Easter 5B + Nomads + 5.2.21
M. Campbell-Langdell
All Santos, Oxnard
(Actss 8:26–40; Ps. 22:24–30; 1 John 4:7–21; St John 15:1–8)
“Abide in me as I abide in you.” What does it mean, to abide?
If you are of a certain age, you may remember the film The Big Lebowski, and how the character of “the Dude abides” in
that film. Although that film was very tongue-in-cheek and crude at times, the
Dude seemed to exist in a sort of Zen-like equanimity, open to whatever
happened next. If you know me, you know that I am not so easy-going. I am
structure-oriented and tend to follow a schedule. It takes me a moment to
adjust to twists in the road, although I have gotten better at my flexibility
as I have grown older. But stories of being just simply present to the Spirit’s
guidance, and characters who seem totally present to the current moment have
always fascinated me.
In the story of Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch in the book
of Acts, I see two people who are very present to the moment. Not at all thrown
off by the disparateness of their backgrounds, they connect and listen to the
Spirit’s call for the baptism of the Ethiopian. They are two travelers whose
journeys intersect on the road, changing one if not both of their lives
forever, and then they travel on, perhaps never to meet again in this life. It
makes me think of the moment Alene, Genesis and I went to the River Jordan and Alene
spontaneously baptized a group of people at their request. What is to prevent
me? Very little, when the moment presents itself.
These journey stories resonate to me this week as on Monday I
had the pleasure of watching the Oscar-winning movie Nomadland. In it a grieving widow named Fern is forced to relocate
from her hometown as it is closed due to the closure of the mine that was the
only source of employment in her area. A relatively young widow, she does not
have the means to retire but takes to living in her van and working seasonal
jobs as she travels. She connects with a nomadic community that shows her how
to take care of herself and her vehicular home, but more than that, gives her a
sense of belonging.[1]
“Whoever does not abide in me is thrown away like a branch and
withers; such branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned.”
Commentator Karoline Lewis states that this statement is not a judgment of
people, but rather a statement of the nature of life.[2]
That which does not produce fruit is pruned. And when we trust in God’s
guidance and commit our life and work to God, we will see what is bearing fruit
and what we can prune from our life. But Nomadland
also made me think of the cast-offs of society. The eunuchs, if you will. I say
this because Rolf Jacobson points out that the Ethiopian eunuch was an example
of how empires can de-humanize a whole group of people. In the case of the
eunuch, they were usually sons of the king who were not in the line of
succession and were intentionally castrated so that they would not pose a
threat to other potential monarchs. Their lives were intertwined with the
king’s, because if he died, they would likely be killed, and that made them
very loyal and worthy of being entrusted with important duties. However, part
of their humanity was removed to put them in this position.[3]
Now, I do not mean to say those with sexual differences due to their nature are
not gifts. Two-spirit folks, or people considered to encompass both male and
female in many traditional societies, often add so much richness to our church
and to our world. But the difference for the eunuch is this was not necessarily
his nature and it was definitely not his choice, but instead his situation, and
his situation speaks to the perils of empire.
In Nomadland,
activist and van-dweller Bob Wells talks about how many people live their lives
under the tyranny of the dollar- working at low-wage jobs and then when they
are downsized or forced out, they find that their Social Security Income is
hardly enough to live on. He advocates a nomadic way of life as a way to find
freedom in a society that has relegated a whole group of people into the
throwaway category.
In our passage from Acts, the eunuch doesn’t just receive a
sacramental action in being baptized, but he finds belonging. Anywhere he
travels from there, he should be welcomed into the church. One hopes that the
churches received him, but perhaps he built his own community, as so many have
done, knowing that wherever he went he was loved by God. He, who has been so
constrained by society, is free in Christ. In Nomadland, Fern finds community in the group of van-dwellers, as
she builds friendships. Our scripture from 1st John says today to “love
one another” and to me, that is love- to care for others in community. Fern
also finds peace in being by herself in nature. She finds freedom in life on
the road.
What a metaphor for Christian living. We are Followers of the Way. We follow
Jesus on the sometimes smooth and sometimes rocky road of our lives. And
sometimes the Spirit has us intersect with complete strangers, in moments that
will touch our lives and theirs forever. We find freedom in Christ. And we are
invited into a sense of freedom from the normal demands of society as we seek
to do what truly bears fruit in the world. We know that we depend on one
another as we are all inter-connected parts of the vine, and in our faith, we
find community also.
And we have a hope. At one point in Nomadland,
Bob Wells mentions that he never says “goodbye” on the road, he just says “see
you down the road.” He says that to the living and the dead, because he trusts
that at some point he will see his friends and family again. As we mourn Bishop
Bruno this week, let us trust that we will see him again, and all our loved
ones whom we see no longer. Let us remember the hope that we have of eternal
life. And let us never stop traveling until we reach that Kingdom’s shore. Let
us never stop trying to bear fruit, remembering that in order to bear fruit, we
must be willing to let some things go. And we must always support each other in
community. Know that you belong here and are welcomed here, no matter where you
are on your journey.
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