A Sermon by the Rev. Dr. Arthur M. Suggs Preached on World Communion Day, October 7, 2018
Lectionary Reading: Genesis 2: 18-24.
Bought 19 Years Ago and Never Used, I Wore a Flashy Robe, and Bobbled Up the Bride’s Wedding
You have never before seen the robe that I’m wearing today.
A little insight into my personality is that I’m pretty much a fuddy-duddy at heart. It was bought 19 years ago and has never been worn.
I have not had the nerve to put the thing on for a worship service but thought that, with World Communion Sunday today, let’s give the mantle a try. It was purchased at the Parliament of World Religions that I attended in 1999 in Cape Town, South Africa.
The scripture that Arlene Price read is marvelous, but it always brings up a moment of terror for me. I was performing a wedding, co-officiating with a female Episcopal priest, and we had decided ahead of time that we would divvy up the service, so I had the introduction.
My Little Book of Common Prayer was being used and it says in it that a the groom shall leave his father and mother and shall cleave unto his wife. The same passage is also mentioned in the New Testament.
The wedding service had started, with everybody gathered around, and I very loudly and boldly proclaimed in the introduction that a man shall leave his wife and shall cleave unto his . . . and I’m standing there.
Clkr Emoji.
I don’t care how verbally skilled you are, there’s no way out of that one.
The bride is looking at me as though she were thinking, “You’re ruining my day.” I’m frozen and don’t have a single thing to say as I thought, “A man shall leave his wife on their wedding day,” and who knows who he’s going to cleave to.
Stunned and silent. Then the Episcopal priest at my side finally said gently, “Perhaps we should start over.” I turned to her and worded weakly, “That’s a fine idea.” And we did. The bride probably never forgave me.
…
Lessons from Genesis … # 1, Humanity in the Image and Likeness of God; # 2, God Is Spirit and so Is Humanity
Explore the unexpected perspective of these two lessons (plus an extra one … hint: it has to do with your soul and forever).
