11 Pentecost, Proper 13
August 4, 2013
Colossians 3: 1-11
Luke 12: 13-21
2005, shortly before his untimely death, entitled
“This Is Water,” has been much reprinted (in
the Wall Street Journal and elsewhere) and has
I. Introduction: Graduation Speeches
 In my own protracted education and in the
eighteen-odd years I spent working in higher
education, I have had occasion to hear many,
now been published in book form. Subtitled
“Some Thoughts, Delivered on a Significant
Occasion, about Living a Compassionate Life,”
Wallace’s speech brings his humor, intellect,
many graduation speeches. And I have heard
and practicality to bear on the great challenge
some turkeys. Mostly turkeys, in fact. Speeches
of adult life—how to get over yourself and live
in which successful people tell graduates how
a life of worth.
they, too, can be successful.
 More recently, just this past graduation season,
 But lately I have read some fine ones. It can be
the writer George Saunders gave the
an art form, in the right hands. The late David
commencement address at Syracuse University,
Foster Wallace’s speech at Kenyon College in
which was this week reprinted in the New York
Working terrible jobs? […] No. I don’t regret
Times. Saunders is self-deprecating (and honest
that. Skinny dipping in a river in Sumatra [into
up front) about this form of speech: “Some old
which he realized, too late, monkeys were
fart, his best years behind him, who, over the
pooping] and getting deathly ill afterwards and
course of his life, has made a series of dreadful
staying that way for seven months? Not so
mistakes […], gives heartfelt advice to a group
much. Do I regret the occasional humiliation?
of shining, energetic young people, with their
Like once, playing hockey in front of a huge
best years ahead of them.” Respecting that
crowd, [trying to impress a girl and scoring on
tradition, Saunders goes on to say that one
his own goalie and then sending his stick into
useful thing you can do with an old person is
the crowd, almost hitting the girl]? No. I don’t
ask, “Looking back, what do you regret?”
even regret that.”
 “So,” Saunders continues, “what do I regret?
 Then he tells the story of something he does
Being poor from time to time? Not really.
regret. He tells the story of a new girl in
seventh grade, a girl who was small, shy,
my life are failures of kindness. Those moments
nervous, wore glasses, chewed her hair. She
when another human being was there, in front
was mostly ignored, occasionally teased. And
of me, suffering, and I responded sensibly.
she looked hurt by that treatment: “eyes cast
Reservedly. Mildly.” Hard to implement, but
down, a little gut-kicked, as if, having been
nonetheless a goal in life you could do worse
reminded of her place in things, she was trying,
than: “Try to be kinder.”
as much as possible, to disappear.” And then
 Contrast this with Ivan Boesky’s speech in
she did—disappear. Her family moved, and she
1986 to graduating students in the business
was gone.
school of UCal Berkeley: “Greed is all right, by
 Why, Saunders asks, forty-two years later, is he
the way. I want you to know that. I think greed
still thinking about that? Relative to the other
is healthy. You can be greedy and still feel
kids, he was pretty nice to her, so why is he
good about yourself.” This was a real-life
bothered? His answer: “What I regret most in
version of the speech given by Michael
Douglas’ corporate raider character in Oliver
1991 asking respondents the most influential
Stone’s 1987 film Wall Street: “Greed is good.
book in their life.
Greed is right. Greed works. Greed cuts
 Jesus, in contrast could not be clearer in today’s
through, and captures the essence of the
gospel: “Take care! Be on your guard against
evolutionary spirit. Greed in all its forms—for
all kinds of greed; for one’s life does not
life, for money, for love, knowledge—has
consist in abundance of possessions.”
marked the upward surge of mankind.” Ayn
Rand, she of the gold dollar-sign brooch and
II. Gospel: The Parable of the Rich Fool
 Out of the crowd, a man has come to Jesus,
the author of The Virtue of Selfishness, still has
asking him to help him get from his brother
devoted followers who are powerful political
what is due to him from their father’s estate.
and business leaders. Atlas Shrugged was
This is Jesus’ response: don’t be greedy; don’t
second only to the Bible in a Library of
desire possessions, things, stuff; that is not
Congress and Book of the Month Club poll in
where or what life is.
 Then he tells the parable of the rich fool. This
 Notice how in the rich man’s thoughts the first
man’s land produces abundantly. And he thinks
person pronouns predominate: I, me, my. His
to himself that he has no place to store all that
concern is only for himself—not for his
he has made. So he plans to pull down his barns
neighbors, not for those who have no means to
and build larger ones to store all his grains and
produce their own crops, not for the alien or the
his goods. And then he plans to relax, eat,
orphan or the widow. Concern for the poor—at
drink, and be merry. But he misses the last part
the heart of Jesus’ ministry and a central
of that old biblical formulation. God reminds
element of the sanctified life in the whole
him. “Tomorrow you die.” “You fool! This
biblical tradition—is never mentioned. Rather,
very night your life is being demanded of you.
we hear about his crops, his barns, his goods,
And the things you have prepared, whose will
his life.
they be?”
 Where is his gratitude, his thankfulness for the
author of life, the creator whose hand has
provided his good fortune? Where is his
 God says “No, you’ve got that wrong.” So if
awareness of the limits of his life, of its
we’re not central, separate, or permanent—
boundedness by death?
what are we?
 Why is this man so selfish? Here’s a thought.
He has the same built-in confusions that we all
III. Conclusion: Paul, “Christ is all in all”
 Paul answers this question in his letter to the
share: 1.) that we are central to the universe,
Colossians when he reminds his readers of
our personal story being the only really
their baptism, the source of their true
interesting story; 2.) that we are separate from
identity, the true self for Christians. In your
the universe (there’s ME, and then there’s all
baptism, “you have died” and “you have
that other stuff out there); and 3.) we’re
been raised with Christ,” and “your life is
permanent (death is real, sure, but I’m not dead
hidden with Christ in God.” Therefore, you
yet). (Saunders)
should be desiring those things that are with
God, of God, where Christ is.
 For Christians, this is the essential element
 How do we do this? Jesus says, “Take care!”
of our identity: “Christ is all in all.” In our
“Take heed,” the KJV says. The Greek
life as the church, bound together in our
construction is “be seeing!” Pay attention!
baptism, we are not yet the kingdom of God,
Look outward, around you, attend to the
but we do anticipate the fulfillment of our
people you encounter and be aware of your
life in that—“we are hidden with Christ in
own motives and actions. And, as George
God.” In other words, we do not know who
Saunders told the graduates, be kinder.
we will ultimately be, how all this will work
Remember that Christ is in the other, in all
out. But Christ is in all of us, each of us; we
the faces we meet, both here in this gathered
are all guided by the same spirit. We have to
body and in the community we live in.
trust. We have to commit to our unity. We
 As the Cathedral family, what do we want,
have to grow and mature together as we
what is our desire? To be our best selves, to
search for God’s revealed way together.
be doers, to be accomplishers, to be
dreamers in the mission God gives us. But
also not to forget that our true and only life
is in God, in Christ—in loving, kind,
forbearing and forgiving and generous
relationship with each other and all who
come to us to share in this life. AMEN