Gospel text for Trinity Sunday 7 June 2020

Matthew 28:16-20        The eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.

Reflection       A voice with an accent foreign to us responds to our call for tech support and the thought that accompanies our rising impatience is, “Oh no.”  It is evening and we cross the street to avoid walking past a couple of dark skinned men. A man of color asks a white woman to leash her dog. Instead she calls 911 and accuses him of violating her. A police officer shoots an unarmed person of color because the officer believes this person threatens his life.

When biases and beliefs are translated into action, racism happens.  In spite of our best intentions,  regardless of our desire to be broadminded and open hearted, we stumble over unconscious biases or beliefs that people who do not look, talk, pray, eat or  vote like us are more likely to be dangerous or a threat to us.  Though we do not want to, we feel anxious around them and before we know it our unconscious beliefs or biases are translated into action and racism happens.

A heart rending conversation with a parishioner this week makes the point. I will call him James. James and his wife Sophia are white. They have two biological daughters and an adopted son whom I will call William. William is biracial, clearly of black heritage. Between semesters during his junior year in college William was home and asked his parents if he could drive their new Acura downtown to meet friends. James shuddered at the thought and proceeded to warn William. “If you are stopped by the police who are likely to wonder why a black skinned kid is driving such a nice car,  keep your hands on the steering wheel. Do not move quickly. Do not act smart. Be careful.” Here is the thing, James never felt fear when his white skinned daughters drove his Acura downtown and found no need to give them similar warnings. 

Racism happens not because we are bad but because throughout history (the telling and retelling of our human story from a particular perspective) we have grouped people according to perceived differences. These groupings support practices like colonialism, slavery, segregation, genocide, racial profiling and voter suppression. Each of these expressions of racism is based on deep seated and destructive bias or beliefs that certain groups of people are fundamentally different than others, not only different but in some sense inferior or with particular behavioral tendencies. 

It is hard to admit our biases and beliefs about groups of people. This not only applies to issues of race and ethnicity. Republicans, Democrats, Greens and Rainbows harbor disparaging beliefs about one another while maintaining a sense of their own moral or intellectual superiority. Let us be honest with ourselves. We are imprisoned by our biases and beliefs and when they are translated into action, as we see across our country today, all hell breaks loose.

What are we to do if blaming is not the answer? I must confess I have spent all week asking myself and consulting mentors. This is what I hear. Stop. Stop thinking you can fix it. Start listening. Listen to peoples experiences of race, gender, age, sexual orientation, disability and class discrimination. Allow yourself to be touched by their stories. Participate in honest discussions of these difficult topics. No need to be defensive. Admit you do not know.

Today I stand in utter unknowing. I have no idea how to lead through this violent wilderness. What I cling to is Jesus’ final promise to the disciples and us, “I am with you always, to the end of the age.” God is with us so let us have the courage to listen, to learn, to be touched and transformed into people who act consciously and conscientiously for the dignity and care of every single person. 

I just received an invitation from Bp Reddall for this evening. Please consider joining me tonight  attending the bishop’s online Vigil for the Dignity of Black Lives at 6:00 p.m. 

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Gospel text for Sunday, 22 September 2019

Luke 16:1-13        Jesus said to the disciples, "There was a rich man who had a manager, and charges were brought to him that this man was squandering his property. So he summoned him and said to him, `What is this that I hear about you? Give me an accounting of your management, because you cannot be my manager any longer.' Then the manager said to himself, `What will I do, now that my master is taking the position away from me? I am not strong enough to dig, and I am ashamed to beg.

 I have decided what to do so that, when I am dismissed as manager, people may welcome me into their homes.' So, summoning his master's debtors one by one, he asked the first, `How much do you owe my master?' He answered, `A hundred jugs of olive oil.' He said to him, `Take your bill, sit down quickly, and make it fifty.' Then he asked another, `And how much do you owe?' He replied, `A hundred containers of wheat.' He said to him, `Take your bill and make it eighty.' And his master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly; for the children of this age are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than are the children of light. And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of dishonest wealth so that when it is gone, they may welcome you into the eternal homes.

"Whoever is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much; and whoever is dishonest in a very little is dishonest also in much. If then you have not been faithful with the dishonest wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches? And if you have not been faithful with what belongs to another, who will give you what is your own? No slave can serve two masters; for a slave will either hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.”

Reflection        As children of this age, when focused on things of this world, (reviewing our bank statement or portfolios, church finances, considering our basic survival needs), we generally switch gears and leap into action when we see the need to take care of business. But, as children of light is this also true when we assess the state of our spiritual life? When  we notice things that can turn us away from God and the love of God’s people, (an inordinate concern for our portfolios and bank statements, our power and privilege), are we as swift to take action to preserve the light?

What do we mean, preserve the light? I believe it is the light of consciousness open to receive and radiate Jesus’ Good News; “God is with and for all people and we are all meant to experience fullness of life.” But everywhere we turn we are assaulted with contrary messages; “You better protect yourself, take care of number one, sure up your resources because life is a zero sum game. There is only so much money to go around, there are limits to the amount of power and privilege available, so grab what you can and protect it.”  Fearing we will be left out or left behind, we leap into action, accumulate as much as possible and then worry about protecting our earthly assets with smart houses and corporate veils, electric fences, umbrella insurance and off shore accounts. 

Then in a twist we don’t see coming, Jesus commends the manager who rips off his rich master,  when the manager “acts shrewdly” to insure his own survival. What is going on here? Even though the unjust manager is reducing the debtors’ debt for his personal gain, he is using money to benefit his neighbors and establish friendships so they will “welcome him into their homes.“Ironically, this secures the unjust manager’s spiritual life because our spiritual life is all about relationships, not about protecting number one.

There is nothing inherently wrong with money or power or privilege. And yes, to some extent they do provide us with physical and social security. But, no amount of money, power or privilege puts us in right relationship with God. No superfund of resources can protect us from travail and ultimately, death. So, the question is, how are we using our resources? 

Are we fools who use our resources in an ill-fated effort to secure our physical and social security and consequently crash into a wall of our own making, an edifice of ‘stuff’ separating us from God and God’s people? Or, are we using our money, power and privilege to establish good will and cultivate community for the glory of God? Are we only children of the age or are we also children of the light?

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