Sermon: "A Time and a Call to Trust"
The Right Reverend Charles G. vonRosenberg
Third Bishop of East Tennessee

[This sermon by Bishop vonRosenberg was delivered using the following notes.]

Let me begin this morning by trying to clarify information that has been published in this part of the diocese - information that is somewhat misleading.

Two weeks ago I celebrated the Holy Eucharist with a group that has expressed to me their desire to remain in the Episcopal Church and to be loyal to the Diocese of East Tennessee. As the bishop of the diocese, it seemed appropriate to me to be involved in this way, exercising my role as chief pastor. In addition, I suggested to local clergy and others that they might attend this service, only as an indication of their care and concern for the Episcopalians involved - and some of them did indeed attend, swelling the size of the congregation. You see, I have attempted to be charitable, without being naïve … but, I must admit that line is not always a clear one to follow.

I assure you that I do not intend to support any group that hopes to undermine or to split the Episcopal Church, the Diocese of East Tennessee, or the churches of our diocese. My words and actions during General Convention and since then surely have been clear about those intentions.

As is often the case in our day, we must deal with distractions such as these before we can concentrate on our primary reason for gathering. And so now, gladly, I turn to preaching the Gospel!

We have arrived at a crucial moment in the story of salvation. This is a very significant Sunday in the Easter season - the Sunday prior to Ascension Day. At this point, Jesus has died; Jesus has been raised; and Jesus has appeared to his followers in his resurrection body. But now the time approaches for his Ascension, his departure from earth. And we may perceive the poignancy of the moment in the way that he addresses his close followers: "Peace I leave with you…Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid…I am going away…I am going to the Father…I have told you this before it occurs, so that when it does occur, you may believe." This is indeed a crucial moment in the salvation story … a moment that calls for belief … a moment that calls forth trust.

I think about those leave-taking times in life … the times of saying "good-bye." Emotions accumulate at such times - often, strongly conflicting emotions. For instance, the anticipation of death surely identifies one time of leave-taking. Sometimes death come suddenly and leaves us all - as the Prayer Book says - "unprepared." However, most often the leave-taking of death comes more gradually, as we experience the double - and conflicting - anticipations of peace for the dying and of painful separation for the living. Then, occasionally, we have some remarkable experience at the point of death, as I did with a woman who had been in a coma for weeks and whose family had just gone through the agonizing decision to remove her from life support systems. I visited her and explained the circumstances to this comatose woman as best I could. Then I said a prayer and told her, "Good bye." She opened her eyes, smiled at me, and responded, for the last time, "Good-bye."

While that was surely a dramatic moment of leave-taking at death's door, there are other examples that we know. Indeed, our Gospel offers us another type, for Jesus has died already. He prepares at this point for his Ascension to the Father.

Among those other types of leave-takings, I think of occasions of moving … of leaving friends and jobs and places that are well known, in exchange for others that are unknown. There is loss involved in such experience - and we do well to acknowledge the loss. Also, we might point to an older person - or a couple - moving from home into an assisted living facility. Everyone involved in any way in those circumstances experiences feelings of loss at the prospect of such a change. Then, another occasion of moving includes a young person going off to college or, a few years later, leaving college or home for a first job. Finally, in our day, life in the church often seems to involve the experience of loss and of saying "good bye" - the loss, for instance, of a certain security for some people and, in other cases, the loss of long-time members who may be sorely missed.

Anticipation, trauma, and loss all are involved in saying "good-bye" to that which has been, in anticipation of that which will be. And involved here, too, is trust … for we must have a certain amount of trust simply to go on.

At this point in the story of salvation, Jesus faces his Ascension, his departure from the earth, his final "good-bye's." And, he assures his friends, "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid." His words intend to convey assurance and to encourage trust, even in his own absence: "I have said these things to you while I am still with you. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you."

Jesus calls on his followers, therefore, to trust in the presence of God, even in spite of his own absence. At the point of his earthly departure - at that time of anticipated loss - Jesus promises the presence of God in a different form … the person of the Holy Spirit.

Thus, the time following Jesus' departure from earth - the time, that is, that we share - this time is marked by a call from our Lord to trust … especially to trust in the presence of God that we call the Holy Spirit. Early in today's service we prayed, "O God, you have prepared for those who love you such good things as surpass our understanding." Such is the work of God the Holy Spirit. And that is the God in whom we may trust.

Ours is a time to trust. Ours is the call to trust. As we may read in Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians, so also is his observation true for us today: "Now we see in a mirror dimly, but then we will see face to face. Now I know only in part; then I will know fully, even as I have been fully known"(13:12).

So, in particular, those parents and sponsors of today's baptismal candidate and, also, those candidates who appear before us today for confirmation all will step forward as an indication of trust … and with a commitment to live a life of trust. We will join them in affirming our Baptismal Covenant, which is a promise to live trusting in God. That God, we believe - we trust - has prepared for us "such good things as surpass our understanding."

Ours is indeed a time to trust. Ours also is the call to trust. May we be faithful to our time, and may we be trusting of our call. Amen.

Copyright © 2004 The Episcopal Diocese of East Tennessee