TAKE OFF YOUR SHOES YOU WALK ON HOLY GROUND
by Charles Scott
Jude 23 “save others by snatching them out of the fire”
May 4 2005
A nurse, a para-medical, an LPN, an intern or physician who understands that the flesh he or she touches, cleans, nurtures, medicates or binds up is sacred approaches their tasks with a different attitude than that implied in the term ”health care
worker.”
I am thinking of more than respect for patients. The
practice of medicine is larger than the body of knowledge or the human bodies that are studied , treated, fed and cleansed.
The term “professional” and “profession” comes to mind in distinguishing between a “health care worker” whose end in view is doing a job and earning a living (ie serving ones self by serving others) and one who is devoted, mind, body and soul to his sacred duty. Do I view that nearly mindless lump in the next bed as just
one more task to be completed before happy hour or am I involved in the mystery of life, loving the world that God has opened before me and all the creatures with which He has populated it? Am I learning
from, and entering into the creative process presented to me this day?
The word professional has become nearly as isreputable as the word liberal. To some, professionals are guys who make the big bucks by taking steroids and otherwise cheating at the holy game of baseball.
Professionals are people who are paid for what they do. Amateurs are conceived of by today’s worldings as inept dabblers with altruistic ideas who really aren’t “in” the game.
In the days of Lords and Ladies, Clergy and Laity, Commoners and Kings, the term profession indicated that which a person professed. The choice of professions in those days were few: The Church, the Law, Medicine or the Army.
This meaning of the term profession is a given in our Ordinal, the prayers for ordination. The
Bishop asks, “Do you trust that you are inwardly moved by the Holy Ghost to take upon you this Office and Ministration, to serve God for the promoting of his glory, and the edifying of his people?” He doesn’t ask, “Do you know what salary you will receive and what benefits (meaning money).”
Interestingly, many oaths of office and promises on entry into professions have similar promises to meet
duties considered sacred. Remuneration was never the sole objective of pursuing a profession.
Clerics shouldn’t think they were the only persons called to Holy Office in this sense. At the time our language was being formed, there were not so many professions: The Law, The Church and Medicine
have been classically looked upon as professions.
Those who attempt to work honorably in the Fourth Estate (News, Journalism) appear to be outnumbered by “news sellers” who are professionals in a pejorative sense. The Grey Lady (The New York Times) is now accused of having joined the oldest profession. Observers of the political scene as well as business news reporters (professional analysts) are
regularly accused of being on the payroll of powerful interests. The consumer, if he buys a paper today, has to wonder is this all the news that is fit to print, or all the news paid to be printed by the
highest bidder? This cynicism is not new. How long ago was it said, “Believe nothing of what you hear or read and only half of what you see?”
Devoting oneself to the Military or the Government eventually came to be regarded as a noble profession in the West. In this country, there is a strong tradition that to serve the country by joining the armed services is a an honorable way to devote one’s life. Those who serve in the volunteer army certainly aren’t mercenaries.
Unfortunately, Knights in Shining Armor at times have had their escutcheon besmirched by accepting bribes, payoffs and in some countries, becoming brigands preying on the powerless or waging war as soldiers of fortune.
In our own government hardly a year goes by without calls for the creation of investigative boards or ethics committees to look into the misdeeds of various and sundry members. This is a good sign, for it means there are still those among our public servants who believe, as Grover Cleveland said, that “a public office is a public trust.”
How many times have defenders of the accused in these affairs said, “Well, he is no worse than the others?” A prominent congressman observed that the congress would be devoid of members if everyone were removed from office that had abused the expense accounts or hired a relative who didn’t work. Was that observation a Freudian slip of the tongue, or was it slander? In my opinion, the press and the public at large shrug their shoulders and think, “So what else is new?” Scandals are so common they have been accepted as normal. Has there been a rush on the part of all legislators and all related to government to make full disclosure and refute the charge? No, the remark has been ignored.
Nearly everyday brings a revelation of the misdeeds of those of us in business. “Buyer Beware” is the unwritten disclaimer in the market place. Consumer protection efforts have improved the business
climate, but the too-frequent failures of business to produce as promised, to treat people fairly, and to protect our sensitive information will keep us wary. The items that are bought and sold and the manner in which they are advertised brings the question, "Is
nothing sacred?"
To be fair to news persons, politicians, medical professionals, teachers, clergy and business people, we all have ethical standards that are rising. I suspect most at least attempt to do a decent job
and be fair in their dealings. The real problem is revealed in Genesis 4:7: "If you doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou does not well, sin lieth at the door." In spite of good intentions we don’t always do well, and the sin-offerings we make are evidence of our repeated failures. Though most of us at least think we want to behave decently, an obstacle is the way we perceive the world around us. Whether professed Christians or seculars Americans
feel, “All that we can grasp is ours. We own all that we can hold.”
