November 20, 2016 - Twenty Seventh Sunday after Pentecost - Morning / Mourning in America?

Many in the Creator community are active in community political as well as spiritual life.  Some may feel politics should not be a focus in a blog about worship but itis obvious that our worship has been affected by the election.  Many seem dazed and shaken, trying to deal with the idea of President-Elect Trump. Obviously this is taking place across the country but I will delve into my experiences for the past week here as they bear on Sunday's worship.

Last Tuesday I saw Suzanne Vega perform.  She brought what felt like a New York sensibility onto the stage.  After singing Marlene On The Wall Vega remarked that the recent election results brought her new and interesting perspectives on the lyrics to many of her songs. I didn't follow the relevance of all the perspectives she outlined.  For me at least one the truly powerful song for the moment was off her new album.  The song is based on author Carson McCullers' Member of The Wedding called We of Me The song is about how individuals interact with one another.

My post-election thoughts have been turning to community.  I know there are other Creator members exploring the lessons of community as well, pondering the times felt of belonging here and the other times of feeling isolated from many. 

The Leo Tolstoy quote from Anna Karenina came back to me throughout the week, "All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way".  Reactions to Trump's victory vary greatly with each individual.  Many are trying to persuade others that their reaction is morally or politically better than any other to varying degrees of success.  Many long for a group connection they feel has been lost. There is a fear of what's ahead and a concern that this fear will spur forward the very actions that some don't want to happen.

Those I know some who took part in recent Portland protests felt strong community solidarity when they gathered and sung old protest songs like We Shall Overcome, Whose Side Are You On or A Change is Gonna Come.  That is a familiar community for me as well, but in 2016 that solidarity feels more abstract and less powerful than in the past.  Too much fighting old battles in the same way.  Pastor Sara talked about moving into a period of lament and mourning.  Will there be new action that springs from that lament and mourning?

My response is not to conjure up history remembered and revisited.  Like many others I want to live into a present informed by history as best we can manage.  Besides the We of Me the songs I hear from a different perspective and that haunt me currently are Bob Dylan's Ballad of A Thin Man and his The Times They Are A Changin'.

You walk into the room with your pencil in your hand
You see somebody naked and you say, "Who is that man?"
You try so hard but you don't understand
Just what you will say when you get home
Because something is happening here but you don't know what it is
Do you, Mr. Jones?

Recently I am learning to be Mr. Jones with no handy answers as to what is happening. I used to think of Mr. Jones as a man too small and shallow to accept life.  Pastor Michelle in her sermon let us know she learned not to be so smug.  I think this may be what I am learning through Mr. Jones. I have smugness to lose as well.

In the announcements Pastor Michelle asked us all to listen to today's Gospel Lesson Luke 23:33-43.  She assured us God's word spoke powerfully to what is happening in our nation right now.

What I heard was a different compassion in the story of the Jesus and the two thieves particularly the one thief's response to the other's "Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us!" The desperation of the question and exclamation is human and understandable.

For us who know the story of Jesus through the gospel know of his innocence.  How does the thief who rebukes the other know Jesus is innocent when he responds to the other, "Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed have been condemned justly, for we are getting what we deserve for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong."? 

I don't believe the thief heard the story of Jesus and the trial from anyone. I think this knowledge of innocence comes from his heart or his faith and, somehow in this moment of insight, he accepts both his death and the death of Jesus.  He simply says "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom."

When Jesus replies, "Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise." his words echo that same acceptance.  A burden is lifted and a connection is made. 

Is America great?  If not, when was it great and what would make it great again?