Rev. Molly F. James, PhD
DFMS Noonday Prayer via Zoom
Commemoration of Elizabeth Seton
January 4, 2021
May God’s Word be spoken. May God’s Word be heard. May that point us to the living Word who is Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
It is four days into the New Year, Verse 18 of our Scripture says: “But they all alike began to make excuses.” I am not sure whether to laugh or cry. Does the lectionary committee or the Holy Spirit really know human nature that well? That four days into the New Year we might already be making excuses for why we are not following through on our new year’s resolutions?
Actually, I think this Scripture points to an important truth about human nature, about how we live our lives, about how we live out our faith that is applicable on any day of the year whether we made a new year’s resolution or not. The truth that is at the heart of today’s Gospel reading is that it is far too easy to make excuses, far too easy to get distracted, and far too easy to lose sight of what really matters.
We can puff ourselves up. We can think we are different. We can think, if we were invited to a banquet with Jesus, we could not possibly think anything was more important than that. We would not possibly miss God’s message to us. But if we are honest, we easily could. We could think our possessions or our human relationships are more important than God. Or we could just think that we will do that tomorrow. We can go next week when we have more time.
Of course this is not to say our possessions or our human relationships are inherently problematic. The issue is only when our possessions or our relationships become a barrier rather than a conduit for deeper relationship with God.
We are reminded again and again in our Scriptures, and in the life story of Elizabeth Seton, who we remember today that we are called to lives that are rich, that are deep, that are meaningful, and fulfilling. That meaning is not found in simply accumulating more stuff or more superficial relationships.
It is found in connecting with others, with God. It is found in caring for others. It is found when we expand our vision and reach out our hands in love. It is found when we keep our focus on God, first and foremost.
That’s the thing. When we can do that, when we can keep our focus on God, when we are focused on what really matters - on the actions, the relationships that give life meaning, on the practices that draw us closer to God and lead us to live more fully into who God created us to be - when we do that, all the other stuff just seems to sort itself out.
So as we live into this new year, this year that is filled with hope and promise, and most assuredly a few more challenges too, may we take a moment to pause. A moment to remember that God invites us to the abundant life - not the frantic life, not the disordered life, not the carefree life - the abundant life. We are invited to live well. To connect deeply. To give generously. To seek out joy and laughter.
So whatever other disciplines we may be taking on in this new year, may we also find more ways to live well, to live abundantly, to live with meaning and purpose. In so doing, no doubt we will find our hearts filled and our souls refreshed. Amen.
