Remembering Desmond Tutu

 Remembering Desmond Tutu

“Let Freedom Ring!”

(From The Washington Post 

January 1,2022)

The Bishops of the Diocese of Massachusetts asked us to ring the church bell in honor of Desmond Tutu last Friday at noon and I’m asking Tom to do that again right now. And as I do that let me say; 

Let Freedom Ring! Ringing of the Church bell!

It is a long hard road to freedom. Ask the children of Apartheid what it was like. Or the children of Slavery in America, perhaps we might listen to that story. Native Americans can tell you the story of what it was like to lose land and life. The Irish fled famine. Italians and Germans fled war. And so it goes. Here we are today. We are a people of conflict caught between a struggle for freedom while at the same time agents of oppression. The truth must be told. And I invite you to walk the way of Love. 

Yesterday, Desmond Tutu was laid to rest at St. George’s Cathedral in Cape Town, South Africa, may he Rest in Peace and Rise in Glory. 

I am no stranger to White Supremacy in America. When I became the Rector of Christ Church, Hyde Park in Boston the city was in the throes of Phase II Desegregation. On the eve of my first service I received a phone call from a woman I later learned was a parishioner. When I said “Christ Church rectory, good evening” she said; “You say one word about integration and we will kill you.” Click. And such was my welcome to that chapter in my ministry. 

Many years later, while serving as Rector at St. Mark’s Church in Saint Albans, WV a black teen age boy asked a white teen age girl to go out on a date. That night there was a cross burning on the black family’s front lawn. The next morning after our services I went to St. Paul’s Missionary Baptist Church. I wanted the black community to hear the news from me. I promised as God is my judge to do what I could. Pastor Mike Poke and I organized a march for the following Friday evening to go from one church to another to denounce this evil in the strongest terms possible. Hand in hand we marched. We carried the cross of Jesus right down Main St. Local officials and even Joe Manchin, then governor of the state of West Virginia joined in prayer with the whole community to renounce this and all wickedness having to do with racism.

The struggle for equality continues. 

Even as a child I learned early on about gender inequality. I used to love hanging around the kitchen table or when shooed off to bed to hang by the upstairs bannister and listen in to all the family gossip. I vividly recall my mother telling the story of her pay scale at the First National Bank of Boston. She worked data processing in payroll and because of her position she learned that she was being paid at a different rate than a man working exactly the same job in the very same office. When she confronted the boss, he said that the man had a family to support. My divorced mother said; “What am I, sliced liverwurst! I have two boys at home and I’m the breadwinner for my family”. That argument made no difference whatsoever and to this day the pay scales between men and women remains unequal and unjust. If being a feminist means, “equal pay for equal work”, among other things, then I am a feminist. 

Desmond Tutu was also a leader in LGBTQ rights and equality. I was no stranger to the fact of same sex relationships at a very young age. After my dad died my uncle and his “friend” Jimmy let me tag along with them on day trips all over the state of Massachusetts. On special occasions they took me to Frank Guiffrida’s Hilltop Steak House up on Route #1. Many of you will remember the plastic cows who kept us company while waiting to get to get a table. 

My uncle was gay, but I never thought of him that way. He was just my uncle, Jimmy was Jimmy and they were both good friends. But when I went to seminary our relationship began to change. Al did not hold back his feelings about the church which he considered a safe harbor for superstition and bigotry. My uncle freely and vigorously expressed his opinions. I learned some vocabulary from him which I found useful when I drove taxi in New York City and Boston; which I did to help pay my way through seminary. My grandmother took exception to much of my uncle’s vivid and colorful idiomatic epithets. She often said, that man swears like a stevedore. I had to look that word up too when I first heard it. 

Not long before I graduated from Seminary and prepared for Ordination, my uncle confronted me. This was way back in 1972, by the way, long before the church came around to deal with many of the issues of inclusivity which many of us take for granted now. He summoned me front and center as only my uncle could; “You with the turned around collar” he said, dripping with sarcasm, “I don’t give a good blankety blankety blank about what that church of yours thinks, I want to know about what you think of me.”  Immediately, I said; “Geez Al, you’re just fine with me.” “Then stand up for me and Jimmy in that blankety blankety blank church of yours some day!” And I did just that. And many more did just that. And Desmond Tutu did just that and together we moved the embrace of Jesus in ever widening circles of love to include all people by whatever color, gender, orientation, language and so on. 

