You don’t need a weatherman

Sermon 8/18

Ready to sing

I take the time to drop every slowly through the town of Oakdale. Past The Diner, truly classic, with its Twist and Shake ice cream counter we’d stop by after summer music nights. I stop at Sils to get a coffee and a news paper. Where the owner greeted me with a shot of vodka New Year’s Day 1995. Whose original owner legend has it, face down the  ku klux klan and cooked a potato on the burning cross. And what used to be the other Presbyterian church, now called the Rock  and part of the post division community left in the wake of fall out from the pcusa’s move to embrace full lgbtq inclusion. I arrive at church. Terry the organist has been here since she was a teenager. Dan and I rehearse our two songs. We’re ready for church to begin....

After the gospel is read, Dan and I sing the old spiritual, We shall not be moved...and we’re ready for reflection....

gospel Luke 12:49-56

49"I came to bring fire to the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! 50I have a baptism with which to be baptized, and what stress I am under until it is completed! 51Do you think that I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division! 52From now on five in one household will be divided, three against two and two against three; 53they will be divided: father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law."

54He also said to the crowds, "When you see a cloud rising in the west, you immediately say, 'It is going to rain'; and so it happens. 55And when you see the south wind blowing, you say, 'There will be scorching heat'; and it happens. 56You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky, but why do you not know how to interpret the present time?

It’s good to be back here again. A lot has happened since the last time I was here last August. Perhaps the biggest is that I am a grandfather for a second time! Just back from visiting my grandson Roko and granddaughter Karla in Berlin. Can I say grandchildren give you perspective? Help keep you grounded? And I understand what Jesus meant when he talked about coming to the kin(g)dom as a child. And I’m not over romanticizing children. But the way they look at the world, with intensity, with awe...maybe that’s what we need to see the kin(g)dom.

I’ll say this: it’s not easy following Jesus. We have to struggle with what he says. Like today...fire? Not peace, but division? 3 vs 2? Parents vschildren? What’s going on? It’s hard for a peace and reconciliation Christian like me to figure out. 

We are the most divided, as a nation, now as I can remember in my lifetime....(worse than the early  Vietnam years maybe? Not sure..)When my clergy  colleagues get together, we spend a lot of time trying to figure out what to do about this. We talked about how the ordination; of lgbtq people had passed at the ga level and been defeated at least twice at the presbytery...local..level. The last time it passed at ga, the supporters said, this time we won’t debate...we will pledge ourselves to having 1000 conversations. And it passed by a 2-1 margin. Once you stop a binary debate, there’s room to discover what we really share. 

We need to find those places to meet,. BUT here’s the rub.....sometimes things ARE either /or. Our friends in the German confessing church made it clear...Jesus or Hitler.

I read an interesting  articles last week about our Presbyterian church and slavery. One of our leading journals, The Presbyterian Outlook, for years sought to find a “middle ground”....between hard core slavers and “radical abolitionists”.   Argued that the slave owner only owned the labor and had the responsibility to respond to thec slaves physical and spiritual needs. A kinder gentler, slavery you might say. When the moment finally came the middle road folks sided with slavery and our Presbyterian church church divided and stayed divided for over 100 years. 

There’s this tension between “common ground” and “which side are you on” as the old union hymn put it. I don’t have to remind your own painful history here in Oakdale. 

Evangelicals like James Dobson see our President as chosen by God. Jim Baker says of he’s not re-elected we will descend Into 

to spiritual darkness. And Christians will be murdered. 

We’ve got a guy who will drive 10 hours and start shooting- 9 dead in 9 seconds- because  he believes we’re undergoing an invasion by Mexicans. 

And Christians in my pew think we’re in apocalyptic times as well.

It’s very hard. I mean just watching the Pirates lose 20 out of 26 is apocalyptic enough for me!

Jesus final question quote is pretty much Bob Dylan....you don’t need a weather man to know which way the wind blows...

So the question becomes, how do we know what to do? 

Here’s a few ideas.....

