Spirituality - We are Spiritual Beings having a Human Life. Spiritual Thought – For Your Consideration- “ It is a Good Life” - Tish Sermon by the Rev. Dr. E. Gene Bennett Episcopal Church of the Redeemer Brookhaven, Mississippi August 12, 2007 Genesis 15: 1-6; Hebrews 11:1-3(4-7)8-16 There's an old Hebrew tale of a rabbi living in a Russian city a century ago. Disappointed by his lack of direction and sense of purpose in life, he wanders out into the chilly evening. He walks through the empty streets, questioning his faith and his calling as a rabbi. He's so despondent that he mistakenly wanders into a Russian military compound that's off-limits to civilians. The silence of the evening chill is shattered by the bark of a Russian soldier. "Who are you? And what are you doing here?" After a brief moment the rabbi, in a gracious tone so as not to provoke the soldier, says, "How much do you get paid every day?" The soldier responds, "What does that have to do with you?" The rabbi says, "I will pay you that same amount if you will ask me those same two questions every day: Who are you? And what are you doing here?" It seems to me that a well-lived life keeps those questions front and center. The questions shimmer at the heart of religion, too; they are questions that take us into the mystery of faith - into the rhythms of our heart in which God has stored echoes of promise. "Who are you? And what are you doing here?" When I use the word "faith," please don't hear that as a synonym for belief. Faith and belief may have some things in common, but they are not the same thing. Faith is another word for trust. Belief, however, is an act of the intellect; it's a property and function of the mind and it refers to what we think between our ears. Belief is a word we use when we talk about doctrine and dogma; it is a word we use when we try to articulate what we think about God or Jesus; it's a word that points to religious opinion and religious thought. Faith, however, is a richer word. When we say we have faith in God, it is like when we say of another human being, "I have faith in her." By that we mean many things, including, "I trust her, I rely on her, I love her, I depend on her." It points to different ways that one actively relates to God; it's a living, dynamic relationship that is more akin to trust and love than anything else. We may believe, with the old spiritual, that God has "the whole world in his hands," but faith is the act of trust by which we put ourselves into God's hands. Here in the Christ haunted South, we rarely make the distinction between faith and belief. Many of the churches we encounter seem preoccupied with belief; they are terribly concerned with getting our thinking straight about Jesus and the Bible. "Think or believe correctly," they often suggest, "and your life will be fixed." It's hard to understand how being religious in that way can work when we follow a man who said such things as, "you find your life by losing it" and "in giving you receive." It's helpful to remember that Jesus was not particularly interested in what we believe or in what we think. He was radically interested, however, in the landscape of faith and he talked about it often. When he used the word "faith," he was referring to our capacity to trust, our willingness to risk and commit. In the Jewish religion of Jesus, the person of faith steps out into the future in radical trust - like Abraham who sets out in faith, not really knowing where he is going. Jesus consistently affirms that faith is radical trust in a God who accepts and loves us regardless of what we think, regardless of what doctrine or dogma we believe or don't believe, and regardless of our past. His way of faith bespeaks of homesickness and a lump in the throat . . . It's full of surprise and grace. It's something of what the author of the book of Hebrews has in mind when he utters those unforgettable words: "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen . . ." Clearly, the author of Hebrews has something called faith in mind; he cares not at all about belief. If we will keep this distinction about faith and belief in mind, we may find that we have great faith but very little belief. In other words, we may be for a space a person of great faith and still doubt or question every doctrine and dogma of the church. And, yes, we may live for a time believing everything the church teaches and still be seriously lacking in faith and trust. Both are normal, and both have great potential for religious growth and spiritual depth. Well, my pilgrim friends, let us step out on a journey in faith today, a journey graced with questions and hope. God loves you! Faith is Free - Love is Free - Life is Free - I am so glad I don't get what I deserve! It is a Good Life!