Vessels of God’s Grace

By Rev. Heather J. Blais, Rector

Ezekiel 37:1-14 | Psalm 130| Romans 8:6-11 | John 11:1-45

In today’s passage from Ezekiel, we witness the prophet have an incredible encounter with the living God; a vision that reminds us of God’s omnipotent presence.* Ezekiel writes, “The Lord’s power overcame me…” (37:1). When we are overcome - it is often with shock, or grief, or joy.  Our senses become overwhelmed, making it difficult to act or think clearly. In those moments, all we can really do is be present to that singular moment. This is all the more true when it is God’s power that has overcome us. 

This week I spent some time reflecting when we as a faith community have experienced being overcome by the power of the living God in our time together. There are two instances that arose - and neither will be a surprise. The first experience was in the movement of our liturgy on the day former St. James and former St. Andrew’s became Saints James and Andrew.  Each community began worship in their respective sanctuaries. The folks in Turners proceeded to gather particularly sacred and special items, climb into their cars and drive to Greenfield; parking at Federal Street School, where they made the rest of the journey on foot. Meanwhile folks in Greenfield processed out the front doors, gathering on the corner of Church and Federal Streets, singing hymns of praise and welcome as our siblings in Christ walked towards the church bearing their offerings. 

God’s all powerful and encompassing presence was in full force that day, overcoming two former bodies, as they married to become one new body of Christ. There is a photo that Jason took that day of the altar party processing into the church - with both banners side by side. There is something about that particular photo that for me best captures God’s capacity to overcome us. Particularly when reflecting on all the ways this body of Christ has sought to remain open to God’s presence and to serve as God's vessel, as Ezekiel does in this vision of the valley of dry bones. Next month we mark our 9th anniversary, and I trust the body of Christ at James and Andrew will seek and strive to be faithful servants of God’s vision of love for many years to come. 

The other instance that arose when reflecting on times we as a faith community have experienced being overcome by the power of the living God related to the pandemic - in different intervals. First - when we were forced to close our doors, but found ways of continuing to be the body of Christ scattered in our various homes. Then even more so when we were allowed to reopen our doors and gather - in person - as the body of Christ. Still further more when after many, many months of fasting from the Eucharist, we could finally break bread together as the body of Christ. The renewed meaning of the sacrament was an experience of being overcome by God’s omnipotent presence, and a glimpse into the vision of God’s dream. 

In Ezekiel’s encounter with God, he too was overcome. In his out of body experience within God’s Spirit -  Ezekiel is shown a valley full of bones. Not just any bones - specifically, very dry bones (37:2). Which is in contrast with a human body alive and well, composed of well over 50% water. We see the stark difference between the lusciousness of life and the very dry bones of death. Bones that are so dry there is nothing remotely alive about them. They are beyond repair, seemingly beyond God, beyond saving. Except that is not the case. 

God tells Ezekiel to prophesy to the bones: “...Dry bones, hear the Lord’s word! …I am about to put breath in you, and you will live again. I will put sinews on you, place flesh on you, and over you with skin. When I put breath in you, and you come to life, you will know that I am Lord” (37:4b-6). 

And so Ezekiel does as God asks. He does not second guess whether God is talking to him, or whether he has what it takes to do the job, or whether he’s worthy of God’s attention. In this moment - and maybe because it's a vision instead of our day to day lives which are ripe with self-doubt - Ezekiel understands he is being called by God to do something, and without reservation does as God asks.  Suddenly there was a great quaking; and these very dry bones that once filled the valley came together.

Then God tells Ezekiel to prophesy to the breath, this time saying, “The Lord God proclaims: Come from the four winds, breath! Breathe into these dead bodies and let them live!” (37:9b).  Again Ezekiel does as God asks. Then the holy breath, the lifeforce of God, comes into these once dry bones.

God then tells Ezekiel to prophesy to these revived people - people who had once lost hope and perished, “I will put my breath in you, and you will live” (37:14). God’s breath is all we truly need. Breathing God into ourselves, and breathing God out into the world. 

In this vision of the valley of the dry bones Ezekiel was overcome by the power of God.  He accepts God’s invitation to serve as a vessel.  In doing so, he breathes God in, and breathes God out. He does so with an apparent ease that can only come from the grace of the Spirit. His willingness to accept his call to a life of service, working in partnership and concert with God, transforms him into a vessel that brings God’s dream that much closer to fruition. All by breathing God in, and breathing God out. 

This is our call as followers of God in Christ. That we, like Ezekiel, might be overcome by God and accept a call to a life of partnership and service, seeking to help bring God’s dream into fruition. To do so, we must be at the ready, open handed, pliable and agile, nimble and adaptable. Readying ourselves at our best moments to become living breathing reminders that God is all powerful and ever present. 

As we walk our lives of faith - personally and in community - there will be times when God will ask us, like Ezekiel, “Can these bones live again?” (37:3)
Sometimes our bones may be so very dry that our hope may seem lost. Yet we know that taking something as simple as an intentional breath invites the Spirit of the Living God to fall fresh on us. Breathing God in, breathing God out. 
All the while reviving us and our hope. 

This life of faith is a great privilege and is grounded in gratitude, where we are regularly overcome by all the blessings of this life. Breathing God in, breathing God out. Dedicating our lives to being a vessel of God’s grace and love. In both the big life changing ways, and more often, in mundane and ordinary ways. 

This week I was reflecting on all the mundane and ordinary ways those serving on our Vestry, Finance, and Property Committees act as vessels of God’s breath. These particular ministry teams are charged with responsibility, oversight, and stewardship of our facilities, finances, and resources. These committees are often bogged down by budgets, insurance claims, adopting and revising policies and procedures to enhance our effectiveness; all while addressing sinkholes, floods, flying roofs, crumbling ceilings, and long range care for our elderly buildings.  

Yet these ministry teams do this work not for the sake of preserving resources for our private gain or staying static or insular. They do this work so that we may be a vessel of God’s grace and abiding presence.  The number of people that walk the labyrinth, or sit on our benches, or explore our sanctuary, or use our space for their events or businesses, or attend our community meal or outreach programs, or attend concerts - it’s near impossible to measure the impact. And believe me the Episocopal Church tries to do so with the Parochial Report. 

Yet these buildings, these spaces, our programs and ministry offerings - all strive to be the living, breathing embodiment of God’s breath. So that those who are overcome by the world, might for a moment, be overcome by God’s presence; so that those who wonder if these bones can live again may experience a moment of God’s breath to revive their hope. This body of Christ, our buildings, our ministries - we are an embodiment of God’s all powerful and ever constant presence, and it is our great privilege to serve God’s world in this way. 

In the coming years, God may call us to shift how we use various buildings or whether we keep them all - and all of that is in God’s hands. All we need to do today and tomorrow - is accept our call, like Ezekiel, to be a vessel of God’s grace. Breathing God in, breathing God out. Reminding one another that God is omnipotent and inescapably present. Reminding our neighbors that there is hope, and that these bones can live. 

As we prepare to head back into the world today, I wonder if we might do some reflecting this coming week, considering:

• When have we been overcome by God?
• How has God’s omnipotence and abiding presence affected us?
• How has God reminded us these bones can live, restoring our hope?
• In what ways are we called to serve as a vessel of God’s grace and love - in our personal lives and as a faith community?

Let us pray:
Loving God, we give you our humble thanks and praise for the ways you live, and move, and breathe in and through us. May we increasingly become vessels of your goodness, grace, and love; working in concert with you to be restorers of hope through Christ and the power of the Spirit. Amen. 



*  Ezekiel 37:1-14

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