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I want to try something, especially since it’s now 12:15, this must be our most wide-awake congregation, after six masses. I am going to say something. I want you to respond as correctly and clearly and loudly as you can. OK? .... The Lord be with you. (Response from the congregation: “And also with you.”) Terrific! Terrific! And according to all news reports and according to a vote taken by the US Bishops last week in Los Angeles, in about two or three years, the answer is going to be “...and with your spirit.” And we will be stumbling over other assorted changes in the Mass. As far as I can see, this has been chosen to be more closely matching the original Latin and, secondly, it’s designed to produce a brand new level of awkwardness and irritation when we come to worship. ... I mean, give me a break!

It reminds me of the historical report that, in 1917, on the eve of the Russian Revolution, the Bolshevik Revolution, that plunged all of Russian in to Communism and terror for most of the century, all of the Orthodox Bishops were gathered in Moscow and they argued at length and debated and they voted on what the exact sleeve-length should be of the priest’s vestments when he says Mass. Give me a break! Although it’s not just Russia and it’s not just English translations three years from now, you remember, about a year ago, we were asked to make some small adjustments as we celebrate Mass, with regard to standing and kneeling. And because the congregation and community of Christ the King is so smart, it went very easily and very simple and no problem. Not true everywhere. There’s a parish today in Huntington Beach, CA. where fifty-five parishoners are insisting on kneeling at communion when everyone else stands, despite the directive from Rome, despite a letter they’ve gotten from their local bishop and now the local pastor has written them a letter and announced to the parish that they are in mortal sin, and that they should leave the parish and leave the diocese. Give me a break!

Today’s scripture, and today’s liturgy comes to our rescue and brings us up short and forces us to ask “What’s really important?” Jesus is saying, “Why are you so worried? Where do you put your faith?” And God in the letter to Job is making the classic putdown and saying, “Where were you, fella? You got all these problems? Let me tell you something. Where were you when the sea was exploding and I had to set the boundaries and the borders?” The Book of Job, really some people have said, Job is complaining about all the difficulties of his life, and God gives him an answer. The answer is, “I’m God, and you’re not!” It’s kind of the big picture!

Our gathering in faith and worship is not about trivia, and not about trivial things like whether to stand or kneel or what words to use. But it’s about basic questions, questions that haunt us in our hearts and our lives. It’s about the big picture, big questions, coping with life, what really matters. Those are the questions that should drive us here and help us find answers. Let me give you four examples. Example #1: Evil in the world, the problem of evil. Just recently, Pope Benedict XVI went to Auschwicz, the death camp in Austria where millions were put to death sixty years ago, and it still haunts us. And when he got there, he asked, “Where was God?” He said, “In a place like this, words fail. There can only be a dread silence, a silence which is itself a heartfelt cry to God, ‘Why Lord did you remain silent?’ ” We come here and celebrate Eucharist, that God’s love is unconditional, that God’s love is forever. It seems to me the answer lies in a different place. Perhaps the only response is “Since God’s love is unconditional, why did WE remain silent in the face of evil?” or “Why do we remain silent in the face of evil?”

Another big question: What about prayer? Does God answer our prayers? How does that work? We come here and I think some find it helpful to realize that God’s answer to our prayer is always, always “Yes!” Sometimes it is “Yes, period.” And sometimes it’s “Yes, but not now.” And sometimes it’s “Yes” but in a completely different way than you’d ever expect. Others find it helpful to realize that sometimes we pray and it doesn’t change anything out there but it changes the one who is praying, and gives us the strength to carry on and get through. And others come and find the greatest kind of prayer is a prayer of St. Francis of Assisi, “Lord, make me the answer. Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.” In other words, we pray so that we will be part of the solution rather than part of the problem.

Another big question, “Who do you trust, when it’s stormy weather, when the seas are surrounding you, when you’re drowning either in your marriage or in your children or in your job or in your health? Who do we trust, and where do we go to get wisdom or just get information?” Where do you get your information, CNN? Fox? O’Reilly? Where do you get your wisdom, Dan Rather or now is it Katie Couric? Where do you get your wisdom? Was it from Ann Landers? Or now it’s from Oprah? Or do we get it from our elected officials or from our appointed leaders? Where do we get our wisdom? God says to go to Job, “Remember, I was here before any TV analysts. I was here before there was a sea.” And Jesus says, “Don’t worry so much. Put your faith in God and put some faith in Me.”

Fourth big question to think of: What, then are we to do, despite stumbling over words when we are celebrating or singing off-key at times or being unsure or less than certain whether we are supposed to stand, kneel or sit. Our weekly gathering and Eucharist remind us of the big picture of what we are called to be. We are called first of all, to be a people who give praise to God, with grateful hearts. That’s first. Second, to be a people who seek and offer forgiveness, even seventy times seven. Thirdly, a people who try to be compassionate. Be compassionate as your heavenly Father is compassionate. And, fourthly and finally, to be a people who make a difference. The reason we need the Eucharist and come to the Eucharist is it calls us to praise, forgiveness, compassion and a mission.

Recently, in a parish that will remain unnamed, they really got into division. Half the parish was standing at Communion. Half was kneeling. And everybody was arguing. And it dawned on them where they could get the answer, the answer, what was right for their parish and what was their tradition. They realized that their pastor, who was a holy and saintly man and had served them for forty years, years ago, was still alive in a nursing home far off and was very ill. They sent two delegations to ask him the question, what to do. And they got by his bedside. He sat up and they asked, actually one of the delegates said, “You know, our tradition was to kneel at Communion. That was always our tradition. Isn’t that right, Father?” He opened his eyes and said, “No. That wasn’t the tradition.” The other group punched the air with their fists and said, “Hurrah! It’s standing! We’re supposed to stand at Communion. That’s our tradition.” He opened his eyes again and he said, “No, no. that’s not our tradition. That wasn’t the tradition.” And they said, “Father, this doesn’t help us. You got to give us an answer. Right now, half the congregation is standing. Half is kneeling and everybody is arguing!” And he gets excited and he says, “Yes. That’s our tradition! That’s the way it’s always been.”

Well, we’ve got to be a people who lighten up and treat little things like they are little things, a people who smile and have a healthy sense of humor and a people who let our gathering of faith help us to remember that we are called to praise and forgiveness and compassion, and to make a difference.... And let us give thanks to the Lord who is so good. Amen.