Every vote counts?

         As a rule I really haven't gone out up until now.  I go to church once every two weeks to record services, and that's been pretty much it.  We order our groceries and other things that we need.  We go for walks around the neighborhood for exercise, but always wearing masks and avoid people by crossing the street when we encounter them.  I haven't even seen my mother or my sister during this entire time, though they live right here in the Bay Area.  Extreme caution?  No doubt.  But I am prone to lung infections - I don't get colds, I get bronchitis; and David has a whole host of other issues that make him vulnerable.  Additionally, I just don't want to be the cause of anyone else getting sick, ever.

      But today, for the first time since all of this has happened I went to a non-partisan "event".  I joined a few other clergy and we went and stood on the corner of a fairly busy street (with our masks on, spaced out) with signs that read, "Thank you to the poll workers!",  "Thank you to the postal workers!", "Every vote matters!"  That was it.  

      And it was interesting.  We got a lot of support - people honking and giving us thumbs up.  We also got a surprising number of thumbs down.  And I had to wonder, what were they saying in that?  Seriously!  Are they protesting that we are thanking the poll workers and the postal workers?  Ridiculous.  No, they were showing their hands.  They were protesting the idea that every citizen of this country has a right to vote.  They were protesting the idea that every citizen should be able to have their vote counted.  They were owning their racism and prejudice, without apology.

    As a country we are more and more divided.  Or perhaps, as a friend mentioned to me today, we are not in fact more divided, just more aware of the divisions between us.  Perhaps.  There was a time when manners, kindness, and common courtesy kept us connected, even to those with whom we disagreed.  But this is no longer the case.  We no longer feel we have to practice common kindnesses, common courtesies.  Kindness and courtesy are no longer "common" at all.  And so people are unkind.  People are unafraid to act out their fear in angry and even violent ways.  Those who do not resort to violence often practice other ways of bullying... such as passively aggressively icing others out.  People no longer feel they need to self-reflect, to challenge their own fears and prejudices and work to be better.  They no longer recognize the need to talk with and to those with whom we disagree, working to build bridges of understanding and healing.  Instead, folk feel free, for example, to admit their unapologetic prejudices in the form of protesting that those who are different or "other" from "us" should not even have their votes counted.  

    I do not know the way back from this divide.  I do not know how, if we listen to different news stations and believe different basic truths, and feel that the ways we do things are only the way we will do things when they suit us, but that we will challenge and ignore our laws and our processes when they don't suit us, how we will find common ground and how we can repair and rebuild the damage.  I do not know how we will learn to talk to those with whom we disagree if the only ways we are willing to engage them are through violent words, attacks, or by cutting them off and refusing to engage them at all.

    I think we MUST learn a new way to relate to one another.  We must remember that we are all connected, that we are brothers and sisters to one another.  We must go back to seeing ourselves as family, all children of one God.  If we are to heal this divide we must start to talk to one another, to listen to one another.  We must work on building relationships, taking the risks to be together in kindness and compassion.  

    Until we can start to do this, I think there is little hope of healing for our nation.  And if we can't even learn to hear each other within this country, there is even less hope of healing for our world.

Sunday's Sermon - Perfect Love Casts out Fear/ Post election

1 John 4:16-18

Mark 4:35-41

Matthew 14:22-33

               Today we heard the passage from 1^st John that tells us that perfect love casts out fear.  As people of faith we believe this. That the God of love will be the one who tames our fears, casts away all doubt, all insecurity and surrounds us with the blanket of love and comfort. We believe that love will win, that good triumphs over evil and that in the end, all will be well.

