Sixth Sunday of Easter
Our sermon today from the Rev. Mercedes Clements.
The world around us feels very polarized these days. Over decades, the political scene has
evolved to increasingly extremist views. World conflict dating back centuries has tapped into strongly held cultural beliefs, resulting in conflict over the opinions of right and wrong in global strife.
Increased anxiety from global instability can fuel the breakdown of large, diverse
communities into small, isolated groups. Sociologists and psychologists suggest that we have an inherent tendency to divide the world into categories of “us” vs. “them.” Sometimes, we refer to this as tribalism—working together as a group with a similar survival goal to share a limited pool of resources. Rules and differentiation are one way to form a cohesive group when survival depends on it.
But the modern world exposes us to increasing diversity and difference, challenging our
concepts of necessity and uniqueness. Further, polarization breeds contempt. When we feel safe in our small group of like-minded peers, it’s easier to view others as not worthy of our respect. Opinions can range from mild “othering” to complete dehumanization as we strive to find security in a volatile world.
Jesus was no stranger to the reality of tribalism and the effects of polarization. The Israelites struggled to survive as they were conquered and oppressed by one empire after another. Yet, in his final discourse to the disciples, Jesus sends a message about love. “As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love.” (Jn 15:9)
This is shortly after he washed their feet, offering a final rule of life, “I give you a new
commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another.” (Jn 13:34)
Long before sociologists wrote papers on empathy and compassion, Jesus understood how critical it is to love one another. Jesus knew that we are drawn together when we abide in God’s love.
The Israelites were oppressed by the Romans, and those who followed Jesus were persecuted by Jewish leaders. There was a strong temptation to allow that hate to spread and hold everyone around them in contempt. Instead, Jesus challenges the culture of tribalism and fear, staying firmly rooted in God’s love.
Jesus chose not to accept the status quo. This does not mean he doesn’t take a stand against oppression and marginalization. He still challenged the power structures and supported the marginalized. But Jesus does allow division and tribal culture to draw him into contempt and othering.
Jesus actively modeled faith through the love of God and neighbor. In this reading, Jesus tells the disciples that their future work is to be modeled on his ministry. The disciples are no longer slaves; they are now friends. They have learned the lessons and now must go out and lead the work.
Love one another as Jesus loves us, because abiding in God’s love draws us together.
Jesus lived an active faith, modeling the love of God and neighbor in everything he did.
Likewise, our faith calls us to engage with others through the lens of the cross. When we model our lives on the way of Jesus, we are called to compassion even in the face of conflict. Many of us have been following the student protests on college campuses. These Pro- Palestinian demonstrations have strategically impacted routine education during one of the busiest times of the year for colleges. Which, of course, is the point.
Many have observed that the right to peaceful assembly and demonstration is a core tenet of the US Constitution. On the other hand, the destruction of property and/or occupation of private property has consequences.
Some might be tempted to roll their eyes at these protests, while others might support their
efforts. Either way, we might feel distrust or even disgust with those who disagree. One response to these demonstrations, in particular, caught my attention. An open letter to
young people co-written by a Jew and Muslim was posted by the organization “Starts with Us.” 1
Starts With Us is a non-profit organization dedicated to diversity of thought. Specifically, they seek to counter the impact of divisive dialogue and polarizing politics.
While it’s addressed to young people, their open letter offers a message worth sharing with all. Indeed, if I were a “young person,” I might find it patronizing that it only addressed to one age group. Written by founding partner Daniel Lubetzky, a Jew, and Board Member Lonnie Ali, Muslim co-founder of the Muhammad Ali Center, the letter invites all sides to work together.
“As a passionate Muslim and a Passionate Jew, we have come together to humbly share a path forward for how to transcend the construct of “us vs. them” and side with humanity instead.”
The letter then offers a ten-point plan of response. I won’t go through all the points, but at its core, it recognizes that true problem-solving requires understanding the other side’s thinking.
We must choose to build bridges and work together instead of residing in our isolated camps.
They acknowledge the empathy of the younger generations. Empathy is not a weakness. The path to true reconciliation as individuals and groups can only be found when we understand each other, even our enemies.
But they also remind us, “You cannot advance social justice if you tolerate hate in any form. We strengthen social justice when we take the moral high ground and condemn all forms of violent absolutism. We undermine our causes when we side with radical extremists whose only real cause is hate. By acting with hate ourselves, we unwittingly advance extremist agendas and fuel increased opposition to our cause.”
They also highlight the polarizing effect of social media, which is designed to feed us content that we want to see. When we see only our own narrative, we begin to feel like we live in a world of black-and-white answers, and it starts to feel like those who disagree with us hate us. We must put down our screens and engage with each other.
The letter reminds us that conflict is only truly ended through alliances, not absolutes. When we seek to build bridges across divides, we promote social justice and advance our society.
Ultimately, we must understand that countering extremism is not a one-and-done effort. It
requires a commitment to living each day with curiosity, compassion, and courage. We must show up in the world looking to better understand those around us and engage them with compassion.
I hope this sounds familiar.
Love one another as Jesus loved us.
As Jesus prepared his disciples to lead in his absence, he set them on a path of love and
compassion. And he left us with a reminder of how this might look in the world because every time we share communion, we model the potential of the Kingdom of God.
Each week, we humble ourselves before God, abiding in God’s love as we share a meal with each other, with Jesus, and with all others who share communion across time and space. When we kneel or stand before the altar to receive the bread, we set all other factors aside to be one with God and our neighbors. We all share one bread. We all share one cup. The Eucharist is the foretaste of the heavenly banquet. A glimpse of the Kingdom of God, the Beloved Community. Communion reminds us that we will all share in eternal life, abiding in God’s love fully and forever.
The extreme divisiveness we experience today is a dark force that drives us away from God’s vision.
When we abide in God’s love, we are called compassion over hate and contempt.
When we abide in God’s love, we follow the model of Jesus.
When we abide in God’s love, we are drawn together, regardless of our differences.
When we abide in God’s love, we model the Kingdom of God.
As the current disciples of Christ, we must refuse to accept the status quo and continue to lead the work of Jesus every day. This will require curiosity, compassion, and courage as we model loving God and loving our neighbor even, no, especially, in the face of conflict and opposition.
May we all have the courage to love across differences and build bridges to the world we hope to leave for future generations.
https://startswith.us/2023/12/13/a-letter-to-college-students-ten-ways-to-side-with-humanity/
