I preached two versions of the sermon yesterday. The one I preached at 8:30 and 10:30 went over like a dud, so I changed some things up for the 4:30. Therefore, this is the 4:30 version.
+Nobody wants to consider what Jesus is ACTUALLY saying to the foreign woman in today’s Gospel.
Nobody wants to hear me say that Jesus was racist, that calling the woman a dog was akin to the worst racial slur anyone could utter.
That Jesus was elitist, presuming that his message of Love for All really did have exceptions….that Jesus was sure he was the Savior for the Chosen People---the Children of God---the Jews, but never even considered that what was meant by Loving Everyone Everywhere really meant EVERYONE and EVERYWHERE.
Jesus didn’t know that.
Jesus was exclusionary, bigoted and racist when he called the woman a dog. He was ignorant and so darn sure of himself.
This is not a stellar moment in his life. It’s shocking and really uncomfortable. But, you know what, it’s not the most stunning thing about this Gospel.
No the most stunning thing is the protagonist---the foreign born, non-Jewish woman. This mother has been demeaned, insulted, hated and all but spat upon by Jesus, but does she turn in shame and slink away, does she lash out in anger, does she beg?
Nope.
She pulls her self up and does the most astonishing thing of all---she teaches the teacher, she lectures him, she debates him, and then, in a glorious example of Jesus’ humanity, He listens. He learns. And then, he changes.
Many scholars now agree, this event was a significant turning point in Jesus’ life and ministry. Jesus was racist in his actions, the Syrophonecian woman wouldn’t back down, the little girl was healed, and Jesus? Well, He learned a thing or two. And he changed and he evolved. He who was lost was found.
The good news of this harsh, difficult to hear Gospel is this:
Even our Savior, even the messiah, even Jesus Christ, himself can learn. Even Jesus Christ can be wrong and through listening, change.
Can we?
The Presiding Bishop has asked us to, in conjunction with the African Methodist Episcopal Church, make today “Confession, Repentance and Commitment to End Racism Sunday.” This dictum from the national church came down on Tuesday, so none of us had much time to adjust our liturgies, but I know why they chose today….this reading is perfect for a Sunday devoted to ending Racism…
But not just because of Jesus’ behavior toward the Syro-Phonecian woman…no this reading is perfect for today ALSO because of the second story in the Gospel—that of the deaf and mute man whom Jesus heals with a little spit and a lot of prayer---
Now at first, this coupling of readings---the bigotry of the first and the straight out healing of the second---may seem a bit odd, but upon further reflection, I find it perfect. You see, no one ever told Jesus that he was only the savior for one particular group of people—the Jews---he just assumed it. When he said he was Love and he came to spread Love he I REALLY think He thought that meant all of the Jews not all of everyone, everywhere, always. It wasn’t that he was deliberately exclusionary, it’s that it never occurred to him that it could be any other way. That’s why this add-on reading about the deaf man is sooo cleaver. In this little “add on” story, Jesus opens the ears and loosens the tongue of the deaf man who could “barely talk.” With some spit on the man’s tongue His fingers in the man’s ears, Jesus says, “Ephphatha,” which quite literally means, “Open up,” and the man? He’s healed.
These two stories, one with Jesus being closed and the other with Jesus “opening” the man’s ears are connected through the actions of the Syrophonecian woman teaching Jesus the truth about his mission on earth. …that loving everyone always, everywhere, no exceptions really means EVERYONE. EVERYWHERE. ALWAYS. NO EXCEPTIONS.
We go from hateful speaking to hearing the truth.
Jesus was blind, but now he sees, Jesus was deaf but now he hears, Jesus was closed, but now he’s open.
Guess what? We’re all closed….we all have those situations where we lag behind in tolerance, where we jump to damning conclusions before really understanding, really hearing the truth of a situation. We all have fear of those different than us, we hesitate, we hold back, we resist. In some cases we out and out hate, in some cases we judge harshly, quickly and without all the data.
In some cases we assume to know the truth, we presume to know a truth only to be, like Jesus when it came to just who he was supposed to save, proven utterly and thoroughly wrong.
So what are we to do about our intolerance?
What are we to do about our racism, be it overt and more insidious?
What are we to do about the certainty that we are right?
What are we to do about the racism that infects our world, our nation, our churches, our cities, our towns, our neighborhoods, our homes and our hearts?
Well, I think the answer is right here, in these Gospel stories of today---I think we, like the desperate mother, need to avoid getting caught up in name calling and hate and, with dignity and integrity respect the dignity of all people, regardless of how they treat us.
---I think we, like the deaf and mute man, need Ephphatha, that is we need to be opened up to hear what those around us are saying. We need to loose our tongues and unstop our ears so that the truth of our mission---caring for everyone we encounter with justice and respect and dignity—can lead the way, and we can create a new love-filled kingdom right here on earth.
Because, for the third and I promise the last (at least for awhile) week in row, if not us, WHO? +
No comments:
Post a Comment