By the Rev. Bernard W. Poppe, Rector
From the Gospel we heard, "Let your light so shine before others that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven."
One of the dominant themes of Epiphany is light. It's an important symbol in much of the scriptures and is used in different ways. It's a way of illustrating truth, wisdom, and God's grace. Scriptures refer to Jesus as the Light of the World, or the Light to enlighten the Nations. In the prologue to the Gospel of John, it says, "In Him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it."
This light called Jesus invites us to let out light shine before others. It's a beautiful image and a common one, but somehow never loses it's power. Today, being the first Sunday of February we begin a series of Sundays focusing on Black History Month. We'll have different guest speakers and forums that are listed in your bulletin and you'll hear more about them as the weeks progress. The Absalom Jones Committee has done a lot of work preparing the events and I'm really glad they are letting their lights shine before others. Earlier in the Gospel passage Jesus said that no one hides a light under a bushel, but puts it on a lamp stand. While that may be true with physical lights or candles, it's not always true of people and their good works.
The light of African Americans was hidden for many years from history lessons. The cultural and scientific contributions, the art, music, religious, military -- so many aspects hidden for so many years. The purpose of Black History Month is to raise awareness, not only of what has been left out of the general history pages, also serves as a reminder of the danger of omitting it.
I often refer to myself as a walking guilt trip. If I'm downtown and pass by one of our parishioners who wasn't in church the past Sunday, as I'm saying hello I'm hearing why they weren't in church. It's as though my very presence is an accusation. Believe me when I tell you, I just want to say hello. Similarly, the existence of Black History Month can be perceived as a finger of accusation for the wrongs of the past. Slavery, lynching, false accusation and wrongful imprisonment, and the many ways that racism raises it's ugly head in employment, housing, education and all aspects of our common lives cannot be denied or glossed over. That is part of the history that can best be healed by honesty and shining a light on a past that is painful for those whose ancestors bore the worst of it, and who still feel the legacy of racism today. Healing is also necessary for those of us whose ancestors perpetrated the worst of it, and who still engage in it today in varying degrees.
The real value of Black History Month in my opinion is the opportunity to challenge everyone to allow their light to shine -- the light of truth and the light of God's love to find healing, reconciliation and growth. Many of you know that I grew up in Rhode Island and I'm very proud of my little home state, often referred to in some history books as "Rogues' Island." It's always had a salty history that most Rhode Islanders look at with smug pride -- things like smuggling and old fashioned rum running. But like so many, the state has a dirty little secret. The Brown family, a prominent family in the history of that state, for whom Brown University is named, has a large section in the state history books for their accomplishments and noble adventures. What was left out of the history books of my grammar school was that the Brown family made their fortune in the slave trade.
We were always taught that slavery was the vice of the Southern States and that the virtuous north was responsible for ending it. It seems that was not the case. The Browns certainly gained a lot by promoting that slant on history, and so did many others. The sad truth was hidden under pages of other history that allowed untainted pride.
What is to be served by revealing the dirty little family secret? People are owed the truth, even when it's painful. The scriptures are full of it's heroes and heroines whose nobility is tempered by their failings. That's part of it's richness and part of its offer of salvation and healing. Moses murdered a man. King David cheated and set up a man to be killed so he could marry the man's wife. Peter denied Jesus at his time of need. Paul persecuted the church and presided of the killing of Stephen, the first martyr of the Christian Church. Scriptures don't gloss over the painful truth, but shows how God can work even through the failings of people and create something good.
Scriptural history, Black History, even the history of Rogues' Island is not about guilt, it's about honesty. Sometimes we have to hear painful truths and sometimes we have to tell painful truths. But Black History Month is certainly not only about pain. It's in fact more about triumph, as is scripture.
In twelve step work with substance and alcohol abusers there is a list of promises made to those who can stay clean and sober. One of the promises is "We will not regret the past, nor wish to shut the door on it." For people whose lives have been a long path of wreckage, most of which they created themselves, this promise seems very far out of reach, almost to be unrealistic and impossible. For people who would rather forget the past, the idea that it would not be regretted seems absurd. And yet, experience shows that to be the case. Shining the light of honesty of the tangled past is the beginning of healing -- for those who were hurt and for those who did the hurting. Denying allows wounds to fester, truth allows them to heal.
In South Africa the work they've done on reconciliation is a model for the world. It doesn't erase the past but allows honesty to help them transcend it. Again, it's not about guilt, it's about healing.
As Black History Month progresses there are important voices to be heard, and not all of them are Black. Black History is an artificial category. There is only one history that people of all races participated in, inherited and will live into. Revealing it's fullness is an ongoing adventure that requires imagination, courage and yearning.
As the weeks unfold we'll hear stories and learn things. We'll capture a beauty and richness that builds us all up and no doubt hear painful truths that also need to be shared. Life is complicated and messy. It's also wonderful. Faith and grace play large roles in that life. God is with us and is the source of light. The Book of Genesis tells us that when God made light, God said it was good. And it is. And the same light of God shines through Jesus and invites us to let our light shine as well. The light that we shine gives glory to God because it returns that which we have received. We have much to learn, much to live and while the past is past, God is the light that will shows us the present and will guide us into the future. Let your light so shine before others that they may see your good works and give glory to God in Heaven. Amen.
Posts
