WEBVTT 00:08:28.160 --> 00:08:31.600 Blessed be God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. 00:08:32.000 --> 00:08:36.000 And blessed be God's family now and forever. 00:08:36.399 --> 00:08:37.039 Amen. 00:08:37.279 --> 00:08:38.559 Let's pray together. 00:08:38.879 --> 00:08:47.279 Almighty God, unto whom all hearts are open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hid. 00:08:47.600 --> 00:08:52.720 Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of thy Holy Spirit. 00:08:53.039 --> 00:08:58.559 That we may perfectly love thee and wordily magnify thy holy name. 00:08:58.799 --> 00:09:00.720 Through Christ our Lord. 00:09:01.039 --> 00:09:01.679 Amen. 00:11:19.840 --> 00:11:21.200 Let us pray. 00:11:22.320 --> 00:11:27.279 O God, you declare your almighty power chiefly in showing mercy and pity. 00:11:27.600 --> 00:11:41.919 Grant us the fullness of your grace that we, running to obtain your promises, may become partakers of your heavenly treasures through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you in the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. 00:11:43.200 --> 00:11:46.559 As you're being seated, our children are invited to children's church with Mr. 00:11:46.639 --> 00:12:06.639 Alex and reading from Jeremiah. 00:12:16.879 --> 00:12:32.080 At that time, the army of the king of Babylon was besieging Jerusalem, and the prophet Jeremiah was confined in the court of the Garvey that was in the palace of the king of Judah, where King Zedekiah of Judah had confined him. 00:12:33.279 --> 00:12:36.559 Jeremiah said, The word of the Lord came to me. 00:12:37.519 --> 00:12:49.679 Hannibal, the son of your uncle Shalom, is going to come to you and say, Buy my field that is an Anatoth, for the right of redemption that I purchased is yours. 00:12:50.480 --> 00:13:05.519 Then my cousin Hannibal came to me in the court of the guard in accordance with the word of the Lord, and said to me, Buy my field that is an Anatoth in the land of Benjamin, for the right of possession and redemption is yours. 00:13:06.159 --> 00:13:07.600 Buy it for yourself. 00:13:08.799 --> 00:13:18.960 Then I knew that this was the word of the Lord, and I bought the field of Anatoth for my cousin Hannibal, and weighed out the money to him, seven shekels of silver. 00:13:19.679 --> 00:13:25.039 I signed the deed, sealed it, got witnesses, and weighed the money on the scale. 00:13:25.759 --> 00:13:47.919 Then I took the scale deed of purchase containing the terms and conditions and the open copy, and I gave the deed of purchase to Baruch, the son of Nariah, the son of Messiah, in the presence of my cousin Hannibal, in the presence of the witnesses who signed the deed of purchase, and the presence of all of the Judaians who were sitting in the court of the guard. 00:13:50.080 --> 00:14:08.639 In their presence, I charged Baruch, saying, Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, take these deeds, both this sealed deed of purchase and this open deed, and put them in an earthenware jar in order that they may last for a long time. 00:14:10.320 --> 00:14:19.039 For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, the houses and the fields and the vineyards shall again be bought in this land. 00:14:20.559 --> 00:14:23.519 Hear what the Spirit is saying to God the people. 00:14:51.279 --> 00:14:56.720 God shall deliver you from the snare of the hunter, and from the deadly vessel. 00:14:57.519 --> 00:15:02.639 God's pinions will cover you, and you shall find refuge under the wings of the Lord. 00:15:06.799 --> 00:15:12.720 You shall not be afraid of any terror by night, nor of the arrow that flies by day. 00:15:13.039 --> 00:15:19.759 Of the plague that stalks of the darkness, nor of the sickness that lays waste of midday. 00:15:20.080 --> 00:15:25.519 Because they are bound to me in love, and therefore I will deliver them. 00:15:26.240 --> 00:15:29.440 I will protect them because they know my name. 00:16:30.320 --> 00:16:33.840 But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with it. 00:16:34.960 --> 00:16:44.399 But those who want to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. 00:16:45.039 --> 00:16:48.240 For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. 00:16:48.480 --> 00:16:55.200 And in their eagerness to be rich, some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pain. 00:16:56.320 --> 00:16:59.600 But as for you, man of God, shut all this. 00:17:00.399 --> 00:17:06.160 Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, and gentleness. 00:17:06.720 --> 00:17:09.039 Fight the good fight of the faith. 00:17:09.359 --> 00:17:17.119 Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and for which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 00:17:18.240 --> 00:17:38.720 In the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who in his testimony before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you to keep the commandment without spot or blame until the manifestation of our Lord Jesus Christ, which he will bring about at the right time. 00:17:39.519 --> 00:17:44.480 He who is the blessed and only sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of Lords. 