Today is Good Friday.  Today, we mourn the state-sponsored execution of our brother, Jesus.  And today, we remember the thousands of others who have died as a result of draconian state policies.  In the last 15 years, more than 2500 bodies have been found in the desert of Pima County, AZ.  The men, women and children had crossed the US border to escape poverty, drug and gang violence, hopelessness.  Because of restrictions on immigration from Mexico, crossing the desert was the only way to enter the US.  Their bodies now lie in the desert, with no one to bury them, remember them, mourn them.

Today, we mourn them.  Today, we remember the thousands of others who are at risk.  Today, we seek forgiveness, burying our heads in our blood-stained hands.  Have mercy on us, O Lord, for we have sinned.

Ephesians 2:11-18

Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called “uncircumcised” by those who call themselves “the circumcision” (which is done in the body by human hands)— remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility,by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.

Unless you are Jewish, you are Gentile–even if (as a male) you are circumcised. And as a Gentile, you were “separate,” “excluded,” and “foreigners.”  But Gentile status has changed as a result of Jesus, who “destroyed the dividing wall” at the cross.  Now, there is no longer Jew or Gentile, but a new humanity–a new creation.

It has often been observed that once an immigrant group has been accepted into the mainstream community, they become the most vocal opponents of letting others in.  Sadly, this dynamic can also be seen within the Christian community.  In the United States, Protestants have been the wall builders and gate keepers of faith, determining who is “included” in the kingdom and who is “excluded.”  Sadly, we have failed to live into the new reconciled humanity God formed in Christ.

Today is Maundy Thursday

On this day, we eat a meal in commemoration of Jesus’ death–his broken body and his shed blood.  We remember that through Jesus, though we are many, we are made one.  We remember that we are the Body of Christ made up of diverse parts.  So today, as you partake in the broken body and shed blood of Christ, pray for unity.  Pray that any remaining dividing walls will be broken down.  Pray that together in Christ we will experience the reality of reconciliation with God and peace with one another.

Acts 10:15, 28, 34-35

The Voice spoke to [Peter] a second time, “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.”

[Peter] said to [Cornelius]: “You are well aware that it is against our law for a Jew to associate with or visit a Gentile. But God has shown me that I should not call anyone impure or unclean….  I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right.”

It took a thrice repeated vision from God to get Peter to see the truth about God’s inclusive plan.  It was a mind-blowing revelation.  NO ONE IS IMPURE OR UNCLEAN!  GOD WELCOMES THE ALIEN AND THE STRANGER.

Not everyone got the vision, and inclusion of Gentiles remained a controversial issue within the nascent church.

Questions for Reflection

Marisol was kicked out of her church because of her sexual orientation.  Barbara was excommunicated from her church because she divorced her husband.  Evan was barred from working with his church youth group because he participated in a Pride parade.  George was told not to attend church unless he covered his tattoos.  Javier left his church after the pastor said that all Muslims were going to burn in Hell.

What would you want to say to these individuals?  What would you want to say to the leaders of these churches?

How does Peter’s “enlightenment” challenge your own perceptions of who is included and who is excluded?  Do you think anyone is excluded from God’s welcome?

Mark 7:18-22

“Are you so dull?” he asked. “Don’t you see that nothing that enters a person from the outside can defile them? For it doesn’t go into their heart but into their stomach, and then out of the body.” (In saying this, Jesus declared all foods clean.) He went on: “What comes out of a person is what defiles them. For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come—sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly.

For the religious elite of Jesus’ day, purity determined who was “in” and who was “out”.  Those who ate unclean food, failed to perform the ceremonial washing rituals or ate with unclean people were “impure” and therefore were considered “outsiders”.  Jesus, who was often considered “impure” because of the company he kept and his choice of eating companions, challenges the separating lines by (in Mark’s statement) declaring all foods clean.

The food issue kept Jews and non-Jews from socializing, interacting or accepting one another.  Food was the line in the sand.  And when Jesus erased the line, suddenly there were no barriers to keep Jews and non-Jews apart.   There is a place at the table for everyone who pursues justice, righteousness and peace from the heart.

Questions For Reflection 

Interaction between those who perceive themselves as superior and those designated as inferior has always been regulated and strictly enforced.  Consider the “colored” drinking fountains and the “whites only” lunch counters as examples.  Those who erase the lines through their actions risk condemnation and even physical harm, but they also shake the foundations and change the world.

What cultural lines still exist that are meant to exclude and define the “other?”  What action could you or your faith community take to erase one of those lines?

Mark 4:35-5:1

On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” And leaving the crowd behind, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. Other boats were with him. A great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped. But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke him up and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” He woke up and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” Then the wind ceased, and there was a dead calm. He said to them, “Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith?” And they were filled with great awe and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”

They came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gerasenes.

Jesus and his disciples voyage from Capernaum to “the other side”–the region of the Gerasenes.  Gerasa was part of an area known as Decapolis, 10 cities that had been taken away from the Jewish people by the Romans and resettled.  In order words, Jesus not only crosses the Sea of Galilee, but crosses the border between Jew and Gentile.  And he went there on purpose.  It is not the only time that Jesus crossed over into Gentile territories by sea or by land.  And each time he crossed the border, he brought blessing: A man is delivered from “Legion”, 4000 are fed bread and fish, and a Greek woman’s daughter is healed.

