Here are the rough notes from this morning's worship message: we shall see!
The sanctioned and appointed
readings for this day – the Third Sunday in the season of Advent – invite,
implore and encourage us to “Rejoice in the Lord.” St. Paul was adamant when he
wrote to the aspiring Christians of Philippi:
Rejoice in the Lord – in all ways –
rejoice. Let me say it again: rejoice. Let your
gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Do not worry about anything, but in
everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be
made known to God. And
the peace of God, which surpasses all under-standing, will guard your hearts
and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally,
beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is
pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence
and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Keep on doing the things that you have
learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be
with you.
A great number of
people are having a rough go at honoring this text in hundreds of churches and
communities all across the United States this week because they are
afraid. Afraid and angry – afraid and
manipulated – afraid and confused. Not only are some religious and political
leaders fanning the flames of xenophobia and religious hatred in America, they
are insisting that their own personal uncertainties and loathing are somehow at
the core of authentic American Christianity, too. In a word, they are conflating their own
odious opinions for the gospel of God’s grace made known to us in the birth,
life, death and ascension of Jesus the Christ.
Take Franklyn Graham – Billy
Graham’s son and heir apparent – who this week regularly tweeted to his
followers that what American Muslims believe, represent a frightening evil that
is tearing apart the security and future of our nation. Consider Jerry Falwell, Jr. –
current president of the largest Southern Baptist University in the USA and son
of the Moral Majority’s founder – who not only encouraged students at Liberty
University to carry concealed weapons with them to class and in their dorms, but
is on record as saying: “I’ve always thought, if
more good people had concealed-carry permits then we could end those Muslims
before they walked in killing ... Let's teach them a lesson if they ever show
up here!"
And then, Lord have mercy, there is
Donald Trump: current front-runner in
the pack of those vying for the Republican nomination to be President in 2016 –
who is a showman, multi-millionaire, self-acknowledged Evangelical believer in
Jesus Christ and master manipulator of the media – who just last week announced
that: The US should ban all Muslims from
entering our nation until we better under-stand who they are and why they are
coming here. And his stated reason is that so many Muslims are committed to
jihad. He had already called for
surveillance of US mosques, a prohibition of Syrian refugees and the
registration into a national database of all who practiced Islam as a religion.
And now he is advocating that ALL Muslims be kept outside of our borders.
Small wonder that bastion of
political progressive ideology, the NY Daily News, ran a front page attack
editorial stating: When Trump came for the Mexicans I did not speak out because
I was not Mexican – and when he came for the Muslims, I did not speak out
because I was not a Muslim… Those words are, of course, a
satirical restatement of a poem written by the Nazi era German pastor, Martin
Niemoller, who began as a supporter of Adolf Hitler back in 1933. But as Hitler not only became more aggressive
– and broke more of his promises to the German Church – Niemoller abandoned
ship only to find himself arrested by the Nazis in 1937. After he was fined and
set free, he was recaptured by Himmler’s Gestapo and held in the Sachsenhausen and Dachau concentration camps from
1938 to 1945. During this time he came
to terms with how his own fears and the anxiety of his nation allowed him to
compromise his faith and betray his deepest values. In the early 1950’s, Pastor Niemoller
summarized his reality like this:
First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak
out—
Because I was not a Socialist.
Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak
out—
Because I was not a Trade Unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak
for me.
We know that they came for the homosexuals and gypsies, the
intellectually and physically challenges people, too – and no one spoke out
because they were not homosexuals or gypsies of those with intellectual or
physical challenges. Eleven million
people were murdered in the Holocaust – 1 million were Jewish children – and no
one spoke out because…
People of God, I exercise extreme caution when speaking
about politics – not because religion and politics don’t mix – they clearly do. Religion is about how we
live into are most precious values and politics is how we get things done in
the real world. So I’m not afraid of having discussions about the interface of
religion and politics nor am I one who thinks you should never the political
realm during worship. The Pope does it
all the time. The African-American and Evangelical churches, too.