00:17:44.960 --> 00:17:52.400 It is he alone who has immortality and dwells in an unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see. 00:17:52.960 --> 00:17:55.440 To him be honor and eternal dominion. 00:17:56.000 --> 00:17:56.640 Amen. 00:17:58.160 --> 00:18:11.119 As for those who in the present age are rich, I commend them not to be haughty, or to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but rather on God who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. 00:18:11.839 --> 00:18:28.160 They are to do good, to be rich in good works, generous, and ready to share, thus storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of the life that really is life. 00:18:29.440 --> 00:18:32.079 Hear what the Spirit is saying to God's people. 00:21:07.039 --> 00:21:09.680 Glory be to thee, Lord Christ. 00:21:09.920 --> 00:21:17.519 Jesus said, There was a money bag who was dressed in purple and fine linen, who feasted sumptuously every day. 00:21:17.759 --> 00:21:27.440 And at the gate of money bags laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who longed to satisfy his hunger from what fell from money bags' table. 00:21:27.680 --> 00:21:30.319 Even the dogs would come and lick his sores. 00:21:30.559 --> 00:21:34.799 The poor man Lazarus died and was carried away by the angels to be with Abraham. 00:21:35.039 --> 00:21:37.680 The money bags also died and was buried. 00:21:37.920 --> 00:21:44.559 In Hades, where he was being tormented, money bags looked up and saw Abraham far away with Lazarus by his side. 00:21:44.720 --> 00:21:48.400 He called out, Father Abraham, have mercy on me. 00:21:48.559 --> 00:21:55.440 Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in agony in these flames. 00:21:55.759 --> 00:21:59.759 But Abraham said, Child, remember that during your lifetime you received good things. 00:22:00.319 --> 00:22:02.960 And Lazarus in like manner evil things. 00:22:03.119 --> 00:22:06.160 But now he is comforted here, and you are in agony. 00:22:06.400 --> 00:22:16.559 Besides all this, between you and us a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who might want to pass from here to you cannot do so, and no one can cross from there to us. 00:22:16.960 --> 00:22:27.440 Moneybeg said, Then Father, I beg you to send him to my father's house, for I have five brothers, that he may warn them, so that they will not also come into this place of torment. 00:22:27.759 --> 00:22:32.000 Abraham replied, Well, they have Moses and the prophets, they should listen to them. 00:22:32.240 --> 00:22:38.160 Moneybeg said, No, Father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent. 00:22:38.559 --> 00:22:47.599 And Abraham said, If they do not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced, even if someone rises from the dead. 00:22:48.720 --> 00:22:50.559 The Gospel of the Lord. 00:23:07.759 --> 00:23:09.200 Please be seated. 00:23:12.079 --> 00:23:22.880 We are on the verge of the High Holy Days for our Jewish brothers and sisters, and I want to tell you, some of you might be wondering, I don't think most of you are, why are we talking about this? 00:23:23.119 --> 00:23:41.920 Because you were about to hear about the High Holy Days, and the answer is shockingly because anti-Semitism is in the rise in North America, which is baffling to me, except most of us have been fed little bits of antisemitism in our church life. 00:23:42.319 --> 00:23:47.200 I want to confront it, not only because it's wrong, but because it's evil. 00:23:47.440 --> 00:23:48.960 I want you to hear the difference. 00:23:49.119 --> 00:23:52.559 It's worse than wrong, it's evil. 00:23:52.880 --> 00:24:08.720 So your priest is going to tell you now a few of those bits that we need to get right, and then I want to tell you affirmatively what's happening during the high holy days so that you can respect and appreciate what our Jewish brothers and sisters are doing. 00:24:08.880 --> 00:24:13.119 So, number one, what do you call the first part of the Bible? 00:24:15.440 --> 00:24:17.119 I want us to stop that. 00:24:17.680 --> 00:24:19.680 It's the Hebrew Bible. 00:24:19.920 --> 00:24:26.000 When we call it old, we're saying out with the old and win with the new, and it's wrong. 00:24:27.039 --> 00:24:29.279 I was at a sermon just the other day. 00:24:29.440 --> 00:24:35.039 The sermon was about the evil legalistic Pharisee that lives inside of us. 00:24:35.200 --> 00:24:38.000 Friends, that's the root of antisemitism. 00:24:38.160 --> 00:24:43.119 Not only is it wrong, it's evil, and we have to stop it. 00:24:43.440 --> 00:24:44.319 Have to. 00:24:44.960 --> 00:24:50.640 And this is a good day because tonight is the anniversary of the creation of the world. 00:24:50.799 --> 00:24:54.640 You maybe have heard it called Rosh Hashanah, in Hebrew, Rosh Hashanah. 00:24:54.960 --> 00:24:56.960 It means head of the year. 00:24:57.279 --> 00:25:04.000 It's not just new year, it's the anniversary of the creation of the world. 00:25:05.920 --> 00:25:20.000 And there will be this time between Rosh Hashanah, which begins tonight, and eight days later, Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, in which our Jewish brothers and sisters will do just like God did in Genesis. 00:25:20.240 --> 00:25:27.680 Take a mess and reorder it so that creation can be and thrive and be beautiful. 