Ched Myers interprets these crossings as Jesus demonstrating his determination “to bring liberation to those on the ‘other side’ despite their cultural and political differences.” (Our God is Undocumented p. 126)  In crossing borders, Jesus affirms that the Kingdom of Heaven is a multi-national, multi-ethnic, multi-cultural phenomena and that entrance into the kingdom is not limited to an elite few.

Questions for Reflection

How do you think the disciples felt about crossing to the other side–knowing where they would land?

Have you ever felt uncomfortable with how “inclusive” Jesus is?  If so, why?

Ched Myers interprets the “great windstorm” as the cosmic forces of evil that want to throw Jesus off course, so that the dividing lines of hostility will be maintained.  Jesus rebukes the wind and the waves and continues his mission to unite Jews and Gentiles in the Kingdom of heaven.  What do you think of his interpretation?

Today, the churches of the Logan Square Ecumenical Alliance will worship together and then follow Jesus into our community to stand and act for immigrant justice.

The LSEA is a diverse group of churches. Several are predominantly Anglo. Others are predominantly Central American, Puerto Rican and Mexican.  Some worship in English, others are bilingual or Spanish-speaking.  Some are first generation immigrants.  Others have been in the U.S. for multiple generations.  Some are undocumented, but all are citizens of the kingdom of heaven.  And all of us stand in solidarity with the alien and stranger.

If you are in Chicago, come to Humboldt Park United Methodist Church, 2120 N. Mozart at 12:30 pm to join our Palm Sunday Procession to Palmer Square (Sacramento and Palmer) where we will pray, chant and call our city leaders to strengthen the Welcoming Cities Ordinance to ensure that ALL communities are protected from harassment and aggression by ICE agents or the Police.  Together, lets show our “Stranger Love.”

Mark 11:15-17

On reaching Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple courts and began driving out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves, and would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts. And as he taught them, he said, “Is it not written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations’? But you have made it ‘a den of robbers.’”

Tomorrow, we celebrate Palm Sunday, the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem amid the shouts of his followers.  “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”  Jesus’ first public action in Jerusalem was to cleanse of the temple of those who were buying and selling in the outer court–an area called “the Court of the Gentiles”.  Jesus reminded the religious elite that the temple was not just a place for insiders–but for outsiders.  All nations were invited into God’s presence, but with the marketplace, there was no room–and no welcome–for the alien and the stranger.

Questions for Reflection

Would a person of another religion be welcome in your faith community?  Do you think they should be welcome?

What “Not Welcome” signs do you consciously or unconsciously put up around people who are “alien” to you?  To your faith community?

Romans 12:13

“Contribute to the needs of the saints; extend hospitality to strangers.”

There are two groups in this passage–the saints and the strangers.  The saints are fellow-believers, members of the Church, insiders.  The strangers are not saints.  The strangers are outsiders.  And here they are side by side in a larger passage about genuine Christian love (see Romans 12:9ff).  Both are to be shown care in the midst of their need.  Christian love demands it.

Questions for Reflection

Some politicians (including the president) have proposed that Christian refugees should be given preference over non-Christian refugees?  Do you agree or disagree?  Explain.

Are you more likely to support organizations that focus their attention on Christians in need or organizations that are not specifically faith focused?  What guides your decision?

Luke 6:31

“Do to others as you would have them do to you.”

Throughout the morning of September 11, 2001, 39 international flights were diverted to Gander, Newfoundland, Canada as a part of the shut-down of airspace over the United States following the attacks on the World Trade Center.  The 10,000 residents of Gander were suddenly inundated with almost 7,000 complete strangers–passengers and flight crews.  Over the next several days, the tiny town opened their homes, businesses, and resources, providing food, housing, clothing, medicine and emotional support for the incredibly diverse “plane people”–from Orthodox Jews to Moldovan refugee families who spoke no English.

The story of gracious hospitality and uncommon kindness is now a Broadway musical, “Come From Away” which opened on March 12, 2017.  One reviewer, Jennifer Vanasco of WNYC, described the show as “a love letter…to what people can do if they set aside fear and hate.”

Questions for Reflection

How would you want to be treated if you were suddenly stranded in a strange place?

Why do you think the kind of hospitality Gander residents showed is so unusual and rare?

Luke 10:25-29

Just then a lawyer stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he said, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” He said to him, “What is written in the law? What do you read there?” He answered, “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.” And he said to him, “You have given the right answer; do this, and you will live.” But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

Jesus responds with the familiar story known as the Good Samaritan–the outsider Samaritan who shows kindness to the insider Jewish traveler who has been attacked by thieves.  The Samaritan is the neighbor.  The lawyer probably didn’t appreciate the direction of the story.

Questions for Reflection

Watch following video:

Are there any groups of people you struggle to see as “my neighbor?”  If so, who?  How can you open up your circle of inclusion?