My parents have been talking up their new pastor at the United Methodist Church for awhile now, and up until now, I've only really heard him on Christmas and Easter. Well, today I decided to go hear what he had to say on a Sunday in ordinary time. I was actually really glad I did.
If you read my previous entry, you know that one of the reasons I turned from someone who was going into the clergy to someone who often shuns religion is because of the focus that I often see in the Church these days, particularly in the United States. This morning my parents' pastor pretty much hit it right on the head, clarifying the issue for me and giving me a lot to think on.
He's been preaching a series essentially on basic Christianity. Today his homily focused on "what really brings us fulfillment" using the story of Jesus washing the disciples feet as a backdrop. Folks were encouraged to bring an item that represented things that they felt fulfilled them. In retrospect, perhaps I could have taken a Real Salt Lake scarf. People brought various things, and some even tried to "guess the right answer" by bringing pictures of Jesus, which made me raise an eyebrow in amusement. He spoke for a few minutes about the various items that had been brought and laid on the altar rail. He even mentioned that for him pecan pie was something that was fulfilling! But he deftly began to turn focus by asking if you would want any of those things that fulfilled you listed on your tombstone. Would you want it to read "Gary, eater of pecan pie?" Now me, sure, you can write that I supported RSL in my obituary, but is there more to it? He posited this by asking "what fulfilled Jesus?"
He asked us to consider the story of Jesus washing his disciples feet on Holy Thursday. Most of you, Christian or not, know the story. Before the passover meal began (the Last Supper) Jesus took off his outer clothes, tied a towel around his waist, and proceeded to wash the feet of the disciples then dry them with the towel.
Surely this would have been a profound moment for these men, who professed Jesus as the Son of the Living God. Now when Jesus gets to Simon Peter, Peter goes reactive, as he often does in the Gospel stories, freaks out, and misses the point. Starting in St. John 13:6, we get the account of what happened. Peter asks Jesus if he is going to wash his feet. Jesus says yes, and that Peter won't understand why just yet. Peter comes back with "You ain't gonna wash MY feet!"
Often I imagine Jesus giving Peter a sly smile and shaking his head at his reactionary ignorance. However here I imagine Jesus having a different reaction. I imagine him being a little sad. All this time together and Peter, the rock which Jesus will build his Church, is still missing the point, and Jesus knows that he is set to die in a mere hours. Jesus tells him: "Unless I wash you, you will have no inheritance with me."
Peter being Peter, he goes 180 degrees in the opposite direction, again missing the entire point in the process. He says "Master, then not only my feet, but my hands and my head as well." Peter is now asking for the most important spongebath ever requested.
Jesus again elaborates saying "Whoever has bathed has no need except to have his feet washed, for his clean all over, so you are clean." This presumably stumps Peter enough that he lets Jesus wash his feet, and so he washes all of the disciples feet, even those of Judas.
When he's finished, Jesus puts his outer garments back on and returns to the disciples. He tells them starting in verse 12. "Do you realize what I have done for you? You call me teacher and master, and rightly so, for indeed I am. If I therefore, the master and teacher, have washed your feet, then you should wash each others feet. I have given you a model to follow, so that as I have done for you, you should do also."
The pastor reflected, noting that THIS is what fulfilled Jesus. Jesus humbled himself before his followers and washed their feet. He treated them with dignity and honor, and foreshadowed the sacrifice that he would shortly make on their behalf. If this then, is what fulfilled Jesus, then should this not be what fulfills people, especially Christians? Think about it. When do you really feel good? Chances are it's when you do something nice for someone, or help someone in trouble. Selflessness and sacrifice are fulfilling on the human level. He also mentioned love. If you keep all your love wrapped up inside of you and don't share it with anyone else, you likely will not get love in return. If you share it with others, if you share your love and give of yourself to others, usually people give you that love back in return. You GAIN by GIVING. The pastor then asked us to be generous with each other in our time, our money, our resources, and our love. This is what ultimately leads to fulfillment as people, and in the process makes the world a better place. This then, is the way of Christ, the way of the cross.
This is where, to me, Christians these days miss the entire point. Are you REALLY interested in serving? Are you REALLY interested in giving? Serving and giving inside the walls of a church building is a cop out. Yes churches need people to do various things throughout the parish. But Jesus isn't simply telling people to be on a committee or make sure you give your weekly tithe. Jesus is challenging you, challenging all of us, Christian or not, to take it to the next level. "Take up your cross and follow me" is not a suggestion. Get out of the church and into the street. How do you help others in your daily life? More importantly, how do you treat others and how do you present yourself in daily life.