00:25:27.839 --> 00:25:33.920 And this is how our Jewish brothers and sisters are going to begin the new year. 00:25:34.640 --> 00:25:39.599 Creating a new world, a world that is healed. 00:25:40.000 --> 00:25:43.200 This day comes seven weeks after. 00:25:45.359 --> 00:25:47.119 Did I get this wrong? 00:25:47.839 --> 00:25:48.240 I'm not. 00:25:48.480 --> 00:25:49.359 Tishba'av. 00:25:49.599 --> 00:25:55.839 Tishba'av happened seven weeks ago, and it is the Jewish recognition of the destruction of the Jerusalem temple. 00:25:56.079 --> 00:26:06.880 Now many of you know the Jerusalem temple was destroyed twice, one in 586 before the Common Era, and a second time by the Romans in the year 70 of our Common Era. 00:26:07.200 --> 00:26:15.519 Both destructions happened on Tishba'av, just 646 years apart. 00:26:16.720 --> 00:26:32.319 It begins seven weeks ago because we realize not only the impermanence of much of what we do, we also realize as we head into the high holy days that sometimes in order to have new growth, we have to clear away some rubble. 00:26:33.039 --> 00:26:38.240 Now, sometimes in the middle of our grief, there are opportunities. 00:26:38.400 --> 00:26:49.519 So it's helpful to hear that even though the destruction of the Jerusalem temple both times fundamentally changed Judaism, it was difficult to offer regular sacrifices without the temple, you see. 00:26:49.759 --> 00:26:54.319 What the rabbis have said, there was also an opportunity for Judaism to reform. 00:26:54.640 --> 00:27:05.200 That is, to move from being a place that is centered in Jerusalem on high holy days to becoming centered every day in the way that we live. 00:27:05.359 --> 00:27:08.960 So Tishba'av begins this seven weeks ago. 00:27:09.200 --> 00:27:14.880 Hey, God is getting ready to recreate the world through us, and we should be ready. 00:27:18.000 --> 00:27:23.119 Tonight, and by the way, our Jewish brothers and sisters begin the day in the evening, right? 00:27:23.279 --> 00:27:25.759 Just like in Genesis, evening and a morning. 00:27:25.920 --> 00:27:28.799 They begin when three stars are visible in the sky. 00:27:28.960 --> 00:27:32.799 In Houston, sometimes you need to rely on the internet, right, because you can't always see them. 00:27:32.960 --> 00:27:35.279 So you begin when three stars are available in the sky. 00:27:35.359 --> 00:27:38.880 This is when Rosh Hashanah begins this evening. 00:27:39.119 --> 00:27:44.880 It is celebrated with things like honey and some sweet foods because we're looking for the sweetness of the year. 00:27:45.039 --> 00:27:52.240 But this is also the day in which our Jewish brothers and sisters say, God writes your fate for the coming year. 00:27:52.400 --> 00:27:54.079 Your fate is written. 00:27:54.400 --> 00:27:59.279 On Yom Kippur, eight days from now, your fate will be sealed. 00:28:00.000 --> 00:28:04.400 So if you're ever wondering why do Christian people practice Lent? 00:28:05.119 --> 00:28:10.640 It comes from this tradition, but we've forgotten what the tradition was about. 00:28:10.880 --> 00:28:18.799 This is a week in which our Jewish brothers and sisters would like to change their fate for the year before it is sealed. 00:28:18.960 --> 00:28:31.519 So they pick up the phone, they write letters, they literally get on airplanes to make amends for whatever they need to amend before their fate is sealed. 00:28:31.599 --> 00:28:33.359 You see, this is a time. 00:28:34.079 --> 00:28:35.759 You can hear it a couple of ways. 00:28:35.920 --> 00:28:46.480 You could go it literally and say, this is a time to change God's mind to show that we're different, but you can also hear it a different way, which is quite frankly, we we carry a bunch of trash around with us. 00:28:46.720 --> 00:28:50.559 We live in broken relationships and just say that's the cost of doing business. 00:28:50.720 --> 00:28:52.319 They don't deserve an apology. 00:28:52.480 --> 00:28:53.680 I don't really care. 00:28:54.720 --> 00:28:59.759 We can seal that fate every day of our lives unless we're willing to do something about it. 00:28:59.920 --> 00:29:06.400 So let me tell you, when we come to Lent and you're thinking about giving up chocolate, I'd like you to give up self-righteousness instead. 00:29:06.640 --> 00:29:17.440 I'd like you to live in Rosh Hashanah's tradition of let's get our relationships right before we seal our fate of living with trash another year. 00:29:17.680 --> 00:29:19.519 I hope this makes sense. 00:29:23.119 --> 00:29:31.759 So today, tonight begins Rosh Hashanah, and then comes the Day of Atonement on Yom Kippur, eight days from now. 00:29:31.839 --> 00:29:39.440 And the service begins, every Yom Kippur begins with this tradition that's at least 1,300 years old. 00:29:39.599 --> 00:29:41.599 It's called the Kol Nidre. 00:29:42.000 --> 00:29:47.759 And I want you to turn to the back of your bulletin so you can see the words of the Kol Nidre. 00:29:48.000 --> 00:29:51.200 Now we're super lucky that Stuart Eisen has joined us. 00:29:51.440 --> 00:30:04.160 He has played the Kol Nidre over at um at Beth Tikva for a number of years at Yom Kippur, and Stuart has graciously agreed to come so that we can hear the Kol Nidre. 