A Year-Long Exploration of the Sermon on the Mount: Week 23

Chapter 23 – Love of Enemy

 

One of the two most important commandments that God gives to us through Jesus is to love our neighbours as ourselves. It is the divine instruction that our entire lives as Christians ought to be based upon. And it really shouldn’t be that hard to do. But it is, isn’t it?

 

Loving someone you like is easy. Your parents, maybe? Or your siblings? Other members of your family? Your best friend? That neighbour you like? These can all be easy people to love. But what about that kid who teased you in school? Or your bully? Or that one person who always needs to be the center of attention? Or how about the stranger you meet in the street? Or the homeless person? Or someone of a different culture than you?

 

Both lists are endless. It is human nature to find it easier to love those who are like you than to love those who are different from you. It is easier to keep hating someone, than to start loving them. It is certainly hard to love someone who hates you.

 

Martin Luther King Jr states, “hate for hate only intensifies the existence of hate and evil in the universe…The strong person is the person who can cut off the chain of hate.” (p. 143) The easy path is to seek revenge on another person rather than to seek reconciliation.

 

That said, reconciliation takes both parties but there’s no rule that states you can’t love the other person, allowing yourself to heal while working on everything external. King also states that, “love has within it a redemptive power. And there is a power there that eventually transforms individuals.” (p 145) Love leads to transformation; hate stalls it - whether in yourself or in others.

 

God, through Jesus, calls us to be people of love. And sometimes that means loving our enemies as much, maybe more so, than ourselves or our neighbours. Because, in the end, we are all neighbours to each other, connected to one another simply by the fact that we are all human.

Let There Be Peace! A Sermon for the 4th Sunday After Pentecost

Photo by Steve Johnson on pexels.com

May only truth be spoken, and truth received. Amen.

In the first century of the Common Era, the Roman Peace was the promise of peace through the conquest of lands. Roman armies traveled from place-to-place conquering smaller powers and ushering in protection and hopes for prosperity in exchange for tribute and obedience. The spoils of their campaigns brought material and cultural wealth to the Roman center, while leaving the townspeople in the subject lands to pay the price.

 

Starting with a small circle of twelve disciples which, in today’s Gospel reading, has now become seventy, Jesus instructs his followers to go from town to town to “share in peace” with whatever household they enter. What is this peace that Jesus instructs his apostles to proclaim? It is not a peace won on the backs of commoners and soldiers, it is not a peace reserved for the wealthy at the expense of the elite, nor a peace through destruction or death. The peace that Jesus’ apostles bring to each town is the peace of life.

 

But this was no starry-eyed expedition expecting universal interest and welcome. Jesus talks about the cities and homes that will welcome them, and about those that will not. They will not have been the only travelers on the road who had to rely on the hospitality of people who did not know them. The Seventy join the people who travel without resources, a group of wanderers and refugees, of aimless people, and people who have a definite goal, whether it is asylum or escape or a chance to earn money to support the family at home. There have always been such people on the road, then and now, and they have always met with both hospitality and hostility. And now the Seventy learn what that does to a person.

 

Sometimes, the common lectionary omits lines that someone doing the editing felt were unimportant. A lot of the time, the lines omitted are genealogies or mundane facts. But today, a line was omitted that I think is important for today’s lesson. Verse 12 says: “I tell you, on that day it will be more tolerable for Sodom than for that town.” Now why does Jesus bring up the city of Sodom?

