If you would like the announcements for St. Paul’s, click the button below:
I managed to not stand in front of the camera while preaching, but you should be able to turn on captions if you want to, so hopefully that’s helpful.
The Second Sunday of Epiphany Scripture:
Notes from Fr. Cathie Caimano’s sermon:
Monks walking
Their primary aim is to promote the idea that “peace begins within.”
Theravada tradition of Buddhism (often distinguished by their saffron or ochre-colored robes). While the temple is Vietnamese-affiliated, the group is multi-national, including monks of Lao, Thai, Vietnamese, and Malaysian heritage.
Why are we drawn to them? Why did you go out to see them?
We are naturally drawn to the holy
A very powerful parallel to our Gospel story
John and the disciples see Jesus walking by. ‘Behold, the Lamb of God’, says John. ‘Look, it’s the Messiah’
The disciples ask, ‘where are you staying?’, and Jesus says, ‘Come and see’.
As we know, this is the beginning of Jesus’ ministry. As his ministry goes on, people start following Jesus on his way. VERY similar to how crowds follow these monks - give them flowers, kneel and pray, just try and get close to them.
We are hungry for peace. For goodness. For kindness. For love.
‘Come and see’
There is a Buddhist term in the Pali language (of the Theraveda Buddhist Scripture) called Ehipassiko (Ay-hee-pass-i-ko), which literally means ‘come and see’.
It means ‘come and see for yourself’. To test the teachings with your own experience and logic. Don’t just believe what I say, practice and see the results.
When Jesus says, ‘Come and see’, he’s saying: come to God.
John the Baptist says, ‘Behold, the Lamb of God’. John says, LOOK - see, this is the Messiah. This is your destination.
Don’t just follow me, a person. Follow the Lamb of God - the one who sacrifices his life for the sins of the world. God with us.
Buddhism and Christianity
Buddhists do not believe in a Creator God.
They venerate Buddha as the supreme teacher and a guide who found the way out of suffering.
Famous Buddhist analogy: the teachings are a ‘finger at the moon’. The finger is not the moon, it is just showing you where to look.
John the Baptist is a finger at the moon. He is showing the disciples - and us - where to look.
Buddhists do not necessarily believe that the ‘moon’ is Jesus, but it is not a violation of Buddhist beliefs.
If the monks walking point us to peace, and we believe peace is found in Jesus, then that’s ok.
Christianity says one more thing
The monks are on a pilgrimage. By definition, they are ‘passing through’. They are on a journey for a reason - they are living out their ‘ehipassiko’, and inviting everyone to see that peace is possible.
And it’s intoxicating.
In the Gospel story, when Jesus says ‘come and see’, he is answering the disciples’ question: ‘rabbi, where are you staying?’
‘Where are you ‘abiding’?’ in Greek. Where is your home?
THEN Jesus says, ‘Come and see’.
Jesus IS where we abide. ‘Abide in my love’ he says, over and over, especially in the Gospel of John.
Peace doesn’t have to just pass us by. We can live there.
Don’t forget to join us at Trexo for your spiritual workout. Hearts up!