00:30:04.319 --> 00:30:06.319 You'll see the words, you won't hear them. 00:30:06.559 --> 00:30:12.559 I invite you just to listen with your heart to this, and we'll talk a little bit more about it when you're done. 00:33:17.519 --> 00:33:23.119 And it's what begins each young Kapor service in the synagogue, and you see the words here. 00:33:23.200 --> 00:33:27.920 And just to give you a little bit of history, right, this came out of the Spanish tradition in Judaism. 00:33:28.079 --> 00:33:30.160 There were two major centers, right? 00:33:30.319 --> 00:33:33.519 The Spanish center, center of the Sephardic Jews. 00:33:33.680 --> 00:33:45.279 Maybe you know that there's this language called Yiddish, which is a combination of German and Hebrew, and there's a lesser-known language called Ladino, which is a combination of Spanish and Hebrew. 00:33:45.519 --> 00:33:52.079 And many of you know that the Inquisition was rather strong in Spain, even dating from the 6th century. 00:33:52.240 --> 00:33:57.519 And so Jewish people were forced to convert to Christianity or die. 00:33:58.079 --> 00:34:11.039 This was a vow they made, and you're seeing in this text, God, absolve me from any vow that I've made, render it null and void. 00:34:11.679 --> 00:34:16.880 This is the beginning, and if we say, God, we put our hearts behind junk. 00:34:17.599 --> 00:34:23.440 Sometimes we do it so we can survive, sometimes we do it because we've chosen anger over sorrow. 00:34:23.599 --> 00:34:28.880 We've chosen to show our power, not in mercy and pity, as you show yours, God. 00:34:29.119 --> 00:34:32.079 We've chosen to show ours in anger and violence. 00:34:32.559 --> 00:34:35.599 Render those vows void. 00:34:36.079 --> 00:34:39.199 We have done things just to survive. 00:34:39.440 --> 00:34:42.239 Do not hold them against us. 00:34:42.880 --> 00:34:47.599 And notice you get the assurance at the end of the cold nitrae that God will forgive you. 00:34:47.760 --> 00:34:52.079 I hope you heard a little bit of the crescendo and the dissonance that comes as well. 00:34:52.239 --> 00:34:54.719 This is part of our life as disciples, right? 00:34:54.960 --> 00:34:59.840 I don't know if you've noticed the sinusoidal pattern in your own living. 00:35:00.719 --> 00:35:04.880 Our best intentions sometimes come back down. 00:35:05.119 --> 00:35:16.880 This is why we return year after year to Rosh Hashanah to recreate ourselves and to recreate the relationships that we have broken. 00:35:17.360 --> 00:35:18.880 The rabbis are very clever. 00:35:18.960 --> 00:35:23.920 They say, you know, look, you can forgive other people, you don't actually need God's help for that. 00:35:24.239 --> 00:35:30.079 No, what we need on Yom Kippur is to forgive ourselves. 00:35:30.400 --> 00:35:35.440 And we need God for that because it's outside of us. 00:35:35.679 --> 00:35:42.320 We need our higher power to help us be all that God made us to be. 00:35:42.960 --> 00:35:48.880 I want to share with you a poem that's loosely about Mary Curie. 00:35:52.079 --> 00:35:55.760 Living in the earth deposits of our history. 00:35:56.159 --> 00:36:12.079 Today, a bacho divulged out of a crumbling flank of earth one bottle amber, perfect, a hundred-year-old cure for fever or melancholy, a tonic for living on this earth in the winters of this climate. 00:36:12.480 --> 00:36:15.039 Today I was reading about Mary Curie. 00:36:15.440 --> 00:36:24.000 She must have known she suffered from radiation sickness, her body bombarded for years by the element she had purified. 00:36:24.320 --> 00:36:36.079 It seems she denied to the end the source of the cataracts on her eyes, the cracked and separating skin of her finger ends, till she could no longer hold a test tube or a pencil. 00:36:36.719 --> 00:36:40.159 She died a famous woman denying her wounds. 00:36:40.480 --> 00:36:45.760 Denying her wounds came from the same source as her power. 00:36:47.039 --> 00:36:50.880 Yom Kippur is a day in which we say we all have cracks. 00:36:51.039 --> 00:36:56.000 It's how the light gets in, and by God, it is how the light will come out of us. 00:36:57.360 --> 00:37:00.719 Sometimes our power is in our wounds. 00:37:01.039 --> 00:37:06.639 Yom Kippur is the assertion that God made us different, and that is not something to be afraid of. 00:37:06.719 --> 00:37:11.280 It's something to be celebrated, and often what gets in our way is our fear. 00:37:11.519 --> 00:37:20.320 So we say, God, deliver us from our fear so we can be exactly who you've made us to be no more and no less. 00:37:20.880 --> 00:37:36.239 It's helpful to hear that when the temple was rebuilt after being destroyed in the year 586, the holy of holies, the space that only the high priest could step in once a year with bells on in case they died, was empty. 00:37:36.880 --> 00:37:39.519 And if you read Genesis, there was no ark. 00:37:39.599 --> 00:37:40.639 The ark was gone. 00:37:40.880 --> 00:37:42.400 Nothing in the room. 00:37:42.639 --> 00:37:47.360 If you read Genesis, when God begins creating the world, it's a mess. 00:37:47.599 --> 00:37:48.880 Tohu abohu. 00:37:49.119 --> 00:37:50.000 It's chaotic. 00:37:50.159 --> 00:37:59.920 And I told you this a few weeks ago, according to the Bal Shim Tove, God had to withdraw because the empty holiness could not abide with anything else. 00:38:00.000 --> 00:38:02.639 So God made room for creation. 