We and they
Fifth Sunday after Pentecost, July 10, 2022
Colossians 1:1-14 • Luke 10:25-37
We and they. Part of human history has been dividing people into groups, ours and theirs. It can be based on race, gender, religion, orientation, economic class—you get the idea! Clearly it was taking place back in Jesus’ day and before. The Samaritans were the outsiders as far as the Jews of Jesus’ time were concerned. Why is not important but notice that in the gospel story a priest and Levite are both singled out as not helping the person who had been beaten and left for dead. That would have been absolutely shocking to the people of first century Palestine. Priests and Levites were upstanding leaders of the community. They should have stopped and helped, but it was the outsider, the Samaritan who did the right things. We have all heard the parable too many times, I’m afraid. We need to do a few substitutions. Maybe today the priest would be a doctor and the Levite, an attorney. The Samaritan could be any immigrant you choose, particularly one that is not popular. I’ll leave it to your imagination to choose.
Jesus, as always, is calling us to expand our circles. If we hear ourselves saying we and they or us and them, it may be time to re-examine our biases. My master of novices, Fr. Leo Rock, always taught us this lesson: there are no we and they or us and them. And this ties in to the wonderful sacrament we are celebrating in a few minutes. The baptismal covenant contains several promises that the candidate makes focussing on respecting all people and serving them as Christ taught. Our neighbors include absolutely everyone, all those created in God’s image and likeness. It matters not whether they are near at hand or far away. It matters not whether we share their ethnicity, nationality, religion, skin color, social class, or political principles. Because they are God’s children, we must recognize them as our sisters and brothers. No exceptions.
During the Second World War, the German Army occupied a small Greek island. The leading figure in the community there was the local Orthodox bishop. So, the German commander demanded of the bishop a list of all Jews resident on the island. The bishop took paper and pen, wrote down a single name, and thrust the paper at the commander. The name the bishop had written was his own.
If I may offer a few personal thoughts. I have probably celebrated the sacrament of baptism a few hundred times. I had the privilege of baptizing my mom as she lay dying of lung cancer. She was in a hospital bed in our home. In a few minutes I will joyfully and gratefully baptize my husband Charles. Those of you who already know me pretty well know that I show my emotions very easily. We were married in this church 7 years ago. My sister Julie is here to be a sponsor (godmother, but Charles said more like godsister). I can attest that Charles lives the baptismal covenant every day, respecting all peoples. Thanks to all of you for welcoming him into the family of faith. This congregation has always modeled for me this quality of inclusion, of expanding our circles. Let us ask the Lord as we celebrate both baptism and Eucharist this morning to help us be more like the Good Samaritan. A short sermon this morning, but hopefully on we can all resonate with. Amen.