but what holy water contains

a little drop, little drop for me

Here you are. You could be doing anything else; and with everything life throws our way, you really could be doing anything else…

Despite all life can throw at a person, though, here you are.

While we all know a pious person or two who would likely, say; “good for you. For everyone else, anything is more important than church; but not you - you have your priorities straight,” to us; we know otherwise…

…The truth of it is that it is precisely because all life has to throw at us, that we’re here.

Rather than an “ata boy” and a pat on that back; those of us who are here when we could be doing anything else may prefer condolences from those devout citizens who commend us for “having our priorities straight.”

Honestly, it isn’t that our priorities are straight, so much as it is that the shape of our life isn’t straight at all;
far from it…

Those of us who find ourselves here when we could be anywhere else have known a thing or two about those nights when the sleep won’t come; the unexpected bills do; and the bad news just won’t stop coming…

Those of us who find ourselves here, have heard the question from a child that bowls us over, the news from the doctor that shatters everything, the visit from a bill-collector that decimates the account…

Those of us who are here when we could be anywhere else, just can’t relate with those do-gooders who pat us on the back for having our priorities straight. 

We can’t stand confidently with these folks because, despite all our best attempts to pretend otherwise; life has had its way with us; forced us to our knees, torn those neatly ironed priorities in shreds. 

We’ve laid helplessly when the sleep won’t come but the worries do; wondering what people always do when beset by sufferings;

what did I do wrong, why is God punishing me.

As unsettling as it may be to admit; we’ve known those dark nights of the soul, we’ve felt all that life has to throw at us pile over our head and threaten to bury us; right then and there…

This terrible truth is the exact reason, sisters and brothers, why we can’t relate to those pious folks and Paul has been our companion this season of Lent.

Paul is our guide during these days because Paul, too, has known of the terrible questions that come when the sleep won’t.

Paul has known for himself all life has to throw at a person, and the doubts that are never far behind.

Here’s the thing, though, sisters and brothers; Paul has been dragged to the other side.

Paul has been knocked down and knocked dead, only to be yanked back up again by the God who brings the dead to life and calls into the existence the things that are not.

Paul, who’s known his share of sufferings, has some advice. While the advice may sound odd, it’s trustworthy.

Paul suggests boasting, boasting in our suffering.

When those nights won’t end because the sleep won’t come, when the days won’t end soon enough because the bad news won’t stop; Paul says boast. Boast.

You know, Martin Luther perceptively recognized that when we suffer, the doubts that sneak their way into our thoughts, are the work of the very devil.

And dear old Martin had some advice too. And while his advice may seem as odd as St. Paul’s, it’s trustworthy. Luther, too, knew his share of sufferings, and Luther found God pulling him out of the abyss to despair.
Here’s Luther’s advice:

“When the devil comes at night to worry me, this is what I say to him: “Devil, I have to sleep now. That is God’s commandment, for us to work by day and sleep at night.” If he keeps on nagging me and trots out my sins, then I answer: “Sweet devil, I know the whole list. But I have done even more sin which is not on your list. Write there also that I have sh…”

 -I should’t say that, let’s just say that dear old Martin made a mess of his breeches. 

Anyway, Martin goes on to invite the devil to hang those soiled breeches around his neck and wipe his mouth on it. And if that isn’t enough, Martin suggest that if the devil won’t cease accusing us with sins, to say in contempt: “Holy Satan, pray for me.”

Both of these saints offer odd advice, but the advice is as trustworthy as it is admittedly bold; 

boasting and taunting…

These two have found that they may be bold when presented with all life has to throw at a person because, as St. Paul put it:

“We boast in our suffering, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope and hope will not let us be put to shame.

Hope will not let us be put to shame, because God’s Holy Spirit has been given to us.”

Sisters and brothers, the Holy Spirit has been given to you.

The Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Jesus who served God so determinedly that he found himself on the cross;

the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Jesus who was served so determinedly by God that he found himself walking from that tomb three days later, is poured into you.

See, because this Jesus -whose Spirit has been poured into you- has undone the mess that Adam and each of us has invited; Sin and Death have finally met their match; 

their power has been taken away…

Sure Sin and Death may be able to assail us, yes; 

but that’s finally all they can do…

Assail, threaten or maim; nothing else - nothing more; that’s all Sin and Death can do…

Yes, those dark nights of the soul may seem to never end, but no matter what the light of another day chases away that darkness, doesn’t it?

Here’s the cool thing, sisters and brothers, since this Jesus -whose Spirit has been poured into you- has undone what Sin has wrought, even those sufferings don’t work to the devil’s benefit anymore.

Those unexpected bills that threaten to decimate; that bad news that threatens to shatter, those doubts that threaten to ruin;

they can’t.

They can’t!

Those petty threats have lost their force, because their power, Sin and Death have lost their sting.

So then, like Luther, taunt the pathetic devil; 

like St. Paul, boast in your sufferings.

Do whatever you like, but do not despair.

Don’t doubt God because, even those sufferings life throws at you; God will now use to God’s glory.

Since that Jesus -whose Spirit has been poured into you- has been raised from the worst Sin could do; God has transformed those sufferings we all must endure.

God has transformed them into tools that serve God.

God has taken your sufferings and changed them, the same as God changed that old rugged cross.

God has taken those sufferings and transformed them into the very tools to mold your life into the shape of the cross.

That, finally is why we can’t relate to those respectable citizens who commend us for having our priorities straight.

The dirty truth, 

even dirtier that Martin’s breeches,

is that our priorities aren’t straight; they’re not straight at all!

Rather, God has taken our life and formed it into the very-same shape of the cross that our Lord and Savior found himself upon…

Here’s the things, sisters and brothers, you’re here not because you’re good and upright citizens.

Sorry.

No, you’re here because God is up to something.

God is up to something.

So when those sufferings tempt you to think, “what did I do wrong;” toss asides those doubts and boast instead; toss aside those doubts and taunt the one who accuses you instead.

Taunt and boast because God is shaping your life into the shape of the cross;

and nothing will stop God from this good work God has undertaken; not sufferings,

not even death.

For you, you who find yourself here -not because your priorities are straight, but because God is up to something, because God has poured the Holy Spirit into you;

boast.

Boast.

Boast because God will not let you be put to shame. 

Now that your life is unmistakably cross-shaped and your hope is in the only place that won’t let your hope die, God way of death and life; boast.

Boast.

Amen.