Sermon - 5/16/21

<p>Most of you know one of our sons, his wife, and our grandson, William, live on Grand Cayman Island.  We have gone there to visit them several times and it is such a wonderful escape each time we go.  On various occasions while there, we have done things like watch the annual Batabano parade as people from the island dress in colorful, outlandish costumes, and dance in procession through the streets for a festive carnival celebrating turtles!   We have been there for Pirate Week as people parade through town dressed like pirates.  We have taken boat rides out to Stingray City which is an area of ocean surrounding a sand bar where we were able to get out of the boat to pet and feed dozens of stingrays circling around us.  We have gone on a submarine excursion to view the gorgeous colors of the coral reef.  And, we have had multiple delicious meals as we enjoyed time with our kids.  These times have provided a memorable respite from normal, ordinary, everyday life.  I so miss being able to see them during this pandemic and I realize how such vacation time provides an often necessary, welcome <strong>escape</strong> from routine everyday experience.  However, not all forms of escape from the real world are beneficial, helpful, or even healthy.</p> <p>This human desire to seek escape from the real world is as ancient as human history, and this desire is as old as Christian faith.  In fact, religious faith may intensify this desire.  For people of faith, once we experience and begin to understand what is holy, set apart and good about life together within the context of Christian community, we tend to want to avoid the clamor and conflict of the greater world.  We tend to want to escape and often cocoon ourselves within the safe confines of Christian community while staying away from the major issues that face so many around the globe.  For centuries, monasteries, convents, and different types of communal living all testify to this desire to live unencumbered by the world while simply focusing on a faithful, set apa