Sermon: "No Power in Ourselves"
The Right Reverend Charles G. vonRosenberg
Third Bishop of East Tennessee

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

I want to suggest in this sermon that our Collect today provides an appropriate lens through which to look at the Bible readings. As I reflected on today's readings, the perspective of the Collect for the Day gave me a very helpful point of view. And that is what I want to share with you today.

The Collect, remember, was this: "Almighty God, you know that we have no power in ourselves to help ourselves: Keep us both outwardly in our bodies and inwardly in our souls, that we may be defended from all adversities which may happen to the body, and from all evil thoughts which may assault and hurt the soul …" Thus, in the first place, we find there an acknowledgement of our weakness and our dependence on God - "we have no power in ourselves." Secondly, this is a prayer for help - "outwardly in our bodies and inwardly in our souls."

The First Reading - from Exodus - tells part of the story of the people of God murmuring and complaining in the wilderness. These people have fled persecution in Egypt, and they are on their way to the Promised Land, under the leadership of Moses. But things are not very comfortable for them out there in the wilderness, and they let Moses hear about their discomfort. The section of the story we read today indicated that the people were thirsty. They said to Moses, "Why did you bring us out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and livestock with thirst?" (17:3).

Thus, the people in this story blame old Moses for all their trouble. "Why did you bring us out of Egypt?" they asked. It's all Moses' fault, from their perspective.

We might as well put these people in the 21st century. They would fit right in today. In our time, blaming someone else for our troubles is a kind of national pastime. We are very good at it. Also, playing the part of the victim means that I do not have to take responsibility for my own life. And that part - the part of victim - is much sought after in our day.

Such an attitude, it seems to me, is quite different from the one in our Collect. Admitting that "we have no power in ourselves" is very distinct from pointing the finger of blame at Moses and claiming the role of victim. Further, it is healthier - emotionally and spiritually - to claim our own inability to put things right and, without blame, to seek help from God.

Thus, the first view through the lens of our Collect today is to claim responsibility for who we are. We are creatures of God Almighty, and we cannot get it all right - and, in fact, we usually make a mess of things ourselves - without help from beyond ourselves … help, that is, from God.

There is an old saying that affirms something like this: "Each of us is either kissed or kicked into the kingdom of heaven - and most of us have to be kicked!" Thus, the reading from the Letter to the Romans indicates this sequence of faith - "suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope" (5:3-4). Notice that the sequence begins with a kick - the kick of suffering.

Nevertheless, we pray to God: "Keep us both outwardly in our bodies and inwardly in our souls."

There is no better time to recognize our dependence on God than when we are kicked by some event or circumstance in this life. In my own life, if I can deceive myself into believing that I am in control of things - and that those things are doing just fine - then I cannot see God. But when I get kicked enough to realize that "I have no power in myself to help myself," then there is hope for me … and for my faith.

Thus in our prayer, we do not pray that God will keep all our troubles away or that our strength will overcome any obstacle. Rather, we pray, "O God, you know that we have no power in ourselves to help ourselves: Keep us both outwardly in our bodies and inwardly in our souls." You see, that prayer for our bodies and our souls depends on God's action, not on our own strength and ability.

Thus, our second view through today's Collect is that we see God in times of trouble and suffering. In those times, we know that we depend on God, and we also know that it is only God who can "keep us … in our bodies and our souls."

Now, the Gospel reading provides us with a fascinating encounter between Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well. During the course of this reading, the woman has her awareness gradually unfolded, and Jesus is revealed to her for who he really is.

At first, she did not have a clue about Jesus. Our Collect today would have made absolutely no sense to her at that point. However, bit by bit, Jesus is revealed by what he says to her … and, bit by bit, her grasp of the circumstances in which she finds herself becomes more full.

In this gradual revelation, the woman encounters Jesus at first simply as another foreign traveler, resting beside the well. In response to Jesus' request for water, she says, "How is it that you, a Jew, ask a drink of me, a woman of Samaria?" (4:9). Then gradually, she becomes aware of something special about this man. "Sir, I see that you are a prophet" (4:19). And, as she begins to understand something about Jesus, she is a bit less sure of herself in his presence. Then, though, revelation dawns on her in full force, as Jesus responds to her affirmation that the Messiah would come one day - "I am he, the one who is speaking to you" (4:26).

We do not know what the woman might have said to Jesus next, if their encounter had not been interrupted. However, it does not take much imagination to look through the lens of our Collect and to see the woman praying, "Almighty God, I have no power in myself to help myself."

Therefore, the Collect today is powerful indeed, it seems to me - a kind of magnifying lens to see our Bible readings in a different light. We see through this lens the danger to faith that blaming others can be … and the twin danger of claiming the role of victim. This lens shows us also the importance of recognizing our dependence on God, for only when we know that we are dependent creatures can we truly also acknowledge God as Almighty. And finally, the lens of our Collect today shows us a biblical example of one who traveled the way from prideful self-affirmation to reliance on Jesus, from suspicion and hostility to trust, and from the need for control to faith.

During this holy season of Lent, may we walk that way as well, for our guide on the journey is none other than the One we meet at the wells of our lives, Jesus himself. Amen.

Copyright © 2005 The Episcopal Diocese of East Tennessee