Inclusion
“Then Peter asked, ‘Can anyone withhold the water for baptizing these people who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?’” — Acts 10:46b-47.
My brother in law, Bonnie’s brother, Jack Scott is, in one sense and literally, among the very first Baby Boomers. That generation labeled as Baby Boomers were, generally, the children of the soldiers who returned from World War II.
Now Bonnie’s Dad— just back from the war— and her Mom, got married right on V.J. Day, August the 14th, 1945. When they came out of the church where their ceremony had taken place every church bell in town was pealing and they knew it wasn’t for them. But at first, they could not figure out why all those bells were clanging away.
Bonnie’s brother, Jack, was born— you guessed it— nine months and six days later— May the 20th, 1946— a close call. We have great fun pulling Jack’s leg about that. Fortunately, Bonnie and I are younger— much, much younger than that. But we are also in this so called Baby Boomer generation.
To be clear, there is an official definition of a Baby Boomer, and it is not someone born on or after that nine month deadline— May the 14th, 1946. The definition is more inclusive than that.
According to the United States Census Bureau a Baby Boomer is someone born anytime in the entire year starting in 1946. The group then goes all the way to anyone born in 1965. Born between 1946 and 1965? You are a member of the Baby Boomers, do not pass ‘Go’ and do not collect $200.
I hope this does not sound too defensive of me, but I think my generation has been blamed for a lot we did not cause. We just happened to be standing around when this stuff happened.
We were the first generation to grow up with television. But we did not cause television. But hence, we also endured The Brady Bunch, Gilligan’s Island and Happy Days. These were not created by us. These were created by people older than us. We were just, as I said, standing around and they were inflicted on us.
And we also were standing around when transistor radios, The Beatles, The Motown Sound and Disco happened. Baby Boomers did not cause these things. We were not in control. We were merely consumers.
Now, perhaps most notoriously, the Baby Boomers have been called the “Me Generation.” Indeed, it has been said that Baby Boomers are called the “Me Generation” because, early on they/we developed a youth culture which seemed to focus heavily on self-fulfillment.
As a counter to that argument, I would suggest Baby Boomers also entered a world in which, unless you take care of yourself, no one else will. I would suggest Baby Boomers entered a world in which, unless you blow your own horn, no one else will.
I would suggest Baby Boomers entered a world in which, just because of our sheer numbers, just because there are so many of us, if we did just stand around and do nothing it would soon become— to use a cliche— a dog eat dog world. In that kind of world, looking out for number one is not an option. Looking out for number one is an imperative. (Slight pause.)
This fact might surprise some of you. The professional boxer Muhammad Ali, born Cassius Marcellus Clay, is not a Baby Boomer. He was born in 1942, so he is too old to qualify. And yet, it was he who proclaimed, “I am the greatest.”
Despite the fact that Ali is not a member of the Baby Boomer generation, I have often wondered if it was that slogan— I am the greatest— and the attitude it proclaims which fully and quite truly captured the Baby Boomer sentiment. Be yourself. Take care of yourself. Proclaim yourself. No one else will do it. (Slight pause.)
And these words are from Luke/Acts in the section known as Acts: “Then Peter asked, ‘Can anyone withhold the water for baptizing these people who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?’” (Slight pause.)
Back in 1952, back when people were just figuring out the Baby Boom which named a generation was happening, a great 20th Century theologian, Paul Tillich, published a book— The Courage to Be. In many ways the title of that book was prophetic because it named an aspect of what Boomers needed— they needed the courage to be.
At the same time, the book also outlined the problem with a premise of only looking out for number one, the problem with the premise of seeing the world exclusively as dog eat dog. The problem? If I only look out for number one, if you only take ‘me’ into account, what happens to the person standing next to me, next to us? What happens to all those around us, those with whom we live? (Slight pause.)
Here is another way to look at it: yes— we do need courage to be. We do need courage to be ourselves. We do need courage to fully be ourselves, to openly be ourselves, to unequivocally be ourselves, to unabashedly be ourselves. And that having been said, how are we to look at the command of Jesus heard in the Gospel reading that we are to not love just ourselves but that we (quote) “love one another.” (Slight pause.)
Earlier, when the reading from Luke/Acts was introduced, you were encouraged to read the entire Tenth Chapter when you get a chance. If you do so, you will see it contains a full, open, unequivocal and unabashed message.
The message says the Spirit of God works not just in or through special, select individuals. The Spirit of God works not just in or through a chosen few. The Spirit of God moves with whom and in whom and through whom the Spirit of God will move.
And no one can or should tell you in whom and with whom and through whom the Spirit will of God move. And certainly no one can or should presume to tell God in whom and with whom and through whom the Spirit of God will move.
Further, based on what Jesus says, it would seem likely that the Spirit of God moves in everyone. (Quote): “I appointed you to go and bear fruit— fruit that will endure....” (Slight pause.)
Well, given the readings perhaps it is fitting that today we celebrate Mother’s Day on the secular calendar. You see, we need to recognize that we are all brothers and sisters of one another. We are all sons and daughters. And we are all related to one another.
Indeed, we need to recognize the Holy Spirit nurtures each of us. But we also need to recognize that the Holy Spirit nurtures all of us. We need to recognize that we are all children of God, children of the Spirit of God.
We are all members of one family. We are all members of the family of God.
Once we recognize that we are all children of God, nurtured by the Spirit, it starts to make sense that God would not condemn us for being who we are. It becomes clear to us that the arms of the Holy Spirit enfold us— both each of us and all of us— with the love about which Jesus speaks. It becomes clear that, as children of God, we need to accept one another, love one another, nurture one another. (Slight pause.)
If I may be so bold, I think the generation coming to maturity today— some of whom graced us with their talents several minutes ago— this generation knows better and often articulates this better than we Boomers. [1] And this is what they say: we are all in this together. We need to mutually support one another.
I think they know about the fragility of the earth, the environment. I think they appreciate both their own strengths and their own frailties. And, because of that, they do hear the “love one another” message loud and clear.
Yes, each of us can flourish as an individual. But each of us flourishes best when we are loved by those around us and supported by those around us.
So, to come back to those words of Paul Tillich, perhaps what we need is not just the courage to be and not even just the courage to be me. Perhaps what we really need is the courage to be us, together— sometimes a tall order. But why do we need the courage to be us? Jesus said (quote): “love one another.” Amen.
05/13/2012
United Church of Christ, First Congregational, Norwich, New York
ENDPIECE: It is the practice of the Pastor to speak after the Closing Hymn, but before the Choral Response and Benediction. This is an précis of what was said: “It does, I think, take great courage to be. And I think it takes even greater courage to be me. But I want to suggest that the greatest measure of courage we can have is the courage to be us— and that means everyone. Us— as in all people— no exceptions.”
BENEDICTION: May the Holy Spirit inspire our words, and God’s love in Christ empower our deeds, as, in Christ, we are no longer servants, but friends, learning to love as we have been loved. And may the peace of God which surpasses our understanding keep our hearts and minds in the knowledge of God, the love of Jesus, the Christ, and the companionship of the Holy Spirit, this day and forevermore. Amen.
[1] The Madrigal Singers of Norwich High School under the direction of Mary Mayo graced us with their presence on this day.
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