Colossians 3: 12-17
The eleventh minute of the eleventh hour of the eleventh day
of the eleventh month in the year 1918 there was silence. There was a temporary cessation of
hostilities, an armistice, between
the Allied nations and Germany thus ending ‘The Great War’ or WWI. Kurt Vonnegut speaks of this armistice
in his book, “Breakfast of Champions”:
“I will come to a
time in my backwards trip when November eleventh, accidentally my birthday, was
a sacred day called Armistice Day. When I was a boy… all the people of all
the nations which had fought in the First World War were silent during the
eleventh minute of the eleventh hour of Armistice Day, which was the eleventh
day of the eleventh month. It was
during that minute in nineteen hundred and eighteen, that millions upon
millions of human beings stopped butchering one another. I have talked to old
men who were on battlefields during that minute. They have told me in one way
or another that the sudden silence was the Voice of God. So we still have among
us some men who can remember when God spoke clearly to mankind.”[i]
In the silence of armistice, God speaks.
In fact it is in the sheer silence and cessation of
embittered talk and battle that our still speaking God comes to us and utters
words of hope and encouragement.
Our scripture this morning is from Paul’s letter to the
Colossians. They too were a
community in conflict, dispute and despair as is our nation. Among them were doubters as to the efficacy
of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection.
They wondered whether what was accomplished in Christ had actually
liberated them from the powers of the universe since things pretty much were
the same as usual. They
questioned whether or not Christ helped them achieve access to God. Paul, in his inimitable way reassures
them that they are loved and he tells them to be thankful because they ARE
connected and that is through Christ.
Hear now the word of God through Paul’s letter to the
Colossians.
As
God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion,
kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. Bear with one another and, if
anyone has a complaint against another, forgive each other; just as the Lord
has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. Above all, clothe yourselves with
love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of
Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body.
And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; teach and admonish
one another in all wisdom; and with gratitude in your hearts sing psalms,
hymns, and spiritual songs to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do
everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father
through him.
Ironically this passage is one of the passages that lovebird
couples often choose as the scripture for their wedding homily. What they don’t often know is the
context in which it was written and what Paul was trying to accomplish within
his community. And I suppose that
is ok because the essence of the passage speaks to how we are to treat one
another regardless if we are a conflicted community or some star-crossed
lovers. It’s good words and values for all times and circumstances.
Treat one another with compassion, which is to be kind and
fair, and loving and forgiving, to show mercy, and to be as a conduit of God’s
benevolent grace to others. And above all to clothe ourselves in love – not the
syrupy, romantic, Hallmark sort of love but the kind of love that will roll up
its sleeves and toil hard working through things when times get tough, as they
are destined to do when in relationship.
Life, you know has its ups and downs as the familiar cliché reminds us,
it’s disappointments and satisfactions. And through all of this Paul encourages them to be thankful,
to sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs to God. Truly God was with them.
If ever there was a passage that is downright essential for
our lives right now it is this one.
Because who among us has not been adversely affected in one way or
another by negative political expression no matter if your candidate won or
loss the election? We are tired as
a people. This election and these
weeks after have put a drain on us all.
I am weary and so very apprehensive about our future as a nation and as
a people conceived in liberty and justice for ALL.
And so this passage is apropos for our nation divided right
now too and for us as we sit down to our Thanksgiving tables - tables that have
the potential for divisive talk, hard feelings about those we love and care
about because of who they voted for, and potential potato slinging barbs. Tables that could possibly turn into
metaphorical food fights rather than a coming together to give thanks to God
our creator of diverse thought, diverse skin color, diverse sexual orientation,
diverse ethnicity, diverse religious affiliation and belief and diverse political
party and opinion.
Civil discourse has taken a turn for the worse. Codes of conduct and the lines of
mutual respect for others have been relaxed almost to the point of
non-existence. Where will we go as
a people and as a nation if this continues? What will all of this do to our
spiritual well-being if it continues?
How will we sit down at a table of Thanksgiving and look into the eyes
of someone who, perhaps, thinks much differently than you? How will we ever
find hope?
Do not despair, our country and our thanksgiving tables have
survived the civil war, 2 world wars, the great depression and Vietnam and we
will survive this tumultuous time too but undoubtedly will be changed. So we have to work hard at civility, and
the simplicity of kindness and fairness. It is the time to practice
armistice. To call for a cessation
of damaging rhetoric and listen for that still small voice of God. It is to focus on words that heal and
strengthen us as families, as communities, as individuals and ultimately as a nation. To bring out the flag of peace and call
truce because it is in that truce, that armistice, a beautiful silence can be
heard, when God comes to us and speaks words of wisdom and hope. In this silence God’s spirit, the dove
of peace infuses our hearts with faith, and resolve to form a ‘more perfect
union’ as our constitution tells us.
A union based in love as we endeavor to love one another.
Let us remember what scripture tells us,…. clothe yourselves with compassion,
kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. Bear with one another and, if
anyone has a complaint against another, forgive each other; just as the Lord
has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. Above all, clothe yourselves with
love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.
Taking these words into your heart and remembering them will
help you to achieve a bolder sense of civic engagement. One that is not damaging but uplifting
of all people for we live our lives in community and with others and our
Christian heritage calls us to be harbingers of justice, peace, understanding,
and acceptance.
I leave you this morning with the few ending verses of Maya
Angelou’s Inaugural poem, “On the Pulse of Morning”:
Lift up your eyes
upon
The day breaking for
you.
Give birth again
To the dream.
Women, children, men,
Take it into the
palms of your hands.
Mold it into the
shape of your most
Private need. Sculpt
it into
The image of your
most public self.
Lift up your hearts.
Each new hour holds
new chances
For new beginnings.
Do not be wedded
forever
To fear, yoked
eternally
To brutishness.
The horizon leans
forward,
Offering you space to
place new steps of change.
Here, on the pulse of
this fine day
You may have the
courage
To look up and out
upon me,
The rock, the river,
the tree, your country.
No less to Midas than
the mendicant.
No less to you now
than the mastodon then.
Here on the pulse of
this new day
You may have the
grace to look up and out
And into your
sister's eyes,
Into your brother's
face, your country
And say simply
Very simply
With hope
Good morning.[ii]
I give thanks for you and pray that your table of gratitude
be blessed.
Amen