               But this week, no matter how you voted or what you believe, we cannot get away from the fact that people are scared by the results of the election.  Again, no matter how you voted or what you believe, we cannot get away from the fact that violence is being acted out both towards people who feel they have been given free rein to put down and injure people who are different from “us” in this way, and from people who are terrified and feel they are fighting for their lives.  My news box has been filled with stories in the last few days.  According to USA Today, hate crimes including harassment, threats, vandalism, assault and even killing have been numerous. From my own friends I have seen posts such as this:  “My 12 year old daughter is African American.  A boy approached her and said, “now that Trump is president, I’m going to shoot you and all the blacks I can find.”  “Kids at my kids school have been told to “get out” because of their skin color.  They’ve been told they will be sent out or be killed or even imprisoned because of their heritage.”  One post of a friend said that a man had walked up to her grabbed her crotch and told her it was now legal to “grab p___” whenever he wanted. A lesbian acquaintance in New York city was told on the subway, “I hope you enjoy the concentration camp!” and far too many people are expressing deep concern about their health care coverage.  According to several studies, the worst of it has been happening in our elementary schools.  On one school wall the words “make America white again” were written along with a swastika.  A friend’s sister, who is Muslim girl, had a knife pulled on her on the bus.  And one person reported students yelling “Hiel Trump-Hitler” on the campus during recess.  Another post came from a woman who was born in Minnesota but who was wearing a scarf and was told at the gas station that she had better “go home” or face the consequences as he actually showed her his gun.  Again, I understand that people voted for different folk and for different reasons.  But you cannot get away from the hateful reactions that have been going on this week. And you cannot get away from the protests (most peaceful, though those aren’t being reported as much because they aren’t as big news) as well as riots from people who are scared.  No matter what you think or feel, we cannot escape the reality that this has given people permission at some level to be open with their hatred towards others.  And we cannot get away from the fact that people are demonstrating their fear and anger through many ways, including a returned violence. 

               In the face of all of this, what are we called to do?  Where is Jesus when all of this is going on?  Does he tell those who are suffering or who are hurting to ‘calm down’?  Does he tell them “Don’t worry, God’s got this!”?  Does he promise them everything will be okay?  That God is in charge so it will all be alright?  Does he say, “just relax and sit back.  Everything happens for a reason.”  Or “your faith will protect you.” Does he encourage violence as a solution?  Does he say, “hate for hate” or even “an eye for an eye”.  No.  Jesus said none of that.  Instead, Jesus did four things.  First, he goes out there and heals people.  He heals the people who others have called “unclean”.  He heals the people others have dismissed and don’t want to have around.  He heals, talks to, acknowledges and eats with the people others call “sinners” and those the elite, the powerful, rejects.  He heals those others don’t want to see or touch or be around. 

Second, he empowers people.  Again, he does this in a variety of ways.  First, he talks to people he is not supposed to talk to: women, tax collectors, Samaritans, Syrophoenicians, children, prostitutes.  He talks to people others want gone, want out.  He listens to them, is present with them.  He stops the stoning of the woman caught in adultery.  He talks to the woman living with a man who is not her husband and offers her his life-giving water.  He argues against violence, encouraging us to instead take a non-violent stand.  But I want to be clear with you about this.  When he says “turn the other cheek” this is not an argument for passivity.  It is also not an argument for acceptance.  He does not say “run away when someone hits you”, he says “turn the other cheek”.  This is an act of civil protest which can only be understood by understanding something of the culture at the time.  People were not allowed to use their left hands for contact with others, including hitting others.  If you hit with your left hand, you were shamed.  We have a hard time understanding this in our culture, but shame was a huge deal in this society.  So if someone struck you they would have used their right hand.  Additionally, if it was someone trying to shame you or say that you were an inferior, he would have to have used the back of his hand.  That was considered a statement that the other was an inferior.  But when you turn the other cheek, if the other were to try to hit you again, he would have no choice but to use his unclean hand, which would be a deeply shameful act for the one doing the action, or he would have to use a fist or the open palm, both of which were statements that the other was an equal rather than an inferior.  Standing there and turning the other cheek therefore was a way of saying, “I am not your inferior and I will no longer be treated as such.”  But Jesus continued.  “If anyone wants to sue you and take your coat, give him your cloak as well. And if any one forces you to go one mile, go also the second mile.”  These too were acts of civil disobedience.  Roman law allowed that soldiers could demand others to carry their stuff for them for one mile.  They were not allowed to demand more than a mile.  So if a person insisted on carrying the stuff for a second mile, the soldier would have been doing something that had the consequence of severe punishment for the soldier.  Likewise, the only two garments usually worn by peasants were a coat and an inner garment called a cloak.  You were allowed to gain in exchange for a debt someone’s coat.  By saying, “if they take your coat, give them your cloak as well," Jesus was basically encouraging his followers to strip naked.  In that system, nakedness shamed the person who observed it, not the one naked.  He gives those who were being oppressed non-violent but active tools for standing up and reclaiming his power. *

