Isaiah 53: 10-11

Today's passage contains the message of a prophet who spoke to the Jewish people during their exile in Babylon. In four different places, this prophet speaks about a Servant of God who will one day deliver God's people and make them great again. Because the Servant is frequently portrayed as suffering, Christians have applied this to Jesus. Today's passage is a small portion from the last and longest of these four sections. (We read the entire fourth section on Good Friday.)

Hebrews 4: 14-16

The Jewish high priest was responsible for entering the holiest place in the Jerusalem temple to make sin offerings on behalf of the people. In several places, the letter to the Hebrews emphasizes that Jesus is superior to any high priest because he has entered the heavenly temple. Our confident access to God's "Throne of Grace" is made possible by his priestly work

Mk 10: 35-45 

Bishop Untener's Homily

50th Anniversary, St. Christopher Parish, Bridgeport

James and John: "We can."

Those two words that James and John spoke - "We can" - must have rung in their ears for years to come. It would be like similar words we say when we make a commitment.

During the ceremony when I was ordained a priest 37 years ago (the ceremony was in Latin) each of us was called by name and we said, "Adsum" (Latin for "I am here") and we took one step forward. We used to call that "the step." It was when you made your commitment for life.

Those two words of James and John, "We can,” also sound a lot like the words a bride and groom say: "I do."

When St. Christopher Parish was founded 50 years ago the new parishioners didn't say a ritual two-word phrase like that, but in effect they made a commitment - "We can." And they lived up to it. Some of those charter members are here this morning.

It would be very interesting to interview James and John… let's say 20 years after they spoke those words. Well, you couldn't interview James. He was killed by Herod within just a few years after he spoke those words, one of the first martyrs recorded in the Acts of the Apostles.

His brother John surely would have said 20 years later, "Well, it didn't go the way I expected back when my brother and I said, "We can." Married couples, 20 years after their marriage, would surely say, "There have been a lot of surprises along the way, things we didn't expect." I would say that 20 years after I said "Adsum" at my ordination. For one thing, the 2nd Vatican Council occurred after I was ordained and the priesthood and the Church are very different because of that.

Or, imagine interviewing Jesus during the night when he was being held prisoner at the High Priest's house. He was on "death row," hours away from execution. We could ask him, "When you stepped forward from the crowd, and went into the Jordan River to be baptized by John, and left behind a quiet life in Nazareth to begin your public ministry, did you think it would turn out this way?" Now remember, as the Letter to the Hebrews says, "Jesus is like us in all things but sin." So, one could picture him saying, "No. No I didn't think it would come to this. I knew there would be some opposition… but to be executed… as a criminal… by the Roman government… by crucifixion. No. In the early days of my ministry things went pretty well and back then I never suspected it would come to this."

Jesus and "the Cup"

There is something else here that is very interesting. Notice in today's passage how Jesus speaks about "the cup" to James and John. He asks if they can drink the cup that he will drink. It is a symbol of accepting the role God has given to a person, even if this involves suffering. Jesus speaks with a certain self-confidence back then about drinking the cup and wants to know if they are willing to do this, as he is.

Months later, Jesus comes to Jerusalem where he faces death. Do you remember his words in the Garden of Gethsemani, in that scene referred to as the "Agony in the Garden"? Jesus says: "Abba, Father, all things are possible to you. Take this cup away from me." He had spoken earlier with such confidence about drinking the cup, but now it is different.

But, he adds, "not what I will but what you will." He trusts that the Father will get him through it, if he has to go through it, and he will see it to the finish.

A People of Courage

There are many things to celebrate on this 50th anniversary. But in the light of this Gospel, and our first reading about the "suffering servant," I'd like us especially to celebrate that there have been people here for 50 years who had the courage to see their faith through. It never goes the way you expect it, and sometimes we have to drink the cup of suffering we don't want to drink.

But because people came together and were fed by the word of God which gave them strength… came together and gave one another courage by speaking out loud the truths of our faith …came together and gave one another support just by being here with them… came together around this table and placed themselves on it with the Lord as he made present to them his dying on the cross… came together and said, "Lord, we join with you and give ourselves to the will of the Father, trusting that it is the way to life… came forward at Communion and received from this altar the food that strengthened their spirit, and they have seen it through… for 50 years people have done this, here in this place, and they helped each other see it through.

It takes courage and grit to do that. You have to face up to a lot of fear to follow the way of the Lord. We have to overcome the fear of speaking the truth - which Pilate was unable to do. We have to overcome the fear, the risk of using our God-given talents - which the person in the parable of the talents was unable to do. We have to be willing to stand up to the "forces of evil" around us and not be afraid - and you remember how the disciples were afraid during the storm on the sea at night which symbolized the dark forces of evil. We have to overcome the fear of our own goodness - Mary was frightened when the angel greeted her with praise. We have to overcome the fear of the cross - the disciples abandoned Jesus in the face of it.

There are a lot of fears to overcome. For 50 years people here have had the courage to help one another see it through, and to let the Lord give them the strength to see it through.

The Cup

I close with a suggestion for the future.

Our oldest tradition is, at Eucharist, to receive the bread and the cup. Now these are not simply two alternate ways of receiving the Lord. Each has its own particular meaning.

The cup. We've been talking about what the cup meant to James and John, and what it meant to Jesus. When we stand before the cup, we hear the echo of today's Gospel passage when Jesus asks James and John, "Can you drink the cup that I drink?" ... and we hear the echo of the words of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, "Father, take this cup away from me, but not what I will but what you will." And with the echo of those words ringing within us, we say: "Amen." We say in effect, "Lord, if you are with me, I can. I will." Then we join with him, and take the cup, and by doing so we say, "Yes, Lord, I will do whatever I need to do to live out my faith. I will stay the course, and I will see it through.

Christians did that for a thousand years, but then it started to falter and, for many mixed reasons, the cup was not even offered to them. But now this ancient ritual has been restored to its rightful place. So I encourage you, on this 50th anniversary, to turn a new corner in your life. If you don't drink from the cup, start doing it. I ask you to listen to the Lord saying to us, "Can you drink the cup that I drink?"... and to say, "Yes."

I don't want to put anyone on the spot, and expect you to turn this corner in one instant. But I ask you, faithful to what Eucharist was from the earliest days, faithful to our call to be people of courage, I ask you to begin coming forward to receive the cup.

God bless St. Christopher parish. God bless all the courageous people who came before us. And God bless us as we help one another to stay the course and walk with the Lord.

Happy Anniversary!

Originally given on October 22, 2000