 

We all know the story of Sodom and Gomorrah from the book of Genesis. Throughout Jewish Scripture, with echoes also in Christian Scripture, Sodom and Gomorrah are remembered as examples of horrifying destruction, cities destroyed because the people were sinful and therefore God destroyed the cities. That’s a simplified telling of the story, but my point is that most people erroneously identify the sin of Sodom and Gomorrah as one of sodomy, of sexual misbehavior. But, in truth, their sin was one of inhospitality. Both Isaiah and Ezekiel identify the sin of Sodom as refusing to defend widows and orphans and not helping those in need. According to these prophets, the depravity of the city of Sodom showed itself in their refusal to offer hospitality to the travelers who came to them needing shelter. Instead of feeding and protecting these visitors, they demanded to be allowed to do some not-so-nice things to them. Isaiah and Ezekiel say that by loving religious ritual instead of caring for the poor and powerless, the people of God demonstrated deep depravity. Throughout Scripture the consistent analytic is clear: the real quality of a people is revealed by how they welcome travelers without resources.

 

In the households who do receive them and among the towns in which they reside, the disciples spread Jesus’ healing power, proclaiming the word of God. And it is significant that the only specific instruction given by Jesus to the seventy is to heal the sick. Increasingly for Christians today, the ministry of healing is strong and widespread. There is a realization that in a frantic and tense and fearful world, the strength of the Christian faith can bring healing to the lives of individuals, a renewed sense of peace. Peace is, and always has been, a catchword in politics. Everyone wants peace. No one (or, at least, only a small minority) wants conflict. And yet our world is ridden with conflict. Wars waged in the name of peace. Low-income homes leveled in gentrified neighborhoods for the sake of prosperity. Treaties are broken and religions demonized for the illusions of security and independence.

 

The Roman Peace was a great and glorious time for the elite few. For the rest of the world, it was a time of fear and trial. There are voices in our world who, for example, want to “make America great again”. Others are claiming a desire for reconciliation with Indigenous People but are not following their words with actions. For example, of the 94 calls to action from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, a measly 13 have been proven to be completed. These movements will, without a doubt, benefit elite subsets in each nation. But, as Christians, we are called not to ask whether we will be on the side that benefits from or suffers from this imposed greatness. Rather, we are called to ask how to serve the only Great One, who sends us “like lambs into the midst of wolves” to bring a different kind of peace.

 

God’s peace is a peace founded on life, rather than death. On relationship, rather than enmity. On engaging in and accepting mutual hospitality, rather than building walls of division. Today’s generation of Christians are called to a ministry of healing, both in individual lives as well as in social and political situations.

 

Luke’s passage ends with the Seventy being surprised that they were able to heal others. But Jesus wasn’t surprised. He had faith in his followers then, just as he has faith in us now. While the road may be paved in hostility, let us be the ones to be hospitable to the visitor, the ones to bring healing to the people and to our nation. Do this, and “rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”

Amen.

So Long, Farewell

Photo by Joyston Judah on www.pexels.com

This month, I contributed to an article for the Rupert's Land News that gives me a chance to say goodbye to the diocese that formed me. You can find it on their website by clicking here. I’ve also included the text below:

It is an interesting time in both my life and in the life of the Diocese right now. At the time I am writing this story, we are in the process of electing a new bishop, and I am 8 weeks from moving from Winnipeg, a place I was born and raised, to North Cowichan, BC to begin a new step on my pastoral journey.

It’s hard to imagine that I began my relationship with the Diocese of Rupert’s Land over 17 years ago. For those of you in the know, I’m looking at you St. George’s Transcona, that means my oldest child is almost 17 years old. Where on earth did the time go? A lot has changed for me over all that time, and being part of this diocese has been an important piece of my growth as a person and as a priest.

My journey began with a chance meeting of a priest in training — a friend of a friend. I had been struggling with my faith for years and decided on a whim to attend this priest’s church. Why? Because I had never heard of women being priests before, let alone one who rode a motorcycle, and so I was immediately intrigued. I think the most appealing part, right from the beginning, was that they allowed me to return to the church slowly, at the pace that worked for me. That is a lesson that I carry in my heart and pass on to my parishes. While it is important to have people come in the door, it is just as important to let them grow at their own pace and not to try and get them to join vestry, or any other committee, on their first day.

