Running toward-a sermon reflecting on Domestic Violence

One of the things we learn in John’s Gospel is that Jesus weeps with us in times of sadness and tragedy.  We all know the story of the raising of Lazarus from the dead, but what you may not remember is that before Lazarus is raised from death—John says that Jesus wept—that tears pour from his eyes and

down his face for his friend Lazarus. 

I believe that God has wept over every person who has died because of this terrible virus and I believe that God wept the moment Kathleen McClean’s life was snuffed out in such a terrible terrible way.   I think most everyone knows who Kathleen was—a Dover resident who we believe was tragically murdered by her husband a little over a week ago.  The God I believe weeps over Kathleen and continues to weep with her children and all who loved her and that God weeps with us here in Dover and continues to weep over the scourge of domestic violence. 

And folks it is a scourge—1 in 3 women will experience some sort of it in her lifetime and 1 in 12 men will. Unfortunately this isn’t an isolated incident that happened here in Dover.  It happened 29 times last year here in Massachusetts alone.  In other places like Lexington and Abington and Northampton and Sheffield.  This is the second time in the course of my ministry that this has occurred in a town where I have served—both affluent communities outside major metropolitan areas places where you wouldn’t things like this might occur.  But what I’ve learned is that DV like the opioid epidemic is blind to what zip code we live in.   

This morning our Gospel has dropped  down into what is known  as the high priestly prayer—the part of the prayer that I connected with is the part where Jesus lifts his eyes heavenward and with  these words prays for his disciples protection, “Holy Father, protect them in your name.” 

Now, why would Jesus pray for their protection—perhaps because he knows that this is a fallen and violent world that very much falls short of the dream God has for it.  Jesus prays for his disciples' protection because there are so many ways in which this world is not what God desires for it.   That prayer that Jesus offers travels through space and time and isn’t just a prayer for 12 disciples, but it becomes a prayer for you and me—that Jesus, that God’s desire for us and for all people is to live healthy happy lives free from violence-free from viruses, free from every ism—that tears other down.  Free from the poverty-free from addiction.   

This week I came across a Christian historian speaking about how Christian has responded during different pandemics.   And the thing that struck me is that often during times of pandemic Christian ran toward the pandemics building hospitals or finding ways to care for the sick. she said that this is because for Christians our inclination is to be helpful, to offer ourselves in service to the other even when it puts us at risk.  This gospel inside us is so important—that there are times when we may need to risk our lives to share it.

Throughout history you see this again and again—during the civil rights movement—Christian marching and spoke up they said this is not the world we want—you see it after natural disasters—Christians going to places that have been devastated to help out and rebuild as they are able too –saying we are here to walk with you in this difficult time.  Our inclination is to run toward, our inclination is to protect our neighbors to help, to alleviate pain when we can, and to stand side by side with others when we can’t.  Our inclination is to work to change systems that oppress or hold back others.   

Our inclination is such because we see a world that falls short of God’s dream for it and we will not stand idly by and we will work to make that dream a reality in whatever little ways we can. 

Our inclination today should be to move toward this scourge of domestic—to shine a light on it—to talk about it and to make changes in our world and in our personal lives so that this can be no more.  We do this today and tomorrow because God’s dream has no room for a world where there is any sort of violent, but also because the memory, the life, and death of our neighbor Kathleen call us to do something and to do something different to get up off our knees to be a different people-to be a different town to be a different society.  

Jesus prayed for our protection---sometimes we have to be the answer to that prayer---to protect those who can’t protect themselves to work toward a society that protects and cares for its most vulnerable always.

AMEN

A Tale of Two Processions

Thank you all who helped me with the virtual Palm Sunday procession—your pictures were amazing the choir and Patrick for their wonderful music.  It was such a joy to see your smiling faces.

In some way, I feel like my life these days has been reduced a series of processions— the most traveled one being from the couch to the fridge then back to the couch.

But there are others—out to the great daily procession out to the mailbox the exercise procession around the block—trying to keep the Coronavirus 15 off--- every once and while a procession out to the grocery store or to the transfer station.

There is also the procession through my Netflix account as I try to find something that I haven’t watched –my standards are getting lower or my procession through my Facebook and Twitter feeds looking for information—looking for - cute animal videos to distract me.

