We’re getting ready for staff orientation at Ondessonk next week, so it’s been on my mind a lot, along with the ten thousand other things of course, but summer camp is a really special and demanding time for me. Camp’s about fun, but we also care deeply about outdoor education, the skills and character and faith that Camp is such an ideal place to teach. That kind of teaching isn’t finished once you’ve said it, or even once you’ve shown it. There’s that critical moment when the teacher steps back and says “okay, your turn.” At first the teacher might hover and be ready to jump in any moment, but even beyond that there’s yet another moment, when the teacher must allow real responsibility… and even failure.
I think that has quite a lot to do with the Ascension of Jesus. He taught what he had to teach, showed what he had to show, and now the time has come for him to step back and say, “okay your turn.” You can look at the way Jesus teaches his Apostles in the Gospels, and see what a master teacher he really was. Patient when he needed to be, demanding when he needed to be, teaching by word and example, and then letting them do it for themselves, giving them leadership and sending them out on initial missions… but now the time has come to really step back and turn it over to them, to allow them to have true responsibility, and yes, even to fail.
That’s the Church on Earth.
And understanding this really makes a difference in how we approach religion.
To take the most immediate example, it makes a difference in how we approach the Mass. It’s easy for people to fall into the trap of approaching Mass like spectators. Now, no one will admit that, but I think we all fall into it a little, and for some people it’s all they know. When someone says “I’m not getting much out of Mass,” that’s a spectator attitude. Or when someone says “why go to Mass when we can’t understand the priest,” that’s a spectator attitude. And so on. And let’s none of claim innocence on this. Who can say they’ve never gone through part of a Mass as spectators, drifted off, doing the motions and saying our lines, but not really praying? But let’s remember the Ascension, remember that Jesus has left us in charge, and that will absolutely change our approach to Mass. We won’t show up expecting to be catered to, or pandered to, or entertained, or expecting anything in particular to be done for us. We’ll show up to do, ourselves, what Christ has asked us to do in memory of him. You might hear an inspiring sermon (probably not around here) and you might hear inspiring music (for sure, around here) and you might find the whole experience warm and engaging and uplifting, and those are all good things, and thank God when they happen, but that’s not why you come. You come to be nourished by Word and Sacrament, and to offer, with the whole Church, together, the Body and Blood of Christ, the sacrifice that redeems the world. And no Mass, in any Church, with any priest, will fail to give you that opportunity.
Think of Jesus, the teacher, stepping back and saying “your turn,” and it will change your approach to Mass. It will also change your approach to the Church in general. You won’t think of “The Church” as some institution outside yourself. Again, no one would put it in those words, but the way we talk sometimes gives us away. Someone will say, “I think the Church should be more welcoming.” And I want to say, “ok, so why aren’t you.” It’s easy enough to spot what everyone else needs to work on, and hey, there’s value in that, we should listen and learn from each other. But I hope we’re much more focused on what we ourselves need to work on. Sometimes we need each others’ feedback and correction, but our thoughts about “what’s wrong with the Church” should be at least 90% looking right in the mirror.
Think of Jesus, the teacher, stepping back and saying “your turn,” and it will change your approach to Mass, and by extension your approach to the Church in general, and by extension of that your approach to the whole world and your mission in it. Christians, we are on for fixing this mess. Not with our own devices, but with the grace of God and the redemptive healing power of Jesus Christ… but so equipped and so empowered, we are on for making it real in people’s lives. When we see moral insanity and poverty and injustice and racism and social disintegration and family breakdown, the first response is usually to look toward pop culture or the media or the government or the economy or something to see what they’re doing wrong. Maybe instead they should be coming into the church and asking what we’re doing wrong. It’s the Gospel that can heal the world, and nothing else, and we’re the ones holding it. So if it isn’t happening, we don’t need to look outside to ask why. If Jesus were to walk into the United States of America and demand an explanation for all these evils, I don’t think he’d go to the White House. I don’t think he’d go to Capitol Hill. I don’t think he’d go to Hollywood or CNN. I think he’d walk into a Christian church.
Because he entrusted that mission, and the tools to complete it, to us.
I said that Jesus is the great master teacher, and a great teacher never wants to cause discouragement. Even when we have to admit failure, a great teacher is going to be there with encouragement and support, saying, ‘alright, don’t lose heart! What’ve we learned? What can we do better? Alright, let’s give it a try. Hang in there.’
Hang in there, Church. Don’t lose heart. But don’t wait for someone else to be the Church. I’ve got the Baptismal records, and I can show you your name. We’re it. We’re a real piece of work sometimes, with our strong points and weak points and our friction and our short-sightedness, but we’ve got the right teacher. And we’ve got the right tools.
He preached the Gospel. He healed the sick. He freed people from demonic captivity. He called the lost back from wickedness, and offered them mercy and companionship in doing so. He gave himself for others, with absolutely no limit, even unto death.
And before He ascended, He founded One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church.
Your turn.
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