Not that Jesus didn’t embrace us all in unconditional love from before time, now and forever, but it takes humankind so long to learn the way of love. 

Nelson Mandela, Desmond Tutu land many others led South Africa from Apartheid to Freedom and Justice. He led the Truth and Reconciliation Commission which required confession, forgiveness and restitution, where possible.

Today we remember the time when the Three Kings bring their gifts to the Christ Child. We celebrate the gifts of Desmond Tutu and the Freedom he brings to our souls. It was a privilege to meet him in person, just once, but it was an unforgettable moment. I think of the great gift he was to this world. Martin Luther King was a great gift. And I think of your family and mine as a gift, as I do each and every one of you. 

So let the church bell ring as our lives lead us to embrace Freedom with Justice for All. This is not just an American Dream. This, as Desmond Tutu so often said is the Dream of God. 

Amen.

Fr Paul

Below, the readings appointed to be read on the Second Sunday of Christmas, January 2,2022.

The Collect:

O God, who wonderfully created, and yet more wonderfully restored, the dignity of human nature: Grant that we may share the divine life of him who humbled himself to share our humanity, your Son Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

First Lesson: Jeremiah 31:7-14

For thus says the Lord: Sing aloud with gladness for Jacob, and raise shouts for the chief of the nations; proclaim, give praise, and say, “Save, O Lord, your people, the remnant of Israel.” See, I am going to bring them from the land of the north, and gather them from the farthest parts of the earth, among them the blind and the lame, those with child and those in labor, together; a great company, they shall return here. With weeping they shall come, and with consolations I will lead them back, I will let them walk by brooks of water, in a straight path in which they shall not stumble; for I have become a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn.

Hear the word of the Lord, O nations, and declare it in the coastlands far away; say, “He who scattered Israel will gather him, and will keep him as a shepherd a flock.” For the Lord has ransomed Jacob, and has redeemed him from hands too strong for him. They shall come and sing aloud on the height of Zion, and they shall be radiant over the goodness of the Lord, over the grain, the wine, and the oil, and over the young of the flock and the herd; their life shall become like a watered garden, and they shall never languish again. Then shall the young women rejoice in the dance, and the young men and the old shall be merry. I will turn their mourning into joy, I will comfort them, and give them gladness for sorrow. I will give the priests their fill of fatness, and my people shall be satisfied with my bounty, says the Lord.

Psalm: Psalm 84:1-8

How dear to me is your dwelling, O Lord of hosts! *
       My soul has a desire and longing for the courts of
                                the Lord;
       my heart and my flesh rejoice in the living God.
The sparrow has found her a house
   and the swallow a nest where she may lay her young; *
       by the side of your altars, O Lord of hosts,
       my King and my God.
Happy are they who dwell in your house! *
       they will always be praising you.
Happy are the people whose strength is in you! *
       whose hearts are set on the pilgrims’ way.
Those who go through the desolate valley will find
                                it a place of springs, *
       for the early rains have covered it with pools of water.
They will climb from height to height, *
       and the God of gods will reveal himself in Zion.
Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer; *
       hearken, O God of Jacob.
Behold our defender, O God; *
       and look upon the face of your Anointed.

Epistle: Ephesians 1:3-6,15-19a

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, just as he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before him in love. He destined us for adoption as his children through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace that he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.

I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love towards all the saints, and for this reason I do not cease to give thanks for you as I remember you in my prayers. I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation as you come to know him, so that, with the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance among the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power for us who believe.

Gospel: Matthew 2:1-12

In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, asking, “Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage.” When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and all Jerusalem with him; and calling together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it has been written by the prophet: ‘And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who is to shepherd my people Israel.’” Then Herod secretly called for the wise men and learned from them the exact time when the star had appeared. Then he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child; and when you have found him, bring me word so that I may also go and pay him homage.”When they had heard the king, they set out; and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising, until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another road.