You get the drift—cause that is your life too. 

But thank God today we are dropped down entirely into a different kind of procession—Jesus triumphant procession into Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover.  I read that at the time the  city of Jerusalem would swell from 40,000 to over 200,000 ---pilgrims from all over would descend on the holy city to celebrate and make offerings in the temple.

What you may not have realized was that there was another procession that day---while Jesus in on Donkey on a road paved with branches and cloak  entering from the east—with family and friends and few others—Pontius Pilate— in all his majesty and power roman prefect was entering from the west—with war horses and soldiers—entering Jerusalem to make sure that order and peace were maintained during that great celebration of Passover.

John Dominic Crossan and Marcus Borg in their book The Last week say “Pilate’s procession embodied the power, the glory and violence of the empire that ruled the world.  [While] Jesus procession embodied an alternate vision, the kingdom of God.”[1]  They say that the question for us on Palm Sunday this week–is which procession are we in?  Which procession will we follow? 

One of the great thing about crises and times of tragedy is that we get to see the kingdom of God breaking in—we get to see it right before our very eyes,  and I don’t know about you but it lifts me up to see those things and it inspires to be a part of it.  It makes me say  I want to be in that procession—I want to follow Jesus like that. 

It’s things like the Governor and the people of Oregon sending 140 ventilators of their very valuable ventilators to new York—it reminds me that kingdom is not about hoarding and holding on tight for ourselves  but it’s opening up our hands and sharing the things we have with those who need it more. I want to be in that procession. 

It’s things like a priest in Italy or an elderly woman in Belgium who say I’ve lived a good life—give that ventilator to someone else.  It reminds me that the kingdom of God is about sacrificing for the other sacrificing for the greater good —I want to be a part of that procession.

It’s things like a nurse who drives herself across the country from Idaho to New York City to share her expertise with those on the front line to battle the virus and to help and heal those who need her.   It’s a reminder that that Kingdom of God is embodied when we are brave and courageous and offer our services for a greater good. I want to be in that procession.

It’s the things that you all are doing selflessly  halting your lives and staying home – giving up family time and friend time and giving up sporting events and proms —to keep yourselves healthy and to keep your neighbors healthy –it reminds me that the kingdom of God is about selflessness.  —

it’s the phone calls and the delivering of toilet paper to your neighbors.  It’s the silly videos, the Tik-Toks you are posting that are bringing smiles to our faces.  It’s reaching into your pocketbooks to help those who might be able to use your dollar just a little bit better.

I  look out at each of you and I  know which procession you are in—I know who you are following and you inspire me and you are inspiring others to follow in that procession.    

Thank you for your witness dear church and as they say, keep on keeping on—keep on following the guy on the donkey—keep following that procession—that’s the procession we need right now and that’s the procession we are going to continue to need when all of this is said and done.  Thank you dear church.

Amen

---

[1] Pg.  The Last Week, John Dominic Crossan and Marcus Borg.

I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For

I came across some words this week that spoke to  where I am as I try to live into the nightmare that is our lives today—they were words I’ve heard hundreds of times  over the last 30 or so years—they are words that could even be a prayer for this time

I certainly found myself reciting them over and over again – turning them over in my mind. 

They are words that you also might know—especially if you came of age in the late 1980’s—some of you will scowl at them but for some of you they might be poignant and maybe even prayer. 

They might have even been words that Mary and Martha might have uttered as Lazarus continued to get sicker and sicker---- words that they shouted to the heavens as death crept closer to their doors and Jesus was nowhere to be found.

They are an anthem that the psalmist might have uttered –as he waited for God to act. 

They are words that were part of a popular song of those times---  they are words of yearning—yearning for something different,  yearning for something better but something not yet realized.

These are the words

But I still haven’t found what I’m looking for — Recognize them?

They  are the words of the popular band U2 words

I still haven’t found what I’m looking for—has seeped into my prayers this week —as I’ve look for but some bit of  solace and peace as life continues to swirl out of control  and it’s hard to find a place just to take a breath.  

I  still haven’t found what I’m looking they have been my prayer when I don’t know what to do or how to respond when I am not sure whether I am making the right decisions about this or that.

I still haven’t found what I’m looking—has been a prayer of frustration— of yearning for something else but not getting it.   A prayer of frustration with the way things are when I’m powerless to change them. 

It’s been a prayer of expectation.  It’s been a prayer of yearning for something better— it’s been a prayer of hope even for just a  scrap thrown from the table -just a little something better than the present.   

I still haven’t found what I’m looking for are words I’ve uttered again and again—in frustration in confusion and in anger,  I realized that they are also words of faith  that even in frustration,  or chaos or confusion  they are words that drive me to my knees and words that turn my thoughts to the heavens—they are  words  inviting God again  into the chaos or the frustration or the confusion—

The Gospels show us  a Jesus--- a God who can and will speak into the death and chaos that swirl around us.—the Gospels show us  that God will raise up life and goodness from the chaos and from death. 

I still haven’t found what I’m looking for but I’m banking that at this moment Jesus is speaking words into the chaos and will raise up in us something that we need for this day.  

AMEN

The Valley of the Shadow of Death--Words in the Midst of COVID 19

The valley of the shadow of death -seems to be creeping in all around us.— it feels like it’s just closing in from above and below -- behind us before us.

I don’t know about you but I don’t feel like I can escape it.   

The routines that center me and orient me are evaporating. I woke up one morning this week and I had no idea what day it was. 

I find myself increasingly disoriented as I get slammed by new cycle after new cycle—there is just so much information– and I  struggle with how to weed through it all and I am never really sure if I’m making the right decisions.   

I’m finding myself increasingly sad as things I really enjoy or had looked forward to are canceled and postponed or not available.

And I just really feel for those who have it even harder than I do—I should be ok economically, I think from a health perspective I should be fine, but I’m sad for our brothers and sisters right now who this absolutely devasting to--- I feel for those on the front lines who are risking their lives--- are tired—I feel for those who are all alone.

I am sure that the valley of the shadow of death looks similarly for you. 

I don’t really know what the valley of the shadow death looked like for the person that wrote the 23^rd Psalm, but I am a little bit thankful that he wrote about his experiences and his abiding faith—that even in the valley of the shadow of death—he was clinging to God and he could see things that lifted his spirit.

These words are words that bring us comfort—we read them at gravesides and at the funeral service because that they remind us of something deep and abiding about God --- God steps into the valley of the shadow of death and  walks with us and gives us strength to just take--- the next step.   

As you have walk through the valley where have you seen God with you—it’s probably not going to be some grand obvious thing—Jesus is not probably going to show up at your bedside and say I am here---I’m with you. There are probably not going to be really big flashing neon signs----  here I am

 It’s going to be little- a moment of hope--- a moment, when it doesn't, feel like the sky is falling down….A nice thing that happens to you.

I'm also thankful that in the valley the psalmist says that God restores our souls- It isn’t just about walking with us but it is about healing- and restoration

I don’t know about you but I need restoration—I need healing from the wounds that the valley is inflicting.

What are the things that you are doing that will allow God to blow life back into your weary soul—where are you finding life and hope and happiness in the midst of it all. I have loved that it seems like every time I open up Facebook musician’s both professional and those who not are ---- offering their talents for the greater good they are offering ways to blow life into our weary souls.   Or images of teachers driving through neighborhoods beeping at their students. The creativity is astounding—and it buoys me—I love to see how folks are helping each other— in remarkable ways—we are sharing ourselves and loving each other the ways that Jesus commanded us to.  And I find witnessing that restorative. 

This week I want you to open your eyes and look for the places where you see God--- those little subtle reminders that God is with you in the valley… that God is spreading a table--I want you to look for activities and places where your souls can be restored.  We need those moments we need those activities.

The gospel that Bill just read was about a man who was born blind who received sight and the ability to see God in his midst—while those around him the Pharisees and many others were blind to God in their midst—

If there was ever a day that we need to see God with us –it’s today

If there  ever  is  a day that we need life and energy and goodness blew into our tired and weary souls it’s today.

If there ever was a day that our neighbors need to know that they are not alone and know they are loved –it’s today.

If there ever was a day that we need to know that God walks through the valley of the shadow of death it’s today.

May we get up from our computers and our tablets and phones and know that even thou we walk through the valley of the shadow of death--- God is with us and that God is blowing life into our old tired souls.

AMEN