What I received at St. George’s Transcona was also provided to me through the Diocese of Rupert’s Land — a chance to grow as a person of faith, as a person of the collar, and as a person on the whole. I acknowledge that this diocese still has a long way to go, but I honestly feel as if it has grown alongside of me. Whenever I tell me story of coming out as transgender to Bishop Don, people are pleasantly surprised to hear that, rather than barriers, he extended me his full support. Most importantly, he allowed me to continue my pursuit of becoming an Anglican priest.

While people have told me of different experiences in various dioceses, the Diocese of Rupert’s Land has accepted me for who I am. At least, those who don’t have kept quiet about it. I have been allowed to experience all levels of diocesan government right from a lay member of diocesan council up to a clerical representative at General Synod. I have helped organize events, facilitate workshops, and head committees. I have learned so much from the people, lay and clergy, in this diocese, and I have gained plenty of experience. The Diocese of Rupert’s Land has helped to shape me into the person I am today.

While I want to express my gratitude   and pen a farewell letter to everyone I’ve connected with through the diocese, I also have a piece of advice to offer regarding a common question nowadays : why should I go to church? Well, if I hadn’t gone to church 17 years ago, where would I be today? Stepping through the doors of St George’s Transcona all those years ago changed who I was; it  changed the direction of my life. I don’t know if I would have regained my faith if that wonderful church hadn’t opened its doors to me. I truly think if that chance meeting hadn’t happened, I never would have rekindled my relationship with God, and I certainly would never have heard the call to spread the Gospel to others, with or without the collar.

Going to church is like going to the gym. You go to the gym to work out your body, get yourself into shape, and increase your bodily health. Going to church is a workout for your spirit, a place to get it into shape and increase your spiritual health. You go to church to reconnect with God and renew your relationship with Jesus. We falter throughout our lives, losing our way, let our faith slip. We are only human after all. But going to church is how we reset our mind, our soul, and our spirit. Through the prayers, liturgy, ritual, and hymns, we can return to God and strengthen our faith.  Church is also where you go to find a community of people who can enrich your spiritual life. It is a place full of people wanting to talk about Jesus and wanting to experience a life of faith together.

Is that why I went to church 17 years ago? Not consciously, but something inside pulled me to church. I stayed because I found what I didn’t know I was looking for — spiritual peace. I’m still here because I want to share what I found with others.

So, as I pack my life up to head west, I have nothing but fondness and love for the people who helped me start my journey, the people who supported me along the way, and a diocese that gave me ample opportunity to flourish.

So long. Farewell. Goodbye. Until we meet again.

In Relationship with the Holy Trinity: A Sermon for Holy Trinity Sunday

May only truth be spoken, and truth received. Amen.

The Easter season has come to an end. Jesus has done his teachings, he has shown himself to the disciples, and the Holy Spirit has come upon us. Now, we are being sent out into the world to spread the Good News of God, Jesus, and Holy Spirit.

 

Trinity Sunday is a time to focus on the Christian doctrine of the Trinity, the teaching that there is one God in three Persons – God, Jesus, and Holy Spirit. The Triune God is one the fundamental theologies of the Christian faith, and it is the ultimate mystery. Take a moment and think about how you would explain to someone how the Almighty can both singular and triune? It’s not easy. Not by a long shot. And trying to separate the entities doesn’t help. God and Jesus might be easy enough to describe, but the Holy Spirit?

 

Several years ago, I taught a Lenten series and in week two the group discussed the Holy Trinity. It was quite the discussion as we talked about what the Trinity is, why it is a difficult concept to understand, and to try and define or describe the Holy Spirit. There were references to God with us versus above us, there was discussion around whether Jesus was human or divine, and there was a lot of confusion surrounding the essence of the Holy Spirit. Lots of talking and debating was done that day and when there was a pause in the conversation, after prayerfully listening to what everyone had been saying, I told the group my vision of the Holy Trinity. It really struck a chord with the group and so I have held it close to me and shared it wherever possible.