One ...read your bible....pick a gospel....read it all the way through....the Bible is stories, not random quotes and edicts. Don’t jump around looking for random quotes to  connect. Shakespeare said even the devil can quote scripture for his purpose. Allow the Bible to speak to you on its  own terms. 

Two...get to know Jesus an really get to know him. Read all his stories where he interacts with people, tells stories. Watch for patterns. Enter into his spirit. Walk down the road with him. Talk to him. It might sound corny, but WWJD is the bottom line. 

Meet with others. Study with others. Pray with others. Sing with others. Eat with others. Christianity is not about just you alone. It’s a team sport. It’s about being together the body of Christ. 

And even then.....you may have to make a decision that breaks a relationship.. it with your eyes on the prize, you will walk on and he will be beside you.

Let those with ears to hear, hear....

Amen

Dan and I sing my Rest Awhile before I deliver the Benediction. No time to linger today...work on m to family home awaits along the road...

Treasure....

8/11

St.Perer’s ...the Bronx

This Sunday takes me to the far north east part of the Bronx. Normally a straighpp subway shot wins up a double transfer trip with the 2/3 trains out. The little red board church one of the last vestiges of a  turn of the century Germadn neighborhood. Various inspirations over the years ...including a full immersion Baptist style baptistry have led to what could be called unique configurations. Not all thyroid different. For the liturgy which combines latter day praise songs with old sdhool Lutheran as.  With  er head projector lyrics and a solid old school lutheran qbbbliturgical Music. Traditional lice of God
You don’t mind if I don’t sing all this I ask. Soon enough, scripture read and time for reflection.

Ready to preach

Another one of those weeks.  Dealing with the aftermath of last week's shootings. All the usual efforts to make it sound too complicated.  Or to keep looking at everything but the guns themselves. We've killed more of ourselves than any foreign terrorists  have. And  everything gets sucked into the politics of the day. I had no desire to go to another vigil.  A motorcycle back fires in Times Square and hundreds start yo run and over 20 are hurt in the stampede. We've all got PTSD,

Jesus has a word for us today.  He says "not to worry," to "...not be afraid" and he calls us his Little Flock. We here this morning ....and churches like this all around the country, all around the world....are Jesus' Little Flock...I think of my own Presbyterian  Church..We've got c.13500 Presbyterians...half belong to 5 churches and the other half to 95 churches.   50 of which do not even have pastors. Jesus' Little Flock. Or I think of the Ecclesia services in the parks every Sunday. Including the Marcus Garvey Park in Harlem.  A circle of clergy and volunteers fro various churches share communion then a meal every Sunday, regardless of weather. This little flock.....

The Good News?  It is the holy one's pleasure to GIVE us the kindom.   We don't  have to complete a series  of tasks or save up money or anything....it's a free gift...  and to be in that kindom is so enriching that we can sell our possessions and give alms...and maybe the word enrich is wrong, it's more like we are completely reliant on God for our basic survival...we get the why's, the how's may not always be so clear. But the secret is revealed in the word Kin(g)dom..that implies its just not about your individual relationship with God, it's about a community, an extended family, that truly care for one another...that 's where we live and move and have . our being....


Treasure.....treasure....treasure....
What's a treasure look like theses days?  Well according to Bloomberg, the Walton family grows $4 million richer every hour. During the time it takes to read that, they grew by $230000. And the average Wall Mart worker by     $.06 on the way to $11 per hour wage. In all, the world's 25 richest families have $250 billion more this year than last.
Hey
This is the world we live in now. The world in which Jesus asks us to work for "....an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. 34For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

How many  times have we heard that saying? And how true it is...what we honor, desire, seek....ultimately becomes our heart's desire, and marks our truest values.

And so we come to timing....we have the faithful servants who are up and waiting when the master gets home, and he is soo moved that he in turn serves them. (I'm not sure I've got any real life examples of that one....) and then we're left with the thief in the night story. You know, if you knew what hour the thief was coming, you wouldn't have been robbed. 

Now leave aside for the moment the comparison of the Son of Man and a thief. 

