Love Your Enemies

Epiphany 7A

In the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.

In his book, “The Keys of the Kingdom” A.J. Cronin tells the story of a simple Scottish priest named Francis Chisholm, who goes to China as a missionary in the late 1800’s. He spends most of his life there, struggling with poverty, plagues, and constant civil war, but manages to build a strong little mission, with an orphanage, school, clinic, and of course a church. The story is fiction, but draws heavily on Cronin’s knowledge of the Church and of history, to present a compelling and accurate story that includes many of the inconsistencies of Christianity, especially as viewed by those who first hear the Gospel message.

Two constant themes surrounding these inconsistencies are presented throughout this story; first, the level of suspicion, bigotry and outright hatred that exists between members of different “Christian” denominations; and second, the attitudes of Christians towards conflict and wars. All through the book, the response of the Chinese people towards this religion of love, tolerance, salvation, and forgiveness – called Christianity – is one of complete confusion.

At one point in the book, during another of those countless Chinese civil wars, Father Chisholm’s mission faces complete destruction by an artillery battery. This battery has killed and wounded many in the neighboring city, and thousands flee as refugees. The decision is made to attempt to destroy the big gun in order to save lives and the mission. Father Chisholm and an officer of the opposing army who is disguised as a peasant, make their way in the darkness to the artillery battery carrying canned foods and money that have been demanded by the commander of the battery as a bribe; but in the bundle are really explosives and a can of gasoline.

The idea is that the “peasant” would place the bundle close to the big gun, fire a pistol into the gasoline, and blow up the gun; but when he fires, the gasoline does not ignite. A struggle ensues, and Father Chisholm throws his torch into the leaking gasoline, which causes a tremendous explosion, and which knocks him unconscious. When he comes around, he discovers that the gun has been destroyed, but so too, all the soldiers of the battery. In their haste to save the big gun, they got too close and were caught in the explosion and killed. The Chinese officer disguised as a peasant is thrilled, but Father Chisholm is horrified. He is relieved that the gun has been destroyed, but in the process, discovers that he has violated his most sacred principle by killing others. To add to this horror, the peasant officer, drawing from his observations of the inconsistencies of Christianity, states that he has never seen such a wonderful killing, and that another such killing like that, and he too would become a Christian.

Two weeks ago, I talked about the state of Christianity and the Church, and the level of inconsistency the world sees, which keep our light from shining. Today’s Gospel lesson, a continuation of the Sermon on the Mount, shows us in clear, uncertain terms, how we are supposed to live, love, and forgive. Jesus is careful to make the case that loving those who love us is in reality doing nothing; but, if one desires to be a true disciple, a true Christian, then one must learn to love ALL others, including those we often consider “enemies.” We must learn to forgive ALL others, and pray for them, including those whom we consider “enemies” and those who take advantage of us. This is a tall order, but these are the words of Jesus himself, whom we a Christians have vowed to follow and obey as our Lord and Savior. Yet despite these clear instructions from Jesus, we continue to see bigotry, hatred, wars, and even “excellent killings” on the part of those who profess this Savior and Lord.

To give another example of this gross inconsistency, we come closer to home. This is Black History Month in the United States; and I remember those early days when this observance, along with a national holiday honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., were both first being discussed. The level of acrimony and outright hatred that I heard and saw on the part of many white Christians in their opposition to such an observance or holiday, were shocking. I heard “Church folks” say they would NEVER observe Dr. King Day, and certainly wanted nothing to do with Black History month. Several years later, while teaching school, I wrote a poem for my students called “The Dream” in celebration of Black History Month, which was published in a book of poems. If you will indulge me, I’d like to share that poem with you today…

The Dream

(Written in celebration of Black History Month)

We started out as slaves

in the "Land of the Free,"

Herded onto crowded ships,

filled with misery,

We came across the ocean

from our native lands,

They sold us at the auction block

and placed us in iron bands.

They worked us and they beat us

and the split our family,

They tried to take our honor,

and our pride and dignity.

But our character was strong,

and our faith was supreme,

And now we're finally free,

living out a sacred Dream.

After centuries of struggles

and courageous fights,

The children of those early slaves

today have civil rights.

The heroes of that early fight

to set us all free,

Include the names of Tubman,

Douglass and Booker T.

The framers of the sacred Dream

to which we all cling,

Include the names of Marshall,

and Parks, and Dr. King.

But we have to work together

to keep that Dream alive,

And build a world where freedom

really has a chance to thrive.

A world in which the ignorance

and the hatred we still face,

Is replaced by equal treatment,

without regard to race.

Cause that Dream will only stay a

dream, and not reality,

So long as men are only free,

and lack equality.

Many of my African-American friends were surprised to learn that a white man had written such a poem, but were thrilled none-the-less. They were curious by my use of the word “WE” in this poem. I stated that so long as just one person is enslaved, we all are slaves by the injustice of the whole. However, their joyful surprise was nothing compared to what I encountered from many of my white friends, who also being “Christians,” were shocked that I should take to writing poems for “them folks”. (Of course, their phrase was not “them folks” but was the “N” Word.)

My friends, there is no excuse, no possible justification, for those who call themselves Christians, to harbor such bigotry and prejudice against black, Jews, or anyone else for that matter.

Immediately following these events, in response to my dismay and disbelief at the way in which I was maligned for writing such a “hateful” work, and to point out the gross inconsistencies I observed and experienced, I sat down and wrote another poem based on the old hymn, “Take My Life and Let it Be, Consecrated Lord to Thee”. I would like to share that poem with you, as well.