00:38:04.159 --> 00:38:09.840 In the middle of holy nothingness, God blew a breath, which, as you know, is no thing. 00:38:10.320 --> 00:38:13.920 It is no thing, it has no mass, right? 00:38:15.280 --> 00:38:23.599 Part of the rabbinic commentary is that the temple in Jerusalem held space for the holy nothingness. 00:38:24.480 --> 00:38:31.679 And curiously enough, at the center of your being is your lungs, which make room for about nothing. 00:38:33.519 --> 00:38:34.719 The breath of God. 00:38:35.119 --> 00:38:36.639 And we're reminded. 00:38:36.880 --> 00:38:39.199 We're reminded Anya and Kippur. 00:38:40.000 --> 00:38:54.320 Sometimes we're afraid of that nothingness to our own peril, and we sometimes try to strive outside of that by doing things like workaholism and perfectionism, because we can't handle the holy emptiness inside of us, and this is a reminder return. 00:38:56.159 --> 00:39:01.280 You get to be who you are with God's blessing. 00:39:03.440 --> 00:39:08.000 Now, if that isn't lovely, I don't know what it is. 00:39:09.039 --> 00:39:13.679 And this is our chance, whether you do this when you hear the shofar. 00:39:13.840 --> 00:39:15.599 And Ken, Ken, you've brought the shofar. 00:39:16.079 --> 00:39:20.800 Ken bought this shofar when we were in Israel, and you'll hear it blown a hundred times on Yom Kippur. 00:39:20.960 --> 00:39:22.480 It's a ram's horn. 00:39:22.800 --> 00:39:23.920 And uh Ken can do. 00:39:24.320 --> 00:39:26.719 Do you mind to do it, Ken, just so you can so we can hear it? 00:39:34.239 --> 00:39:38.480 I blow in and it don't make any noise because I don't know how to do ombashir with my lips. 00:39:38.719 --> 00:39:42.079 This is traditionally what a watch person would use. 00:39:42.159 --> 00:39:43.440 It's like a bugle call. 00:39:43.599 --> 00:39:44.800 Here comes the enemy. 00:39:44.960 --> 00:39:51.280 It blows a hundred times on Yel Kippur to say, wake up! The enemy is within. 00:39:51.920 --> 00:39:54.159 And we can do something about it. 00:39:54.320 --> 00:40:00.400 We can recreate the chaos in our lives so that it looks like the order God has in mind. 00:40:01.039 --> 00:40:02.079 Pay attention. 00:40:02.239 --> 00:40:05.760 This is what happens when the shofar, the ram's horn, is blown. 00:40:05.840 --> 00:40:10.880 And there's also this tradition in Judaism: there's an otherworldly sound to the shofar. 00:40:11.119 --> 00:40:12.559 It's not just like a trumpet. 00:40:12.719 --> 00:40:15.920 Everyone is unique and different because it comes from an animal, right? 00:40:16.000 --> 00:40:17.760 This is an actual sheep's horn. 00:40:17.920 --> 00:40:31.119 They say that that otherworldly quality is actually building a bridge to the other world, a bridge that God desperately hopes will walk across this Yom Kippur, so that God can not just atone but be at one. 00:40:31.280 --> 00:40:38.559 Do you hear the difference between atone and at one with exactly who God made us to be? 00:40:38.800 --> 00:40:41.920 Now, the readings we hear today, just very, very briefly. 00:40:42.079 --> 00:40:44.159 We read them, so I want to talk about them. 00:40:44.320 --> 00:40:46.559 We get to hear a couple of ways this looks. 00:40:47.039 --> 00:40:52.079 Jeremiah is completely enshrouded in the city of Jerusalem. 00:40:52.320 --> 00:40:57.440 The writing's on the wall, the city's gonna fall, and he does this thing that is not a good investment. 00:40:57.599 --> 00:40:58.719 He buys land. 00:40:59.760 --> 00:41:04.400 There's getting ready to be nothing, and he throws good money after bad. 00:41:04.880 --> 00:41:07.519 He does it at God's suggestion. 00:41:07.840 --> 00:41:10.320 God says there will be restoration. 00:41:10.639 --> 00:41:19.760 This thing which might seem offensively gracious of Jeremiah is what we're called to do on Rosh Hashanah. 00:41:21.599 --> 00:41:26.400 To reorder the chaos of our world so there will be a future. 00:41:27.119 --> 00:41:29.760 It's practicing cognitive dissonance. 00:41:30.000 --> 00:41:36.159 I don't know if this is going to make a difference, and I put my hope and future here anyway, because with God this can work. 00:41:36.559 --> 00:41:38.559 This is what we hear in Jeremiah. 00:41:38.639 --> 00:41:51.599 So sometimes you think this small thing is too small to make a difference, and Jeremiah reminds us love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, self-control, these things never die. 00:41:52.239 --> 00:41:58.639 They are successful in God because they happen in God, not outside. 00:41:59.440 --> 00:42:12.239 We get to hear, curiously enough, this story from Paul, who is saying, I think this is really interesting, not that money is evil, but the love of money is the root of evil. 00:42:12.480 --> 00:42:15.519 Notice he says, it's okay if you've got means. 00:42:16.320 --> 00:42:21.599 Just remember, there is one heart in the world, and it's the human heart. 00:42:21.760 --> 00:42:25.440 And yours is no better than anyone else's. 00:42:25.679 --> 00:42:33.840 And so Paul reminds us whether you have money or not, spend your poverty or your wealth in creating joy. 00:42:34.000 --> 00:42:40.719 This is what Paul says: creating joy for others because they're a part in the world. 