 

My image of the Holy Trinity is simple, but it’s powerful to me. God and Jesus stand beside me, one on either side and facing each other, as if they were my walls of solidarity. The Holy Spirit surrounds me in a circle of protection, like a blanket or the arms of a hug. I do not see myself as below the Holy Trinity, as if God and Jesus are somewhere up in the sky looking down on me. I am in the middle of the Trinity; they surround me as I live my life, like my own personal protectors. The Trinity is with me, always.

 

So how would you describe the Holy Trinity?

 

Has your image of the Trinity changed over time?

 

The Holy Trinity is not something tangible, something that you could draw on a piece of paper and say that it is an exact image. Everyone will imagine the Trinity, will experience the Trinity, in a different way. It is an extremely personal experience. But when we trust in our image of the Trinity, things happen. And because it is God, our experience of the Trinity will never be as we expect it to be.

 

The Trinity is not something we believe in because it describes God. It is not something to be studied and understood. The Trinity is something to be experienced, and ultimately it is found in our relationship with God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. Particularly as we – ourselves, our congregations, our communities – seek to move into a future that aligns more closely with what we believe deep in our heart God wants for us – a right relationship with not only God, but also one another.

 

And there is no path forward if we don’t make room for working to create space for intentional and genuine relationships with people who are different from us – culturally, in faith, in gender, in race. We recognize that harm is being done in the world, and we are demanding a better future. We recognize that there is system of racism in our country, in the justice and policing systems, everywhere. Therefore, there are demands for systemic changes. We recognize that the world is burning because we are not caring for creation in the way we ought to have, therefore there are demands for climate change action. We recognize that we have failed in our human relationships causing pain, trauma, and even death to those on the margins. Therefore, there are demands for human rights laws and protections.

 

But nothing, in the end, will change if we are not drawn into genuine, concrete, actual relationships with persons from communities beyond our experience or comfort. Because just as we know and struggle to name God through our actual experience of God active in our lives, so also, we can only know and appreciate and love and be changed by others in and through actual relationships.

 

This is the long road to not merely social change but a vision and reality of community that more closely matches God’s dreams for us and God’s own existence as a relational being. Holy Trinity Sunday is about revealing the relational being of God. Theologians have been trying for eons to explain the Trinity, this mysterious 3-in-1, but within the mystery lies relationship. There is a closeness in God, an intimate relationship where each one knows the mind of the others, where each is inseparable from the others. God, Jesus, and the Spirit are one. This closeness, this relationship is an example for us. Jesus called his disciples to follow as a group, and sent them out two by two, not alone. The Spirit called more people to join, and so the church began.

 

We were never meant to follow Jesus alone. Whenever life of faith has been challenging, the people of God have gathered together to break bread, to pray, and to encourage one another – and to dream of better things. So, we too, two thousand years later, continue to gather together, to share stories and meals, to pray and to ponder. We gather in our congregations, but also as dioceses and as the national church to pray and discern, to listen to the nudges of the Spirit, to find the way forward together.

 

We have Jesus’s promise that we will never be alone. God remains faithful through the changing world, and the changing church. The Holy Spirit continues to guide us to truth – one step at a time. The Trinity is with us, always.

 

Amen.

Resources

workingpreacher.org

Reverend Elina Singh, Assistant to the Bishop, BC Synod

A Year-Long Exploration of the Sermon on the Mount: Week 22

Chapter 22 – Overcoming Evil

 

Last week we leaned into a discussion around “an eye for an eye.” This week we continue into Matthew 5:39-42 and explore “turn the other cheek”, moving from the law of equals to the topic of public humiliation.

