The Messenger
February 11, 2013 Volume XXIII, No. 2 Nationalchurch.org
"Through the Darkness: The Pursuit of Happiness"
Over the past few years, I have preached a wide variety of sermon series here at Metropolitan. And in all that time, I have never floated an idea for a sermon series that has elicited more skepticism than our Lenten series on Happiness. “Really? We’re talking about happiness during Lent??” “Isn’t Lent all about self-denial and penance?” “Shouldn’t we be focused on something a little more substantive?” “Is that all God is calling us to?” Interestingly (divine coincidence?), I have also been quite struck recently by the impact that unhappiness has on all of us. An unhappy family member changes the dynamics of an entire family system. An unhappy driver on the street starts the cycle of road rage. An unhappy work colleague impacts the productivity of the entire office. An unhappy pastor can kill a church (who wants to go there?). Happiness is a call, a discipline. It is a gift that God gives us, and that we give to each other. Aristotle argued that the purpose of life is happiness. Thomas Jefferson famously wrote that “the pursuit of happiness” is one of our “inalienable rights.” John Wesley (who was never one for frivolity) preached that, “God made all things to be happy… You are made to be happy in God." Part of our struggle with this idea, I suspect, is that we have trivialized the idea of happiness. We have made it all about my personal emotional state. We have contrasted it with the reality of suffering in our world. Ironically, in Buddhist tradition, our happiness is inextricably linked to our deep awareness of suffering. Happiness grows out of our acceptance that suffering is inescapable, and that the path to true happiness lies in moving through suffering to that still center place within ourselves where we meet God and discover true happiness. One of the great truths of our faith is that happiness can never be about my individual state of being. My happiness is tied to the happiness of those around me (see the above observations on unhappiness!). My happiness is tied up with your happiness; and, in fact, my happiness begins to blossom as I work for your happiness. What kind of theology envisions a God who creates us, but does not desire our happiness at the same time? What parent does not desire their child’s happiness? Is it any wonder that we have a hard time spreading the good news of Jesus Christ, when we are morose? What kind of stunted theology would justify the idea that God doesn’t want us to be happy? We need to reclaim a call to happiness: not a frivolous, unthinking cheerfulness; but deep abiding realization that in the midst of the trials and tragedies of life, God is with us. Lent is the perfect time to engage in that journey, because it is the consummate time of the Christian year when our call is to move to that place of deep centering. Come join us on this journey this Lent. Blessings,
Rev. Dr. Charles Parker
Thank You for Your Generosity!
The Christmas Eve offering was designated for the children’s ministries of Brighter Day, a United Methodist Cooperative Parish in Southeast DC. Through your generosity, we have sent a check for $8,277, and we know that these donations will make a significant difference to the children in a disadvantaged part of our city. We are very excited about the ways in which our partnership with Brighter Day continues to grow and be a blessing for Metropolitan Memorial and for Brighter Day. Thank you for sharing some of what God has given to you with children facing significant challenges in our city whose lives are touched and enhanced by these ministries.