Sunday, August 11, 2013 -- Tinh Huynh+
Proper 14 -- Genesis 15:1-6; Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-16; Luke 12:32-40
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"Grant to us, Lord, we pray, the spirit to think and do always
those things that are right.
In the Name of God: The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen."
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I think that God is very pleased to hear the words
that we said in today's collect!
We prayed that God grants us the spirit
to think and do the right things,
always!
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Who can be sure that his or her thoughts and actions are right all the time?
God is a very keen mind reader.
God could control the thinking of humans, but God gave up the control,
so that humanity could be free to think.
A decision we made when young,
which we might have thought as perfect,
like a dream that came true,
could turn out to be something we regret!
Our words, thoughts and actions
are not right all the time.
Apostle Paul said that he did not do the good he wanted, but he kept doing the evil he did not want. (Romans 7:19).
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I grew up hearing, most of the time,
of the wrong things that I did.
Perhaps I need to learn to trust
that I am able to think and do the right things,
even if I do not always do so.
Perhaps I need to learn to recognize my fear and anxiety,
and to let God take control of my life.
Perhaps discernment helps.
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Abraham and Sarah, in today's First Lesson,
are almost one hundred years old,
and they have had no children.
For the people of their culture in those days,
having a son was the most important thing in life.
Abraham's life-long dream was that when he dies
a son would inherit his properties and continue his work.
Eliezer of Damascus was a loyal servant,
but Abraham did not really want
to leave behind his possessions to Eliezer:
a servant is not a son.
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The messenger of God took Abraham outside of his tent.
The messenger showed him the stars,
and said that God would give him a son,
and that his descendants would be as numerous as the stars.
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What went on in the mind of this hundred-year old man at that moment?
As Abraham looked at the stars and heard the words,
his anxiety and fear were dispelled.
His heart was like that of a young child.
He wholeheartedly believed.
Scripture says that Abraham trusted God,
and that because of his faith God counted him righteous.
Abraham did exactly what God wanted him to do.
Trust is a gift. Trust makes all the difference.
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The author of the Letter to the Hebrews
states that faith is the assurance of things hoped for,
and the conviction of things not seen.
There were saints who died in faith,
without having received the promises.
The saints knew
that their lives on earth would soon end.
Amidst troubles,
they focused on the promises.
Trusting in God and seeking his will,
they sought a spiritual homeland,
for they saw clearly that the things that the world offers
are like sinking sand.
How did the saints know what God wanted them to do?
Perhaps they discerned God's will for every situation they were in.
The Spirit was always present in their lives.
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Thomas Merton, a spiritual writer, said,
"Without a life of the Spirit,
our whole existence becomes unsubstantial and illusory."
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The world is getting more and more fearful every day.
Oftentimes we find ourselves having no clue about the life of the Spirit.
We tend to be attentive to the troubles of this life,
to the pleasure that this life gives,
and to the needs of the body.
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In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus says,
"Do not be afraid, little flock,
for it is your Father's good pleasure
to give you the kingdom."
And he adds:
"Sell your possessions,
and give alms."
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Sound like a stewardship sermon, right?
Should we not be realistic?
How can we practice what Jesus said?
We must have food on the table.
We must pay the monthly rent or mortgage,
and we must fill the gas tank.
And we must save money for the rainy day.
How can't we be afraid
as we look at the economy?
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Yet, as we observe our own behavior,
we find that the more focused we are
on what we possess in this world,
the more fearful we become.
Jesus said, "Where your treasure is,
there your heart will be also."
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Perhaps the word "vision" is the theme for today's reflection.
With a vision one sees things with the heart.
The question for you and me today can be
"What is your vision for your life?"
Abraham look at the stars,
and he got a vision.
The Letter to the Hebrews speaks of the saints
who envisioned their "homeland" from afar.
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The question is not how much control we can have
on the things of this world.
The question is how devoted we are to the Kingdom of God.
The Kingdom of God is solid ground.
It is the foundation for the good life.
The Kingdom of God is the treasure that we seek.
As seeker of the Kingdom of God,
we must be devoted to the Kingdom of God.
This attitude guides us in what ever we do in our lives:
in our dealing with life issues
and in our generosity in giving to the Church and its ministry.
If affects our prayer life and all the other things we do.
It does affect our relationships.
It enables us to live in the present,
to accept and give thanks for our lives the way they are,
and even to embrace the consequences of the decisions we made in the past.
We can be devoted to the Kingdom of God when we choose to trust in the Lord.
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The right thing to do is trust in God.
If we say that we trust in God,
then we must seek his will and obey it.
God speaks to us as we pray.
God speaks to us in different ways.
We hear his voice through scripture and through the words of trusted friends who share our faith.
Let us make the Kingdom of God the vision of our lives.
Let us be surrounded by those who share such vision.
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The Psalm appointed for today reads,
"Behold, the eye of the LORD is upon those who fear him,
on those who wait upon his love,
To pluck their lives from death,
and to feed them in time of famine.
Our souls waits for the LORD;
he is our help and our shield.
Indeed, our heart rejoices in Him,
for in his holy Name we put our trust.
Let your loving-kindness, O Lord, be upon us,
as we have put our trust in you."
Amen.
- The Hope for Tomorrow Mission Team has changed the date of its free dental clinic at Saint Patrick's for the needy in our church neighborhood. 
- On Saturday, August 17th, Saint Patrick's will feed the homeless again. Food preparation will begin at 3:30 pm, at the Baily's Crossroads Homeless Shelter (3525 Moncure Avenue, Falls Church, VA 22041). Please enter and exit from the back of the building (kitchen area). Dinner will be served at 6:00 pm, for approximately 70 people.
- Please Help Our Westlawn Children. In about three weeks, our children will be heading back to school. In an effort to start the year off to a good start for all of the Westlawn children, we are asking for donations of school supplies and sweatpants and underwear for both boys and girls from Kindergarten through sixth grade. A list of needed supplies will be in the narthex on Sunday, August 18. Please help us help these children with your gift of supplies and/or monetary donations. Checks may be made payable to St. Patrick's with Westlawn on the memo line. If you wish to give cash, please put it in an envelope with Westlawn on the front and place it in the alms basin. We thank you for your love and support of these children.
- The Aug-Sept-Oct Forward Day By Day, for daily devotion, has arrived and is now available in the narthex. Please pick up your copy.
- Spirito Piano Duo -- On 
Born November 8, 1920 in Mansfield, Ohio. Katie attended Mansfield High School from 1934-1938, graduating at age 17. She excelled in scholastics, leadership and music. After high school, Katie attended both Oberlin and Depauw colleges, but dropped out to run off to marry high school chum Tom Wright, who had left Northwestern to join the Navy. They were married November 19, 1941 (3 weeks before Pearl Harbor) at the Presidio in San Francisco and Katie moved into a little cottage with other Navy wives on Coronado Island, San Diego. She took the ferry daily to the mainland to work in a defense plant.