Christians today are like Peter, are obsessed with being "clean." Is that really what it's all about? Is that you want on your tombstone? "Brandon--followed every bit of the Law to the letter." That might sound good if you're a narcissist. It would also be totally and completely FALSE. I don't care who you do or don't have sex with. I don't care, and I honestly don't think Jesus cares if you don't drink alcohol or that you don't go to rated R movies. Seriously? "Brandon--He never saw Braveheart." Not exactly something to be remembered by is it? Not exactly a legacy. "Joe Christian--Crusaded against Gay Marriage and birth control." Think about it.
Why follow this moral code anyway? Because ye olde book commands it? That you have to do it to get into heaven?" Talk about selfish reasons. Now I'm not advocating that everyone descend into the most debauched behavior that they could think of, but what REALLY MATTERS in the long run? What does "wanting to get to heaven" do for anybody but YOU? "I'll take two mansions and a street of gold on cloud nine please!"
You're putting yourself on a pedestal, advertising your Christian credentials. You look gorgeous up there in your splendid white suit as you list your resume. "I went to church every week. I never worked on a Sunday. I never touched alcohol. I never attended a rated R movie and I made sure my kids didn't either. Coffee? Nope. Had sex before marriage? Nope. Paid my dues into the church, I did that! I signed up for all the requisite causes. I railed against gay people, women's choice, and equal pay. I voted straight ticket Republican ever year. I did everything I could to protect my 'religious rights,' and I made doubly sure that my company didn't sanction contraceptives for women. Oh also, look at my collection of old Bibles!"
Impressive. And indeed it sounds like the perfect resume for the Conservative Christian in 2014. You're exercising your piety and projecting your power from your pedastal, and if that gets in anyone else's way, well that's too bad because you're going to do what you have to do to collect your celestial rewards.
What is Jesus doing while you're looking smart on your pedestal, conducting your religious fueled witch hunts, and telling everybody how much you have on the ball?
Jesus is on the floor in nothing but a dirty towel washing the feet of a guy that is going to deliver him to the power of the day to be killed. He's also washing the feet of a guy who while being considered his closest friend, will totally abandon him and deny that even knows him three times. Your swearing off alcohol and rated R movies seems to pail in comparison doesn't it? You still have the birth control thing going for you though I guess.
Jesus is feeding the hungry. Jesus is caring for the sick and dying. While you crusade against women's rights, gay marriage, and "illegal" immigration Jesus is down at the poor house serving meals. While you worry about a fetus, Jesus weeps for the children being killed in uncontrolled gun violence and slaughtered in wars across the globe. I'm not sure that your argument that you're "protecting your rights" is going to cut it.
Protecting the week, feeding the poor, clothing the needy, caring for the sick, and speaking out against violence is certainly not popular these days. Poor, hungry, and needy people are told to get a job, or a second, or a third. After all, you've worked hard for your share, your credentials, and your power, and you don't feel like sharing. The man you believe was literally the King of the Universe washed the feet of 12 dirty, hardly perfect guys from Galilee and then died for every wrong you or anyone else on this planet will ever do, but you can't give a little more from your paycheck for national healthcare. You're too burdened already. You can't find it in your heart to avoid shouting down some children who fled their families and their country for a better life. You're gonna hang on to that big gun until they pry it from your cold dead fingers and cheer on the sidelines as another country flexes their military power, killing hundreds of civilians on the other side of the world.
What would Jesus do? Remember that? I think Christians better rethink that, because most of us are missing the entire point.
In closing I leave you with words from the Magnificat, the highly subversive song that Mary sings when she finds out that she has been chosen to be the mother of God. I give you a contemporary version, but feel free to look it up in St. Luke 1: 46-55. See what she says about the poor and the weak vs the powerful, the pious, and the prestigious.
2. Through me great deeds will God make manifest,
And all the earth will come to call me blest.
Unbounded love and mercy sure will I proclaim
For all who know and praise God's holy name.
3. God's mighty arm, protector of the just,
Will guard the weak and raise them from the dust.
But mighty kings will swiftly fall from thrones corrupt.
The strong brought low, the lowly lifted up.
4. Soon will the poor and hungry of the earth
Be richly blest, be given greater worth.
And Israel, as once foretold to Abraham,
Will live in peace throughout the promised land.
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