 

Matthew 5:39 says, “If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other cheek also.” This is a very popular saying, even though plenty might not realize it’s from the bible. “Turn the other cheek” is usually interpreted as letting it go, be the bigger person, and things like that. However, when looking at Jewish scriptures, it means a whole lot more than simply ignoring what has happened and walking away. In verses 40-41, Jesus goes on to mention giving up the shirt off your back, going the extra mile, and lending what you have to those in need. I’m sure these are all familiar sayings, or at least notions, within popular culture. Although, I will admit that it feels as if we do these less and less. But I digress.

 

According to Levine and Brettler in The Bible With and Without Jesus,

“The three examples Jesus gives, regarding the slap, the suit, and the subjugation, together reveal their import: do not escalate violence; do not give up your agency; shame your attacker and retain your honour. As with the other inunctions in this section, his concern is correct community relations, rejection of violence, honesty to others, and acting mercifully and justly as God would.” (p. 202)

 

All of these notions have become so ingrained into our social culture that we’ve forgotten their original meaning and purpose. As I mentioned above, turning the other cheek means more that ignoring what happened and moving on. Assuming the person is right-handed, a slap on the right cheek would equate a backhanded slap, saved usually for masters to slaves or soldiers to peasants. Hitting someone on the left cheek would be a fully open-handed slap designed to humiliate the person, giving them the choice only to fight back or cower.

 

Similarly, giving up one’s coat is meant to signify more than simply generosity, and going the extra mile demands much more than making an extra effort.

 

Footnote: “The Bible With and Without Jesus” by Amy-Jill Levine and Marc Zvi Brettler. Published by Harper Collins Publishers in 2020. The discussion above is found in pages 202-203.

A Review of the Book "The Bible With and Without Jesus" by Amy-Jill Levine and Marc Zvi Brettler

Title: The Bible With and Without Jesus

Author: Amy-Jill Levine and Marc Zvi Brettler

Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers

Year: 2020

426 pages

From the Back: Esteemed Bible scholars Amy-Jill Levine and Marc Zvi Brettler take readers on a guided tour of numerous Hebrew Bible stories referenced in the New Testament, revealing a deeper understanding of the texts' historical and literary significance, helping all readers to see more clearly the beauty and power of scripture.

Personal Thoughts: Reading about Jesus from a Jewish perspective has always fascinated me, and I really appreciate having been introduced to the writings of Amy-Jill Levine. In this particular book, she works with Marc Zvi Brettler to explore various pieces of the bible, concentrating on those stories where Christians tend to believe the original story is now "erased" because of the arrival of Jesus Christ. The book is an excellent reminder that Jesus comes from a Jewish background and that what he brought with him was an expansion of the original Hebrew texts, not a cancellation.

    Levine and Brettler's writing is quite easy to understand, making difficult topics easy to read and enjoy. They are not making attempts to turn a person either Jewish or Christian, but from either perspective, this book gives you a chance to explore the depth of your faith and all of the intricacies of the Bible. I highly recommend The Bible With and Without Jesus. I've even already used it as a reference in other writings!

The Holy Spirit Shakes Things Up: A Sermon for the Day of Pentecost

May only truth be spoken, and truth received. Amen.

Today, we are celebrating the Day of Pentecost where we commemorate the Holy Spirit being poured out on the disciples in Jerusalem after the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Many Christians mark this date as the beginning of the Christian Church as we know it.

 

Pentecost comes from a Jewish harvest festival called Shavuot. The apostles were celebrating this festival when the Holy Spirit descended on them. It sounded like a very strong wind, and it looked like tongues of fire. Ministers in church often wear robes with red in the design as a symbol of the flames in which the Holy Spirit came to earth.

 

The apostles then found themselves speaking in foreign languages, inspired by the Holy Spirit. People passing by at first thought that they must be drunk, but the apostle Peter told the crowd that the apostles were full of the Holy Spirit.

 

A lot of sermons will be preached on the "reversal of Babel", or the reunification of God's people under one language. (Do you remember the story about Babel? God punished humans for not doing God's biding of populating the world by giving each other different languages so that they couldn't understand each other and then sent them out into the world in isolation from each other.) However, interpreters have moved away from the traditional views of sin and punishment and have begun to examine the story’s theme of cultural and linguistic origins. A new emphasis is being placed on the diversification of humanity after the flood.