00:42:41.760 --> 00:42:46.159 And also remember to live the life that would live in you. 00:42:46.559 --> 00:42:48.320 This is the call of the shofar. 00:42:49.119 --> 00:42:50.639 Pay attention. 00:42:51.280 --> 00:42:59.679 Are you living life with a capital L, whether you find yourself resource rich or resource poor? 00:43:00.639 --> 00:43:03.199 The parable is a lovely parable. 00:43:04.000 --> 00:43:06.239 I heard you heard me change it on purpose. 00:43:06.320 --> 00:43:08.239 I may as well have said Scrooge McDuck. 00:43:08.480 --> 00:43:16.639 The word in Greek is deeds, and it means money bags, and he's not a one percenter, he's a 0.1%er, because he wears purple. 00:43:17.039 --> 00:43:19.199 Purple means he's like a baron. 00:43:19.440 --> 00:43:21.440 In the ancient world, you couldn't buy it. 00:43:21.599 --> 00:43:24.400 You had to be born into it, and he's got money. 00:43:24.480 --> 00:43:28.880 And notice what he has failed to recognize on Rosh Hashanah. 00:43:31.119 --> 00:43:34.800 He thinks Lazarus is his to command. 00:43:35.119 --> 00:43:38.320 It's an interesting story because the rich guy doesn't even have a name. 00:43:38.400 --> 00:43:40.000 The poor guy's got a name. 00:43:40.159 --> 00:43:46.239 And Moneybag says to Abraham, tell Lazarus to come wait on me. 00:43:46.400 --> 00:43:47.519 Do you see this? 00:43:48.800 --> 00:43:54.559 His fate is sealed because he didn't change the fate he wrote. 00:43:55.199 --> 00:43:59.599 He has sealed his fate in living in isolation from other humans. 00:44:00.320 --> 00:44:05.440 Beings with which he shares the one heart and the one breath that is from God. 00:44:07.039 --> 00:44:11.760 He says, Abraham, send my servant to my brothers. 00:44:11.920 --> 00:44:12.960 Do you see that? 00:44:15.280 --> 00:44:22.000 It's Rosh Hashanah, and he's treating a human being as an object instead of a subject. 00:44:22.239 --> 00:44:24.960 And that is the root of evil. 00:44:26.000 --> 00:44:30.800 Not wrongdoing, it's the root of evil. 00:44:31.360 --> 00:44:39.519 And this guy doesn't get it even after he's dead and sees Abraham holding on to Lazarus. 00:44:39.679 --> 00:44:41.440 He still doesn't get it. 00:44:43.199 --> 00:44:47.280 Why should we wait till we're dead to get it? 00:44:47.519 --> 00:44:51.920 That's why we have Rosh Hashanah, and that's why we have Yom Kippur. 00:44:52.480 --> 00:44:56.800 And Abraham says something truly befuddling. 00:44:57.760 --> 00:45:02.320 If they don't believe what they already have, they won't believe even if there's a miracle. 00:45:02.480 --> 00:45:05.199 And sure, I would like to say, I would believe. 00:45:05.519 --> 00:45:09.599 If someone came back from the dead, I'd believe, except I did get a math degree. 00:45:09.679 --> 00:45:15.280 And many of you know how many times you need an example to comply with your rule for the rule to hold. 00:45:15.440 --> 00:45:18.480 It is infinite. 00:45:19.599 --> 00:45:22.639 How many counterexamples disprove a rule? 00:45:22.960 --> 00:45:23.599 One. 00:45:24.400 --> 00:45:32.400 So I'd like to believe if God showed up in power, I'd never have a doubt in the rest of my life, and that isn't how math or anything else human works. 00:45:33.119 --> 00:45:33.440 No. 00:45:34.000 --> 00:45:38.159 It's our faith and our trust in God's goodness that brings us back. 00:45:39.840 --> 00:45:48.320 What greater miracle is there, quite honestly, than the fact that God loves you just like you are. 00:45:49.840 --> 00:45:53.920 And it is out of God's love that God doesn't want you to stay where you are. 00:45:54.159 --> 00:45:58.719 Because God knows you can enjoy the one precious and wild life you've been given more than you do. 00:45:58.880 --> 00:46:01.440 And that's God's goal on Yom Kippur. 00:46:03.280 --> 00:46:13.679 To deal with all of the baggage we've been carding around so we don't feel our fate in less than God intends another year. 00:46:14.559 --> 00:46:21.039 So whether you follow the chauffeur or not, I hope you'll be attuned to these high holy days. 00:46:21.280 --> 00:46:30.639 And if there are areas in your life that could use some reordering, if there are areas that are chaotic, keep in mind what Albert Einstein said. 00:46:30.880 --> 00:46:37.599 The definition of insanity is doing the same thing repeatedly and expecting different results. 00:46:38.159 --> 00:46:40.159 Unseal that fate. 00:46:40.559 --> 00:46:45.920 Be reconciled and help heal the world. 00:47:09.679 --> 00:47:18.880 We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, of all that is named and safety. 00:47:19.679 --> 00:47:26.559 We believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, the eternal Father. 00:47:41.519 --> 00:47:50.400 He became from heaven, of the Holy Spirit, He became from the purpose of heaven, and all the heaven. 00:47:57.119 --> 00:48:01.280 On the third day he rose again in the words of the Spirit. 00:48:01.840 --> 00:48:06.719 He ascended in the heaven and seed at the right hand of the Father. 00:48:06.960 --> 00:48:13.280 He will come again in the Lord to judge the living and the dead, and in the kingdom of the heaven of the end. 00:48:13.840 --> 00:48:21.360 We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord the giver of life, who proceeded from the Father and the Son. 00:48:21.599 --> 00:48:25.280 With the Father and the Son, he is worshipped and glorified. 