Sunday, September 28, 2008

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