Times Are Hard; Times Are Turbulent

By the Rev. Deacon Christine McCloud

Come Holy Spirit: Touch our minds and think with them, touch our lips and speak with them and touch our hearts and set them on fire with love for you. In the name of the Living God. Amen.

To say that these are difficult times is a little oxymoronic, but the truth of the matter -- these are difficult times. Within the past week and a half, we’ve had historic financial meltdowns that have sent shock and concern across the world. As I thought about all of this nonsense this week, it reminded me somewhat of being on an airplane when it encounters dangerous and frightening turbulence. Everyone on board seems to tighten their seat belts, kicking themselves because they didn’t catch the last rolling of the beverage cart to order that bottle of anything strong, and the air is fraught with palpable anxiety. Often times, the cabin becomes eerily quiet and you’re left with your thoughts jumping all over the place. Difficult times produce many of the same feelings don’t they? Anxiety, confusion, and fear surround us like a wet blanket.

We’re flying in the midst of economic turbulence. No one knows how long the bumpy ride will last. No one really knows what the short or long term effects any bailout effort will have, but we’re all very clear that the average taxpayer will get stuck paying for Wall Street’s greed and speculation binges at some point. The consequences of short term rewards blinded most to the long term dangers that are inevitable when unbridled power and greed are at the helm. Our culture has become trapped in a false sense of values where huge profits and gain dictate what is important -- more profit and gain and less concern for the common good.

Bono, the rock star and anti-poverty activist said this week: “It’s extraordinary to me that the United States can find $700 billion [dollars] to save Wall Street and the entire G8 can’t find $25 billion [dollars] to save the 25,000 children who die every day from preventable diseases." [1]

Well, it’s extraordinary to me as well. I can’t even begin to fathom what $700 billion dollars looks like! All I can envision are brigades of cloned Treasury workers churning out palettes of money 24/7. But Bono’s point is well made. $700 billion dollars! $700 billion dollars to save the economy from the reckless mismanagement and unethical manner of business that has been pervasive for years. Jim Wallis, Editor of Sojourner’s magazine and religious political activist stated in one of his essay’s this week:

“The behavior of too many on Wall Street is a violation of biblical ethics. The teachings of Christianity, Judaism, and other faiths condemn the greed, selfishness, and cheating that have been revealed in corporate behavior over decades now, and denounce their callous mistreatment of employees. Read your Bible.” [2]

And as Jim has suggested, let’s turn to the Bible and our scripture readings for this morning.

Often, our lectionary readings tie into what is going on in the world. Sometimes, the references are clear and direct; sometimes not so clear and direct. The relationship of the readings this week to what is happening in our world is pretty interesting. Some might say that this is merely coincidental -- I tend to believe that God knows a thing or two about who we are as a people. I think that the strands of the texts that tie us into what is happening around can fall in two categories: By whose and under what authority do we live and how obedient are we to the law of love rather than the law of greed and selfishness?

So, we continue with the Israelites, moaning and groaning their way out of “the wilderness of Sin” -- what an appropriate metaphor, don’t you think? Last week the Israelites were hungry, this week they’re thirsty and they’re taking Moses to task for bringing them to that dry, barren place. Moses, tired and overwhelmed by all of the griping, looks to God and says “What shall I do with this people?” God directs Moses to take his staff -- the same staff that God gave him to part the waters for their safe exodus from Egypt -- and to go find the rock of Horeb with some of the elders, where once he strikes it, water will flow for the people. And again, as with last week’s readings, we find that God provides for his people in the most trying of circumstances. Clearly, times were rough for the Israelites and they never hesitated to make known their complaints. But what they forgot, as we often do, is they forgot who was in charge of their destiny -- their journey. They simply didn’t trust in God’s promises. But God, as is his way, responded to their needs and complaints with goodness and mercy.

Moses could have turned a stone ear to the people. He certainly had every right to resent them for their constant bickering and complaining. But instead, he placed his faith in God and sought God’s mercy and help for the people. Moses was obedient to and lived fully into the law of love -- for both his God and the people to whom God entrusted to him. He didn’t place himself above the people; he didn’t act selfishly and ignore their needs; and he didn’t just leave them to figure it out on their own. He placed the people before himself without question or hesitation. Imagine… just imagine how differently things might be today if the movers and shakers of the huge mega corporations and Wall Street operated within the context of the law of love rather than the law of greed and self interest.

