Next year is election year. Through all means possible candidates for office are going to try to convince us that they are the best person for the job. For more than a decade there has been a growing mistrust among our younger generations of our governmental system, due largely to broken campaign promises. For them the government seems to be run by inside deals and lobby pay-offs rather than by democracy. I’m not here to criticize the government, but the question of integrity is always raised during campaign years, and the more talk about others’ lack of it, the more the whole question gets muddied in the water.

The truth is, there is an inner integrity in every one of us, a picture of the world that really drives our choices. The problem is, we’re usually largely unaware of it, so we say one thing and do another because we have hoodwinked ourselves into believing our justifications are our real reasons. But the bigger issue lies in that what we do influences the world more than what we say. Whatever that unconscious system is that informs our behavior generates our influence “footprint” in the world, in spite of what we claim. Godly dominion realizes just what that influence footprint is and claims it for God.

The perfect example is given today in the Gospel lesson. Jesus is invited to dine at the house of a ruler, a member of the Sanhedrin, a real VIP. Now in that day much as in high-society dinners today, seating arrangement indicated how people stood in the favor of the host. Jesus watched as people jockeyed for position before this man of great influence in the community: Jesus points out the high stakes nature of the game they were playing: If you bump yourself up a notch and it works you’ve won. But if you get caught you don’t even get your first seat back! Your final place of dishonor is worse than the spot you so ungraciously rejected. Better to humble yourself and let the host honor you, at the risk of not being honored at all.

Now, that may sound like cowardice, but let me tell you what cowardice is. I heard it said once that you are who you associate with. This is a self-assessment totally based on who is in power and what they can provide and yields a life totally influenced by the world, rather than influencing the world. That is cowardice! On the other hand, consider this: Gonxha Agnes was born into a poor Albanian family in 1916. In 1928 she moved to Loreto, Ireland to become a missionary nun, and took the name of Sister Mary Teresa, after St. Thérèse of Lisieux. She was assigned to India. In 1946 Teresa was on a train when she had a vision of Jesus calling her to gather a group of people to be “victims of love,” who would “radiate His love on souls.” “Come be my light,” Jesus implored her. She got permission to serve the poorest of the poor in Calcutta. On her first day of work she visited families, washed the sores of children, cared for an old man lying sick on the road, and nursed a woman dying of hunger and TB. She started each day in the Eucharist, and then went out to Him in “the unwanted, the unloved, the uncared for.” In 1979 Mother Teresa of Calcutta was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, in 1997 she was laid to rest by state funeral of the Government of India. In 2002 she was canonized by Pope John Paul II. Mother Teresa of Calcutta took the lowest seat, all alone, in a sea of misery and despair. That’s not cowardice, that’s incredible bravery!

Obviously, this lesson of Jesus is not about how to manipulate people into honoring you. Rather, He is calling His disciples to live by a different standard of honor, the honor given by God. When we seek God’s honor we are released from the slavery of the opinions of our peers, and freed to serve in humble love. We are sent into the world to be Jesus’ light to losers and the winners, the broken and those who believe they are fixed (even if they are not.) The world will think we are associating with the wrong crowd, but even Jesus was accused of hob-knobbing with sinners, and He died among criminals. As His disciples, the Church is called to join hands with ALL manner of men and women, so that the power of God can flow to them. “You are who you associate with” is predicated on being influenced, but the disciple of Jesus is called to exercise the influence of heaven. This is Godly dominion, and if Mother Teresa is any indication, the footprint of influence of the humble servant is something even the world cannot help but honor!

What does that say about St. Christopher’s? Surely, if there were ever a group of broken people, it is the worldwide Anglican Communion. We’re ripping our communion apart. At the center of the controversy is the Episcopal Church in the United States. Within the U.S. we see things very differently from diocese to diocese, from parish to parish, and even from congregant to congregant. Do I like what is going on? Of course not! But “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength” is not complicated, and “love your neighbor as yourself” is not a theological debate. There is no law against humble, loving service in the name of Christ! Last Sunday’s Rally Day showed me that we believe this. You turned out and signed up for what you believed God is calling you to do to be humble servants. If you missed it there is still opportunity to sign up—just see us in the Church office!

Associations do not make St. Christopher’s what it is, the Holy Spirit does. As we seek to faithfully, humbly and lovingly follow His guidance we become who God wants us to be. When we grow in size, it is not in order to have more influence with the diocese or our city. It is a desire to respond to the Gospel we have received by sharing it with so many who need it, in loving response to the call of Christ to be a light in our world. Nothing more and nothing less. If we are honored, thanks be to God. If we are ridiculed or forgotten, equal thanks be to God. The world’s honor is not what is important—but rather humble, loving service to the world in Christ’s name.

This is Labor Day Weekend. As holidays go, Labor Day dances to a different drummer.

Labor Day was proposed in 1882 by the Central Labor Union, and became federal law in 1894. It is a commemoration of the American worker, with no distinction by color, class or creed, and their contribution to the well-being of our country. Unlike all other holidays, Labor Day is not beholden to any one person or an event. It is, in that sense, truly a free day. A Christian’s dominion is the same. It is not beholden to any worldly person or political or economic construct. It is free to be the living, loving and gracious presence of God. Let us join hands, then, brothers and sisters, and labor to bring His heavenly dominion to birth on earth.

Fr. Paul Moore+