Third, he teaches.  He teaches about loving God, loving ourselves, and loving each other.  And again and again he says this is it: this is what it’s about. No matter how you feel about someone else, no matter if you disagree with them or if they scare you or if they are threatening, we are called to love them.  And there is an especially here – especially if they are “the least of these”, especially if they are suffering.  Jesus is clear: when you feed people, when you visit people, when you care for people, especially “the least of these” you are caring for Jesus.    

And the last thing Jesus did was to tell us to follow him, to do as he did, even to the cross in order to teach love and to bring healing and empowerment to those others have harmed, to love those who are feeling scared and threatened and have been cast out.  We usually in our gospel lessons are seeing Jesus talking to people or interacting again with those we would consider “the least of these” – the unclean, rejected, outcast.  But in today’s gospel lessons we see Jesus talking to the insiders, to the disciples, to US.  In the passage from Mark we hear him being reassuring, but also castigating.  Have faith. But by faith he is not talking about belief.  He is talking about a faith that is active.  He quiets the storm because his faith is active, not simply expecting God to do things for him, but taking action himself to quiet the storm.  He calls them to do the same.  The second passage, the passage from Matthew, it is an even stronger statement.  Peter is not just instructed to have faith, to believe.  He is instructed to act on that belief.  To have the courage and faith to step out of the boat, out of his comfort zone, to do what others claim is impossible and to walk on the water towards Jesus; walking on the water towards Jesus, towards faith, towards LOVE because that is what Jesus is and who Jesus is and what Jesus calls us to do. 

               These are the things Jesus does.  And these are the things we are called to do as well, even in our fear.  The thing is, fear doesn’t leave room for anything else: like beauty or truth or love. From a physiological place we know this.  Fear literally leaves no room in our psyches for anything else, including rational thinking.  In this way, the only thing about fear that is helpful is that it informs us that there is danger, and that something needs to be done.  The message of perfect love casting out fear is not, therefore, a message of “it’s okay, everything will be fine.” It’s a message that calls us to strive to live out perfect love, to be kind and gracious and loving so that fear will no longer have a place, a need, a reason.  Our job in this is not one of telling others to not be afraid.  Our job is not to tell others it’s not a big deal.  No, our job is to be part of creating a world in which people do not have to BE afraid because they know they are loved, actively, by us, and that we will stand with them, and keep them safe, and hold them up no matter what happens. 

               I think for all of us, for all of us who are afraid in one way or another by what is happening, again, no matter what side of the political coin you are on, our actions have to start with the reminder that we are all connected.  We are clearly not unified.  And we may not even be united, but we are still connected. We are all God’s children.  And therefore we are brothers and sisters to one another.  Therefore what hurts any of us, hurts all of us.  When one person feels threatened, we are all threatened. 

I am reminded once again of Niemoller’s poem:

First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Socialist.

Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Trade Unionist.

Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Jew.

Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.

               All of our actions for love over fear have to start with our faith.  So I found myself reminded of this prayer by Thomas Merton:

         "My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think that I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so. But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you. And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing. I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire. And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road though I may know nothing about it. Therefore will I trust you always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death. I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and you will never leave me to face my perils alone."

