Proper 10C + Center of Gravity + 7.10.17 (St. Stephen's, Sebastopol)

(https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/
wp/2016/06/16/physics-test-suggests-cafe-cats-understand-
gravity-japanese-researchers-say/)

M. Campbell-Langdell+

St. Stephen’s, Sebastopol

Wilbur’s Baptism on July 10, 2016

(Proper 10C: Amos 7:7-17; Ps. 82; Col 1:1-14; Luke 10:25-37)

“This is what the Lord God showed me: the Lord was standing beside a wall built with a plumb line, with a plumb line in his hand. And the Lord said to me, "Amos, what do you see?" And I said, "A plumb line." Then the Lord said, ‘See, I am setting a plumb line in the midst of my people Israel’ (Amos 7:7-8).”

What exactly is a plumb line? Looking it up, I found that according to Merriam-Webster, it is a line with a heavy weight on it, which is used for finding the depth of water or determining a vertical on a surface that is upright. But the second definition called to me more: “a line directed to the center of gravity of the earth: a vertical line.”[1] The center of gravity of the earth.

There is something about the center of gravity of the earth that speaks to me of God.
Did you hear? There is a recent study by Japanese scientists showing how cats appear to have an innate sense of the rules of physics, or of how gravity works. Using strong magnets, a group of scientists studied how cats responded to a game wherein magnetic balls fell or did not fall out of a cup, and rattled or did not rattle in a cup, based on whether they were engaging some strong magnets to keep them in place. And the cats were way more curious about the cups and balls that did not follow the rules they had expected than the cups that rattled and the balls that fell as expected.[2] So, cats know about gravity! At least at a basic level.

And we do, too. At a basic level, we understand gravity, even those of us who cannot explain it in scientific terms. And I think this relates to faith, too.
Because at a certain level, God is our center of gravity. Is the center of gravity of the earth and in fact of the universe. The pull that never lets us go. And that pull is why we are here this morning. Perhaps you had other things to do this morning. You might have had a paper to read or extra sleep to make up on, but you are here. Do not discount the effects of God’s gravitational pull.

In Amos, it is clear that the Israelites have been measured and found lacking. And I’ll be honest, on most days I would be measured and found lacking, too. But God will not pass us by. In this context, that sounds pretty ominous. But the flip side is the fact that, once God gets through this divine tirade, it is clear that God will not abandon us, no matter how far we stray. No matter how much we fall.

We make many promises at baptism. About raising a child in the faith, and supporting the person being baptized. One of the ones I love is the one in the baptismal covenant, which says that when we fall into sin we will repent and return to God. When we stumble, we will return to God.

I like that, because it is a reminder of gravity. That we are humans, and if you’re clumsy like me, you will fall. At some point you will just tumble, because that is the way of things.

But what we affirm today is that connection to God—our plumb line—to which we are always connected. It is the center of our gravity. It is how we know that no matter where life takes us we are always marked as Christ’s own. We affirm that Wilbur, and we, will always have that connection to God deep inside us, to re-center us and to keep us on the right path.

How do we stay connected to this truth?
For me, I think Paul’s words to the Colossians that we heard today about prayer really bring this home. Because we stay connected to our center of gravity through prayer. Prayer that connects us to God. Prayer that connects us to each other. The daily prayer of parents and godparents for their child and godchild, yes, but also the active prayer experienced in Christian community. It is this prayer that keeps us on the path to acting in mercy.

Today you say you will support Wilbur in his life and faith, even if you don’t know him from Adam. But you still say these time-honored words because in doing so you reinforce that he is now welcome in any church he might chose to enter. As a Christian, he is home now.
Any place he asks for prayers, chances are they will say them.

At my church in Oxnard, we constantly have seemingly random individuals approach us for prayer—either in person or in written form. And we do pray for these folks, and often their prayers end up in our church prayer lists for a while.
This is not because we are connected to these people by virtue of local ties—many of them are traveling through. But it is because we know that as Christians, God connects us all.

Paul’s words to the Colossians are so beautiful. He prays for them for strength, endurance, and joy. These are our prayers for Wilbur and these are my prayers for each of you today. Because these are our inheritance as Christians.  Because we are all connected to that force—stronger than any gravitational pull. That pull that even dogs and cats and we know—that irresistible pull of God.

Amen.

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[1] http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/plumb%20line.

[2] Ben Guarino, “Physics test suggests cats understand gravity, Japanese researchers say,” June 16, 2016, https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2016/06/16/physics-test-suggests-cafe-cats-understand-gravity-japanese-researchers-say/.