You have heard about the "scandal" talked about at St. David's? If you've been in church recently for sure you've heard most of the details. But, what'd ya know? Interviewing one of our youngsters preparing for confirmation last week, I was interested that this fine child sort of knew about the subject, but didn't seem to find it all that fascinating. "Whatever," she murmured when I got going on some of the details.

Of course the scandal I was speaking about was the "scandal" of the Gospel which Paul refers to in his writings. I ran some of the nitty gritty details of it by her. I pointed out that we believe in God Almighty - not "partially" mighty, or "occasionally" mighty. No. All-mighty always, I emphasized. Her eyes expressed slight skepticism, but not a bit scandalized by this was she.

Even when I upped the theological ante towards the full scandal of the Gospel - that God turned himself into the baby Jesus, was fully present then and there as Jesus while at the same time remaining fully God Almighty in heaven-I still got only a bit of that "whatever" look again.

Much the same, as I added the resurrection of the body from the dead - her body too one day, along with her soul, for an eternal life on this same, but resurrected earth, in God's Kingdom - come down here, from wherever it currently is, with its many temporary dwelling places (what were called by Jesus "many mansions"). Still no great interest visible on this child's face, much less excitement about this the core of the Christian faith contained in her baptismal covenant and about to be affirmed by her as she would kneel under the august hands of the Bishop in few weeks.

Then, I did recall that the pious priestly interviewer sitting before her, many decades before, hadn't been all that different in the development of his faith. Yet, I did recall a definite level of astonishment at what the Christian faith claimed. In today's lingo, one might say: I experienced the "off the chart quality" of what Christians believed. 

Maybe that's not so easy for kids today, for us adults also.

All people today are confronted with such a constant barrage of wild ecstatic claims: advertising in wild song and high volume, the loud booms and explosions of trailers in movie theaters, this or that mundanity is "utterly fantastic," any silly little experience of ours can be "awesome." Many things are described as "wonderful" when there's not a bit of actual wonder at all.

But, I do see real wonder in the world and here at St David's.  I hear about it over and over from you.  Often it's a very quiet occurrence - in the hug of an afraid or lost child in the middle of the night, a moment of tenderness and love where one would never expect it, something that seemed like an immovable block in someone's path becomes a stepping stone into the lap of Almighty God. 

And of course, that's it: the stone the builder rejected becomes the chief cornerstone. The "stumbling block" of Christ which Paul uses in I Corinthians 1:23) comes from the Greek word skandalon which means "stumbling block." In other words, the scandal, the concept that defies and supersedes human logic and reason, is recognized in faith as truth and wisdom.

Of course, that's the scandal we hear about at St David's. The impossible possibility. The sow's ear that has become the silk purse; the cross, the symbol of death, becomes the promise of resurrected body and soul life on this utterly renewed earth - God's kingdom coming here one day, as it currently is in heaven.