00:48:25.599 --> 00:48:27.920 He has spoken through the prophets. 00:48:28.159 --> 00:48:32.239 We believe in one holy Catholic and left of the Church. 00:48:32.480 --> 00:48:36.239 We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. 00:48:36.480 --> 00:48:41.440 We look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. 00:48:41.920 --> 00:48:42.559 Amen. 00:49:05.440 --> 00:49:13.280 We thank you, O God, for your universal church and its mission, and for calling us to serve you and among your people. 00:49:13.920 --> 00:49:22.000 Continue, we pray, to equip us with all we need to tell others of you and glorify your name in all we do. 00:49:23.039 --> 00:49:26.000 Lord, in your compassion, hear our prayer. 00:49:26.559 --> 00:49:33.599 We pray for the leaders of all nations that they may seek to do your will for the welfare of the people they lead and serve. 00:49:33.840 --> 00:49:40.800 We pray for those holding public office in our nation, that they may be guided by your gifts of wisdom and charity. 00:49:41.440 --> 00:49:44.960 Lord, in your compassion, hear our prayer. 00:49:45.199 --> 00:49:55.199 We thank you, Creator God, for the beauty, majesty, and abundance of your creation, especially for its manifestation here around Clear Lake. 00:49:55.440 --> 00:50:05.920 Keep us mindful of the holiness and fragility of our earthly home and all creatures who dwell therein, that we may rejoice in being stewards and peacemakers. 00:50:06.400 --> 00:50:09.679 Lord, in your compassion, hear our prayer. 00:50:10.000 --> 00:50:16.400 O God, giver of all things, we thank you for the abundance of grace poured out upon us. 00:50:16.639 --> 00:50:29.440 May we with grateful hearts show compassion through our thoughts, words, and deeds for those who are hungry, homeless, neglected, abused, exploited, or in any other need. 00:50:30.480 --> 00:50:33.840 Lord, in your compassion, hear our prayer. 00:50:34.159 --> 00:50:42.719 Lord Jesus, healer of bodies and spirits, may your healing hand touch all who suffer in mind, body, or soul. 00:50:42.960 --> 00:50:49.039 May those who attend to them use their God-given skill, wisdom, and compassion to restore them. 00:50:49.280 --> 00:50:59.360 We pray especially for Chris, Sue, Kevin, Jan, Miriam, Celia, Derek, John, and Nick. 00:51:11.920 --> 00:51:13.840 Silently or aloud. 00:51:22.639 --> 00:51:26.559 Trusting that you are able to do more than we ask or imagine. 00:51:27.199 --> 00:51:46.719 Lord, in your confession, we give you thanks, Lord Jesus, for graciously restoring those who have battled and survived serious illnesses and near-death situations, that by your help and the help of those sent to them, they may continue to serve you in this life according to your will. 00:51:47.360 --> 00:51:54.480 We are especially grateful for those of you who have served in the military. 00:51:55.119 --> 00:52:00.880 And we ask the congregation to name Thanksgiving silently or aloud at this time. 00:52:06.559 --> 00:52:10.159 Lord, in your compassion, hear our prayer. 00:52:10.400 --> 00:52:19.280 We thank you, loving God, for the fellowship and relationships we enjoy in this gathering, and pray that we may continue to grow in love and support for each other. 00:52:19.519 --> 00:52:35.039 Make your presence known, we pray, with those who grieve for broken relationships and struggle to mend walls created through conflict, disagreement, and mistrust, that they may seek and find forgiveness, repentance, and reconciliation. 00:52:35.920 --> 00:52:39.039 Lord, in your compassion, hear our prayer. 00:52:39.440 --> 00:52:45.599 Living God, we remember our loved ones and colleagues who no longer journey with us in this life. 00:52:45.920 --> 00:52:54.239 Have compassion on all who mourn, and may the souls of the departed share in your eternal kingdom, especially Elizabeth II. 00:52:56.159 --> 00:52:59.519 Lord, in your compassion, hear our prayer. 00:52:59.920 --> 00:53:08.639 Rejoicing in the fellowship of all your saints, let us commend ourselves, one another, and all our life to Christ our God. 00:53:09.199 --> 00:53:09.840 Amen. 00:53:10.400 --> 00:53:13.840 Let us confess our sin against God and our neighbor. 00:53:18.000 --> 00:53:22.239 Almighty and most merciful Father, we have spirit. 00:53:25.039 --> 00:53:55.840 We have to come in Jesus Christ. 00:54:10.480 --> 00:54:19.519 Pardon, Lord, we beseech you the wrongdoing of this people, in keeping with the greatness of your kindness, as you have forgiven this people from Egypt until now. 00:54:19.840 --> 00:54:35.199 And it is stated, as the Lord said, I have pardoned in accordance with your words, so blessed are you, Lord our God, King of the universe, who has granted us life, sustained us, and enabled us to reach this occasion, and we all join together. 00:54:35.519 --> 00:54:36.079 Amen. 00:54:42.400 --> 00:54:45.199 And now may the peace of the Lord be always with you. 00:54:45.519 --> 00:54:47.039 And also with you. 00:55:30.880 --> 00:55:32.639 So these little cards that say welcome. 00:55:32.719 --> 00:55:36.719 And we'd be tremendously grateful if you'd fill one out so we have a record of your visit. 00:55:36.800 --> 00:55:38.320 And thank you for worshiping with us today. 