We all know the experience when some event. happens in our world or in our lives where we are. It has never been my policy as a

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Homer Russell
5 years ago
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1 1 Christ Church, NZ. A sermon preached on the Sunday following the massacre at the mosques in Christ Church, New Zealand, March 17, 2019 at St. Giles Presbyterian Church, Prince George, BC by Rev. Herb Hilder Lessons; PSALM 74 LUKE 10:25-37 We all know the experience when some event happens in our world or in our lives where we are forced to pause, perhaps sigh, Say, Oh NO It cannot be We are left shaken and disoriented It has never been my policy as a congregational minister to spend the week prior to Sunday,

2 Trolling through newspapers, magazines or now on social media looking for a subject upon which to preach. I have always been a person who long term plans his preaching schedule. Some might say too rigid. My reply has always been works for me to be this sort of rigid. However, There are times when the preaching schedule, the subject and text to be expounded upon needs to be set aside For events and circumstances of a week need to be reflected upon, prayed about and addressed. This is such Sunday. 2

3 St. Paul s counsel to rejoice and to give thanks in all things is invaluable counsel and we shall return to it next Sunday. But the events around the mass shooting at the mosques in Christ Church, New Zealand loomed large on Friday in my mind and soul. The news coverage on television dominated Friday to the point that I said to Katharine mid-day on Friday I think I need to say something to the good folk at St. Giles about what has happened And how we as God s people can and really ought to respond. It is not that we have never seen such things, or lamented about such things. 3

4 4 It is not that we have never felt for the families of the victims and the survivors and their families. As I watched the footage from Christ Church and heard the Prime Minister of New Zealand, the rabbi of Temple of Life in Pittsburgh, people who study this rise of white supremacy and radical racism, I saw and remembered all too clearly The scenes around the attacks on Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina, Temple of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh The Islamic Cultural Centre of Quebec City in Sainte-Foy And now two mosques in Christ Church, New Zealand.

5 5 With 50 killed and as many wounded by single gunman who had every intention of killing everyone had he not been stopped by police. As I listened to the news coverage I saw again, the flowers, the ambulances, and the heavily armed police presence after the event. But this most recent incident I think was a tipping point for me personally. Why? I could speculate it was because it happened in New Zealand a country of stability, order and overall peace. A country that does not brandish a warped understanding of the right to bear arms, A country not known for possessing lots of guns.

6 6 Perhaps it was because I heard President Trump s lack of compassion in his initial response to the tragedy. But I think the cause was that my mind and heart said Enough All of these incidents mentioned and Friday s occurred in a place that is supposed to offer safety and security a place of worship These were attacks on people who were worshipping God. The format and the structure of worship may not be what we are accustomed to, but worship unites us whether we are Muslim, Jewish or Christian. Worship reminds us that we have more in common with them

7 7 Than with the unchurched world. My purpose then this morning is to suggest a preliminary way through this horrendous mess of increasing examples of racism, fear mongering about the other, sole concentration of detrimental and demeaning stereotypes that we keep hearing about from world leaders. President Trump is not solely to blame for the increased racism and fear, But he has done nothing to dial down the fears about security and the other. In many cases and instances, he has stoked the embers that have always been there.

8 8 And then sat back and smugly said, Not me!. Not my fault! And I want to use the scriptures as a basis of a way through the mess. Yes, I know for centuries parts of the scriptures have been used to justify nasty things like slavery, persecution of the Jews, racial purity, and conspicuous consumption. Yet, the scriptures rise about these things more times than not!! At the risk of sounding too simplistic, I believe the overarching theme in scripture from Genesis to Revelation is that God is a merciful God.

9 9 That by the way is common not only to the Christian faith, but to those who follow Islamic and Jewish teachings. Yes, God is righteous, Yes, he shall judge us all But as I said, these are not the key attributes of God God s central attribute is one of mercy and grace I think therefore that God weeps when incidents as in Christ Church, Pittsburgh, Charleston and Sainte- Foy happen I think God weeps when he sees people His people resort to violence, white hot anger and hate, fear owing to differences or act in fear to justify any example of bullying, bashing and persecution of others because are not like us!!!!

10 10 So what can we do in the light of such realities? If we have not already done so, we must realize that NO ONE IS IMMUNE. There is always a loss of innocence when such happen. I remember when in Sackville, there was an incidence of domestic violence in which the wife and her son were killed by the husband though it could never be proven. The little boy was in Ruth s class suddenly violence became more immediate and real in that community and for us. Nothing will ever be quite the same again in Christ Church, Pittsburgh, Quebec City and Charleston.

11 11 This is no reason to live in constant fear. Franklin Delano Roosevelt in his first Inaugural Address when the US when the recession or depression was at its worst. WE have nothing to fear but fear itself. Roosevelt was right then, and he is right now. I was very heartened to hear last Friday evening on PBS, CNN and CBC the leader of an interfaith council say to the public especially to Muslims. Do not abandon your mosque. Do not abandon worship for this is what the terrorists want This is one thing they hope you will do. Psalm 74 read moments ago outlines some of the feelings and sentiments that must be evident

12 12 in these days of coming to terms with what happened and where do we go next? O God, why do you cast us off forever? Why does your anger smoke against the sheep of your pasture? (Psalm 74:1) Where are you God? Have you forgotten us? Why? Can you not see the desecration and destruction all around? Then verse 10 How long, O God, is the foe to scoff? Is the enemy to revile your name forever? Indeed Lord, How Long? Psalmist begins to remember (vs.12-17) that God has not abandoned him or God s world Disorientation is front and centre

