[Propertalk] Fwd: [propertalk.topic] Considering the Lillies

[Joseph Parrish]

Begin forwarded message:

> From: "Frank Fisher" <f.fisher.obl.osb at comcast.net>
> Date: February 25, 2011 12:01:39 PM CST
> To: <SBA at SBAbbey.com>, <sermonshop.sermons.topic at ecunet.org>, <propertalk.topic at ecunet.org>, <PRCL-L at LISTSERV.LOUISVILLE.EDU>, <midrash at joinhands.com>
> Subject: [propertalk.topic] Considering the Lillies
> Reply-To: propertalk.topic at ecunet.org
> 

> Here's my draft for Sunday, 2/27. The pericope is Matthew 6:24-34.
> 
> 
> __
> 
> Frank R. Fisher, Obl OSB
> www.ffisher.net
> Interim Pastor
> First Presbyterian Church of Kewanee, IL
> www.fpckewanee.org
> Elmira United Presbyterian Church
> www.elmiraunited.org
> 
> aka
> 
> Brother Oscar Romero
> Oblate of St. Benedict's Abbey
> Bartonville, IL
> www.SBAbbey.com
> 
> 
> "When you were born, you cried and the world rejoiced. Live your life so
> that when you die, the world cries and you rejoice."-Cherokee proverb
> 
> 
> ____________________________
> 
> Once upon a time
> in a land
> far, 
> far,
> away from here,
> there was 
> a large and proud 
> stone building.
> The building
> had been built
> a long time ago
> in the center
> of a small city.
> And in the building
> dwelt a community
> of very wonderful people;
> people
> who were a part
> of the church
> of Jesus Christ.
> 
> Once this community of people
> had been quite large.
> But time,
> conflict,
> and the changes
> in the world around them
> had lessened 
> their numbers.
> And because they were fewer
> than they were
> when the proud building
> was built,
> they were faced 
> with a problem.
> You see,
> it had become
> more and more difficult
> for them to afford
> to maintain
> their building.
> 
> Now these wonderful people
> were also very wise.
> So they found ways
> to afford 
> their building's maintenance.
> They found
> other wonderful people
> to share their building
> and to share their expenses.
> They appealed to each other
> to give more
> of their treasure, time and talents. 
> And they carefully 
> examined their budget
> to see how they could
> stretch
> their resources.
> 
> But over time
> matters became more urgent.
> And they soon realized,
> they must either find
> another way
> or face the end
> of their community.
> And faced with this circumstance
> they decided to hold
> a community meeting
> to decide on their future.
> 
> Some members
> of the community
> suggested
> uniting
> with other communities.
> "With several communities
> joined together,"
> they said,
> "we'll all have more money
> to maintain a building
> and to start new programs
> to bring in more people."
> 
> Another part of the community
> suggested
> selling their current building
> and moving
> their community
> to another place.
> "That way,"
> they mentioned,
> "we can be closer
> to people
> who don't have 
> a community like ours.
> They'll want to belong
> to a community
> such as ours.
> And all those new people
> will bring new money 
> with them."
> 
> Still others
> advised tearing down
> their current building
> and building
> something different
> in its place.
> "We can build a building
> that will not only contains space
> for what we do now,"
> they mentioned.
> "It will also contain
> condos and shops
> and many other things
> that will bring in income
> to support our community."
> 
> Yet another section
> of the community
> suggested staying 
> where they were
> and finding new ways
> to reach out
> to those around them.
> "There must be needs 
> in the area
> we aren't meeting,"
> they declared.
> "And if we find new ways
> to meet those needs,
> we'll draw in the people
> whose needs 
> have been met.
> That way our communtiy
> will have more members.
> And more members
> means
> more money!"
> 
> On and on
> the debate raged
> with many people
> making many good points 
> about their
> various opinions.
> But as the noise level rose
> a quavering voice
> was heard
> in the midst of the din.
> 
> "Are we considering
> the lillies?"
> they voice questioned.
> 
> At first the voice's question
> was unheard,
> apparently drowned out
> by all the din.
> 
> But louder and louder,
> the voice was heard.
> 
> "Are we considering the lillies?"
> 
> "Are we considering the lillies?"
> 
> Eventually 
> the meeting's moderator
> was forced
> to halt the spirited discussion
> to speak to the voice's question.
> 
> "Considering the lillies,"
> the moderator demanded.
> "What a ridiculous question!
> With more money
> we'll be able to buy
> all the lilies we want!
> Now,
> who wants to make a motion
> so that we can more forward
> on a plan . . .?"
> 
> "No, that's not it,"
> the same voice,
> which was 
> no longer quavering
> shouted out.
> "We're forgetting what Jesus said
> about the lillies of the field.
> Jesus said, 
> 'They neither toil nor spin,
> but even Solomon
> in all his glory
> was not clothed like them.
> Strive first,'
> Jesus said,
> "for the kingdom of God
> and God's righteousness,
> and all these things
> will be given to you
> as well.'"
> 
> "That's absurd,'
> countless voices 
> shouted back.
> "We need to be concerned
> with finances.
> Otherwise
> our community will never survive."
> 
> "Of course we do,"
> the voice countered.
> "But they can't rule us.
> We can't serve God
> and money.
> We have to choose
> which will be first
> in our common life."
> 
> "Our first priorty
> must be to decide
> on how God wants us
> to serve God's people,"
> the voice continued.
> "When we've found
> who we're to serve,
> and how we're to serve them,
> then we'll know
> which of your plans
> we should put into action."
> 
> So the community 
> stopped debating
> how they should support themselves
> financially.
> Instead
> they began in prayer,
> study to seek
> the way 
> to their future.
> And they began to question
> the poorest of those 
> in the small city
> about how their needs.
> They began to ask those,
> both young and old,
> who were people of faith,
> but who'd never been a part
> of any community,
> how their community
> could help them
> in their walk with God..
> 
> Then through their study,
> their prayer,
> and their questioning,
> their way to future
> became clear.
> And they made their choice
> of the way 
> to their community's 
> future;
> a choice
> which blessed them
> for many,
> many 
> years.
> 
> "What was their choice?"
> you may ask.
> 
> I can't tell you.
> For it was their choice
> and you must make
> your own.
> 
> But I will tell you,
> they renamed their community,
> "The Church of the Lilly."
> They said
> it was to remind them
> their financial choices
> should only be dictated
> by their mission
> to God's people.
> And as a part 
> of their membership vows,
> they declared
> that God,
> not wealth,
> would always be their master.
> 
> To God alone
> be glory.
> Amen.
> 
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://stsams.org/pipermail/propertalk_stsams.org/attachments/20110225/4e939912/attachment.htm>