I'm reminded of an old story about a man asking his rabbi if i was important to ask God for forgiveness every day. The rabbi responded, Oh no, oh no. Not at all. Only on the day before you die. The man nodded, then thought and realized the meaning. We literally never know. Life today is so uncertain. 

My brother lived in Dayton for many years. He remembered a favorite restaurant where he would take my dad right across the street form where the shooting took place. I mean these things take place where you would normally feel safe. 

(Central America...) This isn't meant to be morbid. But it is meant to ask if Jesus were to show up at the end of the service today, would we be ready?

IT seems to me that if we put the two parts of the passage together what we wind up with is that if we focus on what we make our treasure, everything else takes care of itself. What is your mind on this morning? Where is your heart? And, little flock, always remember we're in this together....

Amen


















Gospel Luke 12:32-40

32"Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. 33Sell your possessions, and give alms. Make purses for yourselves that do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. 34For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
8/11

Another one of those weeks.  Dealing with the aftermath of last week's shootings. All the usual efforts to make it sound too complicated.  Or to keep looking at everything but the guns themselves. We've killed more of ourselves than any foreign terrorists  have. And  everything gets sucked into the politics of the day. I had no desire to go to another vigil.  A motorcycle back fires in Times Square and hundreds start yo run and over 20 are hurt in the stampede. We've all got PTSD,

Jesus has a word for us today.  He says "not to worry," to "...not be afraid" and he calls us his Little Flock. We here this morning ....and churches like this all around the country, all around the world....are Jesus' Little Flock...I think of my own Presbyterian  Church..We've got c.13500 Presbyterians...half belong to 5 churches and the other half to 95 churches.   50 of which do not even have pastors. Jesus' Little Flock. Or I think of the Ecclesia services in the parks every Sunday. Including the Marcus Garvey Park in Harlem.  A circle of clergy and volunteers fro various churches share communion then a meal every Sunday, regardless of weather. This little flock.....

The Good News?  It is the holy one's pleasure to GIVE us the kindom.   We don't  have to complete a series  of tasks or save up money or anything....it's a free gift...  and to be in that kindom is so enriching that we can sell our possessions and give alms...and maybe the word enrich is wrong, it's more like we are completely reliant on God for our basic survival...we get the why's, the how's may not always be so clear. But the secret is revealed in the word Kin(g)dom..that implies its just not about your individual relationship with God, it's about a community, an extended family, that truly care for one another...that 's where we live and move and have . our being....


Treasure.....treasure....treasure....
What's a treasure look like theses days?  Well according to Bloomberg, the Walton family grows $4 million richer every hour. During the time it takes to read that, they grew by $230000. And the average Wall Mart worker by     $.06 on the way to $11 per hour wage. In all, the world's 25 richest families have $250 billion more this year than last.

This is the world we live in now. The world in which Jesus asks us to work for "....an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. 34For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

How many  times have we heard that saying? And how true it is...what we honor, desire, seek....ultimately becomes our heart's desire, and marks our truest values.

And so we come to timing....we have the faithful servants who are up and waiting when the master gets home, and he is soo moved that he in turn serves them. (I'm not sure I've got any real life examples of that one....) and then we're left with the thief in the night story. You know, if you knew what hour the thief was coming, you wouldn't have been robbed. 

Now leave aside for the moment the comparison of the Son of Man and a thief. 

I'm reminded of an old story about a man asking his rabbi if i was important to ask God for forgiveness every day. The rabbi responded, Oh no, oh no. Not at all. Only on the day before you die. The man nodded, then thought and realized the meaning. We literally never know. Life today is so uncertain. 

My brother lived in Dayton for many years. He remembered a favorite restaurant where he would take my dad right across the street form where the shooting took place. I mean these things take place where you would normally feel safe. 

(Central America...) This isn't meant to be morbid. But it is meant to ask if Jesus were to show up at the end of the service today, would we be ready?

IT seems to me that if we put the two parts of the passage together what we wind up with is that if we focus on what we make our treasure, everything else takes care of itself. What is your mind on this morning? Where is your heart? And, little flock, always remember we're in this together....