Take My Life

Take my life and let it be,

Alcohol and tobacco free,

With no dancin’ or other fun,

Down to the corner church I run.

But when I get there, you better look out,

Cause I can lie and I can pout.

With my Bible in my hand,

I'll sing the hymns while we all stand;

And at the “Amen,” we’ll all file,

Past the Pastor with a smile,

Then we’ll gossip ‘bout everyone,

Tellin’ tales ‘til the setting sun.

We’ll say a prayer before we rest,

To say “I’m Sorry” and be blest,

But in the morn if it don’t rain,

I’ll show the world I’m “born again”.

Cause I don’t smoke and I don’t drink,

And I don’t dance, and I don’t stink,

And I don’t curse, and I don’t swear,

And I don’t go with ‘them’ from ‘there.’

But I’ll gossip some and tell a lie,

And cross my heart and hope to die,

And hate my neighbor on the way,

And laugh at those who’ve “gone astray”

And take offense at the smallest stuff,

And bear a grudge and be real gruff,

But at least I’m sober and I’m clean,

Even though I’m downright mean.

So take my life and let it be,

Alcohol and tobacco free,

And when I die, I’ll feel so proud

When they wrap me in my burial shroud.

And I’ll stand before the Pearly Gate,

To hear my name called while I wait

‘Cause I was “Christian” thru and thru,

There’s room for me but not for you.

And when I hear the tragic news,

That some who smoked and drank some booze

Will enter Heaven after all,

I’ll stand alone, and there I’ll ball.

‘Cause despite my list of “don’ts and do’s”

I had no love for Blacks or Jews”.

I hated those I sat beside,

While singing songs of Eastertide.

So take my life and let it be,

Alcohol and tobacco free,

But free from sin and free from shame,

Could have been mine...

...through Jesus' Name.

We teach our Children that little song, “Jesus loves the little children, all the children of the world! Red and yellow, black and white; they are precious in his sight. Jesus loves the little children of the world.” However, when one considers the realities verses our rhetoric, and when one takes into account the condition of the world with all its injustice, prejudice, and hatred compared to the sanctimonious hypocrisy that seeks to gloss over all these attitudes, it does gross injury to the cause of Christ, and makes his teachings nothing more than nice words which go unpracticed and unfulfilled in this world – by many who claim to be his disciples.

Another area in which we see such sanctimonious hypocrisy is that of war. I have been much impressed by the grass-roots demonstrations that we have seen in Wisconsin this past week, by workers who are protesting wage and benefit issues, and attempts to undermine their right to organize. However, I have also been greatly dismayed, that so many would turn out for a protest over wages and benefits, yet not one real protest or demonstration has been organized against the never-ending, immoral, and illegal wars that this country is waging in Iraq and Afghanistan (and now also in Pakistan!), which are killing thousands and bankrupting the nation. We are told that the war in Iraq is over, yet this morning I read that more troops from Fort Lee are going there! Why? We should be outraged, but we are silent. I mentioned this lack of national outrage to the wars to someone, and their response was “Do you want the Muslims to take over the world like they did Jerusalem and the entire Middle East!” As shatteringly ignorant as that statement is, I have heard it made by others as well… who also happen to be Christians. The so-called “War on Terror” has be reduced, in reality, to a war about resources (oil and minerals) and a war against the “infidels” – in the minds of both Christians and Muslims; and the irony is that both religions pride themselves of being religions of peace, love, tolerance, and forgiveness.

Are there extremists? Absolutely! But there is absolutely no difference between the Radical Muslim who is prepared to blow himself up in order to kill Americans, and the Radical Christian who is prepared burn the Koran and cheer the killing of Muslims by drones and bombs. They are each guided and controlled by a visceral hated of the other – in large part, based on ignorance and fear of their different religions of peace, love, tolerance, and forgiveness.

We are followers of Jesus… and we have taken baptismal vows as Christians to follow and obey him as Lord and Savior. We have also vowed in that same baptismal covenant, to strive for justice and peace among all people, and to respect the dignity of every human being. These vows are based on the teachings of Jesus Christ himself, who said…

- Turn the other cheek.

- Pray for those who take advantage of you.

- If you are sued for your shirt, give them your coat as well.

- If you are forced to go one mile, go two.

- Forgive others so you may be forgiven.

- Pray for those who persecute you.

- And also, Love your enemies.

I’m sorry friends, but these words leave little room for justifying bigotry, hatred, intolerance, prejudice, racism, revenge, retaliation, or even war for that matter. They leave no room for Christians of one denomination to condemn or malign Christians from a different denomination. If we would be the Children of God, as Jesus suggests, then these ideals that Jesus teaches are the things we must not only read about and say “Amen” to, but believe and practice as well, so that we, as Jesus said, may be “perfect, as our heavenly Father is perfect.”

Let me encourage you to examine your life, attitudes, and actions, and hold them up to the mirror of what Jesus is saying to us this morning in the Gospel Lesson. Then, if you discover attitudes and actions that appear to be in conflict or inconsistent with these teaching, let me encourage you to call out to this Savior you have embraced, for the grace and courage you need to change these attitude and actions. We may not be able to end all hatred, wars, and prejudice in the world, but perhaps we can do so in our own small part of it. It all begins when each one of us make the conscious decision to be part of the solution, and not remain part of the problem. Then, little-by-little, we may actually see the kind of revival in Christianity that so many are praying for. May God grant us all this measure of grace and courage to “…be perfect, as our heavenly Father is perfect.”