(…continued) I have now described and diagnosed the problem of ‘ignorality.’ It is up to you to decide for yourself if any of this has anything at all to do with you. So, in case you do have it, I will now tell you the cure for ignorality.
First of all, just be aware of it. If someone asked you if you were going to die someday, you would say, “Yes, of course.” But we must also live like that is a daily possibility, and be prepared. The rich fool was rich in earthly wealth, but not rich toward God. Many people think they can safely ignore God until… until when? Until the EMTs come for you?—which could be later on this afternoon, for all you know. You do not know when it will be too late.
Back in the days of the ancient Roman empire, the great emperors would return from victorious battles and be greeted by huge cheering crowds. The Roman emperor was the richest, most powerful person on earth at the time, and at one point the Roman Senate even declared the Emperor to be divine. But according to some accounts, an earlier and wiser Emperor always had a servant riding in the chariot with him, whispering into his ear the Latin words ‘Momento Mori”—“Remember, you are mortal.” All of that fame, wealth, and power very often leads one into ignorality, and that wise emperor was guarding himself against it.
Michael Perry, EMTs, firemen, those who work in law enforcement, and other first responders usually do not have ignoralty. They can’t remain ignorant of their mortality, and they don’t need anyone whispering ‘memento mori’ into their ear. They are faced with our mortality every time they go out on a call.
My second suggestion to cure ignorality is to take an occasional walk through a cemetery. Strolling through a cemetery is a good thing to do every once in a while. The Bible says, “Teach us to number our days, O Lord, so that we may apply our hearts to wisdom.” Cemeteries help me do that. It helps me remember that I, like all those folks already out there, am here for only a little while. In a few weeks, as part of their 150th anniversary celebration, there will be a worship service at the Rapidan Cemetery. I will be there, and it will be a profound thing, to worship with my old congregation, some above the ground, and some under the ground. Oscar will be there, and the jokester Harold will be there too, and so many more good friends and neighbors.
The third, and most important, cure for ignorality is to remember Jesus. When you forget that you are mortal, you may well also forget that you need Jesus. To keep in mind the reality of your inevitable death does not have to be morbid or depressing, NOT if you are also keeping in mind Jesus who says to you, “Because I live, you shall live also. All who believe in me will not perish, but have eternal life.” Keep your eyes on Jesus and you will not drift into ignorality. Don’t be surprised when trouble comes, because trouble is coming. It always does. But remember Jesus and what he has said to you in John 16:33: “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
I must add here, none of this minimizes the shock, sadness, grief, despair, anxiety, loneliness, fear and so much more that is inevitable when tragedy does strike. Jesus himself wept, and said to his disciples, ‘Now is your time of grief;’ Jacob mourned, Job lashed out in confused anger, David despaired, Jeremiah was called the weeping prophet, and there is a whole book of the Bible called Lamentations. The Bible is full of grief and despair at what this sad and dangerous world can do to us. But remember Jesus, who has prepared the rest of our story, and remember, after all the sadness and all the pain, there is a good ending. You can read about it in Revelation 21, where it says: “God will dwell with us. He will wipe away every tear from our eyes. There will be no more death, or grief, or crying or pain, for the old order of things will have passed away.”
So remember Jesus and you will be all right. That is why we gather here each week. All week we have lots of other things on our mind and all kinds of distractions; but this time of worship is an opportunity to remember Jesus. In a little while you will come forward for Holy Communion, and before that you will hear these words from Jesus: “Do this in remembrance of me.” Amen.
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Isaiah 55:6 – Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near.
Gospel: Luke 12:16-21: 16 (Jesus) told them this parable: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest. 17 He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’ 18 “Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. 19 And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.”’ 20 “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’ 21 “This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.”
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Teach us to number our days, O Lord, so that we may gain a heart of wisdom. Amen. (Psalm 90:1)
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