Amen


















Gospel Luke 12:32-40

32"Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. 33Sell your possessions, and give alms. Make purses for yourselves that do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. 34For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

35"Be dressed for action and have your lamps lit; 36be like those who are waiting for their master to return from the wedding banquet, so that they may open the door for him as soon as he comes and knocks. 37Blessed are those slaves whom the master finds alert when he comes; truly I tell you, he will fasten his belt and have them sit down to eat, and he will come and serve them. 38If he comes during the middle of the night, or near dawn, and finds them so, blessed are those slaves.

39"But know this: if the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. 40You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour."
35"Be dressed for action and have your lamps lit; 36be like those who are waiting for their master to return from the wedding banquet, so that they may open the door for him as soon as he comes and knocks. 37Blessed are those slaves whom the master finds alert when he comes; truly I tell you, he will fasten his belt and have them sit down to eat, and he will come and serve them. 38If he comes during the middle of the night, or near dawn, and finds them so, blessed are those slaves.

39"But know this: if the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. 40You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour."

Another one of those weeks.  Dealing with the aftermath of last week's shootings. mAll the usual efforts to make it sound too complicated.  Or to keep looking at emverything but the guns themselves. We've killed more of ourselves than any foreign tehrrorists  have. And  everything gets sucked into the politics of the day. I had no desire to go to another vigil.  A motorcycle back fires in Times Square and hundreds start yo run and over 20 are hurt in the stampede. We've all got PTSD,

Jesus has a word for us today.  He says "not to worry," to "...not be afraid" and he calls us his Little Flock. We here this morning ....and churches like this all around the country, all around the world....are Jesus' Little Flock...I think of my own Presbyterian  Church..We've got c.13500 Presbyterians...half belong to 5 churches and the other half to 95 churches.   50 of which do not even have pastors. Jesus' Little Flock. Or I think of the Ecclesia services in the parks every Sunday. Including the Marcus Garvey Park in Harlem.  A circle of clergy and volunteers fro various churches share communion then a meal every Sunday, regardless of weather. This little flock.....

The Good News?  It is the holy one's pleasure to GIVE us the kindom.   We don't  have to complete a series  of tasks or save up money or anything....it's a free gift...  and to be in that kindom is so enriching that we can sell our possessions and give alms...and maybe the word enrich is wrong, it's more like we are completely reliant on God for our basic survival...we get the why's, the how's may not always be so clear. But the secret is revealed in the word Kin(g)dom..that implies its just not about your individual relationship with God, it's about a community, an extended family, that truly care for one another...that 's where we live and move and have . our being....


Treasure.....treasure....treasure....
What's a treasure look like theses days?  Well according to Bloomberg, the Walton family grows $4 million richer every hour. During the time it takes to read that, they grew by $230000. And the average Wall Mart worker by     $.06 on the way to $11 per hour wage. In all, the world's 25 richest families have $250 billion more this year than last.

This is the world we live in now. The world in which Jesus asks us to work for "....an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. 34For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

How many  times have we heard that saying? And how true it is...what we honor, desire, seek....ultimately becomes our heart's desire, and marks our truest values.

And so we come to timing....we have the faithful servants who are up and waiting when the master gets home, and he is soo moved that he in turn serves them. (I'm not sure I've got any real life examples of that one....) and then we're left with the thief in the night story. You know, if you knew what hour the thief was coming, you wouldn't have been robbed. 

Now leave aside for the moment the comparison of the Son of Man and a thief. 

I'm reminded of an old story about a man asking his rabbi if i was important to ask God for forgiveness every day. The rabbi responded, Oh no, oh no. Not at all. Only on the day before you die. The man nodded, then thought and realized the meaning. We literally never know. Life today is so uncertain. 

My brother lived in Dayton for many years. He remembered a favorite restaurant where he would take my dad right across the street form where the shooting took place. I mean these things take place where you would normally feel safe. 

(Central America...) This isn't meant to be morbid. But it is meant to ask if Jesus were to show up at the end of the service today, would we be ready?

IT seems to me that if we put the two parts of the passage together what we wind up with is that if we focus on what we make our treasure, everything else takes care of itself. What is your mind on this morning? Where is your heart? And, little flock, always remember we're in this together....

