St. Andrew's 1 October 2006
Another Harvest service linked around the Elijah stories of 1 Kings 17:1-16 - but also linking in the gospel at Mark 9:38-50. I thought I was just going to look at belonging in general and our project helping local failed asylum speakers in particular but
disclosing new worlds/ challenged me to look at it from the view of sexual abuse and so I tried to make the jump and connection. Not sure if the discomfort in the congregation was all to do with the subject matter or was partially that the progression didn't make sense - however it went something like this:-
"A place at the table"
Who will we welcome to a place at the table?
Elijah - no resources - relied on ravens & widows - was welcome at the table
charity - needs to be given and received! The poor understand that more than the rich who fear being beholden - owing a debt - having a place at the table is as much about accepting a place at someone elses table as welcoming others at ours
Disciples - think they can decide who is welcome - the church has followed the disciples lead - statements of belief - the right baptism/confirmation giving access to eucharist - unwritten rules about social status, behaviour, - Jesus does not make these rules, he seeks people willing to follow in actions not words - Jesus says “whoever is not against us is for us” - important when we are working in partnership - beauty of partnership with New Life - our style of worship, approach to theology is very different - each bearing the name of Christ. It is a good partnership to have - enhanced by acting together in feeding those who need to be fed.
However, Jesus is not all welcoming - if any put a stumbling block ... - might be a reference to sexual abuse - children are property, least powerful members of society - “Foot” - euphemism for a penis; hand and eye are far more obviously relevant to a context of sexual abuse. The process of “seeing, coveting, taking and using” is about the exercise of power, and sexual abuse is all about power. & God condemns abuse in all it's forms, God cares about everyone who is abused - even the least powerful most abused members of our communities. - and God would rather have a disabled community than a community with an abusive power structure - “be at peace with one another”
Who will be welcome at the table?
For just and unjust, a place at the table,
abuser, abused, with need to forgive,
in anger, in hurt, a mind-set of mercy,
for just and unjust, a new way to live,
For everyone born, a place at the table,
to live without fear, and simply to be,
to work, to speak out, to witness and worship,
for everyone born, the right to be free.
Shirley Erena Murray © 1998, Hope Publishing Co.
and I've come away thinking maybe I should have explored that thought about the disabled community - an armless, footless (castrated?!!), half-blind community - hobbling, groping, crawling along the way.