faith with God – and that’s mysterious; that must make one draw back a bit from simply saying ‘it’s all God’s fault and that’s it.'” Archbishop Williams insightfully points out that life is not so simple, there are no easy answers, no obvious signs marking the way for us in our lives with God. And so we must be intentional Christians, spending time in the presence of God in prayer and devotion. And perhaps we must also live as irrational Christians; to live without the necessity of complete reason, to rely not on pure understanding but pure grace. This is the path of faith: that our promise in Christ may rest on grace. The holy season of Lent is given to us as a time of noticing God’s grace in our lives. As we travel this season of Lent and you take up the work of prayer, meditation, and service, I pray, may your Christian life be intentional, irrational, and faithful. AMEN.