13 13 WE are reeling this way and that Surely though God is in control. The Psalm does not resolve this question of How long? Some things cannot be resolved quickly life is sometimes very hard and very difficult. But lament remains a powerful way to come to terms with the nasty of this life. No one is immune to such things today nasty, upsetting, gut wrenching things, Things that not only throw us off balance, but disorient us. In the things we have seen this week and related events in the past,

14 14 Realize the importance of prayer. A vigil was held last night here in Prince George at City Hall. All over the world, vigils have been or are being or shall be held. A coming together to pray, to stand in solidarity to be with people who need encouragement and hope. If vigils are your thing, fine. But never stop praying for the families of the victims, Pray for the survivors and their families. For it will take much healing that cannot be patched with plaster and cleaned with cleanser.

15 Those people who were there have seen and heard things that will stay with them for the rest of their lives. Pray for the first responders who always face things in their work that no one should face. Pray for law enforcement personnel. Those who have to tell the families of victims that their loved one is not coming home Pray that this warring madness and rhetoric stoking the fires of fear, racism would begin to dial down. In other words, pray for a change of heart for many. 15 In the things we have seen this week and related events in the past,

16 16 Realize afresh the importance of self-monitoring our attitudes, speech and thoughts Racism begins in our heads as we watch and listen to others. My Uncle John my mother s twin sister s husband disliked immensely African Americans He worked at the Post office in Detroit and then later in Glendale California He could never understand why blacks could afford to drive Lincolns, Cadillacs, upper end model Buicks and Oldsmobiles. Both they and he were paid the same wage, so he was convinced that their wage was supplemented by criminal activities Or by mugging white people on the side.

17 17 When it was pointed out to Uncle John that one reason they could afford such cars was that they did not have the freedom to live anywhere in Detroit or Glendale The car compensated, gave them status and place a house a house in a better neighbourhood could not. But Uncle John was never someone who wanted to be confused by the fact. If he were alive today, I can believe he would be an adherent and believer in the fear of the immigrant and the other. Living in southern California, he would certainly believe that all Mexicans were criminals. His derogatory names for people unlike him were case in point.

18 18 And I could see him being sucked into the hate mongering, fear inducing sits that blame the other for all their problems And who are merely trying to keep the white race pure. There is now increasing evidence that while these horrific attacks are not part of any structured plan, There are some common elements emerging in the internet history of the terrorist or gunman. They are talking with one another, communicating with each other. What was so unsettling about the Christ Church shooting is that the gunman was able to live stream

19 his shooting of the worshippers and it took an hour for Facebook to take the posting down. An hour so much for careful and diligent monitoring and patrolling for unsuitable material that Facebook claims it can quickly do An hour!!! How many likeminded individuals have been encouraged by the posting before it was pulled off? Look, If the internet and social media cannot be policed as fast and as thoroughly as it claims to be Each of us has a responsibility to police or to selfdiscipline ourselves and our families on what is watched on the net. 19

20 20 I am not suggesting a draconian ban of the internet and social media. These remain wonderful tools for information and for communication with friends and family. But like everything else, the web, the social media has a dark side. People can say what they want to whoever they want with no controls or filters. The anonymity of the Net can be toxic. Realize afresh the importance of self-monitoring our attitudes, speech and thoughts by reflecting and answering the question that the smarty pants lawyer asked of Jesus who is my neighbor. Jesus response is the well-known parable of the Good Samaritan.

21 A Jewish man is robbed, beaten and left for dead at the side of the road. By chance, a priest comes down this same road. He crosses the road to the other side and walks on by. Then a Levite comes down the road same action walks on by Then along comes a Samaritan an arch enemy of Jews. The Samaritan stops, bandages the man s wounds and goes beyond the call of duty to help the man. A Samaritan helping a Jew unheard of! For the animosity between Samaritans and Jews was deep and long standing. They did not just dislike each other historically they hated each other. 21

22 22 Want a modern day equivalent imagine a gang member from one street gang helping a member of another street gang just doesn t happen. Here though Jesus wants to emphasize a point who is my neighbor all!! Showing mercy to all We need to hear that parable and apply it in the everyday. Who is my neighbor? Jesus would say who isn t your neighbor? The Muslim, the Jew the other Christian is your neighbor. There is no room Jesus would say for Islamophobia, anti-semitism or denomination bashing

23 23 Not for people who profess to follow him and see him as Lord and Saviour! To do nothing, To say nothing, To assume not my responsibility is both shortsighted and dangerous. What can we do, should we do. To review Be aware be very aware. No one is immune from such violence and hatred and its causes. Pray for the victims and survivors when these things happen for sadly and regretfully, they will continue to pop up in this fear mongering and fear of the other climate all around us.

24 Monitor and self-police your thoughts, actions and speech toward all others but especially those who are not like you! For none of us ever want to be in the position so well summarized in 1946 by German confessing Church minister Martin Niemoller as he reflected on the rise of the Nazis in 1930 s Germany. First they came for the socialists, but I did not speak out because I was not a socialist. Then they came for the trade unions and I did not speak out because I was not a trade unionist Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out, because I was not a Jew Then they came for me, and there was no one left to speak for me. AMEN 24

When Tragedy Happens

When Tragedy Happens If you are like me, you were utterly disheartened by the report of 50 Muslim worshippers shot to death in Christchurch, New Zealand nine days ago. Here they were, minding their own