"Hope is the Faithful Companion of Life"

 

Detention Center in the Everglades. Photo credit to the Naples Daily News.

That title might seem a little odd as we watch the current political class of our country working overtime to destroy all the things that used to make America great.

Our system of laws seem to apply only when Republicans think it'll help them. 

Our Congress has passed the president has signed a bill that is predicted to end Medicaid healthcare coverage for 17 million Americans, while giving an enormous tax cut to the wealthiest one-percent of this country. It also jacks up the budget of the Department of Homeland Security to levels that far exceed the money countries such as Russia, a country at war right now, are spending on their military.

The purpose of such spending? To set up "detention centers" aka concentration camps in places such as Florida's Everglades! 

It's hard to maintain "hope" or "faith" or "love" under these conditions. But to give up, for me  at least, is not an option.

And I hope it is not an option for you either. 

In these times, I am thinking it will be up to those of us who are the hope-filled of the church to stand as tall and firm as we can muster against these horrors.

Because "hope is the faithful compaion of life!"

Text: Luke 10:1-11, 16-20 and 2 Kings 5:1-14

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I heard a phrase this week shared by the Reverend Canon Dana Corsello of Washington National Cathedral.

 She put this in the context of thinking about our current times in this country.

She said: “For hope alone is the most faithful companion of life.”

I found that phrase to be helpful for me…especially as I looked into the heart of our readings for this Sunday…particularly the Gospel lesson.

Just a quick refresher…last week…Jesus was faced with those who felt they could take it slow…procrastinate…on getting going with the spreading a message and mission of Love.

This week…Jesus is assembling the team.

And Team Jesus is growing…

It’s become more diverse…and a more complete and perfect vision of God’s desire to bring all the world together.

We get that hint from the fact that he’s sending 70…which is a number of perfection in the Bible…and an indication that there are now Gentiles as part of the pack that is following Jesus.

 He’s got them all together…and they’re huddled up to get their instructions.

Don’t bring along extra baggage.

Approach people with a “Peace be with you.”

Accept whatever food and drink is offered to you…no special menu for you. You are the guest.

If the house and the town is good with you…and accepts you…great.

But if they do not accept the message…tell it out loud that you’re shaking the dust of that town off of your feet and moving on.

I’m sorry that the diviners of our lectionary didn’t include the next verse that actually appears in this scripture because I think it’s an important one…especially given all the cultural noise that has been allowed to swirl in this country for decades. So let me just do this quick aside.

After Jesus says to wipe the dust of this unwelcoming town off your feet…he adds that the judgment against such a place will be harsh. In fact…it will be worse for that town than what happened to Sodom.

Now…you probably have heard the story out of the book of Genesis about Sodom…how it and another town called Gomorrah…were destroyed.

What you may not know…is that Sodom was a prosperous city.

It was a place of wealth and extravagance.

And it was a greedy city.

A possessive place where they didn’t want to share what they had.

And that was not just a huge faux pas…that was a violation of the very core of the expected ethical behavior of any people.

So in the book of Genesis…when a gang of men show up at Lot’s door demanding that they be allowed to abuse the two male strangers Lot was sheltering…the sin was not the type of abuse; it was the fact that their abusive behavior was a sign of them not welcoming and showing hospitality to foreigners.

That’s what finally destroyed Sodom.

And that is what Jesus is saying will be reigned down upon those places that refuse to welcome these emissaries that he’s about to send out.

Those places which refuse to feed, clothe and shelter those who are wanderers, foreigners in their midst, will not have a share of the kingdom of God.

Because the kingdom of God is about Love. Mercy. Compassion.

And clearly Jesus knows…and is warning his followers…that they will encounter places full of greedy and inhospitable people.

Afterall…he tells them that he is sending them out like lambs among wolves.(Lk 10:3).

In those First Century times…hospitality was of paramount importance.

Because there were lots of people living like nomads…moving about from place to place.

And so there was an interdependence on each other and an expectation that people would show kindness to strangers…especially in Jewish cities.

For those of us who call ourselves followers of Jesus…and believers in God… these expectations have never gone away.

We are all charged with being in the hospitality business and we are expected to show kindness toward people regardless of whether they look like us…talk like us…worship like us…or even vote like us.

We had that same message reinforced on Friday at the service at Christ Church where we heard that portion from Jesus’s Sermon on the Mount in Matthew where he reminds us to not just love our neighbor but to show love to our enemies…those we would label as an “other”.

Yet…somehow…this core concept of our Judeo-Christian ethic has been lost on us. Somewhere along the way…we have succumbed to the temptation of our lesser selves…and have turned against each other.

I’m not just talking about the discord and rancor that has infected our everyday political life…and making it impossible for us have rational discussions.

But a habitat for the endangered Florida Panther…and a water source for the entire South Florida region…has now become home to a detention center…a tent city…for people who came to this country…hoping to flee violence and persecution.

That is simply evil.

Is it any wonder that there are already reports that international tourism is down significantly and economists are predicting a loss of as much as 25-billion dollars to this country?

In fact…when we came back from France at the end of May…we didn’t see any international visa holders in line to come into the country at the Atlanta Airport.

Not one person.

It feels as if the world has decided to shake off our dust from their feet and has moved on.

So where is the hope in all of this?

I think we might pick up some if we pay attention again to the first reading we heard today…that peculiar story about Naaman, the great and powerful military man, who has an unfortunate case of leprosy.

Notice in that story that it’s a girl…an Israelite who had been taken by a foreign power…who suggests that Naaman go to the prophet Elisha…one of her people…to get help.

And then when Elisha gives Naaman the simple directive to go take a dip in the Jordan River seven times…and Naaman pouts…it’s Naaman’s attendants…his undelings who say to him… “Gee, General: do the simple thing he told you to do. Why does it have to be hard for you to believe?”

What Jesus is telling us to do…to love…to show kindness…empathy…compassion…to everyone…this should not be hard to do.

We have heard these words… and we partake of the meal at this table.

This meal which is given freely and intended to remind us that our baptism in Christ is a baptism into a mission of meeting the needs of the world with Love.

And just like those early disciples…we won’t necessarily be loved back.

But we do it anyway because there is always hope.

Hope that when we shine that compassionate light of Christ…we will kindle hope in the other.

And hope is that faithful companion of life.

And the choice is always before us:

life and death…blessings and curses.

Choose life. (Deut. 30:19)

In the name of our One Holy and Undivided Trinity.