Today’s Word from Pastor Tom…
That’s me on the left. For those who attended the October 31st Reformation Service you undoubtedly recognized me adorned in my red chasuble. Not every pastor is gifted with a bobblehead doll, or a red chasuble for that matter. This festival garment has lots of positive memories for me. On the right is the former Pontiff John Paul II. The Holy Father bobblehead was obtained during my sabbatical in Italy, 2003. I was blessed to sit with him for an intimate conversation about life and faith. It was a small group of about 2,300.
And in the middle of my bobblehead collection is the “pies de resistance” of my collection. There sits Buddy Christ. A very long time ago, the 60’s when I was in college, knowing that I was intent on going to seminary, a dorm mate handed me a magazine, “I think you might appreciate this article.” On the article cover was Jesus with his head tipped back in a position of uproarious laughter. The article was about the humanity of Jesus. The premise being that Peter and the boys undoubtedly offered our Lord many a moment of guffaw and faux pas. As I recall it was a Playboy magazine (I promise, I only looked at it for the articles). Anyways, I like to think of the three dolls as a holy triumvirate, of sorts.
It is in this context that I would like to suggest a role model for us every day Christians who will, in all probability, never have a famous bobblehead doll created in our image like John Paul II or Jesus (Buddy) Christ (seriously, I do not include myself in the famous group). I would like to nominate St. James the Lesser as our patron saint.
James the Lesser, son of Alphaeus, is only mentioned 4 times in scripture and we know next to nothing of his life. He is principally known for not being James the brother of John, son of Zebedee, and not being the brother of Jesus.
Just like us, James the Lesser is more known for what he is not versus what he is in terms of some great achievement. Yet, he is important enough to be counted among the twelve. Important enough to have given up everything to follow Jesus and important enough to have experienced the Resurrected Christ. Maybe James the Lesser was an introvert? Maybe he had the kind of quiet faith that did not need to be at the front of the line? Maybe he was the one whose faith was confirmed by Thomas’s very act of doubting? I’m thinking he was the kind of guy who spontaneously bussed the tables after everyone was done eating.
I think if I were to write a book about the early church, I would write about James the Lesser and how he participated in shaping the course of history towards eternity in his relative anonymity. That’s who we are… known and loved by the owner of the vineyard, yet content to be nameless laborers in the coming Kingdom of God. Each day we are given moments to offer a smile (okay, masks make that challenging, but…), wish someone a good morning, say a kind word to someone obviously stressed, share a gift with someone in need, make a generous contribution to a charity. Whatever you do, do it without expectation of a response. Be the nameless James the Lesser for someone who will at the end of the day simply pause over a memory… “Hmmm, I wonder why he/she did that?” No bobblehead doll but a lived life of faith.
Our Pastor has returned from his sabbatical. He and Felicia have had a time of renewal and adventure. They returned to a church they have loved, a church that finds meaning and purpose in being the body of Christ in a broken world. A church full of James (Janets) the Lessers. Okay, no bobblehead dolls but joy none the less. It blesses me to live with you in this life of faith. It’s a hoot.
Thank you all for the love and encouragement you have awarded me in Pastor Jim’s absence.
God’s peace and love,
Pastor Tom
