- Inspired by love and anger, disturbed by need and pain
informed of God's own bias, we ask him once again
"How long must some folk suffer? How long can few folk mind?
How long dare vain self interest turn prayer and pity blind?"
There are some occasions we just don¹t forget (depending on which generation you are from): Dropping of the atomic bomb; the assassination of JFK, the sacking of the Whitlam government, killing of John Lennon, explosion of Space Shuttle, first bomb in the Gulf War, death of Princess Diana This is one of those moments as if someone comes running in here, grabs a knife and plunges it into the banner, ripping a gaping whole in it
There is no "gentle Jesus meek and mild", no signs of "little lord Jesus, no crying he makes" Jesus is mighty cheesed off and is not going to try to hide it behind the idea of 'being nice' Jesus is angry, Jesus is passionate, Jesus is driven to act.
It's a passion that is consuming him we are told that. and it's a passion that is political in the very best sense of the word based on the form of society and life that was being lived at the time.
And in these dramatic actions that sealed the fact that he would be killed Jesus showed that any effort to separate politics and society from faith is futile in fact it is heresy it is anathema to God.
In this one striking action, Jesus confronts, disturbs, offends and opposes all ways of denying people their right to participate in a full life in God's world.
The religious setting of the day meant that for you to be forgiven the things you had done wrong you needed to offer a sacrifice of a pure animal. But the practice had developed that most animals that people brought were considered unworthy of the sacrifice, and a new animal had to be bought. Those in control were making it harder, if not impossible, for people to be forgiven they were placing blockages in knowing the grace and forgiveness of God and that is something we must always stand against and cry out with passion about.
The setting also meant that a tax had to be paid a temple tax. but it couldn't be paid in normal everyday coins they were 'unworthy' of the payment and so coins had to be exchanged for Jewish coins. and the rate of exchange was horrendous, meaning that people were being ripped off.
Those in positions of power were making financial gains out of the needs of the people and that is something we must always stand against and cry out with passion about And the setting of the day meant that these stalls, these exchange tables were placed in the area of the temple that was supposed to be set aside for other races people of other nationalities to express their love for God and say their prayers
But they were denied the chance to do that, because they were considered less important the people in positions of power had decided that there were some who should have easy access to God and to life and that there were some about whom it didn't really matter and this decision was based on their race AND that is something we must always stand against and cry out with passion about
There is no separation of faith and politics; of spirituality and race matters
and every now and then
we are reminded of that by people demonstrating the same sort of passion as Jesus
Martin Luther King, Archbishop Oscar Romero
The voice of the church must cry out, clearly and loudly on behalf of any person
who is victimised in spiritual, financial, or racial ways.
Not to do so, is to stand in heresy.
- From those forever victims of heatless human greed
Their cruel plight composes a litany of need:
"Where are the fruits of justice? Where are the signs of peace?
When is the day when prisoners and dreams find their release?"From those forever shackled to what their wealth can buy
the fear of lost advantage provokes the bitter cry
"Don't query our position! don't criticise our wealth!
don't mention those exploited by politics and stealthTo God who through the prophets proclaimed a different age
we offer earth's indifference, its agony and rage:
"When will the wronged be righted! When will the kingdom come?
When will the world be generous to all instead of some?
Tonight we will be showing the movie Romero here for anyone who wants to see it the story of the man, assassinated 20 years ago last Friday, because he not only saw and understood the victimisation of people - spiritually, financially, racially - but who spoke and acted to change it.
Where is it that this victimisation occurs today?
In which countries are people denied their rights
to the grace of God, to economic security, to racial equality
In which parts of Australia? In which parts of Canberra?
In which parts of our church, our families, our households, our streets?
- God asks "Who will go for me? Who will extend my reach?
And who, when few will listen, will prophesy and preach?
And who, when few bid welcome, will offer all they know?
And who when few dare follow, will walk the road I show?"Amused in someone's kitchen, asleep in someone's boat
Attuned to what the ancients exposed, proclaimed and wrote
A saviour without safety, a tradesman without tools
Has come to tip the balance with fisherman and fools."
All: In the awesome name of God, in the victorious name of Jesus in the mysterious name of the Spirit, we acknowledge our Go and we wait we are still, we are silent, and we wait.
SILENCE
- Poor folk won't always be forgotten
nor will the hopeless hope in vain
Rise, God, restrain the cruel exploiters!
Strike them with fearVoice 1: We wait for the sounds of God and the sounds of the sacrament
the breaking of the bread and the gushing of the wine
the pain of sorrow and the pulse of hope
the echo of our name and the bread in our teeth
a cup on our lips and breathing at our side
as we wait for the sounds of God
the breaking of the bread and the gushing of the wine.
- God has prepared a throne for judgement
Nations will know who reigns supreme
God will judge all the earth with justice and equityVoice 2: We hear sounds in the distance: the vibration of human lives,
the crackle of fear and the murmur of distrust
the scramble for rice and the tearing of garbage
the shuffle of withered limbs and the sigh of rich tourists
the growl of empty bodies and the splash of spent blood
the breaking of the bread and the gushing of the wine.
- May God indeed empower the weary
and for the troubled be their tower
Lord, do not turn from those who seek you
trusting your name.Voice 1: We hear the snarl of a bullet and the snap of a trigger
the sudden yell of unseen mines the cough of smoking ruins
the whisper of desolation and the silence of a lifeless field
the breaking of the bread and the gushing of the wine.
SILENCE
- Sing, sing to God among the nations
proclaim our great avenger's name
God keeps in mind all the afflicted
God hears their cry.Voice 2: We hear the bleating of the lamb and the breaking o the womb
the death of the lamb and the breaking of the tomb
a word that was healing and a God that was feeling
in the breaking of the bread and the gushing of the wine
- So with a full heart Lord, I praise you
grateful for all you are and do
I shall sing out for you, the highest
I shall rejoice.
and the dancing of willows and the surprise of open lives
the shout of mountains and the laughter of a second birth
the leap of our spirit and the swirl of celebration
in the breaking of the bread and the gushing of the wine.
(This sermon weaves together my message with a song by the Iona Community ("Inspired by love and anger") and then moves on to the Communion Prayers which follow immediately. The prayers (drawn from "Bread of Tomorrow" ed by Janet Morley) also weave in a song by the Iona Community ("Poor folk won't always be forgotten"). Both songs are done solo and unaccompanied.)
(Comments to Gordon at glramsay@ozemail.com.au.)
Kippax Uniting Church
Canberra ACT Australia