Happy Independence Day!

Happy Independence Day Epiphany!

Many years ago this nation became independent from the Imperial powers of Great Britain due to a small issue over taxes, but we won’t get into that issue right now. But I must admit, that it is funny that we, as Christians celebrate today as Independence Day, because we were independent way before July 4^th, 1776. I’m not talking about the independence gained by our nation’s founding fathers, but the Independence given to us by our Father through the gift of the Holy Spirit. One of the founders of the Church, Paul, has much to say about this independence in his letter to the Church in Galatia. He says we are free from the strictures of societal norms, but that this freedom does not sever our ties to the community. It frees us to be a part of something much bigger- the Body of Christ. We as a community are free to be a part of the body of Christ, no matter who we are or where we come from. And in this community where there is no concept of the “other,” there is only us. This is a view that is sometimes hard to live into, but it is one that we must strive for. It is a kingdom that we want the independence, or freedom, to be a part of.

          In the letter to the Galatians, The Apostle, Saint Paul, is a little unnerved to say the least. He is not a happy camper and he is showing what we in Seminary like to call his nitty gritty human side…………… He raves, he rants, and he is not in what one would call a good mood. You see, someone was telling the Church in Galatia that all of the male members needed to be circumcised. Paul was not happy about this- and that is an understatement. Galatians 5:11 testifies to this point…….Go look it up- it’s a great one. But back to my point, Circumcision, the Sabbath, and other Deuteronomic- Levitical laws were in question in the church of Galatia. The question was “Do new converts from the Gentile community have to get circumcised to belong? Do they have to abstain from, say….. eating shrimp- which is against Mosaic law?” Paul, throughout the letter, testifies and preaches the fact that we are free from the law of Moses, but also free to be moved by the Spirit to be a part of an open community. Paul is preaching about the freedom to belong. It is the freedom from societal and cultural expectations, so that anyone can belong to the community. Martin Luther has even commented and said that this passage is about the freedom of a Christian!

But, unbridled freedom is not what Paul was talking about. The passage that we read for today is one that many have used to point toward some type of Christocentric Libertarianism. By this I mean, I’ve got my Jesus and I am saved, so why do I need to worry about the other. I am a good Christian so I am free to do as I please, I don’t need to be bothered by societies ills. We can see how someone might form this view if we read certain sections of our passage which can be found in Galatians 6:4 “All must rest on their own work” and the ever famous “God is not mocked, you reap whatever you sow” from Chapter 6 verse 7. But if we take the entire passage in context it is plainly about responsibility to one another.   It is a responsibility that says the rules of a community of Christians is based on the Spirit of God, and if in God, then Christ. This Spirit tells us that we are brothers and sisters who look out for one another. It is not a spirit who tells us to forget the other on Monday. It is not a spirit who tells us that we can act anyway we want in this word as long as it is good for the almighty me.–This point is strictly rebuked by Paul’s statement that is found in Chapter 6 verse 2 “Bear one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ” This verse talks of the independence of Christians as the Body of Christ in this world from Mosaic Law and other societal expectations. It is an independence, not a freedom to be alone, but a freedom to belong- This point is made clear with Paul’s charge in Chapter 6 verse 10-  “So then whenever we have an opportunity, let us work for the good of all and especially for those in the family of faith.” Again, it is not about independence to be alone, but the freedom to belong to something much larger than anything that we as humankind can construct on our own.

