Friday, October 23, 2020       (today’s lectionary)
One
Bear with one another through love.
Strive to preserve your unity in one body and one spirit.
You were each called to the one hope of your call,
One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism, One God
The Father of us all is over all, through all and in all.
This was neither the theme nor the tone of last night’s debate between Joe Biden and Donald Trump. Presidents have to be elected before they can even try to bring unity. Striving relentlessly to Win, their differences were more evident than their desire to unify the country.
These are the people who long to see your face, because the earth is the Lord’s in all its fullness, and all  those who dwell in it.
There have been presidents whose strongest desire seems to have been bringing unity. I think of Washington, Lincoln, FDR … “the only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” Lincoln implored his listeners to appeal to their better angels. Washington purposely turned down imperial powers after the newly United States of America won the Revolutionary War. But all these heroes are very very human. Like any of all us they might climb the heights of heavenly virtue, only to fall again.
Who can ascend the mountain of the Lord?
Who may stand in his holy place?
Here is your answer: he whose hands are sinless …
What’s that? Who’s that?
She whose heart is clean and who desires what is not in vain.
Jack and Aly spent the night with us last night. We haven’t been together overnight like this very much. Jack is 11 and Aly is 8, and as the night moves along they seem content with their beds and with their parents leaving them here alone. Jack is watching the debate and the football game, wondering where he will see the most violence. Aly is quieting herself, falling asleep with one of her favorite Netflix shows.
Aren’t they really the ones who can stand in “his holy place?”
Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth
For you have revealed to the little ones the mysteries of the Kingdom.
Sure, I’m nearly 71, but that’s one of my favorite Bible verses. We can’t hold those mysteries tightly, and maybe children are the best ones to keep their grip loose. They have less need to be right, less sense of zero sum anything, more able to say “both-and” and usually share their peanut butter sandwiches.
Jesus says, “Judge for yourselves what is right.”
Adults have a hard time with Jesus’ seemingly simple request when we cut corners, parse sentences and divide divide divide just to win. But … I’m right and you’re wrong? Surely there’s more to civil discourse than this. In the clutch of our “better angels” we can practice compromise, acceptance and generosity. Yes we can. Still, kids come by it more naturally. As we get further from the Garden we feel vulnerable and alone. God is with us, of course, but we replace Him quickly with our paltry Stuff, hold it as tight as we can and turn away from each other in fear.
I voted today. It felt good, even though there were no children on the ballot. Like most others around me, I believe we can choose to live well with each other. Our original blessing persistently supplants our original sin. God does not leave us.
We shall receive a blessing from the Lord. Oh God, we are the people who long to see your face.
(Ephesians 4, Psalm 24, Matthew 11, Luke 12)
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