A Devout Episcopalian?

A Devout Episcopalian?

Obviously, I have a blog and a website. I don't "Tweet" very much and occasionally folks contact me on Linked In. My middle son uses Instagram; he has an amazing eye for photography. But Facebook; ah, now that's my preferred social medium by a long shot. I have over 1000 "friends" there, many from congregations past and present, those who follow my sermons, social commentary, and poetry and so on. I've developed quite a following, many of whom happen to be Episcopalians.

One of my friends on Facebook refers to himself as a "devout" Episcopalian. I confess, that the first time I saw those two words placed together I was a bit taken aback especially after all we've been throuogh as a denomination. Devout Episcopalian? It almost sounds like a contradiction in terms.

Look what we've been through

1. Civil Rights struggles. I remember when John Burgess was elected black bishop in the Episcopal Church right here in the Diocese of Massachusetts. Some of my white colleagues were somewhat uncharitable in their comments at the time even here in "liberal" Massachusetts.
2. Vietnam and war and peace. Every time we go to war, and there have been many, we divide ourselves between those who favor military intervention and those who oppose it.
3. Litugical renewal. The revision of the Book of Common Prayer took a considerable toll on us. And as we continue around the Anglican world to innovate and create liturgical life to reflect local customs and settings. Such revisions always play to mixed reviews. 
4. The ordination of women was a controversy for many and still is. Especially in the United Kingdom and elsewhere. We lost some members and even some congregations over that one. The decision to eliminate gender as an automatic disqualifier to ordination has strained relationships in the throughout the worldwide Anglican Communion.
5. And then of course, the Consecration of Gene Robinson, the ordination of LGBTQ folks, and the question of Marriage Equality continues to raise lots of questions as to who will contine with us or against us. We've lost a few dioceses in the American Church and our place in the Anglican Communion has been called into question. Interestingly enough, the pope welcomed a dozen of our bishops to Rome; some women, some men, some black, some white and even one who happens to be in a life long same sex relationship.
6. Conflict in two of our major seminaries and some rather scandalous behavior in some in our schools, among some bishops, clergy, and laity all strains our community relationships.

None of us have been left unscathed in all this or so it seems, and yet life somehow goes on. As I've often said, the surest proof that there is a God is that there is anything left of the church after all we've done to it.

In the midst of all this controversy and bruhaha over one issue or another it is refreshing to see that there are people who are willing to call themselves "devout Episcopalians".

If ever there were a time when the church needed "devout Episcopalians" it is now. We need to see beyond the issues that divide us and remember that what we've actually done is to forge a bond of deep affection, like feuding brothers and sisters do over a lifetime. We may fight like cats and dogs within the family, but God help you if you attack the family. That's when we stand together as one.

We stand together on the Gospel. "The Son of Man came into this world to serve not to be served". Exactly! We are here to serve those in need. This is how we are to organize our life as a church, around human need. I mean the poor, the homeless, the outcast, the sick, the dying. I mean everyone. There are no exceptions to God's extensive, comprehensive and inclusive love. When Isaiah said "My house shall be a House of Prayer for all people", he meant "ALL PEOPLE". 

What we are putting to the test in all our controversies, I believe is whether we really mean that. After all, this is the verse Jesus used when driving out the money changers from the Temple precincts "My house shall be a house of prayer for all people," weilding a whip of chords, "but you have made it a den of robbers". 

Over the great west doors of the National Cathedral these words are written in stone. This church is dedicated to the universal notion that God made this whole world and all that is in it. It is in short "A House of Prayer for all people".

I cannot help but think of the magnificent words from the Book of Job before us today. Job and his friends have gone on and on throughout the first 37 chapters of this portion of the Biblical Narrative legitimately and sincerely exploring the  universal mystery of suffering. And then comes God's universal answer;

"Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?

Tell me, if you have understanding.

Who determined its measurements-- surely you know!

Who has put wisdom in the inward parts,

or given understanding to the mind?

Who has the wisdom to number the clouds?

Good questions, don't you think?