Amen


















Gospel Luke 12:32-



32"Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. 33Sell your possessions, and give alms. Make purses for yourselves that do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. 34For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

35"Be dressed for action and have your lamps lit; 36be like those who are waiting for their master to return from the wedding banquet, so that they may open the door for him as soon as he comes and knocks. 37Blessed are those slaves whom the master finds alert when he comes; truly I tell you, he will fasten his belt and have them sit down to eat, and he will come and serve them. 38If he comes during the middle of the night, or near dawn, and finds them so, blessed are those slaves.

39"But know this: if the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. 40You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour."

Rich Towards God

8/4/19

ready for worship

This is one of those mornings when the subway once more subverted me and even though I left an hour and a half ago for an hour trip, I am going to be late and there is nothing I can do about it. I'm not running the half mile from the station, that's for sure.

As I walk up the street from the subway station to Beverly Church this morning, My thoughts are completely occupied by yesterday's shooting in El Paso. Life is hard enough for my friends in this little church, but how can I not speak about it?  

I enter the church sweaty and a bit out of breath. Geraldine tells me to take a minute. So I catch my breath and we begin. And soon its time for my reflection.....


Good morning. So I went to a baseball game with a friend from Presbytery last night. Red Sox-Yankees. Summer. What could be better? Then before the national anthem, an announcement:  a moment of silence for El Paso. And even though I didn't know the story, I knew the story. And I was like, what again? How many times do we have to go through this?

And then I read more. About a manifesto. About an "Hispanic invasion of the US." The shooter had driven 10 hours to get to the border city. And 20 people dead and at least 26 wounded. The Red Cross calling for blood donations. 

And of course the President tweeted a condemnation.  But ... who has called Hispanic immigrants "bad hombres...murderers...and thieves"...who has called on elected women of color to "go back from where they came"....and called a whole city "rat infested..." Words have consequences. We supposedly need a wall to defend ourselves,  but according the FBI since 9/11 more Americans have been killed by domestic terrorists than international ones. How do we build a wall to defend ourselves from ourselves?

(And as I am saying this, Geraldine holds up her hand and says, there's been another one...this morning...in Dayton, Ohio...)

And I feel staggered. Think of my family connections there. They're undoubtedly fine. But still...I feel like just stopping....about to transition into another part of my reflection...

I sometimes think Sunday mornings should be a time of comfort and peace from the struggles of the week. And it should be. But when our hearts are troubled, we have to try and make sense of the world with our  faith. To see the world around us as Jesus would. And truth be told, that can be troubling sometimes. 

Our gospel this morning is one of those.  Someone in the crowd has a family inheritance issue he wants Jesus' help on, And after making clear that's not his job, Jesus doesn't mince words...
"Take care! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; for one's life does not consist in the abundance of possessions."

And he goes on to share a parable where a rich man is never satisfied, wants to tear down his storehouses and build BIGGER ones. How much is ever enough? 

Income inequality has been growing for 30 years...its not even 1%...the richest 0.1% take home 188 times the bottom 90%. 
While the top 1% have doubled their share of national income, 43.5 % of Americans are either poor or low income. It's the worst it's been since the 1920's. 

And you know white and Asian Americans make 30% more than Black and brown Americans. 

Back to the ball park. When I went to Yankee games in the 70s, the cheapest seats were $1 and the most expensive $4. When the new stadium opened, it was $5 and $2500. From 4 to 1 to 500 to 1. And a concrete moat now separates the expensive seats from everyone else. How much is enough?

I just flew to Germany to be with my grandchildren. I finally found a cheap ticket...but....oh, you want to check a bag, that's more. Oh, you want an  aisle or window seat? That's more. you want to eat something? You have to go to the restroom and there's one three rows ahead  but not for your class. Yours is 30 rows back and a line...Enough.....

 This very night your life is being demanded of you. And the things you have prepared, whose will they be?' 21So it is with those who store up treasures for themselves but are not rich toward God."


