Wanted: Weary Souls

“Wanted:  Weary Souls”

 Matthew 11:25-30

 2 Corinthians 1:4

 July 3, 2011                                                                                        

The world first met him in 1986.  A little mouse with a big blue hat.  His name was Fievel—Fievel Mousekowitz.  His family, Russian-Jews, were fleeing the perils of their homeland after an army of cruel cats destroyed their village.  They boarded a ship and set out for America.  America—the land of promise and opportunity.  America—the land where there were no cats!  America—the land where every wall had a mouse hole. 

The trip proved difficult.  There was a storm and alas, Fievel is lost at sea.  The Mousekowitzes sadly arrive in America thinking that Fievel is dead.  But, as it turns out, Fievel makes it to America by floating in a bottle. 

Fievel, too, arrives in the land of promise despondent having lost his family.  He soon meets up with a French pigeon, Henri, with whom he has this conversation:

Henri: I know, my little immigrant. You want to find your family. And you will.
Fievel Mousekewitz: But how? They're so far away, and it's so big. I'll never find them.
Henri: Excuse moi, pardon, did you say never? So young, and you've already lost hope! This is America, the place to find hope. If you give up now, you will never find them. So never say never.  (And kids today think that it was Justin Beber who said that!)

Now, dangers and difficulties continue to befall poor Fievel.  In fact, he again loses all those who have befriended him and who are trying to help him.  But, along the way, Fievel goes to a mouse wally—you know wally, a huge gavering for a pupose--at Henri’s workplace, having learned there are, after all, cats in America.  It just so happens that Henri is working on a big project, a statue by the harbor, the Statue of Liberty.  (I bet you didn’t know pigeon labor was utilized in that project.)  At the rally, a friend leads the mice:

Gussie Mausheimer: Why did we come here to America? For fweedom! Why are they building that statue on the harbor? What does it stand for? Fweedom! What do we want?
Crowd: Fweedom!

Fievel’s story concludes with him reuniting with his family, having followed the music from his father’s violin.  The movie closes with Henri taking the Mousekowitz family for a “bird’s eye view” of the newly completed Statue of Liberty.  And so the Mousekowitz family’s new life in America begins.

The movie is called An American Tail and is the story of many Americans.  Having faced difficulties and dangers in places of origin they looked to America for opportunity and freedom.  We will see, think about and talk about many symbols of that freedom this holiday weekend.  Among these symbols will be Henri’s Statue of Liberty.  The Statue of Liberty was not conceived and sculpted as a symbol of immigration, but it quickly became so as immigrant ships passed under the statue. However, it was Emma Lazarus's poem, “The New Colossus” which is engraved on a bronze plaque and mounted inside the statue that permanently stamped on Miss Liberty the role of unofficial greeter of incoming immigrants.  You probably recognize some of the familiar words of Lazarus’ poem,

“Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses who yearn to breath free.  The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.  Send these, the homeless, thempest-tost to me.  I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”

Is there an echo in here or is it me?  These words sound like the Gospel we just heard as Jesus said, “Come unto me all of you who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest for your souls.”

They come to our shores.  The huddled masses who yearn to breath free.  What kind of welcome is extended?  Is it reflective of either “The New Colossus” or the Gospel of Christ?  In recent years the office of Immigration and Naturalization Services, which was called I-N-S for short, has been changed to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or I-C-E for short.  Someone has pointed out, seeing this name change, that America once offered services for immigration and naturalization, now we give a cold shoulder. 

They come to our shores.  But, we don’t have to look that far…They come to our doors.  They may not be immigrants but they are the weary souls.  The heavy laden. 

Sarah:  Disabled, Depressed, No utilities, Needing Hospitalization, Teen son, abused

          Felicia:  Mentally Ill, Estranged dtr, now the age she was when abuse started

Thomas:  Most of adult life incarcerated, trying to make it on outside, need hug before tx

Mike:  Homeless, wandering Spanish Lake, S. City or anywhere Metro takes him, Belonging nowhere,  Drops like a shot when call his name across parking lot

They come to our doors.  What kind of welcome do they receive?  Is it reflective of “The New Colossus?” or more importantly, is it reflective of the Gospel of Christ?  Do we as a congregation and individuals extend a welcome of compassion, respect, dignity and community?  Do we offer rest and peace to troubled souls?

They come to our shores.  They come to our doors.  The story may be yours.

“There is nobody who will not one day find himself or herself bearing a load too heavy to carry alone.  None of us are self-sufficient, however strong or weak or rich or poor we may be.  We are all in need of comfort, in need of refreshment.  Blessed are those who know their need of it early; they are the ones who will put themselves in the way of the comforter.”  (Crafton)

A lay-off notice, a diagnosis, unexpected and uncontrollable change.  We will need rest for our weary souls.

The Good News of the Gospel is that Jesus invitation has not changed, the welcome is still offered to all.  It is inclusive and without limits.  It is an intimate call, the same as to Disciples of old, “come unto me.”  It is an offer of rest—not from life and labor but refreshment and renewal in life and labor.  It is an offer of shared responsibility.  “Take up my yoke,” there is weight to share, a load to bear, and Christ extends trust and responsibility to each of us.  The call of Christ yet stands and it is brighter than the torch of Lady Liberty.

They come to our shores.  They come to our doors.  The story may be yours.

“Let us comfort one another with the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.”  That all God’s people will offer praise saying, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord, Jesus Christ, the Father of mercy and the God of all comfort.”