Today, the Sixth Sunday of Easter, begins a short season of the Church Year called Rogationtide.  . . . Now, I’m not aware that the present Weekend Edition of the Oneonta Daily Star heralds the arrival of Rogationtide, . . . so you may not have the faintest idea of what I’m talking about . . . or why it’s important.  . . . Well, the term comes from the Latin litanies of the Western European Church, in which the Litanist made a series of petitions on behalf of the People and to each petition the People responded (to God; . . . in Latin, of course):  Te rogamus . . . which means “We beseech Thee.”  . . . And, ever since the Fourth Century, processions and litanies were particularly associated with this time of year; . . . the time of year when the Spring planting was being done; . . . the time of year when the flocks and herds were being turned out to pasture.  Ever since the Fourth Century . . . “beseechments” . . . or rogations . . . have been made to God that He might protect our plantings from excessive rain and drought and frost and blight; … ever since the Fourth Century prayers have been made to God that He might protect our flocks and herds from predators, famine, and disease.  . . . And so, today the Church begins a short season of Spring “beseechments” . . . or rogations . . . for God’s protection of the earth; that’s why today is called Rogation Sunday.  And it’s the reason the Old and New Testament Lessons appointed for today make mention of God’s merciful providence:  “Fear not, O land,” says the Prophet Joel, “[but] be glad and rejoice, . . . Fear not, you beasts of the field, for the pastures . . . are green.  . . . Be glad, O sons of Zion and rejoice in the Lord, your God; for he has given the early rain for your vindication.”  . . . Likewise, Saint Paul declares to the people at Lystra that, “[The living God] did not leave himself without witness, for he did good and gave you from heaven rains and fruitful seasons.”

    “But wait,” . . . someone might say, “when we get to the Gospel Lesson, and Jesus says,‘peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you,’ . . . when we get to the Gospel Lesson, it sounds as if Jesus is telling us that the world is our enemy; . . . that God’s goodness isn’t to be found in the world . . . but apart from it.”  . . . Of course, you know that Jesus can’t be saying that.  You know it because in the very first chapters of Genesis, which is the very first book of the Bible, . . . in the very first chapters of Genesis the Word of God says, very clearly (so that you don’t get it wrong), . . . the very first chapters of the very first book of the Bible say that all the heavens and the earth and all that’s in them were created by the One, True and Living God, . . . and that at their creation He pronounced them “good.”  And the One, True and Living God created man, . . . male and female He created them, . . . and “it was very good”, the Lord God said.  So, the world and our own flesh aren’t our enemies.  They’re God’s blessings!  They’re a joy and a mercy; . . . they’re gladness.  . . . The world and the flesh aren’t your enemies, . . . but then again, neither are they your Masters.  . . . And that’s the thing Jesus wants us to understand when He speaks of giving as the world cannot; … because, you see, the goodness of the things of the earth and of the flesh is a derived goodness.  . . . They are good because they participate in God’s goodness.  They are not good in and of themselves; . . . they are not good apart from God . . . or apart from God’s intent when He created them.  And so, we call the world and the flesh “profane” . . . and we say that the Lord God, Who created the heavens and the earth and all that is in them, . . . we say that the Lord God Almighty is “Holy”.  The One, True and Living God is holy because the goodness of God is complete good.  And so, while Holy Scripture calls all creation “good”, . . . it doesn’t call it “holy”.

    But, . . . it also says in the third Book of the Bible; it says in the Book of Leviticus that “You shall be holy; for I the Lord your God am holy.”  . . . While all of creation is profane, . . . the People of God are not.  The People of God are not just profane creatures made from the muck of the earth.  For, as humble as our origins are -- even though we may be creatures of the dust and descended from monkeys, . . . God has sanctified us with His complete goodness.  . . . He has done this; . . . He has sanctified us by giving us Himself.  . . . And so, when Judas (not Iscariot) asks Jesus, “Lord, how is it that you will manifest yourself to us, and not to the world?” . . . Jesus replies as you have heard, . . . that it is the will of the Father that the world should know Jesus through your sacred lives:

If a man loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.  . . . Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you.  [So,] Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.

You are holy because Jesus, your Lord and Saviour, is holy.  Therefore, as good as the world with all its crops and herds and flocks may be . . . and as good as your flesh and the things of your flesh may be because God made them, . . . they do not contain God’s completeness.  And so, Jesus says to us that He gives us Himself -- He gives us the complete goodness of His peace -- . . . Jesus gives Himself to us completely.  It isn’t a derived and transient good such as the world gives:  . . . a good that lasts for only a season; . . . the complete goodness of Jesus -- His peace -- is eternal . . . and it sanctifies your life and makes you holy.

    It is for us just as it was for the crippled man at Lystra.  . . . We read in the Book of the Acts of the Apostles that Paul looked intently at the crippled man . . . and seeing that he had faith to be made well . . . Paul told him to stand up.  And the crippled man stood up . . . and he was crippled no more.  . . . To let go of everything and simply cling to Jesus; . . . to have faith enough in Jesus so as to become the sacred love which is at the heart of every word spoken by Jesus; . . . faith in Jesus makes you well.  . . . And if you allow faith to let you become the love of Jesus, . . . the Father will be present to you, and He and Jesus shall make their home with you.  . . . And that is how Jesus gives Himself to you and makes you holy.

    Because, you see, the meaning of your life is not contained in the sum of the good you do.  Neither is the meaning of your life contained in the honors and wealth which you accumulate.  The meaning of your life is clearly stated in the Book of Genesis.  The meaning of your life is that you represent God!  The meaning of your life is that you represent God to all of Creation . . . and to one another.  . . . The delectable fruits and flowers of the earth are witnesses to God’s goodness, . . . but only the Word of God revealed to us in Christ Jesus and kept by you . . . only the Word of God revealed to us in Christ Jesus and cherished and lived by you . . . can make you well; . . . only the Word of God revealed to us in Christ Jesus and kept by you . . . can fill you with God’s goodness so that you shine with His glory and sanctify the earth . . . and make its people well also.

    And so, . . . on this Rogation Sunday . . . as well as beseeching God on behalf of our crops and herds and flocks, . . . that they be protected from tempest and flood and frost and drought and blight and famine and pestilence, . . . we also pray for ourselves . . . for this Church and our families and our homes:  . . . we pray to Jesus that we might receive His Peace; . . . we pray to Jesus that He might come to us and bring the Father with Him; . . . we pray to Jesus that He and the Father might always make their home where we are.  . . . Te rogamus, O Lord.