There is wisdom in teamwork. Moving together in mission deepens our community-spirituality. Cooperation rather than competition was necessary for survival as an early missionary-it is essential today. The richness of a cooperative community life with Jesus is well within our grasp. And the urgency of Jesus' voice compels us to revisit these ways of being in community with one another, in order to do more than merely survive the urgency of these times. The cost to saying yes to Jesus is great. Actually, it could cost us everything. The cost to saying no is great also. It could cost our neighbor everything.

One can be a really good person, and not be a follower of Jesus. You can volunteer at the shelter, coach little league, visit the shut-ins, be the high priest of the world and still not be a follower of Jesus. To follow Jesus means to live a life shaped by the cross; a life, which reflects submission; a life in which you say yes, to being a follower. It is in the saying of the yes; the living into the yes to Jesus, the bending of the heart along with your knees, that ones transformation begins. God put the freedom of choice into creation, in order that the universe could respond to God's love, with an answering love of it's own. Why? Because God is love and because love needs an answering love for love's sake. Saying yes to Jesus, is saying yes to an obedient submissive love of God and neighbor. Saying no to Jesus, well, saying no is saying no to authentic love. And this sort of love, the love that conjures up images of obedience and submission...well, I know that has about as much appeal to our contemporary culture as a toothache. So, give me a bit more time to create a vision for us as a parish defined by a Jesus-love!

Imagine the time before cars, planes, pod-casts and downloads that in order to communicate you needed to be face to face or send a letter. You eat what you grow or what someone shares with you. The stage for the drama of life has backdrops of sunrises and sunsets, curtains of birth and death, but the gripping thing in life is the mystery of story. Crank up your imagination another notch and imagine that it is your turn to fetch the firewood; and as you are walking about you see two figures on the horizon walking along a ribbon of road. They walk right past you, turn towards your home and go right in claiming, "Peace to this house", "Peace indeed," you answer following close behind...and "Welcome. Stay with us, eat-we'd like to hear your story". For in the world where Jesus walked, or refugees from Africa visit, hospitality was not just what you chose to do with your extra energy and time, it was a means of survival that every traveler and sojourner depended upon at dusk. Dinner is done and the community has gathered in expectation to hear the story and news of these guests. Entranced you lean into each word.

We come to tell you, that the Kingdom of God has come near to you this night. We have seen it in a man named Jesus, the greatest healer and teacher our people will ever know. He is not a man of power or great riches; he walks about teaching and healing those with infirmities, depending always on the goodness of others. His greatest power is in his wisdom, and his riches are the stories he tells, that can heal you just in hearing them. God has sent us, with healing to those whose eyes cannot see, and also for those whose hearts are blind with hate and greed and anger. All that we ask is to be among you for a while-that the household that has opened its doors to us today give us some food to eat and a place to sleep and that you give us a chance to make whole some of those here whose lives are broken and scarred. If you cannot welcome our love, then we must be on our way. We will seek others waiting to welcome us in peace, other people in places prepared for the hospitality of God.