*This is one of the many articles that talks about this.  See Walter Wink and Marcus Borg for more info on this.  http://www.beliefnet.com/faiths/christianity/2004/04/what-would-jesus-think-of-kings-protests.aspx

Sermon - for All the Saints/ Pre-election

Psalm 149

Luke 6:20-31

            Today we celebrate All Saints day.  And in that, it is a time of remembering, it is a joint, church-wide celebration of the lives of those who have gone before, a rejoicing that those who have passed are with God, a reminder of the vast gifts their lives have given and passed to us, and, honestly, an invitation to be open once more with our grief at the loss of those we have loved.  But most of all, All Saints Day is a reminder that in God, we have nothing to fear.  Even death has been overcome, our Saints, our loved ones live on.  We celebrate their continued living with God this day.  And we celebrate that as we are called to live bravely, with only love and faith as our shield and fortress, we will follow God’s will most closely when we can let go of our fear. For as Yoda said it, fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, and hate leads to suffering.  We’ve seen exactly how true that is over the last few months and as we edge towards Tuesday.  This is the most fear driven election I have ever witnessed.  And in that, in that it is a fear driven election, it is also the least Godly that I have ever witnessed. 

            But it is in the midst of this angst that we are experiencing as a country, this fear that we feel as Tuesday approaches, that we are reminded that we have nothing to fear, not only by the declarations of the angels, “Be not afraid!” but by the celebration of All Saints Day itself.  I don’t say this with levity.  I need to be clear about that.  I am not saying it is an easy thing to put aside our fear and choose love.  It isn’t.  It’s the hardest thing in the world to do, especially when it comes to the fear of death.  As part of my job I have had the deep privilege and honor of walking with people in their last weeks and last days.  And it is common for even people of the deepest faith to have fear as they approach the unknown that is death.  We feel that fear from both places: both feeling afraid of our own deaths, but also the place of fearing the loss of those we love.  Last night at the Chromatica concert that took place here, there were two pieces that really “got” to me in the way of moving me to have a hard time not weeping as I listened.  The first was one of the “Children’s Letters to God” in which the child asked what it was like when you die and then said he/she didn’t want to.  In the middle of it was the noise of the question coming from many voices all being raised to God at the same time (or at least that was my interpretation).  And I felt it.  I felt the fear that even our children, perhaps especially our children, have of death.  A fear that is so intense, so real, so DEEP that it influences and guides so many of our decisions.  The second was Eric Clapton’s Tears in Heaven, which I had never before known was written for his child who had died at the age of four.  Just that realization was beyond me.  I know some of you have lost children.  And I tell you, the fact that you continue on each day shows to me an amazing strength.  I’ve been through a lot, but I do not know how a person walks through the loss of a child.  And the terror of that, the terror of my children dying is overwhelming for me. The terror of my kids being hurt and in particular right now, honestly, of my girls being treated as less than fully human, of being molested, attacked, abused because of their gender terrifies me. I will own that many of my decisions, therefore also come from a fear that stems out of very specific love for very specific people, rather than being based on the love for all people that we are told must be the heart of all we are, including our decisions.

            But again, here we are on All Saints Day.  And we are called to remember that those who pass are with God.  We stand on the angels proclamation to “do not be afraid” again and again.  We lean on scriptures that tell us that the only thing we are called to do: the great commandments we are called to live by are loving God and loving all those we encounter.  ALL those we encounter.  The heart of what I am saying is this: Love is supposed to make our decisions for us, not fear. 

            Today’s passage from Luke reminds us that in the face of all of our loss and grief there is comfort.  We are also reminded that what we believe to be true will be turned on its head.  Once more we are told it is the poor who are rich, the hungry who will be made full, the grieving who will be comforted, and the weeping who will laugh.  When we rest in God, even when we are in pain, even when we are struggling, we will find what we need, we will find the hope, the peace, the laughter, the comfort.  Therefore we do not have to fear doing what God asks us to do: loving others, giving to others, sharing with others, welcoming others.  Because it is in our sharing and giving only that we will find we have enough.  It is in our loving that we will find ourselves loved.  It is in our seeing each other human being as a child of God that we will come to know ourselves as children of God.  We know that nothing stays the same, and that God is the God of change.  We also know that our faith boosts us up and keeps us strong no matter what we are going through, what we are feeling.  God stands with us when we are down, and God strengthens us for the times to come when we are joyful.