In the United States of America today there is a celebration of another type of independence. It is an independence from being a part of community. It is the freedom to not recognize ourselves in the other. We have gated homesteads (I wont call them communities) where we can sequester ourselves from the community. We free ourselves from recognizing our face in the other, especially if that face is one of the working poor, or the homeless. This freedom from the other has even been codified in law. The law has pushed what we like to think is the other far away from our lives. In Dallas, Texas, it is illegal to sit on a sidewalk. In New York City, a years old trash law was resurrected to keep the homeless from using boxes to stay warm. In Philadelphia, it is illegal to sleep in public, or to eat in a park. Sean Claiborne, a homeless rights activist, was arrested with many other people when they celebrated the Eucharist in Love Park. These laws are all used as a means to exile those in our community that make people uncomfortable. This codified breaking apart of the community is a direct consequence of our interpretation of independence meaning that one has the right to be alone and not be bothered by the other. In New York a few weeks ago this right to not be bothered played itself out in a vicious way. A homeless man who tried to break up a fight was stabbed. He lay in a pool of his own blood for an hour while people walked by and did not notice him. They were free to be left alone. They felt no responsibility for a fellow child of God. He did not exist to those who were independent of responsibility. It took one hour for someone to notice that this was a child of God and call 911. HE was dead and in the arms of his Father in heaven when the paramedics arrived. The Body of Christ was ignored and we were free to continue to be left alone.

In Paul’s letter to the Galatians we are to take one another’s burdens, not to tell them-  “Well, hey, sorry……but you reap what you sow.” This freedom to belong does not come with a qualification clause. It does not tell one, if you have a certain attribute…..you may belong. Christ’s resurrection was for all people, the community called the church is for all people. The community outside of these walls does ask for qualifications, the community asks “do you have a substance abuse problem?” and if so, they will help you. If you don’t, well you go to the streets- where you just might pick up a substance abuse problem. The church is not like this- we are all equal and one under God’s law. We don’t need a Lexus, a home in the islands, or a country club membership to belong…….much less a circumcision. That is the good news.  God freely gives you the freedom to belong, saint and sinner alike, poor person, rich person. It is all readily available to you. There is no surgical procedure required! The exile of the homeless is a thing of the City of man, not the City of God. The Church is to give us a foretaste of that Kingdom. The church is not only to write checks, but to belong to the big messy, complicated Koinonia. Checks are a good thing, don’t get me wrong, but it is only part of the story. Nothing can beat being personally involved with the whole Community of God.  The Church of the Epiphany knows this for a fact. The doors of God’s church have been open for all who want to be here. We strive to help. We have Gospel Arts, we have the Welcome table and Bible Studies, but could we do more to prove to the world that there is a freedom to belong given by the Holy Spirit at the Church of the Epiphany? Can we all say that we share in the banquet of the Welcome Table, or do we serve the “other.” What would it look like if the Spirit moved us to eat together at the welcome table and remove that separation that happens with the serving line? I know that food cost money and folks are worried about taking food from someone’s mouth that might really need it, but I can tell you we have plenty of coffee. Sit for a while have a cup of coffee and get to know your brother and sister in Christ. Go to the Town meetings when another budget cut happens and speak as the Body of Christ where all of its members can be heard. Stop and speak to a brother or sister. When something isn’t right on our streets tell someone. Embrace the freedom and Independence God gave us and join the Koinonia, be a part of community- the only cost is love and compassion- All for Christ’s sake

AMEN

Getting over the inner extrovert in the tropics.........

So, I am not very good at doing it. The "it" I speak of is hanging out by myself. You know what I mean, the solitary actions of walking the city streets taking it all in, the sitting at a cafe with a book or pad sipping a cooling expresso, sitting in a park with a bottle of water and a baguette. These are the activities that some of us enjoy, but, I must jealously admit that they drive me absolutely batty. The idea is romantic enough. Trapsing out on your own Kerowack style with backpack and moleskin journal in hand, ready to jott down the next piece of imagined wisdom, poetry, or in my case theology, that comes into your incredibly astute and artsy head.

Normally, I cant even think of doing this. I need conversation, my kids playing dodge ball in the living room, or my wife just existing near me, to do anything of value. If I am alone for any prolonged period of time, I put on NPR, or an audio book, but the tropics have been an allieviation of all of this in a small way.

One can not stay indoors in the tropics. It is not really an option. It is not because of the beautiful landscape, the frenetic action of the city, or the music of blenders that draws you out. What draws you out is the heat. It is hot in the house. You have to leave to let the sticky sweaty stuff of your day evaporate off of you. So there is nothing to do but go out, and if no one will go with you- you go anyway.

