2-4-2018 “The Chestnuts of Our Faith”

THE CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH OF CANTON

Dr. John Tamilio III, Pastor

Sunday, February 4, 2018 ~ Epiphany V

Sermon: “The Chestnuts of Our Faith”

Hebrew Bible Lesson: Isaiah 40:21-31

I am going to go in a totally different direction with today’s homily. Inspiration comes in strange forms. I went home after church last Sunday, took a nap, got up, and did some reading. I looked ahead to the readings for today and was drawn to Isaiah, especially to the last verse of today’s Hebrew Bible reading:

but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

When I read that final line, I started humming: “And he will raise you up on eagle’s wings.” I first heard that hymn at a Catholic Funeral Mass for one of my Italian relatives, and it quickly became a favorite. I am thrilled that it is in our new hymnal! (I have to confess that I am a little concerned that this is the Lectionary Hebrew Bible lesson for today — the day that the Patriots are playing the Eagles for the Super Bowl in a few hours!)

Why do certain hymns mean so much to us? Why do some of them warm our hearts or bring us to tears? Think about the chestnuts that you love — and why they mean so much to you.

Maybe it has to do with the fact that hymns are Scripture and theology put to music. Good hymns speak to our souls and nurture us. As Nylse Esahc writes, “The lyrics usually minister to my soul, the melodies are moving, and the repetition — verse, chorus, verse chorus, verse, chorus or a slight variation of this theme are soothing. There’s a solemnity and dedication that underlies most hymns that makes me pause as they usually bring me to a place of introspection and reflection on life and what it means to serve a big God no matter what life throws at me.”

Hymns also become part of the fabric of our being. I haven’t see this at the Hellenic Center, because we do not sing hymns when we bring them communion. Elaine McLellan sings something, but the patients do not sing hymns as part of the service. When I served my first and second churches, however, I conducted a monthly service at nearby nursing homes. The activities room at both places would be filled with patients who, for lack of a better term, were out of it. Most of them sat in their wheelchairs with the heads turned downward. However, something incredible happened when we sang a classic hymn like “Amazing Grace,” “How Great Thou Art,” or “The Old Rugged Cross.” They lifted their heads and opened their eyes. They sang along and didn’t miss a beat, because they knew the words by heart. When the hymn was over, their heads turned downward again, or they stared off into a corner of the room. It was as if they came out of trance for those few minutes. It was as if they came back to life.

Now, I am sure that physicians and psychologists have an explanation for this. I am sure that it has something to do with long-term memory: words, phrases, whole songs that are part of our deep consciousness. But I like to think that there is something spiritual going on here. There is a part of us that ever grows old — it is the part of us that never dies, that lives eternally. The soul knows no age. It remains the essence of the individual and it lives forever. I like to think that when those suffering from Alzheimer’s Disease or dementia slip into a living past that is connected to the present. They connect with their souls, which never grow old or die, which never forget the essence of who they are and whose they are. It is as if a light turns on — and that light is the light of God, the sacred spark that burns within all of us. Something similar would occur when we said the Lord’s Prayer or recited the 23^rd Psalm. I like to think that this is more than long-term memory.

III

People have their favorite hymns — ones that they never get tired of singing or hearing. Earlier last week, I went to our denomination’s Facebook page and posted the following question: What is your favorite hymn and why? Some of the answers were funny.

Someone wrote, “What’s my favorite hymn? That’s like asking what is my favorite book, Beatles song, or child? It’s impossible to answer.” I thought to myself, no it isn’t: The Great Gatsby, “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band,” and my daughter Sarah. I’m just kidding. “Strawberry Fields Forever” is my favorite Beatles song.

One respondent said, “Hymn of Promise,” “The Prayer of St. Francis,” “Here I Am, Lord,” “Lord of the Dance,” “Be Thou My Vision,” “Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee,” and “We Limit Not the Truth of God” are on my short list. All of them speak of promise, commitment, and openness to God’s leadership.

Another entry read, “Be Thou My Vision” — such deep and devotional imagery. “The Summons” — a powerful invitation that captures so well the essence of what it means to be a disciple.

Other people named specific hymns, but did not say why they were their favorite — classic pieces such as “Amazing Grace” and “How Great Thou Art” were among the more popular choices, as is expected.

This answer really caught my attention. “Too many to really chose ONE favorite,” the person wrote, but added, “’I Love to Tell the Story,’ ‘How Deep the Father’s Love,’ ‘The Summons,’ ‘A Mighty Fortress Is Our God,’ and ‘All Are Welcome’ often make me choke up a bit. One of my favorite things to do in my private devotions,” the gentleman continues, “is to get out an old hymnal and put new music to a hymn that probably hasn’t been sung in a hundred years.”

Which hymn do you love the most and why? Is it one you learned as a child? Is it a piece that got you through a difficult time in your life? Does it have a patriotic flair or does it encapsulate a favorite verse from The Bible? Think about what it is and why it is.

Hymns form the soundtrack to our faith. They express our deep connection with God. We take them with us always and recall a verse or chorus when we need a word of hope.

Finally, hymns connect us. Hymns do not belong to us individually. They bind us together as a community. They are our songs. We sing them together each week. As with the sacrament we are about to share, and the Word we read and proclaim, hymns are another sign that reminds us of who we are and whose we are. Through them, we tell the old, old story…of Jesus…and his love. Amen.