Lent
Holy Week
March 31, 2015
Scripture Reading: Acts 10:34-36 Then Peter began to speak to them: ‘I truly understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. You know the message he sent to the people of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ—he is Lord of all. — Acts 10:34-36
It was the kind of radical thinking in these few verses that contributed to getting Jesus killed. A few decades ago these words would have not seemed so radical to we citizens of the United States of America. Recently, I had the privilege to attend the presentation of Ellis Island: The Dream of America by Peter Boyer at the Oklahoma City Philharmonic. It tells the story of seven randomly chosen immigrants who came to the USA through Ellis Island during the first half of the 20th century. It told the story that I was taught as a child that the greatness of America came from its diversity. It did not whitewash the story. It told of people being rejected from entry. It told of people being shuffled together into the ship’s third class compartments.
As I watched and listened, I wondered how long ago the orchestra had planned to present this work at this time, probably a year or more. It came at an ideal time for we in the USA seem to be cowering in fear at welcoming the stranger. The command to be a blessing to the nations was given to Abraham and all his descendants in faith. It is the responsibility of each of those faith communities to work within their nations and within their various forms of government to effect policies that reflect being a blessing to one another.
I also must confess I was a little surprised to find this scripture in the lectionary for Holy Week and then I realized this scripture describes the whole purpose of Jesus’ birth, ministry, death, and resurrection. He came to save the whole world, to share the love of God with all God’s children, and to enlist all who choose to follow him in this quest. I thought they meant it when they taught me this song as a child:
We’ve a Story to Tell to the Nations
We’ve a story to tell to the nations, That shall turn their hearts to the right, A story of truth and mercy, A story of peace and light, A story of peace and light.
For the darkness shall turn to dawning, And the dawning to noonday bright; And Christ’s great kingdom shall come on earth, The kingdom of love and light.*
Prayer: O Lord, let it be so. Amen.