This what I found myself doing over and over again in the Dominican Republic. My buddy and I, Fyodor, would go out and sit in cafe's and drink espresso together. I thought Fyodor and I would be alone, but no...... In the tropics things are kind of loud. Marange and Bashetta music are meant to be played loud, conversations are loud, cars are loud. Its not that people mean to be loud, but they are just being passionate. Passionate in the way us reserved anglos are not. I think you can insert your own visions from Happy Days or The Meaning of Life into your mind as I say this and hopefully you will say.....oh yeah....know what you mean.

Well I digress, anyway how did the tropics teach me to be an introvert? Well, I realized that Fyodor was a screen! Oh yes a screen you say my good man.....no of course, I am being an ass, you must realize that the progressive nature of the people, or I say the drunkards.......Wait may be I did read a bit to much Fyodor......back to matter at hand! What I meant by a screen was that I read alittle, sipped a little, and watched people. I recall a man maybe arguing passionately, or maybe talking about his granddaughter. Whatever he was talking about, his hands were wildly moving, pointing in all directions. Then his hands would make all sorts of gestures that made one think he was bringing a chopper or an aircraft in for a landing. It was fascinating.

I also recall sitting in a cantina and watching a group of guys take a break from car washing to play dominoes. Voices would raise, tempers would seem to flare then they would hug. This is an amazing place of emotion. It is not like our emotion- an emotion we with hold in for fear of making someone upset, but the honest emotion that lets the other know where you stand in truth. Maybe this lesson would be one we could learn to live with. If becoming introverted for a while taught me this........bring on the Myers Brigg "I" designator.....I need it.

A Sermon Preached in the Dominican Republic 01/27/10

Luke 21:12-15


Jesus said, "But before all this occurs, they will arrest you and persecute you; they will hand you over to synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors because of my name. This will give you an opportunity to testify. So make up your minds not to prepare your defense in advance; for I will give you words and a wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to withstand or contradict."

In 1936 a priest of God stood up for God. This Priest was not concerned with the trappings of his office. This priest was not concerned with the public’s opinion of him, what type of car he drove, or whether his vestments were from some primer English tailor.

This priest did not argue about predestination, liberation, consubstantiation, tran-substantiation, or the incarnation. What this priest did, though, was to listen to God. He listened and he was brought up to glory for doing what God told him to do.

The Priest’s name was Charles Raymond Barnes. During the reign of the dictator Trujillo this priest listened to God, which could be very dangerous. You see, Fr. Barnes learned of the horrible happenings on the border that the Dominican Republic shares with Haiti. Fr Barnes learned of a genocide. Fr Barnes listened to God and did something about that genocide. When Fr Barnes sent letters to officials in the American Government pleading for help for the people of Haiti, he was living the Gospel. Fr Barnes was arrested and persecuted, he was handed over to the governor because of the name of God. He used the wisdom of God in his actions and his soul with stood the blows of torture and murder. Fr Barnes testified to the truth, the truth of the heinous crimes, and to the truth of Christ. Fr Barnes stood up for the oppressed and the meek. Fr Barnes was brought before the governor. Fr Barnes was beaten and broken. Fr Barnes soul went to glory for his witness. This all happened less than 50 meters away.

In the church tonight, we will celebrate the Eucharist. We will all take communion over the broken body that lays entombed under the altar at Iglesia de la Epifania this evening, God willing. This joining with Christ, and each other, will fortify us to tell the truth, to be be brought before whomever and wherever God requires. This will give us an opportunity to testify. So we will make up our minds not to prepare our defense in advance; for God will give us words and a wisdom that none of our opponents will be able to withstand or contradict." Let us remember the witness of the Reverend Father Charles Barnes. Let us pray that we are strong enough to live out the Gospel. Let us pray that we are strong enough to live the truth, no matter what occurs.