There's a lot going on in today's
gospel. There's the issue of ownership and jealousy, the issue of
self-mutilation, the issue of leading people astray, and a comment
about salt. I want to focus on the first part of today's gospel –
that of ownership and jealously.
Last week I preached on John and
pointed out that he had a bad temper (wanting to call down thunder
and lightning to destroy a city) and was overly ambitious (asking
Jesus for a seat of authority). Today we also find out that he can
be possessive, jealous, and easily threatened. In short, he's a lot
like us. How many of us have experienced these feelings when we
perceive someone moving in on our territory? Or when we encounter
someone who really does know more than we do about our particular
area of expertise?
We all have those areas in which we
excel. We all have a group, or groups, of friends with whom we feel
comfortable. Oftentimes these parts of our lives make us feel
special or give us a feeling of worth. When something happens to
change the balance of power or the dynamic, we can feel threatened by
that change. Especially when that change happens quickly.
When I was working on my BA in Spokane
the question was posed, “How would you deal with a person who
missed most of the project meetings and then, toward the end of the
project, showed up and began to tell you what was wrong with your
project and what you needed to do to fix it?”
One guy in the group said, “I'd
inform them that they had no room to talk, so why don't you just sit
down, shut up, and color.” Shut Up and Color, by the way, became
our class motto.
This isn't exactly an apples to apples
comparison, but the idea that we feel threatened when someone invades
our turf still applies. And this is exactly what is happening here
with John.
Calculating time in the gospels can be
a difficult thing. But follow me here. This story takes place at
the end of Chapter 9. Jesus has given two Passion predictions so far
and his third will come in the next chapter. At this point, Jesus is
closing in on Jerusalem and Holy Week. So let's say that Holy Week
is about a month away. This means that John has been following Jesus
in the neighborhood of three years. Three years of traveling with
this group and developing close relationships. Three years of
healings and miracles. Three years of having parables explained
privately. Three years of thinking this group was special and/or
privileged. And now some outsider is going around casting out demons
in the name of Jesus. Someone who was not them, someone who was not
part of the right group, was out there doing what John and his boys
were supposed to be doing.
That privileged, possessive, jealous
feeling kicks in and John tried to put an end to what the newcomer
was doing. Whether or not he was successful we don't know, but we do
know he tried. And here Jesus gives one of the greatest lessons of
his ministry: Whoever is not against us is for us. This, coupled
with Jesus' statement over in John's gospel, “I have other sheep
that do not belong to this fold,” is probably the most challenging
statement Jesus makes.
Love God, love your neighbor; yeah,
okay. Give to everyone who asks of you; I may not like it, but I can
follow it within reason. Welcome the foreigner; again, problematic,
but doable. But this one . . .
This one requires us to examine our own
personal biases and jealousies. This one requires us to lay aside
our feelings of ownership and privilege. This one requires us to
accept the fact that the net Jesus is casting to draw all people to
himself is much larger than we know or are willing to admit.
This has been on my mind lately because
we still live in times when one group attacks another group for not
being the right kind of Christians or the right kind of Americans,
for that matter. I say “still” because it happened in today's
gospel with John. It happened between Romans and Celts. It happened
between Catholics and Protestants. It happened between Protestants
and Protestants. It happens today between denominations and within
denominations.
Today's Evangelicals are trying to
force not only other denominations, but the entire country, to bow to
their approved interpretation of both Scripture and patriotism. Last
week I received a book from Answers in Genesis and a flier from
Discover Prophecy telling us (basically) why they are right.
I belong to a couple of Facebook groups
that regularly get into arguments over the proper interpretation of
rubrics and vestments. And when I visit other churches, I can't help
but take notes on what they did wrong.
We seem to have an innate need to be
right, to possess special knowledge, and to lord that over those whom
we think are not part of the right group.
Instead of focusing on the fact that
they don't belong to us, instead of feeling threatened by outsiders,
what if we focused on what they do well?
At the vestry meeting last week we were
discussing rest. I asked if our worship was restful. The general
consensus was yes, but drums and guitars are not. Rather than look
down on that type of worship, or try to convince everyone that they
need to do it our way, can we simply be glad that some people find
God in that style? Rather than nitpick on theology, can we work to
find common ground where God is present for all of us? That, for
instance, is the basis of HARC – several different religious
traditions working together for the benefit of the community and to
be the face of God.
The Catechism states that the mission
of the Church is to restore all people to unity with God and each
other in Christ. Unity does not mean conformity. But we can't be
unified when we focus on differences.
Granted, some differences are necessary
and sometimes it's vital to know why we are different. For instance,
the inclusive nature of TEC is different from, and incompatible with,
the KKK or other racist and nativist organizations.
Today's passage asks us to do two
things: 1) Evaluate the actions of others in light of Christ's
message of love and inclusion; and, 2) remember that we are not alone
or privileged in this mission. Instead of being threatened by how
others proclaim Christ, be thankful that Christ is being proclaimed.
Amen.
1 comments:
So freakin' good. :)
I don't make it here often (because out of blog, out of mind, I guess) but every time I do I get something out of it. Thanks!
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