Prop 24 C + Mark Habit + 10.19.25

 

M. Campbell-Langdell

All Santos, Oxnard

Prop 24 C + 10.19.25

(Jeremiah 31:27-34; Psalm 119:97-104; 2 Timothy 3:14-4:5; Luke 18:1-8)

Good morning, first, it is a privilege to honor Mark Habit today with you all. Thank you for being here.

Secondly, when I read the assigned passage for today, I could not help but think of the Women of the Bible, and how Carol or one of the other ladies would make a fabulous impression of the persistent woman in today’s scriptures. Here, God is reminding us that, while life is often not fair, we can accomplish justice if we have faith and keep going. We can have peace. At least that is the hope I am taking from the passage today.
Some folks are here as our regular Sunday service, and some are here to pay their respects to Mark Habit. Mark, a true Bible nerd, would love this passage. The image of the widow coming up against it all makes you think of his interest in drama.

Mark knew a bit about judges and victims trying their cases at court. I bet the judges he got to see in action were much more faithful, honest, and kind than this one. I always love the part where the judge says: “Though I have no fear of God and no respect for anyone, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will grant her justice, so that she may not wear me out by continually coming." This is just a human nature moment for me, yet there is hope for justice, not only in our court systems but also in life as we persevere.

Even though we rarely saw him in worship here at All Santos, Mark accompanied Carol on many occasions at various church events and seemed to be a tranquil companion to Carol’s busy bee. Laid back in his leather jacket, I had no idea till recently that he was well known as a security guard at the courthouse and had even taken a turn at some acting. I guess Carol and he have the same acting skills!

I loved hearing from Carol that Mark loved interesting shows about World War II and learning about the Bible. What a blessing. Delving into scripture is vital to us as Christians. I loved it when I was in college, and our Episcopal chaplain described the Bible as a tapestry of different stories all woven together. I learn more about the bible every year and grow in that. As it says in today’s Psalm, “Oh, how I love your law!”

And there are nuggets in the scriptures meant to challenge and encourage us. One such is the first sentence of this gospel passage: “Jesus told his disciples a parable about their need to pray always and not to lose heart.”
It is pretty easy to feel like losing heart when we lose a loved one, especially as suddenly as Mark passed away. It is hard to feel persistent like this wonderful woman who kept fighting. But I encourage those feeling discouraged today, especially Carol, not to lose heart. Jesus is hanging in there with you. Please hang in there with Jesus! Keep praying. Keep trusting. Keep persevering. It will all work out for the good.

I don’t know about you who knew Mark better than I did, but he struck me as a patient fellow. At least at times. I could learn from that. In the second letter to Timothy, we hear: “I solemnly urge you: proclaim the message; be persistent whether the time is favorable or unfavorable; convince, rebuke, and encourage, with the utmost patience in teaching.”

Whether the time is favorable or unfavorable, keep going. Have patience. Yes, it talks about convincing and rebuking here, and sometimes those things have their places, but for today, let’s focus on encouragement. How can we encourage each other today?

Because we have a promise in our faith, Jeremiah says it so well, and as it encouraged our Jewish forbears in faith and current Jewish brothers and sisters, let it inspire us. God says: “I will put my law within [my people], and I will write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. No longer shall they teach one another, or say to each other, "Know the Lord," for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, says the Lord; for I will forgive their iniquity, and remember their sin no more.”

Regardless of what Mark did in life, he knew his sins were forgiven as he prepared to go to God. He received communion and knew that something better was waiting, even as I am sure he was saddened to leave Carol’s side after 35 years. And that is the hope for us, too. Every Sunday, or for some of us, less frequently, we come and lay down our troubles at Jesus’ side, and then we take communion. We reach out to clergy or other faithful if something is bothering us or lift it to God in prayer. And we say, God, thank you! For your law, for the justice that we will see, even if it may be after a time of persistence, for the joy that family and friends give us, and for encouragement, and for this life, so precious, gone so fast, but just a glimmer of what waits for us all. Be patient, friends. Mark and other loved ones wait for us; something better is around the corner.

If you have ever seen the movie “Field of Dreams” (1989), you know that in that film, some of the best baseball players ever came out to play in a cornfield in spectral form. And that was, for some sports lovers, like a little glimpse of heaven. I like to imagine that Mark is out there, waiting to play, as he did as a kid. Carol, remember the Dodger game you finally got to see recently. Imagine some of the joy of that and multiply it. I want to imagine all our loved ones who wait for us beyond the veil on the field or enjoying the game together, one big happy family, reunited again, without pain or sorrow, but only joy!