In the first reading this Sunday, Ezra is reading to the people from “the book of the law of God” and speaking out in support of their ruler, Nehemiah. He is instructing the people to support their ruler too. Nehemiah is a nationalist who is dividing the people from others. He is rebuilding a wall around Jerusalem asserting the people need its security. In the Gospel Jesus is also speaking out to the religious rulers, but not to support them. Jesus is speaking out to take down the walls rulers use to separate the people. For example walls of nationalism and status. Jesus is building up the Community of God because what the people really need is each other.
In Empowered to Repair, Brenda Salter McNeil, uses the book of Nehemiah to show us how we can join in Jesus’ work, not to build walls, but to build a more important endeavor all people genuinely need, community. Jesus quotes Isaiah as Jesus begins building the Community of God, I am “anointed to bring glad tidings to the poor… to proclaim liberty to captives… recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free.” As in Ezra’s time, so too in Jesus’, the rulers of Israel are of course nationalists. Jesus is speaking face to face with the rulers and speaking to them about the walls they build. He is appealing to them to end their divisions and give attention to people they diminish, people who are poor, enslaved, blind, oppressed. Diminished people are all around us still. The United States and its rulers are also of course nationalists. They too are dividing people and building walls asserting the people need security. Institutional christianity has been coopted by nationalism, certainly in the U.S. It therefore has few people speaking as Jesus does. Too few people within its walls are speaking to the rulers and speaking to them about the divisions they cause. Too few are appealing to them to give attention to people they diminish, people who are poor, enslaved, blind, oppressed. One person who is speaking up is Episcopal priest Mariann Edgar Budde. Bravo! She stood up before the religious rulers and read from Jesus’ Way because they claim to be Christian but are destroying Jesus’ Community of God in favor of nationalism. Can we who are wanting to follow Jesus’ Way do as Mariann Edgar Budde did? Can we build the more important endeavor Brenda Salter McNeil asserts all people genuinely need, community? Jesus gives us the mission to build the Community of God and replace these empires of nationalism. McNeil suggests we ask ourselves if we really identify with people who are targeted by rulers for misery. If we do not identify with them, is it because we are part of the ruling class or are perhaps supporting the ruling class in oppressing common people?
“First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a socialist. Then they came for the trade unionists, 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 out for me.” (Martin Niemöller)
Prayer: Beautiful Spirit, help me speak out for the most vulnerable.
Question: What can we do in our neighborhoods and work places to build community among all people, especially the most vulnerable?
January 26, 2025 Gospel Luke 4:14-21 Third Sunday in Ordinary Time