aEpiphany 2 ~ January 20, 2008 ~ A sermon preached by The Rev’d Erl G. Purnell at Old St. Andrew’s Church, Bloomfield, CT
Isaiah 49.1-7; Psalm 40.1-12; 1st Corinthians 1.1-9; John 1.29-42
In a rare confluence of events, today is particularly propitious to me. Three quite separate things are on my mind. Today happens to be my son Burr’s 36th birthday. This afternoon at 4 p.m. the Bloomfield Interfaith Clergy will celebrate the life of Martin Luther King, Jr. here at Old St. Andrew’s. You are all welcome and I hope you will join us. And today, we are mid-way between the day George Vondermuhll died and his memorial service which is scheduled for next Saturday at Duncaster at 2 p.m
Let me begin by noting that, at age 36, Burr is the same age that Martin Luther King was at the height of his ministry during the 1960s. King turned 39 on January 15, 1968 and was, you’ll remember, gunned down in Memphis on April 4th.
George, on the other hand, was 95 when he died a week ago Saturday. As many of us well know, he lived a full and vibrant life for much of the 20th century as documented by him in Life with George. Aren’t we fortunate to have that DVD memory of our wonderful friend?
I wouldn’t expect that you would know this, but about a month ago, Burr had a nasty bicycling accident. He skidded on a wet patch of road and wiped out, landing mostly on the left side of his face. Ouch. Fortunately he was with friends who called an ambulance—it took twenty-five minutes for it to arrive, during which time they piled around him to keep him warm and to avoid his going into shock. Many stitches later and some road-rash and stiffness, he’s fine.
My point, though, is the fragility of life. When Burr jumped onto his bike that morning to ride up Mt. Tamalpais in Marin County north of San Francisco, he certainly wasn’t planning on skidding across the pavement. When Martin went back to his motel room in Memphis on April 4, 1968, he certainly wasn’t expecting to be shot. In the blink of an eye, life can change, or, indeed, end.
It seems important to say that what we do with our lives every day matters.
I’ll brag on Burr for a moment. He is a young man with uncommon good looks, a strong, coordinated body, and an indomitable spirit. He’s smart. An artist and graphic designer by trade, being a dad and husband is his passion.
Burr has accomplished a lot in his 36 years and he has much more to do. While in college, he skippered a 47’ Swan sailboat across the Atlantic Ocean—twice—when he was only twenty. That’s how he worked his way through Northeastern where he majored in art and ocean sciences. He’s designed a lot of the ads you’ve seen for Microsoft, Charles Schwab, Visa, Heineken Beer, to name a few of his big clients. He also designed our logo, stationary, and the Crier. He works hard and is very successful.
But that’s not all there is to Burr. For example, two years ago he and four hundred of his closest friends—just kidding—did an AIDS ride from San Francisco to L.A. They raised $16 million. Burr sees the larger world around him and he and his wife, Jane, are often involved in fund raising and community projects.
So, today, I’m thinking about a young man in the prime of his life. But, I’m still adjusting to George’s death at age 95. Burr would have to live another 60 years to match George’s long life. Then again, he could have died last month when he crashed his bike.
George inspired so many by his faithful service to humankind, much of it on behalf of Moral Re-Armament. George Vondermuhll, for me, was the epitome of a person whose every day mattered, especially because he gave so selflessly to those around him. You know what I mean, I know you do. Each one of us was touched many times by George’s kindness, his incredible intelligence, his wit, his memory.
On the day before George died, I read the first two chapters of John’s Gospel to him. When it was time for me to go, we said the Lord’s Prayer. In the very small voice he had left, he said, “Thank you and bless you Puck.” He just couldn’t stop ministering.
Coincidentally—or not—this is the season when America and the world remembers Martin Luther King, Jr., one of the greats of the 20th century. The King legacy teaches and inspires still. The issues for which he fought so bravely continue to beg for attention and action— excellence in education for all children and universal healthcare are two important examples. Don’t you agree that King would be at the forefront of those battles in 2008? And, don’t you think he would march to oppose the war in Iraq as he did our foolish military foray in Viet Nam?
Sometimes I imagine what our country would be like if Martin Luther King, Jr. had lived into the present age. He’s be 79 right now…and 79 isn’t so old any more. These are times when prophetic voices are needed again, when the courage to stand for justice and peace is needed again, when individuals like you and I must again live out the principles Jesus lived and taught—compassion, forgiveness, justice, and love. If not us, who? If not now, when?
And so, these three—Burr, George, and Martin—people who have touched my life so deeply come into my heart and echo the words of Isaiah: “Listen to me, O coastlands, pay attention, you peoples from far away!”
Amen.
Copyright © 2008. Erl G. Purnell
All rights reserved.
