“I, therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace: there is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all.
He himself granted that some are apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until all of us come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity, to the measure of the full stature of Christ.”
–Ephesians 4:1-6, 11-13
Sunday was a special day in the life of our church, and in the Church universal. Here at Friends Church, we gathered in the afternoon to celebrate the ordination of the Rev. Kyle Riley to the ministry of Jesus Christ, affirming and recognizing his call. Ordinations are always special events, and I am always moved by the moment when the person being ordained kneels and is surrounded by clergy, friends, family, and church community to be set apart for the ministry to which they have been called. I remember my own ordination nearly 17 years ago, when I knelt before the altar at St. Paul’s Church in Gerald and felt the weight pressing down on me as the hands of numerous people were placed on my head and shoulders. That feeling of weight, that sense of something weighty being laid on my shoulders, was visceral—and I still feel it in moments when I’m invited into people’s lives and stand with them as they encounter life and death.
Ordination is a sacred and important rite, acknowledging the gifts of leaders and setting them apart for service. But it’s not the only way that we honor and recognize ministry among us—and those who are ordained are not the only ones with callings and ministries. All of us, each and every person who follows Christ, has a calling and a ministry, a gift for serving others and the world. That includes you. In a time when the witness of the church is more important than ever, in a time when the proclamation of the good news of God’s kingdom among us can make the difference between life and death, we need to be reminded that each of us is gifted, each of us is called, each of us can make a difference.
Sunday evening, after the events and celebrations of the day at church, I went home and watched the movie “Groundhog Day,” since it was February 2nd. Groundhog Day is one of my favorite movies, and I love to watch it on the day every year. The film tells the story of egotistical weatherman Phil Conners, who reluctantly travels to Punxatawney every year for the festival, while hoping to get out of local news and move on to the big time. But instead, he finds himself living the same day, over and over again. No matter what he does or what happens, he wakes up to February 2nd every morning. No one else is aware of what’s happening to him, and it soon becomes hell. Being stuck in a loop, he just wants to get out, anyway he can. After passing through bewilderment, to delight, to despair, to hopeless resignation, he finally begins to turn outward from himself and start helping other people. Ultimately, what breaks the cycle and causes him to wake up on February 3rd is his move from self-centeredness and greed to compassion and care for others.
The other significant day on the calendar this past Sunday was the ancient Christian holy day of Candlemas, which has been celebrated in the western church since the earlies centuries of Christianity. Candlemas commemorates the presentation of the infant Jesus in the Temple and the ritual of purification that his mother Mary underwent 40 days after giving birth, as told in Luke 2:21-35. In medieval times it was a major celebration, with candlelight processions through the streets, and it was the day that the greenery and decorations of Christmas finally were taken down. The priests would bless candles for the year, as a reminder that the Light of the World has come in the presence of Christ. On Candlemas night, people would then place a lit candle in their window at home, and collectively the community would witness to the presence of God’s light in our world.
In a time of so much uncertainty, so much confusion, so much fear, we need that reminder more than ever, that the candle of God’s love is never extinguished. That it always glows in the presence of love and compassion, in the community caring for one another and for God’s world.
So today, whether you are called to ordained ministry, to teaching, to caring for your family, to serving food to those in need—no matter who you are, no matter where you are on your journey—you are gifted, you are needed, and you can make a difference. It might not feel like much, it might sometimes feel like you’re living the same day over and over again, but together, each of us adding the glow of our own candles, we can light the world in hope and compassion and peace. Together, let our lights shine for all the world to see, and let us be the good news.