Proper 28 C + Not God's first rodeo + 11.13.16

(marketplace.secondlife.com)

M. Campbell-Langdell

All Saints, Oxnard

(Isaiah 65:17–25; Canticle 9; 2 Thess. 3:6–13; St Luke 21:5–19)

I had the pleasure of seeing Carol Puorto’s daughter Shari perform with her blues band several months ago and I enjoyed her music so much I picked up her CD. When I exclaimed at her having a special metallic “Sharpie” with which to sign her CDs, she said, “This isn’t my first rodeo!” And that struck me.
This week, we had election news that shocked some of us, and perhaps not so much for others of us. Some of my friends have been completely rocked to the core by this result. But I turn to this week’s scriptures to remind myself that this is not God’s first rodeo.

In today’s collect, or prayer of the day, we heard that we read scripture because it helps to give us strength for the hard and confusing moments of our lives. It helps us maintain hope and faith.

For some, those hard and confusing moments came on Tuesday night, but for others all around the world, every day brings new challenges.

But what I take from today’s gospel passage is that even though any given situation may seem like the end of the world, it is not, really, most likely. Because this is not God’s first rodeo.

In today’s gospel, the disciples are checking out the temple in Jerusalem. Now this was Herod’s pet project, a sort of memorial to him. And to get a sense of the scope, you might want to think about the pyramids in Egypt, Mexico and Guatemala. He was busy turning an entire side of Mount Moriah (the Temple Mount) into a worship space, and the entire structure was to be 1600 feet wide by 900 feet broad by 9 stories high, although it was not completed to design. Huge blocks of stone were dragged using pulleys and elaborate mechanisms and then finished on the site once placed.[1] Listening to this, you begin to realize why the disciples were impressed. This was impressive stuff. A truly enormous undertaking. But Jesus said, this is a man-made project and it will fall, too.

Many people reading this passage recognize it as apocalyptic literature and may begin to believe Jesus is talking about the end of the world. But in fact, we now think he was talking about the destruction of the temple, which occurred in 70 CE, decades after his death. Jesus was reminding us that although these temple stones may seem hugely impressive now, that they too would fall. Because it wasn’t about Herod, it was about God, whether the stones are together or whether they have tumbled down. And when the stones tumble down, God will guide us through, because it isn’t God’s first rodeo.

As we respond to the political events of this week, we must acknowledge that although our nation may look different, we do have a system of checks and balances in our government. But that said, more than relying on the stones of any government or system we must remember that it isn’t God’s first rodeo and that God will guide us through.

We may end up disagreeing with our family members, as this gospel mentions too, but God never changes and I trust that with God’s help we can find common ground. Because Jesus says: trust in God, if you keep trying to endure you will gain your soul. And St. Paul tells us not to be lazy. J But really, if I am prone to any laziness today it is likely a laziness in attitude- to judge others by ideologies they may adhere to rather than to keep an open mind. Or another temptation might be to allow another to be mistreated as long as it does not involve me. Because, divided as our nation is, I believe I am called to really engage others about how they feel and to listen and learn. I also feel that, since our baptismal covenant calls us to respect the dignity of every human being, I am called to be a safe person for anyone who believes this recent election has given them the license to act or speak in hate. Hate is not patriotic.
During the recent Brexit vote in England, people began to see an increase in hateful words and actions towards minorities of different kinds. And people began to wear a safety pin. This safety pin served as a small reminder that anyone who is vulnerable could feel safe with that person. This tradition came from the time of World War II, wherein folks in Norway started wearing paperclips as a way to show they were not in support of the Nazi ideologies around racial cleansing.[2] Reading about this this past week, I decided to put on a safety pin, to remind myself and others that I am striving to create a safe environment for all. For anyone who is scared of persecution for who they are and for anyone who feels misunderstood. I also shared a post on Facebook about how to engage someone who is experiencing harassment. The suggestions included not engaging the attacker and just engaging the person being attacked, helping him or her to feel safe by talking about whatever comes to mind until the bully loses steam.[3]

In our relatively peaceful spot of Oxnard, we may not feel we need such involved strategies, that we may not see anybody be mistreated in this way. But I think as we move forward as Christians after this election it is helpful to remember our baptismal covenant. That this is not God’s first rodeo, and that God gives us the words and the actions to act all of us as people of integrity and followers of Jesus. Whether the temple be built or appear to fall, God is our true rock and will never forsake us. And following Jesus, we will strive to never forsake our brothers and sisters in doing what is right, no matter who they are or what they believe.
Because in the same honored tradition of the Veterans we celebrate this weekend, who serve not for themselves but for the good of others, we are Jesus-followers not for ourselves but for others.
I read a Bonhoeffer quote this week shared by the bishop from Iowa, which said:
“Who is Christ for us today? The experience that a transformation of all human life is given in the fact that “Jesus is there only for others.” His “being there for others” is the experience of transcendence. It is only this “being there for others,” maintained till death, that is the ground of his omnipotence, omniscience, and omnipresence. Faith is participation in this being of Jesus (incarnation, cross, resurrection).”

(Bonhoeffer, Letters from Prison 62, part 6)[4]

Jesus is there for others, so we Christians are there for others, knowing God is always there for us, strengthening us, guiding us on the way forward, together.
Because this is not God’s first rodeo.

---

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Temple#Herod.27s_Temple.

[2] http://kottke.org/16/11/safety-pins-as-a-symbol-of-solidarity-against-racism.

[3] http://atrending.net/someone-made-guide-see-islamophobia-perfect.html.

[4] http://episcopaldigitalnetwork.com/ens/2016/11/11/election-statement-iowa-bishop-alan-scarfe/.