00:55:38.559 --> 00:55:43.679 One of the ways we like to show our heartfelt gratitude is with applause. 00:55:43.840 --> 00:55:44.880 This is cultural. 00:55:45.039 --> 00:55:52.880 And I can't tell you how much it means that Stuart has shared not only his gifts, but has come to a faith tradition that is not his own to do it. 00:55:52.960 --> 00:55:54.639 So thank you, Stuart, for being with us. 00:55:54.880 --> 00:55:55.280 Great. 00:56:02.159 --> 00:56:04.239 A few announcements to call to your attention. 00:56:04.320 --> 00:56:06.320 You might have seen some people out there camping. 00:56:06.559 --> 00:56:09.119 We were hosting a training for scout leaders. 00:56:09.199 --> 00:56:21.360 There were 35 that we hosted, which means we can kind of do some metrics like at least 350 scouts will be touched, usually 10 per leader, by the training we offered here. 00:56:21.519 --> 00:56:25.440 We do this annually as a hub for scouting in the diocese. 00:56:25.599 --> 00:56:28.480 And so this is because of you. 00:56:28.880 --> 00:56:33.760 You share your space to enrich the lives of people you'll never even meet. 00:56:33.920 --> 00:56:34.960 Thank you for doing that. 00:56:35.199 --> 00:56:37.599 Last night was another one of those things if you were here. 00:56:37.760 --> 00:56:41.199 I can tell you I rarely get to sit in the back of the church. 00:56:41.519 --> 00:56:46.719 And uh boy, it was definitely the best loot concert I'm going to this year if you went. 00:56:47.039 --> 00:56:51.119 But you know what I'm reminded of is one of our core values is beauty. 00:56:51.360 --> 00:56:53.039 It's one of our core values. 00:56:53.199 --> 00:57:03.920 And sitting back there and hearing the acoustics and watching the hands of the players and the deep resonance, what a beautiful place we have and a beautiful place we share. 00:57:04.000 --> 00:57:05.599 So thank you for being a part of that. 00:57:05.760 --> 00:57:09.599 If you're interested, we did record it, and I can share that with you through email. 00:57:09.679 --> 00:57:15.920 It's not for public consumption, but I can share the recording with you if you missed it or would like to return to it. 00:57:16.000 --> 00:57:19.519 Just send me an email and I'll share Ron's concert with you. 00:57:19.920 --> 00:57:24.480 We've got a couple of things going on this week that I want to call your attention to. 00:57:24.800 --> 00:57:26.400 Saturday's the Trifecta. 00:57:26.559 --> 00:57:30.880 So number one, we host a race every year for the running community. 00:57:31.039 --> 00:57:32.960 It's called, sure enough, the St. 00:57:33.119 --> 00:57:34.320 Thomas 5K. 00:57:34.400 --> 00:57:36.239 There's also a kids 1K. 00:57:36.559 --> 00:57:40.079 The 1K starts at 7, the 5K starts at 7.15. 00:57:40.480 --> 00:57:43.360 From the parking lot, we run 5K through the neighborhood. 00:57:43.519 --> 00:57:44.320 It's really lovely. 00:57:44.400 --> 00:57:48.159 It's a nice route and it's cooling off enough where in the morning it's not so bad. 00:57:48.320 --> 00:57:52.880 If you're interested, you can find the sign-up on our website. 00:57:53.039 --> 00:57:55.599 There's probably 300 runners going to be here. 00:57:55.679 --> 00:57:57.280 That's typically what we have. 00:57:57.440 --> 00:58:00.320 And it's just lovely to support our community with our facilities. 00:58:00.480 --> 00:58:01.599 So this is happening. 00:58:01.760 --> 00:58:04.960 The next thing happening on Saturday is at 7.45. 00:58:05.039 --> 00:58:11.360 And yes, if you're quick, run that race and run right over here to the food distribution in the circle driveway. 00:58:11.440 --> 00:58:13.519 So at 7.45, we'll do that. 00:58:13.760 --> 00:58:15.039 Not the normal place. 00:58:15.199 --> 00:58:17.679 We've got to leave the parking lot open for the runners. 00:58:17.760 --> 00:58:25.119 So we'll be here on San Sebastian from 7.45 until about 9:30-10 at the latest. 00:58:25.440 --> 00:58:28.239 And then the pumpkin truck is coming. 00:58:28.400 --> 00:58:34.960 So many of you know that we sell pumpkins, and that supports scouting programs for the year. 00:58:35.199 --> 00:58:42.239 We usually make$7,000 or$8,000 doing this, and that supports not only our Cubs, but our scout troops as well. 00:58:42.480 --> 00:58:47.760 And this year their goal is to get an actual trailer that they can take adventuring. 00:58:48.000 --> 00:58:56.880 So you can unload pumpkins at 11, takes a lot of hands to make some light work, or you can come pumpkin shopping. 00:58:57.039 --> 00:59:01.199 And what's great about it is we don't pay for the pumpkins up front. 00:59:01.440 --> 00:59:02.719 It's the honor system. 00:59:02.880 --> 00:59:04.800 We send a percentage of what we sell. 00:59:04.960 --> 00:59:08.960 And the pumpkins are grown by Navajo farmers and they're food grade organics. 00:59:09.039 --> 00:59:10.639 So I call that a win-win-win. 00:59:10.719 --> 00:59:12.719 And that starts this coming Saturday. 00:59:12.960 --> 00:59:15.280 Next Sunday is the feast of St. 00:59:15.519 --> 00:59:16.000 Francis. 00:59:16.079 --> 00:59:18.239 We're celebrating it a little bit early. 00:59:18.400 --> 00:59:20.480 So the readings will look a little bit different. 00:59:20.639 --> 00:59:22.480 It's also a baptism Sunday. 00:59:22.559 --> 00:59:25.840