 

It states quite clearly within the passage that the people are building the tower and city in order to stay in one place and to avoid being scattered around the earth. The story then becomes less about pride and more about the desire to preserve the cultural homogeneity of the human race. God’s response to humanity’s actions is to create the world’s cultures by introducing new languages and dispersing the people around the earth. God created us all differently, wanted us to experience life on earth differently from one another, and wants us to embrace our uniqueness.

 

Pentecost almost always falls in the month of June and, therefore, is almost always celebrated during Pride Month. It is interesting to me to think of these two events happening in concurrence. Celebrating Pride Sunday, Pride Week, and Pride Month is all about celebrating diversity. It is a month where the 2SLGBTQIA+ community gets to celebrate who we are, how we live, how we raise our families, and so on and so on. But it's more than just the parties and parades. It's about celebrating that we are still here even though the world doesn't seem to want us around.

 

As a transgender priest, celebrating the Day of Pentecost while celebrating Pride month reinforces the idea that the Holy Spirit was sent to us by God as a call to action. The word Jesus uses in John’s Gospel for Holy Spirit is Paraclete, a Greek word that means “to come alongside another”. The word is often translated as “comforter” but looking at the Pentecost texts, the Holy Spirit isn’t comforting anyone or anything. Instead, the Holy Spirit is shaking things up.

 

This is most pronounced in Acts. There’s nothing particularly comforting about the rush of a “violent wind,” let alone descending tongues of flame. And once the disciples take their new multi-lingual ability into the streets of Jerusalem, pretty much everyone who witnesses their activity is described as “bewildered,” “amazed”, and “astonished.” Again, the Spirit didn’t comfort anyone but instead prompted the disciples to make a very public scene with the troubling good news that the person the crowds had put to death was alive through the power of God.

 

The Holy Spirit is as much agitator as advocate, as much provocateur as comforter. Paraclete as the one who comes along side of us to encourage and equip us for the task of ministry is such a perfect name for the Holy Spirit. If we heed the word and work of the coming-along-side Holy Spirit, we will inevitably be pushed beyond what we imagine and end up stirring things up.

 

We tend to think of the Holy Spirit as the answer to a problem, but what if the Spirit’s work is to create for us a new problem: that we have a story to tell, mercy to share, love to spread, and we just can’t rest until we’ve done so! God sends the Paraclete, the one who comes along side us, to encourage, equip, strengthen, provoke and, at times, to comfort us so that we can get out there and do it all again. I’d even suggest that our job is to “come along side” other people to encourage and equip them as well.

 

We have all been joined by our Baptism into communities of faith that look for – and expect! – the Holy Spirit to come along side us and shake things up, preparing and equipping each and all of us to share the disruptive, surprising, and life-giving word of grace of the God who will not rest until all people enjoy abundant life.

 

So, on this Day of Pentecost, I encourage everyone to embrace the fiery winds of the Holy Spirit and allow her to push you in directions you may not want to go, to places you may not be comfortable being, but to places where you are needed. And on this month of Pride celebrations, God is calling you into action as a defender of God's creation that is full of diversity.

 

I want to close today’s sermon with a sonnet for Pentecost written by Malcolm Guite.

Today we feel the wind beneath our wings

Today the hidden fountain flows and plays

Today the church draws breath at last and sings

As every flame becomes a Tongue of praise.

This is the feast of fire, air, and water

Poured out and breathed and kindled into earth.

The earth herself awakens to her maker

And is translated out of death to birth.

The right words come today in their right order

And every word spells freedom and release

Today the gospel crosses every border

All tongues are loosened by the Prince of Peace

Today the lost are found in His translation.

Whose mother tongue is Love in every nation.

 

Amen.