Yes, I DO believe that worship must
always be directed towards God rather than just ourselves and our limited
perspectives. And YES I choose to be circumspect
rather than promiscuous when it comes to talking about the mostly frivolous and
petty irritants that take up so much time and space in most of our politics. And YES, YES, YES I have NO interest
in narrowly defined partisan politics. I
un-registered myself from
either of the dominant political parties five years ago so that I could be free
from any hint of impropriety when it comes to advocating for the common good
from the pulpit.
So I don’t call out Mr. Trump – or
his theological minions in the church – lightly. Most of the time, I watch
their shenanigans from the sidelines and shake my head in disappointment
knowing that this, too shall pass. But
we have now arrived at a moment in America that has been long in the
making. 45 years ago Richard Nixon and
his administrative staff hatched a scheme known as “the Southern strategy” that
has been the political play book for politics in the USA. And, to one degree or
another, it has been a winning strategy for the likes of Ronald Reagan as well
as Presidents Bush I and II. It has
fomented racial fears. It has played race against race, male against female,
and urban American against the rural South.
Lee Atwater, political strategist
for George Bush, put it like this in a death bed confession shortly before cancer
took him from this realm: we played the
race card to win – we played the fear card to win – we played the hatred and
class card to win… and now I ask God’s forgiveness. You see, as long as the political
Brahmans of either party were in control of the nominating process, they could
keep the crazies under control. Yes, George Wallace frightened the life out of
the big money leaders of the Democratic Party back and Pat Buchanan spooked the
Republicans, too.
But there was not a snowball’s
chance in hell they would ever get the nomination. Because back in the day, the old boys – and
later to a much lesser degree the old girls – kept a lid on playing the fear
cards so that exorbitant racism and religious demagoguery could be held in
check. It was the dirty little secret of
the late 20th century and it worked after Lyndon Johnson let the
genie out of the bottle and signed the Civil Rights Act of 1965.
But those days are over – and now
the parties don’t control the process – those with the most money call the
shots. Rich candidates can buy all the media time they want. They can put as
many legislators in their pockets as they can bankroll. And there is very
little political, religious or social accountability in place to slow them
down. Today we have a situation where,
as Bob Dylan once sang in 1965, “money doesn’t talk – it swears.” It corrupts.
It pollutes. And it creates a dangerous political environment that is being
exploited because of domestic terrorism, the explosion of Islamic refugees
fleeing Syria and the rise of ISIS or more appropriately the forces called
da’esh in what was formerly Iraq. Now,
what was once a carefully manufactured strategy of fear, has become normative.
What was once an ugly minority
report in American history has become the driving engine of the status
quo. If you know our legacy well, you
will recall a repulsive story called the No Nothing Movement that discriminated
in the 1850s against the Irish, exacerbated fear of and discrimination toward
European Roman Catholics, exploited Chinese immigrants in California after
being brought into the US to build the railroad, and engaged in acts of
violence when intimidation failed. You may also recall the rise of the
Klan at the turn of the 20th century that influenced movie making, a new wave
of lynching and race hating and guided the political career of Presidents and
Supreme Court judges. In addition to our blessings, we have a long history of
going overboard when ordinary people grow anxious and mean-spirited politicians
manipulate both white working class racism and the economic insecurities of the
unemployed.
But what does any of this have to do with Advent? Or the birth of Jesus?
Or rejoicing in the Lord always? Well,
according to St. Luke’s gospel, we’re told that before the Lord began a public
ministry, the last Old Testament prophet was sent to prepare the way of the
Lord. John the Baptist was called to
wake people up that something new was about to happen - something bold and
liberating- some- thing to do with bearing fruit that befits repentance. Remember that repentance is really
NOT about piety and trivial morality as is so often the case in American
religion. Rather repentance is all about changing directions – realizing we’re
going down the wrong path – and getting right with God.
And John is clear about what that
looks like: he doesn’t much care about our theology – or ideas – or creed. No, if
somebody has a NEED, he tells us help them with it. If they need a coat and you
have two, what? SHARE! If you are
charged with a political or military office, what? DON’T EXPLOIT THE
PEOPLE! Don’t spread violence either –
spread peace – make the pathways straight so that ALL people might rejoice in
the blessings of God. And THAT – challenging selfishness,
calling out fear-mongering, offering a clear and visible alternative to
violence – is ONE of the ways we rejoice in the Lord. Like the Bible says: rejoice in the Lord always and in ALL
ways! Bear fruit that befits repentance,
beloved: cut away – prune – discard
those attitudes, behaviors, political agendas and bigotries that increase fear
and hatred. How did St. Paul summarize this?
