Epistle: Ephesians 4:25 - 5:2
Gospel: John 6:35, 41-51
Grace and Peace to you from God, our Loving Creator, and from the Bread of Life, Jesus the Christ, Amen
Two young 7th graders were sitting in the back of science class, when one says to the other, “I’m sorry for all the wrongs I’ve ever caused you.” The other 7th grader looks befuddled, but thanks the first one anyway.
Robert is the first one’s name, and that might not have been the exact words he said to me, but it was something similar. You see, Robert grew up in a conservative denomination of Christianity known as the Apostolic Christians, and in order to become a baptized member of his church, he was to atone for every one of his sins by repenting to everyone he had wronged. This meant calling up relatives far away in other states, and as it happened, also classmates sitting next to him in science class.
Maybe to another 7th grader this wouldn’t have piqued their curiosity. But maybe another 7th grader wasn’t raised in the church from day one, and maybe another 7th grader wasn’t in desperate need for a friend.
So, rather than just thanking him and going on my merry way, I asked the best question. “Why?”... I asked him “Why” because I was curious. I didn’t think many other people in my grade went to church as often as I did.
Asking that question, followed by many other questions about his faith, and in turn telling him about mine, sparked a friendship that is still strong to this day, nearly 20 years later. Sure, we had done projects together before, and we knew each other well enough, as I knew most of the other kids in my grade pretty well. But it was in sharing a piece of ourselves that we found common ground.
This piece was the Bread of Life. We broke bread when we discussed our faiths, for the founder of our differing faiths was the same, Jesus the Christ, our Bread of Life.
“Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.” (John 6:35 NRSV)
So this is week three of the infamous five week journey of bread. Remember last time I preached, and all I wanted to do was preach about Jesus feeding people with bread? Well, remember the week after, was when we actually talked about Jesus feeding people, and how we should all go out and help one another, and talk to one another, and be with one another. In this third week of the bread journey, the text focuses on the journey from Manna to Jesus, and Jesus gives the Jewish people context as to where he comes from. Jesus centers himself on the history of the Jewish people, his people, and says to them that when the Israelites were in the wilderness and they asked for Manna, they received it, but eventually died. Jesus offers the bread of life for all to have eternal life with God.
This passage is about hope and the freedom found in Christ, not for condemning non-believers. Because as the writer of our second lesson writes, “So then, putting away falsehood, let all of us speak the truth to our neighbors, for we are members of one another.” (Ephesians 4:25 NRSV) When the author was writing to the people of Ephesus, they were writing to a mixed audience of both Jewish and Greek people. A diverse crowd. So sensing the diversity, the author calls for unity in a few places, and reiterates in our lesson for today that this diversity does not have to be a point of contention, but rather a uniting factor. The author continues, “Let no evil talk come out of your mouths, but only what is useful for building up, as there is need, so that your words may give grace to those who hear.”
So what do we do when we hear a different thought than our own? How do we live in a plural existence like the people in Ephesus?
Because we all know that for some people, this time in our lives is the most politically divided time they’ve experienced. To the point that people can’t even bring up the word politics without people shuffling in their seats. I know this isn’t specific to our time right now, but isn’t the old axiom that one never brings up politics or religion at a social gathering?
Or in church?
The story I told about my friend Robert bringing up his religious beliefs is a safe story to tell, because Robert was coming from his Christian worldview. Albeit different than my Christian worldview… but either way, a story about a Christian sharing their beliefs with another Christian is a pretty safe story to tell in a sermon.
But I’ve had a few more faith conversations with other people from different religions and different religious worldviews. When I worked with Somali immigrant children in Saint Cloud, I’d ask my fellow Somali tutors about Islam, and I would in turn talk about my view on Christianity. Again, differing points of view, but we found surprising commonality. A friend of mine has gotten both local and national press because of the work she did on her pastoral internship, holding an interfaith dialogue between Christians and Muslim leaders in the small southern Minnesota town of Dawson. Pastor Mandy France invited her local doctor and the medical director of the hospital in Dawson, Dr. Aziz Virji to hold interfaith dialogue with members of the community.
She addressed the inflammatory rhetoric of rampant Islamophobia head on by holding peaceful conversations about Islam and Christianity. Sharing of one’s faith is important as Christians, and it is also equally important to listen and learn from our neighbors of different faiths.
“Put away from you all bitterness and wrath and anger and wrangling and slander, together with all malice, and be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven you.” (Ephesians 4:31-32 NRSV)
So when we share our beliefs, our faith stories, our political beliefs with one another - we share a piece of ourselves that tells us something deeper than skin-deep. Sometimes you can look at other people and take a reasonable guess at their religious affiliation due to outward symbols, whether it’s a cross around a neck, a hijab around a face, a turban around a head or a kippah on top - along with many other religious symbols - but other times our religious beliefs aren’t so public.
Similarly, our political beliefs may be publicly known, especially if one is a public official, but nothing is certain. But when we go the extra mile and share these bits of ourselves with one another, we are breaking bread and holding the sacred in common with one another.
And, in reality, that’s what we do every Sunday here. We each have differing political and maybe even religious beliefs, but we cast all those aside when we come to the table. The celebration of Holy Communion is one of the Christian Church’s great equalizers, where we take what is different about ourselves, and cast it aside for the common practice of confessing our sins in public confession, and coming to the table together, to share in the Blood of Christ and the Bread of Life. That together with other Christians, we share in the physical manifestation of God’s freely given Grace. Grace that is bestowed to all of us, to save us from ourselves, for the glory of God.
Give us today our daily bread, we pray together. Our daily Bread of Life that goes beyond the physical bread in communion, goes beyond the sharing of ourselves to one another - but to our daily needs that make us who we are as human beings and as beloved Children of God. We have been given our Bread of Life to not only have for ourselves, but to share with one another, whatever we can give - for the benefit of one another.
One last thought - in this country, we share our political beliefs when we take action and vote. As a person standing in this pulpit, I cannot legally or in good conscience tell you who to vote for, but I can encourage you to share your political voice by voting on Tuesday. This Tuesday, share the Bread of Life by doing your duty as an American, and especially as a Minnesotan - and vote.
When those two kids shared their faith with one another in the back of science class, it birthed a great friendship. Robert and I have been friends for nearly 20 years, and today Robert turns 30. He’s celebrating it by breaking bread with some of his friends.
Vote on Tuesday. Share the Bread of Life.
Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment