Faithfully Aging with Paul; 2 Corinthians 4:16-18

Rev. George Miller
June 21, 2020
2 Corinthians 4:16-18

Monday, in the midst of Black Lives Matter and COVID-19, something quietly revolutionary took place.

At The Shepherd’s Pantry, under the guidance of Steve Wills, our older community members were informed that NU-Hope Elder Care was providing a program just for them.

A program in which free lunches would be delivered to them 5 days a week.

Turns out that not many of those in the 60-and-up category knew about NU-Hope.

We also discovered that some folk were afraid that NU-Hope was trying turn them infirm and take away their freedom.

So, we had to adjust what we said and use our best words to explain that NU-Hope is empowering folk to stay as independent as long as possible.

These free meals are a way to keep folk as healthy and on their own as possible.

That explanation changed everything.

People went from thinking they were being treated as helpless to realizing they were being empowered to live their best life possible.

Words matters.

Why we do what we do matters.

The ability to offer and receive assistance matters.

The wisdom to say “I’m no longer 30, 40, or even 50 years old” matters.

The 1st time this awareness really hit me was during the last General Synod.

We spent a week discussing issues, voting on resolutions, but something felt…empty.

None of the topics dealt with aging or the elderly or what happens to bodies when they begin slowing down.

It became clear that our elderly community is a vulnerable community, an often under-served community when it comes to social justice discussions.

Growing older isn’t necessarily the hot topic. It’s not “sexy” or a means of escapism or a target of immediate rage like dolphins or Confederate flags.

Yet, if we live long enough, we all age.

I’m now 50, not the young 40 year-old I was when I first came here.

7 years ago when I saw “Menopause-The Musical,” I laughed at the ladies on stage who shared their readers and held the menu out to here so they could see.

Now I have readers everywhere- bathroom, car, gym bag.

Without them there’s no ordering off the menu or reading ingredients.

Now life is a constant act of putting sunscreen on parts of my body I never thought of before- like behind the ears.

I’m 50 ya’ll.

I don’t want you to feel bad for me… ‘cause if I was 40 when I 1st got here, that means you’re 10 years older too!

Don’t you find that as we get older, we question Jesus a little bit more, knowing he was this guy who was between 30 and 33 when he taught?

Think about it- Jesus was 33 years old when he died.

That means all his sermons, all his parables, were from the lens of someone barely out of their 20’s.

Think of who you were at 30. Would you take the advice from your 30 year-old self?

Not to mention, Jesus didn’t have a mortgage or medical bills.

Jesus didn’t work a regular 9-5. He didn’t have kids to feed, or know-it-all teenagers who rolled their eyes.

Jesus didn’t have to deal with the 7-year-itch or a drop in his testosterone.

We know what Jesus said and did when he was in the physical prime of his life.

But what would Jesus say or do if he lived to be 40 or 50?

What parables would he have taught? What lessons would he have shared?

Would he still have the same passion, compassion, and in-your-face-bravado he did at 32?

…Thank God we have Paul.

Paul is the author of today’s letter. It’s been Paul’s words that we’ve been studying for the past 5 weeks.

The Paul we encounter today is much older than the Paul we first met when he was called by the Lord.

He’s balanced earning an income while doing volunteer work for the church.

He’s had his share of bruises, cuts, and humiliation; he’s had more wear-n-tear.

People are taking notice.

Some are saying he’s lost his shine; some say he’s not bringing folk to church the way he used to.

What we have is the portrait of a person who is aging, and not as gracefully as he would hope.

And yet…Paul still holds onto his faith.

He still places his trust in God.

He still claims Christ crucified and his gift of amazing grace.

Though we never got to see how Jesus would have aged, with Paul we see someone who still manages to keep the faith, even as his eyes began to fade.

Paul shows us how to keep our faith even when our arthritis flares up.

Paul shows us how to keep our faith even when we become so freakin’ tired that all we want to do is take naps.

Unlike Jesus, Paul is not perfect, nor is he ever presented that way.

Paul is fully human; he’s not at all divine.

Paul has ego, acts emotional. Paul’s got issues.

Paul could easily be any of us. Paul could be Sam. He could be Norma. He could be me. He could be you.

Paul could easily be all of us, and thank God, because in Paul we witness what it’s like to live a full life, a not-so easy life…and to still have faith.

In today’s reading Paul is so honest. He talks about his body wasting away. He addresses the affliction that adulthood causes.

He’s aware that life is a constant march forward, bumps and bruises and all.

Yet, he gives testimony. He testifies to grace; he holds onto glory. He says-

“Even though I am aging out here, inside I continue to be reborn in Christ. In here my heart has knowledge of Jesus and his light still burns.”

Paul is not a fool; he is not Superman.

Paul admits that he can’t see or understand it all, but this does not stop him from searching or believing.

Paul reminds us that even as we age, our faith can continue to grow.

Even when discord rules the moment, even when the political climate seems too much to bear, when

it all feels like folly, and all you want to do is put on a wide-brimmed hat,

Paul shows us a way to keep the faith until the end of the race.

Even if we never cross the finish line.

Even if our running turns to jogging, turns to walking, turns to using a cane with a tennis ball on the end.

Paul is teaching us that in Jesus Christ we can be forever young; forever free.

Jesus is the foundation of our faith, but Paul shows us how to age with faith, even when our body begins to break.

Paul shows us that we can age with grace.

We can age with heart.

We can age with hope.

Because, after all, when we hope, we are hoping with God.

Amen.