The Rev. Dan Rondeau
St. Margaret's Episcopal Church & School
Exodus 22:21-27 | Psalm 1 | 1 Thesalonians 2:1-8 | Matthew 22:34-46
In the love of the Father, in the light of Christ, in the leading of the Spirit, we place ourselves today. The Open Gate, p. 13
I almost didn’t come to St. Margaret’s. It was some time after Clergy Conference
in October, 1992 when Brad Hall invited me to come with Carol and the kids to
meet him and his wife, Carol, at The Red Lion Coffee Shop in San Diego.
Before continuing much farther, let me tell you that this is the first part of a two part reflection on the gifts received here over the years. This is the first part of my reflection about what it is I love about St. Margaret’s, why I am eager to stay with you and support the mission and ministry of this parish, and why I am eager to invite you to do the same. I will finish the reflection two weeks from today.
Carol and I were pretty happy in Ramona—especially since our children were happy in Ramona; but, we wanted to honor Brad’s invitation (which we knew to be an interview of sorts). There was ambivalence to begin with, but that was quickly set aside. The interview went well, we were even on time (a rarity with me), and by the end, both Carol and I were ready to move to Palm Desert. We hoped Brad felt the same.
On the way home Carol and I wondered if it had gone well enough to be invited to the parish. It had. Beyond Brad’s charm was his vision for the parish. It was a vision that began in the desert of an occupied country long, long ago. As you listened to the Gospel, the Good News, today you heard the story that set that vision within the human heart.
The final exam of Jesus took place on the way to Jerusalem. The theology professors and “Commission on Ministry” of the day (the Pharisees) had a little test for Jesus (a test far more hostile than what seminarians face today). This was a test to expose Jesus as a fraud; this was a test aimed at discrediting Jesus of Nazareth. This was a test to help the Pharisees regain their standing as the real experts in the Law, as opposed to this teacher who delighted in spending time with the riff raff. Which of the 613 commandments discovered and taught by the experts in the Law (that is, the Pharisees) would Jesus pick as the greatest, the most important? You know the answer.
Jesus said, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” The Great Commandment was placed in the human heart that day.
Brad, in all his talk at the Red Lion, shared his vision for St. Margaret’s: it would be a 7-day-a-week church that was built upon the Great Commandment. He envisioned this parish, this parish family (you), as a place and a family that would love God whole heartedly. He envisioned a parish that would provide a place where the love of neighbor would flourish and that love would be shared by the parish family. This parish would be like a city set upon a hill, a light to the whole valley.
I came here with my family in 1993, to be a part of the parish family that loved God whole heartedly. We came here to add our talents, our time, and indeed our treasure to the parish family that was, with God’s help, living up to and living into the Baptismal Covenant—loving God and neighbor, with God’s help.
Then and now, belonging to St. Margaret’s Parish, belonging to the Episcopal Church, was about being encouraged to live into the Great Commandment. It was about finding a place to do that. And, you would have to agree, this is a magnificent place to worship (to love) God. The beauty of earth and sky, the beauty of the human heart (in joy and sorrow), the glory of God can be felt here—this is (and I have heard this repeatedly over the years) a sacred place, a place of great and wonderful mysteries. This is a place that calls forth wonder, love and praise.
Belonging to St. Margaret’s belonging to the Episcopal Church was and is about finding a family to encourage me in the work and ministry of loving God and neighbor; it was and is about finding family members who would allow me to encourage and support them in their work and ministry of loving God and neighbor. Brad, in 1992, was not inviting me to come and serve as Associate at St. Margaret’s, he was inviting me to join you in loving God and neighbor—and I couldn’t resist. What a gift he gave in that invitation.
We didn’t deserve this, or earn this, or purchase this call and this chance to join the parish family. It was a gift from Brad and the Vestry (and above that, it was a gift come from God). The years since have been rich in people and events and learning—more and more—what it means to love God and neighbor.
In 1997 that love was tested with the death of Brad Hall. We continued in loving God and neighbor—even with heavy hearts—and we called and welcomed Robert Certain as our rector. The gift I had received in 1992 was now renewed in ways I couldn’t have imagined as in 1998 Robert took up his ministry as our rector.
Not only did he understand the vision of the 7-day-a-week church, but it was his passion to help us—as a parish family—to live up to and live into the Great Commandment. He extended a gift to me and my family when, contrary to Episcopal Church practice, he invited me to stay as his Associate (of course, he had a lot of help from you in this). Typically, I would have offered my letter of resignation and begun looking for my next place to serve. Robert would have had the option to accept the resignation or not; but we never made it to the letter.
Robert in 1998 was not just letting me serve with him, he was encouraging me to
continue to the love affair already begun with you as together we fulfilled the
Great Commandment. Here is another gift received from God, through Robert this
time, in my walk with the Lord. Here was the second part of the Great
Commandment written large in my life and in the life of my family—it was an
incredible gift of love that Robert shared with me, with Carol, and with our
children.
In the years that I have been here, I have participated with you in finding ways
to love God and neighbor and to invite others to know and love the God we know
and love, and to give and receive the love of each other. I will share from
these experiences in two weeks—All Saints Sunday—for I have been changed (by the
saints I have encountered here)—and that is a gift beyond measure, beyond value;
with you I have grown (by God’s grace mediated through earthly angels) in the
love of God and love of neighbor.
And this I know, this I believe: it is all a gift from the never failing, never exhausted, love God has for you and me. Now, with you, I am eager to see how we can renew and reaffirm our love of God and neighbor in our new year together (beginning on the First Sunday of Advent).
So, as you receive your pledge invitation letter in our Stewardship Season, consider the gifts of God you have received in this place and as a member of this parish family. Then, I invite you, with me and Carol, to share with God and neighbor and to return thanks to God and neighbor, in the offering of time, and talent, and treasure within the work and ministry of our parish family. I pray that you will join me and Carol in letting these offerings flow from a grateful heart.
Let me begin that prayer this morning, let us pray (in the light and joy of God’s many gifts to us.
Grant, O God, that our Church—St. Margaret’s—may be as a city set upon a hill,
growing and vital as a witness to your love, a powerhouse of prayer, and a joy
and help to all who worship within its walls. Here may the tempted find strength
and the sorrowful comfort. Here may the aged find consolation and the young be
inspired. Show your mercy upon us, and grant us your salvation through Christ
our Lord. Amen.1
1 Paraphrased; from Michael Counsel, 2000 Years of Prayer, p. 585