I doubt any one here is in danger of storing up too many treasures. BUT...what if tonight our life was "demanded of us..."? How rich are we toward God? What does that even mean?

When do I feel rich? When I look at the faces of my grandchildren....I feel blessed beyond belief...I feel like I now understand more than  ever what Jesus meant when he said  "Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it." I watch my 8 month old grand daughter discovering the world. The look on her face of wonder and awe at each new discovery. 

reaching out for the world....

And I want to be clear. Not every one is ...or should be...a parent or grandparent. But I ask you, when was the last time you looked at something with awe and wonder? That's what God wants of us. To see what we have been given and to understand just how amazing it is. To look into the face of any one of us here and see infinite beauty in what God has created, that is being rich toward God. To really know and feel that we belong, that there is a place for us, that we are already in the kindom, that is being rich toward God. Yes we are called on to work to change the inequity, the violence, around us, to make the world we love in more just, humane and sustainable. But a big part of what gives us the courage to do that us to understand how rich  we already are. Rich towards God. 

As always, we share communion. And go downstairs for the breaking of bread. Even with the sharing of grandchildren pictures, there's a muted feeling to the conversation. I will be depressed for the rest of the afternoon. For a moment, I wonder why. I try not to let these shootings that   have become a constant part of our life get to me. But they do, they do....



                                                                              ****             



Gospel Luke 12:13-21

13Someone in the crowd said to him, "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the family inheritance with me." 14But he said to him, "Friend, who set me to be a judge or arbitrator over you?" 15And he said to them, "Take care! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; for one's life does not consist in the abundance of possessions." 16Then he told them a parable: "The land of a rich man produced abundantly. 17And he thought to himself, 'What should I do, for I have no place to store my crops?' 18Then he said, 'I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 19And I will say to my soul, "Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry." 20But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your life is being demanded of you. And the things you have prepared, whose will they be?' 21So it is with those who store up treasures for themselves but are not rich toward God."

Neighbors

 7/14

The installation of Rev. Kwansong Jeong at HaKnesiah

This Sunday I'm at Good Shepherd- Faith Church in the midst of Lincoln Center. The last remaining non-Lincoln Center/Juilliard Building. Here's my reflection for the day...

So how many of you were affected by the power, outage last night? Another transformer issue. (The last time Con-Ed announced a transformer issue, some people actually thought robots were marching into Queens...No...Con-Ed said transformers...This explains a lot about where we are today...)I keep trying to find a theological connection with today’s gospel but so far haven’t been able to find one. If, one comes to you let me know...(through the magic of technological communication, a friend in Tulsa told me that 65000 others were affected.) With the subways crowded, the buses were jammed completely beyond capacity..

Asked what teh greatest commandment is, a young man replies You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.

28 And Jesus said to him, ‘You have given the right answer; do this, and you will live.’

But the young man doesn't want to leave it there...

29 But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, ‘And who is my neighbour?’ 30 Jesus replied, ‘A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell into the hands of robbers, who stripped him, beat him, and went away, leaving him half dead. 31 Now by chance a priest was going down that road; and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. 32 So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan while travelling came near him; and when he saw him, he was moved with pity. 34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, having poured oil and wine on them. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two denarii,[b] gave them to the innkeeper, and said, “Take care of him; and when I come back, I will repay you whatever more you spend.” 36 Which of these three, do you think, was a neighbour to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?’ 37 He said, ‘The one who showed him mercy.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Go and do likewise.’

So there’s this story we’ve heard since nice our youth. What new sense can make of it. Clearly the key question edition is who is my neighbor.

First of all they are the people who live in my apartment building. On long summer nights they bring their lawn chairs and coolers and share food, music and maybe politics.  

Or the Yemenites who run the corner deli. They say hospitality is our culture. So be a good neighbor and be there for us and neighbor we’ll be there for you too.The morning the President announced his plan to exclude and deport people from countries like Yemen, the front of the store was covered with signs saying don’t fear and we’ve got your back and we love you.

Attorneys created signs for the shop that said  “what to do if ICE comes." Now that’s a neighborhood. (Even as today The President's ICE agents spread out in their raids.....)

