Amos: 5:12, 21-24
I know how many are your transgressions
and how great are your sins--
you who afflict the righteous, who take a bribe
and push aside the needy in the gate….
I hate, I despise your festivals,
and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies.
Even though you offer me your burnt offerings and grain offerings,
I will not accept them,
and the offerings of well-being of your fatted animals
I will not look upon.
Take away from me the noise of your songs;
I will not listen to the melody of your harps.
But let justice roll down like water
and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.
The struggle for racial and social equality has been ongoing for lifetimes – for hundreds of lifetimes – for centuries, at least. I could choose any block of time and find enough to talk about here for weeks – months -- years, but I specifically want to discuss what is happening in our world – right here, right now. Today.
There’s no avoiding it. A week or so ago it was a question of unlawful deportations. This week it has grown to possibly affect unquestionably legal US citizens. It may even affect some of us. “What happens when I can’t afford my medications?” Is the Social Security I’ve paid into all my life going to be there when I need It or will it have been “re-purposed" when I wasn’t looking?” The people around us are for it or against it – likely quite vocally. It’s all over the news and the internet. It is hailed by some and hated by others.
We all know parts of it. There’s no way we can avoid what is happening right now. By being among those who will potentially lose rights and money that we’ve always taken for granted – we’re involved. And like it or not, thinking of ourselves as “decent” people, and especially by virtue of belonging to a church called the “Christian” Church we are involved. By naming ourselves as followers of Jesus, we are specifically involved here.
In a recent discussion between author and podcast host Jen Hatmaker and Episcopalian Bishop Mariann Budde, the question was raised: “A lot in our country is being systematically dismantled right now, and we need to remain engaged, to protect what we can and rebuild what is lost. So, as Christians, what is the faithful task before us today?” Or as another clergy person I heard express it online, “What deep feeling, what embodied love is Jesus calling us to show – to be – right now?”
There are so many responses available for us. We can give up. We can be angry, that’s always an easy one. We can try talking with each other. We can just ignore what is happening until it affects us.
Then there are the community responses. If food shortage is the main problem facing people around us then we can stretch our own resources as far as we can to fill in the gaps. A group of similarly minded people can band together to pool resources. Neighborhood gardens can be an option. Chances are that many of you are already doing something like this. Some things may simply not be doable for individuals.
But if we are sincerely wanting to find that “what does Jesus ask of us?” answer, we can’t just take the easiest, most obvious choice. These look the simplest on paper, but in reality they involve the harder give-and-take on our part, because they involve actions like not only talking to each other but actually listening to each other.
Many are asking right now, “Why isn’t God doing anything to help us?” I remind us once again that God is not our fairy godmother with a magic wand. What if God is waiting for us to do something? Suffering does exist – so what can we do?
We can show up, we can resist. And we can remember that if evil exists, so does hope, and so does love – and these things exist through us. God is present in the form of love – through us – and love never leaves us alone*. Be with the innocent and pray for those we see as being guilty. And take whatever action helps.
“What is the faithful task before us right now?” Pray about that and then do it – to the best that is in your ability right now. Don’t take the easy response of rage. Rage is a cheap answer. Try to address whatever is the greatest need in front of you whether that is feeding someone or standing in a protest line. Vote whenever there is anything to vote on. Try to separate facts from lies. It won’t be easy but try to find out what is really being done.
And take time – lots of time – listening to God because that is where the answers to our questions always lie.
This prayer from Steven Charleston resonates with me:
Love will find a way. Whenever I face a really hard situation, I remember these simple words. They give me strength because they are true. Whatever we face, love will help us navigate it. I can testify to the truth of what I say, and I know I am not the only one.
There’s no avoiding it. A week or so ago it was a question of unlawful deportations. This week it has grown to possibly affect unquestionably legal US citizens. It may even affect some of us. “What happens when I can’t afford my medications?” Is the Social Security I’ve paid into all my life going to be there when I need It or will it have been “re-purposed" when I wasn’t looking?” The people around us are for it or against it – likely quite vocally. It’s all over the news and the internet. It is hailed by some and hated by others.
We all know parts of it. There’s no way we can avoid what is happening right now. By being among those who will potentially lose rights and money that we’ve always taken for granted – we’re involved. And like it or not, thinking of ourselves as “decent” people, and especially by virtue of belonging to a church called the “Christian” Church we are involved. By naming ourselves as followers of Jesus, we are specifically involved here.
In a recent discussion between author and podcast host Jen Hatmaker and Episcopalian Bishop Mariann Budde, the question was raised: “A lot in our country is being systematically dismantled right now, and we need to remain engaged, to protect what we can and rebuild what is lost. So, as Christians, what is the faithful task before us today?” Or as another clergy person I heard express it online, “What deep feeling, what embodied love is Jesus calling us to show – to be – right now?”
There are so many responses available for us. We can give up. We can be angry, that’s always an easy one. We can try talking with each other. We can just ignore what is happening until it affects us.
Then there are the community responses. If food shortage is the main problem facing people around us then we can stretch our own resources as far as we can to fill in the gaps. A group of similarly minded people can band together to pool resources. Neighborhood gardens can be an option. Chances are that many of you are already doing something like this. Some things may simply not be doable for individuals.
But if we are sincerely wanting to find that “what does Jesus ask of us?” answer, we can’t just take the easiest, most obvious choice. These look the simplest on paper, but in reality they involve the harder give-and-take on our part, because they involve actions like not only talking to each other but actually listening to each other.
Many are asking right now, “Why isn’t God doing anything to help us?” I remind us once again that God is not our fairy godmother with a magic wand. What if God is waiting for us to do something? Suffering does exist – so what can we do?
We can show up, we can resist. And we can remember that if evil exists, so does hope, and so does love – and these things exist through us. God is present in the form of love – through us – and love never leaves us alone*. Be with the innocent and pray for those we see as being guilty. And take whatever action helps.
“What is the faithful task before us right now?” Pray about that and then do it – to the best that is in your ability right now. Don’t take the easy response of rage. Rage is a cheap answer. Try to address whatever is the greatest need in front of you whether that is feeding someone or standing in a protest line. Vote whenever there is anything to vote on. Try to separate facts from lies. It won’t be easy but try to find out what is really being done.
And take time – lots of time – listening to God because that is where the answers to our questions always lie.
This prayer from Steven Charleston resonates with me:
Love will find a way. Whenever I face a really hard situation, I remember these simple words. They give me strength because they are true. Whatever we face, love will help us navigate it. I can testify to the truth of what I say, and I know I am not the only one.
- * Note: It wasn’t until I was delivering this message live in church Sunday and heard myself saying “God is present in the form of love – through us – and love never leaves us alone” – that I realized this line can be heard two different ways: “Love never leaves us alone” can mean “love never goes away from us and leaves us abandoned,” which is the meaning I intended when I wrote it – but it can also mean “when love calls us to do something or act in a certain way, love is going to keep on us until we do it, so we might as well listen the first time.”
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