Death is scary.  Death creates loss and pain for us.  But this year especially as we look at the election about to take place in two days, as we see a country torn with fear, anger, and hatred, we must, as we look at death, the most feared thing there is, especially, rest in the truth that our faith teaches us we do not have to be afraid.  The bottom line in everything is to choose love over hate, choose hope over fear, and choose compassion over judgment.  We are never called to see others as anything besides our brothers and sisters.  We are called to love even those we consider enemies.  Always.

So on this, All Saints Day, and also “two days before election” day, I have two charges for you. First, be of comfort.  Know that God is with the Saints and that God is with you.  Know that as we rest in God, our fears will be eased, our struggles will be made into something good, and our pain will be transformed into life.

But second, do not vote out of fear, or anger or, worst of all, hate. Do not live out of fear, anger or hate.  If All Saints day is about anything, it is about trusting that as the Saints live on, we, too can live as God calls us to live, with love, with trust, with hope and with compassion. 

I want to share with you two writings. 

The first is a poem by W.H. Auden called “Better Fears”

O God

it is so easy

to be afraid

to be made afraid.

Demagogues of every sort

have always counted on our fears

to scare us into submission.

Politicians and preachers

commissars and evangelists

make people afraid—

afraid of what will happen to them

afraid of death

and therefore of life

afraid of differences

strangers

joy.

The fearmongers are so successful

because they find in us

such willing subjects.

But the gospel of perfect love

comes to us

to cast out fear—

from our beginning.

Some of us

have never affirmed

our first birth—

have never said 'Good!' to our emergence

'Very good!' to our creation.

Be midwife to our self-respect

and mother to our growth.

Perfect love

will cast out fear

and when You are through with us

we will be fearless.

  

in the mean time

at least help us

to move from petty fears

to better ones;

from fears of hell

to admissions of joylessness;

from quaking before opinions and modes and fashions

to fearing

loss of our integrity

and untruth in our very souls.

We would say 'Bravo!'

to

our birth

our re-birth

Your will that created us

our choice to be

and to become.

amen.

Let go of fear.  Remember that the thing that is most feared, death, ends with life.  God is with us, making those we have loved, those we love still, into the Saints that remind us of the value of living but also the value of remembering what they have been, what they have given us, who we are called to be.

This second poem I want to share with you is called “life Unbroken”. It was written by Harry Scott-Holland in 1910.

Death is nothing at all.
It does not count.
I have only slipped away into the next room. 

Nothing has happened.

Everything remains exactly as it was.
I am I, and you are you,
and the old life that we lived so fondly together is untouched, unchanged.
Whatever we were to each other, that we are still.

Call me by the old familiar name.
Speak of me in the easy way which you always used.
Put no difference into your tone.
Wear no forced air of solemnity or sorrow.

Laugh as we always laughed at the little jokes that we enjoyed together.
Play, smile, think of me, pray for me.
Let my name be ever the household word that it always was.
Let it be spoken without an effort, without the ghost of a shadow upon it.

Life means all that it ever meant.
It is the same as it ever was.
There is absolute and unbroken continuity.
What is this death but a negligible accident?

Why should I be out of mind because I am out of sight?
I am but waiting for you, for an interval,
somewhere very near,
just round the corner.

All is well.
Nothing is hurt; nothing is lost.
One brief moment and all will be as it was before.
How we shall laugh at the trouble of parting when we meet again!

We can feel safe in the assurance that our loved ones still exist, that they are with God, that our love for them still matters, and their love for us is endless.  We honor the Saints by living in the love God calls us to extend to all creation.  Amen.