St. Christopher's Episcopal Church: Sermons

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A Sermon Preached at St. Christopher's Episcopal Church, Oak Park, IL
on the First Sunday of Advent, December 2, 2007
by Henry Burt, an Eighth Grader at Roosevelt Middle School in River Forest

What would you all think if I said it is appropriate to be joyful in any time of darkness throughout life? For people sharing my mom's problem that have higher potential than what their job specifically requires, they would probably just give a laugh of disgust and question, "Wait, so you're tying to tell me that having a job you dislike, or having an unfulfilling career should bring me joy? What are they teaching kids like you in school these days?"

Well, I'm here to share good news. A lot of you may not completely agree with this statement, but just try and consider that all of our daily struggles, worries, and problems might be put upon us for a reason. And no, God doesn't create these problems when he gets bored and needs to be entertained by our suffering. He makes them so we become stronger in mind, more faithful in Him, and tries to call us in a certain direction or path during life, however small or large the path may be.

Now as some of you may know, I have just recently been let out of the hospital after being treated for an eating disorder for a period of three weeks. The first week went okay, but by the middle of the second week, things got tough. I really missed my family, friends, cats, and the love of my life - playing soccer, that is. I missed my own bed, my teachers, and the smile on my mom's face. On top of it all, I felt like a prisoner being contained on just a single hospital floor without permission to go outside, while the only things that filled up my days were eating and watching ESPN on the wimpy little TV in my room.

But you know, I'm not upset about one moment of those three weeks. What began as a problem that controlled my life before being treated, ended up making me a brighter, healthier, happier, and stronger person than I could have ever imagined. Kids and teachers commented on how good I looked and how happy they were to have me back once I returned. And my soccer abilities have skyrocketed from becoming a bigger and stronger player. I'm glad I've had this problem dealt with, because now I know how to prevent it, and how to live a better life.

So just think to yourself, that maybe God creates problems for the people that live on His earth with a special meaning. We face our struggles and concerns to make us better than who we were before. Our problems can show us how badly we want something, and how much we need God in our lives. Rejoice in the fact that God has put obstacles in front of us. He wants us to be better and better as our lives go on.

Some of you may have read, seen, or heard of a lecture given several months ago by Randy Pausch, a professor at Carnegie Mellon University. In what Pausch called his "Last Lecture," he talked about a huge obstacle facing him, his wife, and their three kids. After a CAT scan, doctors found approximately 10 cancerous tumors in Randy's liver; a case so severe that they concluded Randy only had another 3 to 6 months of living left. Now Randy, who is very upbeat about his condition, explains that his last few months will be devoted to the most important aspects of his life: family, friends and religion. He realizes that there is nothing he can do about his medical problem, and that it is all in God's hands. Randy's problem has also shown him just how much his family, neighbors, and everyday life - in general - mean to him.

"The brick walls are there for a reason," Randy adds. "The brick walls are not there to keep us out. The brick walls are there to give us a chance to show how badly we want something."

So if only we could try to live like Randy, and accept that our problems, for the most part, are out of our reach. Instead, they are in God's control. And God's not going to torture us by making us hold onto them for ever. Just trust in Him and know that you and God are going to get through the tough times together, and that you will develop a stronger mind and spirit through the journeys, just like I have done in the hospital.

I know it is hard to find light in times of darkness. But just remember, God is with us whether we are the happiest people in the world, or having what seems to be the worst day or our lives. He truly is our best friend, and He'll never ever let us down. So if you think about it, what can possibly be so awful when we have God's love always surrounding us? I think that's the best way to find joy when things seem low.