To me its all of a piece. All of our controversies over a lifetime. In all our inclusion/exclusion exercises that are part of any comunity's dynamic. Who's in? Who's out? Who's included? Who's excluded? By what race, ethnicity, class, gender or sexual orientation do we classify folks loved by God and those not? Thankfully, in this one tiny corner of the world of faith there are no more pidgeon holes. True the growing denominations are those who will exclude some based on a few verses out of Leviticus or a misreading of some Pauline theology. But not no, not here. Not in this church. 

In the Episcopal Church we believe that as God is one so all God's people are one. What passes for Christianity in many quarters simply does not square with who I know God or people to be. 

I cannot help but think of the wisecrack Tallulah Bankhead made once about the church. She was considered by many to be an agnostic, and certainly much of her personal life was less than exemplary. As she once quipped; "I'm as pure as the driven slush!" Still she loved to go to the Parish Church of St. Mary the Virgin on Broadway in New York. "Smokey Mary's" it is called becaue of its pageantry, elaborate ritual, and generous use of incense. Some of the theatre you will see there is as good as any as you will see in that part of Manhattan. A reporter spied her coming out of church one day and is reputed to have asked her if she was a "Christian." She fired back as only Tallulah Bankhead could; "Heavens no darling, I'm not a Christian, I'm an Episcopalian."

Eileen Kitteridge and I have been visiting recently as she approaches the throne of heaven. We spoke yesterday of what it means to be a "devout" Episcopalian. She and I both have loved ones who happen to be gay, and neither one of us understands what difference that makes in God's great plan of salvation to tell you the truth. Some of the most loving people we know happen to bee "that way". So what? The only thing that matters to her right now, she says to me with a smile on her face is whether there will be a thrift shop in heaven where she can continue her work pricing items for sale. I assured her that as a mustard seed is all we can see in this life compared to the reality of what is in store for us in the next, the heavenly thrift shop will likewise exceed her wildest expectations. Her face radiated pure joy as she thought of it.

She said to me on one of our visits recently, "Oh I must not forget to tell my son to send my envelopes in to the church. After all, the church expenses go on. We must do what we can do for as long as we can do it." This too is what it means to be a "devout" Episcopalian. 

You see, what matters is the Resurrection of Jesus. What matters is the forgiveness of sins. What matters is whether we will love one another as God loves us, unconditionally and to the end and beyond. These are the things that matter. All of the issues we've fussed about throughout our lives pale in comparison to the Gospel. 

The disciples wanted Jesus to do for them whatever it was they asked him to do. Jesus reminded them that is not for him to grant. It is like many I've known, myself included when staring into the face of life's many mysteries especially our share in  the suffering of Job or the suffering of Jesus. We think that we will be the ones to ask questions of God.

In the 38th Chapter of Job, God settles things in a whole hurruy up. These ringing words set the record straight. 

"Then God answered Job out of the whirlwind; Who is this who darkens counsel without knowledge? Gird up your loins and stand up like a man. I'm the one who asks the questions; and you are the one who will give the answers. (paraphrase)."

Our visits are pleasant ones;; the visits I've had with Eileen and Louise. God blesses you for all your visits. You bring the sacrament of love and joy to those who are in the midst of long and difficult days. Thank God for you all.

As we concluded our visit Friday afternoon, Eileen asked for a prayer and a blessing. Then she lifted her hand and pointed toward me. Remember "devout" Episcopalian. 

The Catechism teaches us now what it has always taught us; "To work, and pray and give for the spread of the Kingdom of Heaven."

The idea of praying for "all sorts and conditions" of human folk is no innovation. It is as old as the Prayer Book itself, in fact the idea, comes down to us in the Prayer Book Heritage from the Great Litany written over 600 years ago in 1535.

In my ministry and my lifetime, let me tell you I've met all sorts and conditions of humankind and sometimes it takes some doing to love them all. But that is the moral mandate we are under. For the One who stands over us continues to stretch out his loving arms on the hard wood of the cross so that all may come within the reach of his saving embrace.

And now may the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Love of God and the Fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all evermore. Amen.

Fr Paul.