Unspotted by the World

Reagan Gonzalez
10/7/18
St. Matthew’s Episcopal
Lincoln, NE
Proper 22

I cannot escape hearing it.

Anger and dissatisfaction ooze out of every news channel. My friends and relatives get into arguments on Facebook. Radio talk show hosts and podcast producers converse on the vile nature and moral corruption of whichever side they are speaking against. Exasperation and frustration from both sides has left our country more polarized than ever and I cannot escape hearing it.

Jonathan Haidt in his book, The Righteous Mind: Why Good People Are Divided by Politics and Religion, writes, “Morality binds and blinds. It binds us into ideological teams that fight each other as though the fate of the world depended on our side winning each battle. It blinds us to the fact that each team is composed of good people who have something important to say.”

I myself have to frequently convict myself of only watching and listening to opinions that affirm what I already believe and what I already reject. As a person of faith I know I am held to a standard of higher power. That although I am of the world I am not to be consumed by it, or as our 1928 Prayer Book birthday prayer says, to be left unspotted by the world.

Many of the conflicts going on around us are led by individuals on opposing sides genuinely acting on their own religious and faithful convictions, however. Sometimes it is those acting out on their religious beliefs that the worst of humanity is seen. It is no wonder we desire to group ourselves into ‘us’ and ‘them’ and to the best of our ability we try not to leave our group, for anger is exhausting. It wares us down and leaves us wondering what is wrong with those who disagree.

If we are to live, neigh survive, this world as we have made it however, then we have to look beyond the anger, both in ourselves and in those around us. I think if we look deeply enough we will find something else. We will find fear. Deep down the real question behind whatever topic, whatever issue is at hand is, what are we afraid of?

At the end of today’s gospel we are given an image to help us through this question.

In the midst of Jesus and his disciples having a serious discussion people are bringing children to Jesus in order that he might touch them. The disciples don’t see the value in this and they rebuke the people. “Let the children come to me”, Jesus says, “for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs. Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it.” This image of Jesus with children gathered around him is one of the most popular images in all of scripture.

Within churches paintings and prints of this image are usually strategically placed near or in the nursery or other Sunday school class rooms. While this may call sweet images to mind I would actually argue that it is us adults who need the reminder of this image more than children.

There are at least two things from this image that I hope to leave you with in order that you might find hope for your days. The first is that if we are to receive the kingdom of God as little children, then we must acknowledge that we are not finished growing. We are still learning what it means to be in relationship with God and each other. The work does not stop at adulthood, but we should still be growing in faith, in relationship, in awe and in wonder. If we lean into Jesus’ words a burden is lifted. You don’t have to have everything figured out and it’s ok not to have all the answers. Unlike the disciples who view the children as less valuable of Jesus’ time compared to them or others, Jesus reminds them that it is the children, the weak, the forgotten, the social underdogs for whom Jesus is looking out for and seeks to raise up. Br. David Vryoff, of the Society of St. John the Evangelist, writes, “Children of God, never mind your weakness; it is what qualifies you. Never mind your feelings of inadequacy; it is God’s work, not yours. Simply make yourself available, and let any need to impress others, or prove yourself worthy, or achieve success. What matters is that God has chosen you, and that God claims you as his own.”

This leads us to the second thing we can learn from this image and that is, that deep down we all have an inner child that needs to be loved. No matter how you were raised what adults all have in common is that in one way or another we all had to figure out how to survive childhood. When I find myself getting angry or frustrated with the world around me I know deep down that there is fear.

Fear of the answers to questions that many of us have been asking our whole lives. Will I be heard?

Will I be valued? Am I loved? Am I worthy? Am I safe?

These questions lie at the base of almost all arguments we make and interactions we have.

I don’t know the future of many of the questions we face together as a community and as a nation, but regardless of sides, beliefs, and opinions it is clear that our current political dialogue is a toxic one. We have an obligation to look inward into our own fears before we act out in ways which divide us further. We have an obligation to listen to the fear and pain of others, without mockery or bullying.

When you feel overwhelmed by what is going on in your life or in the life of our nation or the world, hold onto this image of Jesus. He is still inviting you to come and gather around him. To bring to him those fears and questions you have, all your pain and sadness, and your joys as well. He is inviting you to sit at his feet and be comforted and protected, to bring your inner wounded self to him and to rest.

In our climate it is tempting to be like one of the disciples in today’s story, to drive others away because we think we know better or have it all figured out. As gatekeepers who judge who is worthy of time and attention. But We don’t actually get to choose who Jesus will or will not gather around him. Instead we have to strive be like the children who come to Jesus seeking to be blessed and to witness the blessing of others.  

Dearly beloved, bring your whole selves to Jesus, let him gather you and hold you safe.

Amen.

Haidt, Jonathan. The Righteous Mind: Why Good People Are Divided by Politics and Religion. New York: Vintage Books, 2013.