A Sure Foundation in Changing Times
Genesis 21:8-21, Psalm 86:1-10, 16-17, Matthew 10:24-39
More than 3,000 miles -- first to Ohio and Michigan, then to the
Panhandle of Texas. That’s a lot of gasoline and time on the
road, and all for the sake of family. An uncle who turns another
year older on a steady march to death; a grandson graduating from high
school; reaching a major milestone in his journey to adulthood; and, a
great-grandson to welcome into the world as the newest addition to an
ever-increasing tribe. And then there are the family reunions
taking place this weekend in central Texas and northeastern Missouri to
which we obviously did not go since we are here today. Which
brings us to this family of which Gloria and I are a part and which is
more than a small part of us – St. James, our church, the larger
church, the Body of Christ and the Kingdom of Heaven.
Families. Family values. We are family. Us vs. them. Blood is thicker than water.
Or is it?
For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against
her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and one’s
foes will be members of one’s own household.
So we might understand what Jesus is saying to his disciples, to the
people in Matthew’s church, and to us, it would be helpful perhaps to
backtrack a bit. While it would be easy to hear this as an
anthropological discourse on relationships but it is clearly much more
than that. Paul, in true midrashic tradition, points out that
Hagar and Sarah, Ishmael and Isaac, represent an entire history of
God’s promise most clearly seen in Adam and Christ – Law and Grace, Old
Covenant and New. Now with allegory, there is always the
possibility of abuse – as there is with any interpretation of something
greater than the human mind can contain. Nevertheless, this wider
view of the character of these stories is essential if we are to grasp
the words of Christ to those who would be followers of The Way.
Further, to grasp some of the deeper meanings, it helps to remember
that Paul, in writing to the churches, clarifies that the sword Jesus
brings is the Word of God – as divisive and threatening a weapon as
there is for spiritual warfare.
Throughout the Old Testament, as especially evidenced in the Genesis
stories, the cultural practice of patriarchy, of honoring the eldest
son with the family blessing and wealth is attacked. There are
the archetypal stories of Cain and Abel, Ishmael and Isaac, and Esau
and Jacob. Only a couple of weeks ago we heard the again the
story of David, the one left in the field when Samuel came to anoint
the new king of Israel but the feast could not begin until the heir to
God’s promise had entered the house. Then there are the stories
of Jacob’s sons, especially Judah and Joseph, that presage a practice
that would become an essential part of the cultic worship in the
Covenant established at Sinai – the practice of laying the sins of the
family of Hebrews on a goat to be sent out into the desert.
Joseph, the father’s favorite, is sold into slavery in Egypt only to
become the redeemer of the brothers who rejected him.
From a family system point of view, developed mostly in the last 30
years or so, there is often found, within families, specific roles to
be fulfilled by each of the children – the Hero, the Scapegoat, the
Priest, the Lost Child, the Mascot. These roles are played out in
childhood and carried into adulthood to greater or lesser degrees by
all of us. The function of these roles is to produce stability
within the system, to preserve its integrity, and to insure its
continuation. In the larger family of church or school or nation,
we see these roles fulfilled by groups. There seems to be a need,
within our political systems, for an enemy – a threat. Even
before 9/11, those who study such things predicted that with the demise
of the evil Soviet Union, a new enemy would likely be created from the
Islamic world – a new threat that could become the focal point for
rallying our defenses. The West would need to identify a new
enemy, a new ‘Axis of Evil.’
It is a way of life we have learned all too well. When something
goes wrong, when there is loss, hurt, or injury – find some thing or
someone to blame. Historically, every culture has depended on a
target for blame to maintain its power and control over its citizenry
and its territory. To quote from Mark Heim (Saved from Sacrifice: a theology of the cross):
We humans took a terrible thing – scapegoating
violence against the innocent (or against those who are guilty of
something but not the demonic effects we claim) – and made it a good
thing. It brings us together, stops escalating conflict among us,
unites us against a common enemy. We overcome our differences and
make peace by finding a common victim, by hating together. We
restrain violence with violence. Satan casts out Satan, and
becomes all the stronger for it. This isn’t random, pointless
evil. It is woven into the way communities work, and the problem
it solves is real.
And while Jesus will become the sacrifice, the scapegoat
as it were, for a people, his resurrection will destroy that system
forever. No little threat to perceived stability is this Son of
Man. And those who call themselves disciples – and act like it –
are likewise no small threat either.
This is the same man who taught: You have heard that it was said,
“You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.” But I say to you,
Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may
be children of your Father in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the
evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the
unrighteous (Matt. 5:43-45).
Perhaps it was because these lessons were hidden in the recesses of my
mind as we traveled; perhaps 3000 miles is too long to be cooped up in
the car – but I couldn’t help but notice the frequency with which I saw
stickers on cars which read “Support Our Troops” or “Pray for Our
Troops.” Perhaps with less frequency than just a couple of years
ago but I understand the sentiment. What struck me though was the
absence of a single sticker that said “Love the Taliban” or “Pray for
North Korea.” I can well imagine what might happen to a car
displaying such a sticker.
In the 10th chapter of Matthew, Jesus speaks words of warning to those
who hear his call to follow him. It will be tough at times.
Those you love and trust will turn on you. Its what we do when
things get tough – we, by the evidence of history, tend to unite in our
hatred, we identify a source of the problems we face outside ourselves,
and we punish the representative of evil. And lacking a scapegoat
outside our family, we identify one within.
The coming weeks and months promise to be a time of challenge for us as
a church. Our beloved priest, Edie Bird, leaves us next
week. There will follow the usual uncertainties as we and our
Bishop build a consensus around a new vicar. The strife amongst
the leadership of The Episcopal Church seems unending as our family
feud continues in dioceses such as Pittsburgh, Fort Worth, and San
Joaquin. And as a Communion, the Anglican Church faces challenges
as balance of power and money issues over take the bonds of affection
which have held the communion together since the British Empire began its demise beginning with the American
Revolution. Change, controversy, difficulty – these are the
things of which life consists. This is the challenge to those who
would follow the Christ.
In times of challenge we so often see our worldly nature creep in as
we, at whatever level, find ourselves guilty of thinking that we can
restrain violence with violence and build the Kingdom of God. It
will not work.
Rather, our hope is in the Lord. We, like Ishmael can cry out to
God. Remember these words: “Do not be afraid; for God has heard
the voice of the boy where he is.”
Prayer is an effective tool. I cannot describe the degree to
which regular Morning Prayer has changed my thoughts – who can pray the
prayer for enemies without becoming a more forgiving person, who can
pray the Prayer of Thanksgiving without realizing the wonderful gift of
God’s Love that permeates the world in which we live and tend to find
so much wrong.
The collect for this week says it quite well:
O Lord, make us have perpetual love and reverence
for your holy Name, for you never fail to help and govern those whom
you have set upon the sure foundation of your lovingkindness;
through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the
Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
The Rev. John Dryden Burton
St. James’ Episcopal Church
Eureka Springs, AR
22 June 2008
Return to St. James' Home Page
06.08