Tuesdays With Morrie:
The Perfect Day

John 15:7-12
One of the saddest misunderstandings of the Christian faith is that it is a faith that has little to do with how we experience life today. There is an understanding that what we do only impacts that someday when we meet God face to face and see if we are worthy to enter heaven. This passage shows us that Jesus was very concerned about our lives today and experiencing them in the fullness of love and joy.

Read John 15:7-12

Psalm 118:24, 28-29
This next passage reminds us why our lives now, these moments, are so important. Today is a gift from God, and God's love and mercy are eternal. As one theologian stated, "If we have received eternal life, we have already started it. If God's love is eternal, we have already received it."

Read Psalm 118:24, 28-29

Sermon:

When we began planning this Lenten series and looking to under-gird the Gospel with the day to day insights found in the book, Tuesdays With Morrie, we discovered we had many topics to choose from. Actually many more topics than we could choose. But one jumped out at me and I knew I wanted to reflect on it. The title of today's sermon is, "The Perfect day." That starts you pondering does it not? The term perfect, itself, implies that which is without flaw, that which has everything right and good. What can that mean? Can we really describe perfection for a whole group of people? I remember a comedy sketch I saw many years ago about a man who had died and met an angel. The question was, "Is this angel taking me to heaven or hell?" Our image of heaven is that place and state of perfection. The man is questioning the angel trying to figure out where he is going. He is telling the angel how he was very active in his life, loving the outdoors and all the activities that go with it. Finally they come to a door and they stop outside, and the angel says, "Here is the room in which you will be spending eternity." You can see the tension on his face as he opens the door and walks into a library. The look of dejection comes over him as he realizes he has been assigned to a life in hell. But, as the angel turns to leave, he says, "You know, it is interesting. There is a room just like this up there," as he points toward heaven. So we see what is perfect for one person can be another's hell. So what can we say about perfection and living the perfect day?

Now I must admit, as I sat down to write this sermon, I had just returned from a week's vacation, part of which was spent at Rocky Point, Mexico, at the beach. It was easy for me to picture the perfect day. A good book, a comfortable chair sitting on the beach with a gentle breeze blowing off the ocean is by far the perfect day. At least for awhile. I surely wanted to stay when the time came to return, but I wondered if I would tire of the routine. Probably, but it would be wonderful getting to that point.

The question of a perfect day arises in one of Mitch's visits to Morrie as he realizes he has not seen Morrie physically healthy since his days at college, some 16 years ago. So he asks Morrie, if he could receive 24 hours of full health, how would he spend it? What would be his perfect day? The question truly reflects the issue of priorities in our lives that I raised last sermon. What are the things that are so special that you would love the chance to experience them again? Mitch is ready to hear things like, "I would get up early and fly to Paris for breakfast. After breakfast I would zoom to Venice for a romantic gondola ride, lunch and off to London for dinner and a show." But he is surprised by Morrie's response. Let's hear about Morrie's perfect day.

Play video clip from Tuesdays with Morrie.

Mitch is shocked. How could Morrie, after all those months of lying around unable to move, find perfection in such an average day? It is the key to living life to the fullest. It is the words of the Psalmist, "This is the day that the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it." Everyday is a gift from God. Where do we spend most of our life? In the living of the everyday: in our work, our play, with our family and friends.

As I stated earlier, the question addresses the real priorities of living our lives. What is so precious in my life now that it would be devastating to lose it? After my last sermon, I had several people come to me and tell me how they made a decision to do something they had not done before, or had been procrastinating about. Actually, the one I loved the most was a woman who is in her 90's say she was leaving for Paris in a couple of weeks. And she was flying there all be herself. I had another man say, you know I have never taken my grandsons fishing. I guess I better call and set it up. Another woman said, "My daughter called and asked me and my husband to hike with them through a picturesque canyon. We have told her no for the last two years she has asked. But after your sermon, we said 'Yes.' You better be right." But the good news is I listened to my own words. Rocky Point was wonderful, but mainly because it was shared with Nancy, Rachel, Sarah, and Nancy's parents. The location was fun, but it was the family and the love that made it special. When we came home, I arranged a golf weekend with my sons. It was a sacred time.

People sometimes ask, "What do you as pastors do on Sundays when you are on vacation?" Most of the time we go to church. I want to tell you this past Sunday, I went golfing and I had a wonderfully holy time. There is a wonderful joke that I was reminded of this weekend. A pastor sneaks out on the golf course one Sunday morning instead of going to church. So God punishes him. The pastor gets a hole in one. Someone asks, "Well how is that a punishment?" The response is, "Who can he tell?" On Sunday, I want you to know I made the longest putt in history. I was in the middle of the fairway, some 120 yards away from the green. I took my 9 iron and bladed it, meaning I hit a line drive toward the green that looked like a stone skipping over a pond. Just before it got to the green it slowed to a roll, went up onto the green and rolled right into the cup for an eagle 2. It was perfect! And I am going to tell the world. I know God would want me to share this good news with you all.

My point is, the moment that was perfect was being with two people who are central to my life and being. The putt, shank, eagle was secondary to the time spent with those I love. That is what made it perfect. My favorite day is when my family gathers at my home for a picnic or a birthday party. To be with my wife, my kids, my grandkids, enjoying my moments with them is a perfect day. There are many activities that can change that keeps life interesting and fun. But it is in the simplicity of the day and the love that it holds that we find the perfection of the day. I believe that is what Jesus is saying in his words read from the Gospel of John today. In walking with me, you receive my love, a love I received from my Father. It is the love that he later says leads to receiving the joy of life. It is a love that is with us every moment of every day.

Many years ago I read a book entitled, Zen And The Art Of Motorcycle Maintenance. It is a book about our attitude of living life. The author likened life to the way we climb a mountain. He said that most people will climb a mountain with their eyes always on the summit, or the goal. Life is measured by saying, "If I stay the course, if I do not waver, someday I will achieve what I want." How close am I getting to my goal? It was my dad hating his job saying someday I will retire and move to Florida and then I will be happy. But, the author says, if this is the way we climb, the way we live, we miss the beauty that is all around us as we make the climb. We do not see, or take the time to enjoy the beautiful flowers along the path. We do not stop and enjoy the view from the vantage point we are experiencing at the moment. He says that we get so focused on the goal, that we forget to enjoy the journey. It is like saying that most of our days are spent to bring us short moments of success and enjoyment. Then we must find another mountain to climb, with another goal that will allow us to feel enjoyment when we reach the summit. I remember at my graduation for my Master of Divinity Degree that my first words were, "Next stop doctorate." Someone said, "Why don't you take just a little while to enjoy what you just accomplished? Bask in this moment of success and be happy with what you have achieved." I was so focused on my summit, I forgot to enjoy the beauty, the perfection of the moment I was in.

I believe what Morrie is trying to tell Mitch, what the Psalmist is trying to tell the Israelites, what Jesus is trying to tell his disciples is, "This is the day that the Lord has made. Rejoice and be happy in it. It has all the makings of being perfect." This is a day you share with others, rejoice in those moments you share together. Love is a gift from God passed onto you, receive it and share it with others. Jesus says this love is the source of my joy, and the source that makes your joy complete. This is a day filled with hope, wonder and awe. Look for it and embrace it. This is a day where you can make a difference. Do it. The perfectness of the day is not necessarily found in some special activity as much as it is found in enjoying the journey. It is found living fully the moment you are in, and enjoying the moment of life with the one you are sharing it with. I hope the rest of your day is perfect.

Sermon delived by Rev. George Cushman on March 25, 2007.