A Day of Rest
A Day of Reflection
A Day to Vision
John 1:35-51
Late in the morning we gathered round and shared our praises for the week. All were invited to share how they had seen Jesus this week. Several folks shared inspired and moving testimony through song and speech. Maybe some of fellow travelers will post their reflections in the comment section.
I had prepared a homily for the morning. The more people shared the more I saw my homily become a written summary of all that had been said - remember I pre-wrote this.
Sunday Morning Homily
“What good can come from Nazareth?”
Philip had been invited by Jesus to come follow him. Knowing this was the promised one of Israel he enthusiastically went to his friend Nathanel with the Good News. Nathanel responded his with far less enthusiasm, “Nazareth, can anything good come from there?”
Nazareth was one of those towns in untouchable lands. Israelites cared little to nothing for the people of Samaria. Nazareth was a small town the heart of the Samaritan region. What good can come to Israel from Nazareth, a dirty little place in the untouchable land of Samaria?
Nazareth was one those towns your parents told you not to drive to when you got your license. Nazareth was one of those places where you were told not to make your friends. Nazareth was one of those places you didn’t take a date. Nazareth was one of those places you didn’t take a vacation. Nazareth was not a place went a week or more in January.
Four years ago Haiti was not my radar. I knew it geographically. I knew my reading of the Miami newspaper it was place people were leaving. I knew it was not a place on my list of Caribbean hot spots. When Pat and Larry put a bug in my ear about coming to Haiti three years ago it just was not the right time. The calling was not there yet. I also began to think - HAITI? Can anything good come from Haiti?
Like many of you my first trip opened my eyes to the god of Haiti. Elade has not said it as much this year but “Everyone needs Haiti” - amongst its poverty is a wealth of faith, a gem of God’s goodness, and the innocent love of Jesus Christ. Everyone needs Haiti. We need Haiti to show us Jesus. We need Haiti to remind us of the abundance of God’s blessing. We need Haiti to humble us and bring us closer in our relationship with Jesus. We need Haiti for transformation.
Haiti! Can anything good come here? Yes, in the name of Jesus! For eight years the Hope for Haiti Foundation has turned Haiti from a blip on people’s radar to a place and people burning on people’s hearts. Like Philip who met the Promised One of Israel an shared with Nathanel, we are sharing the good that comes from Haiti with our families, friends, and colleagues. We are sharing what it is like to meet Jesus in the face of a Haitian. We are sharing the wonders of living in God’s simplicity. We are sharing the glory of connecting the Body of Christ across borders, cultures, and mindsets. We share that something GOOD has come and is coming from Haiti.
So what’s next? Jesus’ invitation to Philip was meant as a beginning not an end. The foundation of the Church is Jesus Christ. In collecting the 12 disciples and a band of faithful followers a fiery movement started that continues through the power of the Holy Spirit. The cornerstone lives and we are the ones equipped to share the story. Next for the Church was connecting the whole body of Christ. Next for Haiti is...? US!
Where is Jesus calling us to go? Z’Orange now has a school and a clinic run by Haitians. Soon enough a teaching church will be equipping the region as well. What’s next? What is the next great thing to come from Haiti?