Whatever
is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is
pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is
anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Keep on doing the things that you have
learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be
with you.
Part of rejoicing
in the Lord is making visible and clear Christ’s way of peace: the way of Trump
is not the way of Jesus. It is the way of Hitler. The way of the fear mongers
is not the way to Christmas, it’s the way to the concentration camps. The way
of the fruits of repentance is not to hide in dark and ugly bigotry, but to
bring everyone to the table so that ALL flesh may see and rejoice. We must be on record as standing
with those who have no voice. We must
make visible the alternative way of Jesus. We must express our values to our
legislators – over and over again. Because we’re all in this together. The silence of Nazi Germany speaks
volumes of what happens when people of good will remain quiet and passive. Our own history tells much the same story
albeit on a smaller scale. As Dr. King
made so clear:
When evil men
plot, good men must plan. When evil men burn and bomb, good men must build and
bind. When evil men shout ugly words of hatred, good men must commit themselves
to the glories of love. Where evil men
would seek to perpetuate an unjust status quo, good men must seek to bring into
being a real order of justice.
You see, we are
getting ready to celebrate the birth of Jesus – the heart of joy – the font of
forgiveness and grace. And he told that our lives will be judged in this life
and the next NOT by what political party we support. Not by what denomina-tion
we belong to nor what version of the Bible we like best. No, he said we will be
judged by how we treat the most vulnerable among us. Because, what so ever you
do unto one of these my sisters and brothers, you do unto me.
When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels
with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered
before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a
shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right
and the goats on his left. Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you
who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation
of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was
thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me
in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to
visit me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see
you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and
invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in
prison and go to visit you?’ The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of
the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
Most of us cannot adhere to this degree of compassion all
by ourselves. I know I can’t. Not only do we need God’s guidance and grace born
deep within, but we need allies - compassion compatriots – to encourage us when
we’re down and carry us when we need a break. We need one another. And this is another way we can rejoice in the
Lord always. The refugee faces of the
Lord Jesus are counting on us. The eyes of Jesus are looking out at us in hope
from within the American Muslims who are harassed or demonized by part of the
Christian family addicted to fear. We
have been called to show an alternative – we have been called to offer a holy
Christmas gift to those who are most in need.
So let me ask to do something for the Lord on Christmas Eve
as a way to rejoice in the Lord ALL ways:
if you know a person of another faith – if you know one who follows the
way of Islam or Judaism or Buddhism or even an atheist – would you ask them to join you here on Christmas Eve? Not to evangelize them. OMG no – and make that clear – we
honor and respect their tradition.
Tell them that 0n Christmas Eve 2015 at 7:00 pm, we are inviting people of good will – Jews and Muslims, believers and
atheists, Buddhists and Sikhs, Protestants and Catholics – to join with us on our
holiest night to raise a candle of hope against the current darkness. We will proclaim that Jesus did not come into the
world demanding conversion. He is not the only way into God’s gracious healing
and salvation. “In my Father’s house are many rooms…” There are many lights
that lead to the source of hope and healing – and now is the hour to make that
clear. Ask them to join you – and all of us – so that we
might pray together for a better way. A
compassionate way. A way saturated in
peace. Ask them to stand with you as a friend as together we raise a candle against the
darkness – all darkness – but especially the darkness of fear and hatred.
Now I don’t know if they’ll come: Christmas Eve is hard for a lot of people, but tell them we’re committed to the
cause of rejoicing in the Lord ALL ways. That we seek to honor and celebrate ALL people. That we repent of the way Christianity has been used to oppress and harm and we're trying to bear fruits that befit repentance. So we're willing to try to find a way
to stand in solidarity with one another. In our church. In our politics. In our
homes. And in our hearts.
For then we can rejoice in the Lord ALL ways...
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