As we turn to the Gospel reading, we have the chief priests and elders questioning Jesus’ authority. They were always questioning Jesus because they were always looking for opportunities to discredit him. Jesus knew this. So, Jesus decides to counter with a question of his own and makes their answer a condition for his answer. “I will also ask you one question; if you tell me the answer, then I will also tell you by what authority I do these things. Did the baptism of John come from heaven, or was it of human origin?” You can almost see the chief priests and elders whispering and sweating it out with one another. They knew if they stated that they accepted John’s baptism as divine, they would have to justify why they didn’t believe in John’s teachings and accept him as a prophet. They further knew that if they said that John’s baptism was of human nature, the people would respond angrily because they believed that John was a prophet of God. It was a no-win situation for them, so they decided not to answer at all. They were not willing to stand for their truth because their truth didn’t exist within the realm of God and they knew that. Their truth existed within their own selfish motives, their own desire to retain power and authority and within their own godless convictions. In order for them to answer, they would have to shatter their own self image and strip themselves of their own power. They didn’t have the wherewithal to admit the truth because the stakes were far too much for them to sacrifice.

So when they don’t provide an answer, Jesus takes it a step further and tells them the parable of the two sons. It’s a simple story that Jesus uses to illustrate the nature of God’s kingdom. Jesus, through this parable, is asking us to think about the consequences of our choices. Not just the choices and decisions that count for today or tomorrow, but those choices and decisions that count for all time. Good intentions simply are not enough. Superficial and empty promises count for absolutely nothing at all. God looks to us to have a change of heart so that our actions match our words and that ultimately we do His will and not follow our own will.

How easy it is to point our fingers at the bigwigs at the corporations and on Wall Street and the political machines that have made really bad choices and decisions that have placed us all squarely in this economic upheaval. But the truth of the matter is all of us have gone a little batty in our culture of excessive greed and materialism. We live in an economy based on consumerism which bombards us constantly with messages that we need to buy this new thing or the other. The stuff we seek and want, not need, distorts our relationship with one another and with God. We can’t ignore our own shortcomings and yes, sometimes greed and selfishness, as it relates to this so we all need to take some personal responsibility as well.

Times are hard. Times are turbulent. It’s stressful and full of uncertainty. Our faith in the ways of the world has failed us once again. And it’s exactly at times like these that we need to remind ourselves that WE are the body of Christ and WE must act like we are. We need to recommit ourselves to bringing the good news to the poor, to healing the sick, to welcoming the stranger, and feeding the hungry. We need to remind ourselves that we are called to be in relationship with one another and not materialistic stuff or money. We need to remember, that we are in relationship with a God who loves us and who provides for us and who gives us the gift of peace through His son.

We do not and should not owe any debt to anxiety or fear. Yes, times are hard. Times are turbulent. But we are reminded in the 4th chapter of Philippians: “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your request be made known to God, and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

Amen.

[1] Bono: The American Prospect Blog, September 2008
[2] “Sackcloth and Ashes on Wall Street”: God’s Politics - a blog by Jim Wallis and friends, 9/22/08

© 2008 The Rev. Deacon Christine McCloud

It's Never Too Late to Heal

By the Rev. Bernard W. Poppe, Rector

The Presidential campaign was put on the back burner this week as our attention was riveted to the stock market. Historic declines terrified millions and set off domino effects around the world. Attempts to bail out the major companies and hopefully the small investor and homeowners are being sought and frantically put in place with prayers for deliverance. Deliverance from what? Or whom?

Many years ago a cartoon character named Pogo made famous a saying: "We have met the enemy and he is us." It was a take off on the previously famous quote from Naval Commander Oliver Hazard Perry who after a battle in the War of 1812 said, "We have me the enemy and he is ours."

Commander Perry’s quote was the succinct report of his success against British ships in the Battle of Lake Erie, while Pogo became the voice of his cartoonist Walt Kelly in a Poster made for Earth Day in 1970 talking about preserving the environment.

In 2008, we know there’s an enemy, but it seems we don’t quite know who it is or what to do about it. It’s certainly tempting to look outside, but more often the truth lies inside. While searching for others to blame for our misfortunes we cannot overlook the probability that our own past actions have consequences coming home to roost. And just as the causes usually begin from within, so the solutions can be found from within. It starts with honesty from top to bottom and side to side. As this crisis continues the stakes are high and all the more reason to look within as well as without to find the causes and solutions.