I watched the Netflix series "When they see us” about the Central Park 5. How instructive it was to be reminded of how far we’ve got to go in dealing with racism in this country. I remember how angry I felt when I heard that story. I was a Central Park runner too. It was people like me who got stirred  up by Donald Trump’s full page ad in the New York Times. Everything about that story stirred up my worst fears.  You know what, he’s still doing that. Those boys probably ran right past my building on their way into the Park. I say boys because then they were. They were even interrogated for as long as 30 hours,  with no sleep,  no food, no attorneys. It took years and a random meeting for the actual rapist to be discovered. To this day the NYPD and the president still need to say they they were guilty of something. Yes, we have a long ways to go.

I’m just back from Central America. Where  the so-called caravans develop. To learn why people are leaving . Not only there but all over the World, its a global problem.

The pattern becomes clear. Agribusiness plus the degradation of the environment makes susbsistence  farming impossible. More and more people fell to the cities where there are no jobs no government infrastructure to speak of and everything  controlled by gangs or drug cartels. Those who want to take care of their families and leave are among the most responsible and courageous in the region. I also met with people who had lived here, in theUS, for decades who had been deported back to places they never knew with a language they could barely speak. There is poignancy in their gathering together to celebrate an American thanksgiving.. on this side of the world we are all Americans. Neighbors. 

I could keep  on expanding the circle of neighborliness but am pretty sure the idea is getting across. 

When I think of neighbors I can’t help but think of Fred Rogers. He was a Presbyterian minister who somehow convinced a Presbyterian committee on ministry that hosting a children’s TV show was a valid ordainable ministry. In those days, we actually had a Presbyterian Church that would validate the media ministries of Fred Rogers and that amazingly creative Dennis Benson. For over three decades Mr. Rogers demonstrated that for him, the clearest understanding of Gods kingdom is a neighborhood.  But maybe the point is not are you my neighbor but Won't you be my neighbor?

His song went:

It's a neighborly day in this beautywood
A neighborly day for a beauty
Would you be mine?
Could you be mine?

I have always wanted to have a neighbor just like you
I've always wanted to live in a neighborhood with you

So let's make the most of this beautiful day
Since we're together, we might as well say
Would you be mine?
Could you be mine?
Won't you be my neighbor?

Won't you please
Won't you please
Please won't you be my neighbor?

When I was a teenager and young adult I made fun of Mr.Rogers. I had to mature in order to see the profound nature of his work. He talked to children about everything from divorce to assasination. When controversy arose over allowing blacks in public pools, he brought out a wading pool and invited his black mail carrier to join him in cooling their feet together. 

For Mr.Rogers, neighbor was a verb.

Notice that for Jesus the question was not who is my neighbor but who proved to be neighbor. The tall steeple preacher, the televangelist and the presbytery moderator all passed by on the other, with legitimate reasons of course.

Only the undocumented Muslim deli worker took the time to intervene and see what could be done.  That’s the one who proved neighbor.

May we as well. 

So let's make the most of this beautiful day. Since were here together 

We might as well say  would you be mine, could you be mine won’t you be my neighbor. 

Let those with ears to hear....

                                                       ****

Later in the day I will meet GSF Elders John Gingrich and Chris Kim and we'll head out to Bayside Queens to join in the installation service for Pastor Kwansong Jeong at Ha Knesiah Presbyterian Church. Elder Kim will preside over the service and I will serve the communion. Anyone going onto the altar will remove their shoes.There's a line of slippers there. Communion is served by men formal wear and bow ties and I as celebrant have to wear white gloves as well. 

This has been a long time coming. The struggles in the church have been bitter. Involving charges and countercharges and law suits and fist fights , vandalized cars and the police being called all playing out like an ecclesiastical soap opera in the Korean language press. "We Koreans are the Italians of Asia" an elder once told me. Passions about church run deep. The day I arrived to preside over the vote as to whether to install Pastor Jeong I arrived to two police cars waiting in the lot, just in case. Hopefully this installation has resolved something and a step towards a new beginning can ev made.