We feel free to use things. . . .and some of us feel free to use people.
If the ground on which we walk is perceived by us as holy, we will see things differently.
This is the difference between viewing the earth as Creation and viewing it as a world that happens to be here, by accident.
Unfortunately, Western Civilization has been visited by schizophrenia. Even Christians have bought into the idea that there is a realm that is sacred and a realm that is secular, and that somehow, we can inhabit both.
The underlying question is “What is Sacred; what is Secular?”
Archbishop Michael Ramsay wrote on this subject decades ago. JPII and Benedict XVI have written often in an appeal to Europe and America to consider what it means to have a secular society. If we interpret their efforts to be a call for a new Holy Roman Empire, we miss the point of their words and the witness of their lives. Their call, in common with Ramsey was a call for us to acknowledge the Lord
in all of our doings.
Moses heard a voice from a bush, while tending sheep in the wilderness of Midian. Moses: Leader of the People from Egypt, Prophet, Giver of Laws; you stand on Holy Ground. This is the word of the Lord.
The Word of the Lord to us is similar: this New Canaan we inhabit is Holy Ground.
Grover Cleveland said, “A public office is a public trust.” That saying is not quite as elevated as “you stand on Holy Ground,” but it is approaching the point.
“The Earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof, the sea and all that therein dwells” says it well. He who goes down to the sea in ships, he who tills the soil, examines the construct of atoms, hunts for curative elements, cares for the sick, binds up the broken
hearted, writes the laws, manufactures goods, delivers a service, teaches a truth or administers a sign of God’s presence in our midst is standing on Holy Ground.
This almost classic language, reminiscent of Prayer Book and Bible is well understood by you who have a classic education, informed by Christian teaching. But what of the rising generations? What do
they hear?
To see how poverty stricken a vocabulary this generation of children is inheriting, take a look at the latest, most up to date encyclopedia: Wickipedia, the internet encyclopedia free to all who
can use a web browser..
Look up the definition for profession. One encylopedia declares there is no one definition for profession; through repeated misuse the word has lost specific meaning. Masseurs and athletes are now professionals as are mechanics and refuse engineers.
The meager definition of profession in our dictionaries present nearly omits altruism and centers on standards of education, performance, and remuneration.
I know, I know, I’m an old man fussing over words. But words are more than play things, and tools for the deceptive. Words are the framework of our imagination, the foundation of our thought, and
often the impetus for our actions.
Jesus said the words I give you are life. An old Gospel song read, “Sing them over again to me, wonderful words of life," of faith, of duty, of beauty; wonderful words.
We live in a time when words aren’t considered so important. Many perceive our mantras as having no magic. We all know words alone are empty,
Aren’t they at least a reflection of our life? If we can’t define marriage in a law, if by our actions, we have emptied the words profession and marriage of all meaning, what does that say about our humanity? If our vocabulary is stripped of its Christian heritage,
what have we left to say about our common life and our future?
Words are an important tool of our culture. Our deeds, our efforts in changing the culture will give force to the words. God can change the course of this culture as he has in other times and other places
if we will take seriously the words of life and implement them.
We are instruments of God to "redeem the time", to save the culture. Recapturing our work places as holy places is a critical part of the work. We should expect professionals to profess their profession
not only with their lips, but also with their lives, in God’s service. The ground on which you stand is holy. Your work place is holy. The way in which you offer your service, your work, your teaching or nurture is to be holy. Holy means, separated for the
service and worship of God.
> From the epistle Jude (ESV)
Consider Jude 23 “save others by snatching them out of the fire”; this is reminiscent of Amos 4:11. The word of the Lord to Amos was, “I have overthrown some of you, as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah,
and you were as a firebrand plucked out of the burning. . .”
Our heavenly Father renewed and saved Israel/Judah repeatedly from the burning, the devastation wrought on people by the wicked culture of Canaan.
This is the work our Lord commissioned us to do; plucking firebrands from the burning in this generation. This is the Christian profession; our calling in Christ.
Jude issues a Call to Persevere
"But you must remember, beloved, the predictions of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. They said to you, "In the last time there will be scoffers, following their own ungodly passions." It
is these who cause divisions, worldly people, devoid of the Spirit. 20But you, beloved, build yourselves up in your most holy faith; pray in the Holy Spirit; keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life.
And have mercy on those who doubt; save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh.
Benediction
Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and
forever. Amen.
Charles+
Church of the Good Shepherd, Indianapolis