The first lesson today is the continued story of Exodus with the children of Israel having escaped from the Egyptians and now wandering in the desert. Given this week’s activity, the desert metaphor seems entirely appropriate. In literature and story the desert is a time in between the certainty of the past and the confidence of the future. It’s a time of not knowing, a time of venturing into new territory not necessarily drawn by the promise of what lies ahead, but motivated more by the knowledge that the past was unacceptable. When the Israelites left Egypt, they had been miserable under the intolerable conditions of slavery they endured. They had to get out and they decided to follow Moses based on his assurance that God would lead them to a better place. Since they believed things couldn’t be any worse, they decided to follow him and put their trust in a God they didn’t know and a leader who had no experience. They were indeed desperate.

After the excitement of escape they face the long period in the desert of unknowing. Their faith was tested and they frequently complained. They began to wonder if they made the right decision by leaving Egypt. It was bad, but at least they had food. They discovered at each step that God provided what they needed. It was a long, difficult trip, but God did not abandon them and there were signs of hope along the way.

In the Gospel lesson, Jesus tells a parable in which the characters complain also. Those that worked all day complained that they made the same amount of money as those that had only worked one hour. Frankly, it doesn’t seem fair to me either and I would have complained myself, had I been one who had started in the early morning. That is, if the parable was about work. And that is, if the parable was about salary. It may have complaining in it, but it’s about God’s love. God’s abundant love is extended to all people regardless of when they show up. Even more than that, I believe the parable captures the joy of people who reach a point of clarity in their lives and start to live in a way that makes sense and offers wholeness.

I heard a story not too long ago told by a man about his mother who had been an active alcoholic her whole life. Somewhere in her early 80's she stopped drinking. Others hearing the story, rather insensitively asked, Why bother at that age? I heard it differently. I thought the woman was incredibly blessed to have finally found a sense of peace which had so long eluded her. Yes, it would have been wonderful had she stopped drinking decades before but what an amazing gift that she stopped at all. At the end of her day, her reward was equal to that of others who had stopped long ago. Spiritually, her gift was as priceless as that received by others.

Yesterday I attended the funeral of Walter Seward. He’s the father of our fellow member Marymae Henley. He was 111 years and 11 months old at the time of his death. The eulogies were long, they had a lot of ground to cover! The funeral was held in the chapel at Rutgers University from which Walter was graduated in 1917. We were told he was the president of the class of 1917 until he was the class of 1917. There were a lot of wonderful and poignant stories, but one of the most moving parts of the funeral for me was during the Rutgers alma mater sung by the glee club which easily had 100 young men singing. I looked around and noticed that all through out the chapel men and women of all ages were mouthing the words as the young men sang. There was a shared love of that university that has to transcend the buildings and classes. That place which watched each person transition from youth to adult, from naive freshman and wise fool sophomore to confidant senior taking a place in the world. Relationships and discoveries within their minds, hearts and spirits reverberated in that song as did the gratitude for a substance that fed them like the manna in the wilderness. The Israelites looked at this stuff that Moses called bread from heaven. It didn’t look like any bread they’d ever had, but it did the trick. Who knows what the substance is that feeds us in the institutions and societies that capture our allegiance but whatever it is works. I also belong to groups that make me sing with pride and love with people who have born the heat of different days and yet receive the same gift of a powerful knowing inside that God’s love is good, that I am loved, and I am so grateful.

Walter’s day was a long one and out of the billions of people in the world only 29 had a longer one. But according to the parable, the kingdom of heaven guarantees that 111 years or simply a day, we are loved by God with an equal and powerful love that is not earned but given.

The work in the parable is presented as a burden. It doesn’t have to be. The flight of the Israelites is presented as an escape and a time of fear. It doesn’t have to be. To be sure, there are times that are trying and fearful, but our lives can also be thrilling, adventurous and opportunities for unlocking mysteries, having fun and building relationships that make our hearts sing. When it’s like that, a long day is good to have. It’s the ones who showed up late that seemed to have missed out.

The parable means to us that it’s never to late to heal, never too late to try again, never too late to let go of something harmful and pick up something healthy. It’s never too late look for ourselves and find the best that’s inside us and never to late offer a hand to someone who’s lost. The gift of grace, the gift of love, the gift of joy is just as powerful for the late comer as it is for the early riser. We needn’t complain about that, we should be happy that another person has been surprised by joy, there’s plenty to share, there’s more than enough .there’s an infinite supply.

The ebbs and flows of our economics are often based on fear that there will not be enough, or that others will get more. There is a real world out there in which we live and work that plays by rules of fear and intimidation, greed and arrogance. But thank God there is a real world in here that sustains us with bread from heaven that heals us from within so that we can offer healing to the world without. Amen.

© 2008 St. George's Episcopal Church, Maplewood, NJ