Today I want to share the sermon preached recently by our inimitable rector, the Very Rev. Alexander D. MacPhail entitled, “Many are called, but few consider themselves chosen.” I was caught up in the story and fascinated by the lessons he related from the gospel readings—especially the parable of the wedding banquet that speaks of those who were invited but didn’t come. I was content to let this be a condemnation of the Pharisees until the sermon became a question—a challenge really—to its listeners.We speak often of God’s invitation to us—an invitation we may or may not choose to accept. Perhaps what we should consider, however, is that God isn’t just inviting us. He is choosing us.
“But does it change anything in your mind to think, I was chosen? “
What if you changed that one word so that instead of being invited, you are being chosen?
Chosen…I am chosen!
It’s the message that Henri Nouwen was trying to convey in his book Life of the Beloved, and once that difference is embraced, it changes everything.
Read Alexander’s sermon and then sit and think about this enormous difference!
I’m invited to come to church or I’m chosen to come to church.
I’m invited to a given ministry or I’m chosen for a given ministry.
I’m invited to share God’s love with others or I’m chosen to share God’s love with others.
And f we’re chosen, how might this change our attitude and motivation towards the thing for which we are chosen? Or towards the one who has chosen us?
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I not only believe this, I am living it. I’ve been chosen as a disciple of Love, and am blessed to have found a sacred commUnity where I get to keep choosing to eat/pray/breathe the divine into all parts of my life. It’s a living church where I am invited to practice living as a beacon of GodLove in every moment.
And, while I don’t always manage to take the hand that is choosing, I am doing my best to keep reaching for it. All we can do is keep reminding one another. Thanks for doing this so well, Elizabeth.
Ahhhhh, Sor’a. What a rich and beautiful contribution to this conversation! I love the acknowledgment that it is a journey and that we fellow pilgrims are here to remind each other of our chosen-ness. Thank you!
It certainly does change the ‘feel’ of it. Chosen vs. invited. It makes it feel much more special!
It really does, doesn’t it, Karen? I’m letting the significance of that sink in.Thank you so much for commenting.