Nate's Sermon

Due to the supply and demand nature that is consumerism, many people strive to earn as much money as they can so that they may be able to buy the latest in styles and technology. On this path to wealth and what we might see as happiness, we tend to take more pride in possessions in a similar way to what the Gospel reading tells us. Though we may be living with these riches and comforts, the same cannot be said with many of the people living in New Orleans.
Upon arrival in New Orleans, I was again surprised, as I had been on the previous mission trip, by the sight of widespread destruction that had not been rebuilt or repaired. Though there were some changes here and there, even after two years, there is still plenty of work to be done.
On my first day of work, I was privileged to assist in the gutting process of a home belonging to a man by the name of Mr. M. As we first pulled up to his house, it pained me to see the large mounds of clothing, books, toys, old vinyl records, and many other belongings lying in heaps of rotted wood, insulation, and drywall. Going inside of Mr. M’s house painted an even more sorrowful picture of the devastation the storm brought, with gaping holes in the ceilings and walls, and even more belongings scattered amongst the debris. Mr. M had been hard at work inside the house that day long before we even got there. The reason for this was because the federal government had given him a court date the next day to fight for ownership of his home because it had not been gutted within their time standards. Though the government had been sending him warnings, they had been sending them to a wrong address. By the time Mr. M got one he did not have much time to prove that work had been put into the gutting of his home. With a clear idea of what had to be done, we set off to work. And boy, did we work. Through the soreness of my arms and sweat off my brow, I was somehow able to feel a sense of satisfaction of drywall crunching and sending shards everywhere as the swift judgment of my crowbar was served. At the same token, I also had some qualms about ripping down pieces of what held innumerable memories and served as a sanctuary for the M family and other families for a fair number of years. During this process, I found myself asking how I’d like it if someone jubilantly smashed through my house and did not share the same pain that I had felt in its destruction. Although I could easily say that I would know what had to be done, I knew that if I was in Mr. M’s shoes, I would not readily have an answer.
Another job we had to do while gutting the home was to empty out cabinets and closets of belongings to see if Mr. M still wanted them. I was shocked to see that Mr. M told us to throw away numerous things such as old letters, old china, and other keepsakes. Even if some were useable, he told us to discard many of them. Personally, I felt that if my house were to have suffered the same amount of damage, I would try to salvage as much as I could for sentimental purposes. It was not until I read today’s Gospel of Luke that I became cognizant of the implications of Mr. M’s decisions to keep or throw away. The Gospel tells us not to store for ourselves treasures that could easily be easily affected by the elements or thievery “for where your treasure is, your heart will be also.” Mr. M was able to let go of the physical bonds he had with these items because he kept the memories and emotions that they actually represented within his heart where no hurricane or thief could ever come near.
The destruction also brought a few surprises. It was a bit heart-warming to see that new forms of life, such as frogs and lizards, had taken refuge in the debris within house. This showed me how true the saying of how “Death brings new life” really is and reminded me that Mr. M had a chance to start fresh out of the wreckage. He just needed our help. Mr. M was indeed ready to move on from the challenge that God had presented him with even at the “unexpected hour.”
Instead of focusing on gaining more material possessions, I believe that we should focus on building aspects of our life that are more important such as building the bonds with our families and each other. Through the bonds that we create with other people, we may be able to overcome struggles such as poverty. Even if a storm destroys everything we own, as long as we have each other we can get through those harsh times.
Though I was, at first, a bit skeptical about going back to New Orleans because of the lesser work we had done in Mississippi, I believe this trip has given me the most worthwhile experience in my life. Not to mention some of the hardest manual labor that I’ve ever had to do. I think I actually gained a few muscles. I would like to thank all of you for your generosity, support, and prayers in this venture, and for allowing us to make treasures in our hearts that will last us a lifetime.