A Warm Hearted Woman - a reflection

This is a bit of a departure for my blog. But I thought folks might appreciate it.

My lovely wife is a "warm hearted woman". She worked for our church for many years as the peace and justice coordinator. People would regularly show up and ask for help. It was her job to greet them, to help them. She always did it with warmth and graciousness. 

Late last year a friend asked me to do a reflection for a small faith gathering for the First Sunday of Advent. I was a lay preacher in our parish for about 10 years. It was a real gift. It gave me an opportunity to stop and think about life and meaning, and to share that with others. When my friend asked me, I stopped and thought and grew a tiny bit.    
The text for this: Luke 21:25-28, 34-36. Lk 21:25-28, 34-36

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The First Sunday of Advent is the beginning of the liturgical year. The Church always takes this opportunity to look to the end times - the second coming. Paul and his community clearly anticipated the arrival of Jesus within their lifetime.

This Gospel is in what is called the “apocalyptic genre.” It is not immediately obvious as to what is going on. Some commentators assume that the author really did see the future and was trying to describe it. But I think that does a disservice to the author and the community that celebrated the story. We have to step back a bit and remember the origins of these stories. The Christmas narratives are the Christian origin stories - and this one is an end time story. They have the same purpose. They emphasize, highlight, bring to our attention the most significant things about our history and tradition. These are not historical narratives - they are not prophetic predictions - they are more like poems or operas, focusing on the important values and issues - not a recounting of the events. 

And so what is this story teaching us? When you realize that the story was written down after the fall of Jerusalem, it takes on a very different character. The section just before today’s reading is the narrative of Jesus’ predicting the destruction of the temple. Just reach back, imagine those disciples who walked with the carpenter from Nazareth. Imagine that day they heard him preach about the kingdom, about the poor, the widowed, the change to be brought about in the world - the coming of the kingdom of God, the kingdom of Heaven. They were changed. They left their jobs, their families - they committed to following him, trying to understand his message. 

And then their whole world ended with the cross. 

And then it changed again - the resurrection. Even Paul, who had never met Jesus, was changed by experiencing the resurrected Jesus. Jesus changed them - they could not go back. They set out to literally change the world. This tiny group, from this tiny country in the middle east, they were going to change the world - to bring about the good news, the gospel to the poor, the kingdom of God. 

And then, Jerusalem was destroyed, Rome conquered all. Their world changed again.

That is the flavor of the time when this story was told, when these words were written down. They contain dire predictions - but they also say - do not be deceived. These are not the end times. The glorious return is still in the future. Have hope. They thought the end time, the return of the Lord would be quite soon. That did not happen. So the message to us is the same - endure, hang in there. 

The marvel to me is how this little group of disciples from a tiny country, with a religious tradition that has been rejected and trampled, how could they conceive that they had a mission to the world. But they did. That was the message of these readings - hang in there - you can do this. Have faith.

When the emperor converted to Christianity, the wind changed. Now we can do anything. We are in charge, we can dominate the world. In retrospect, that may not have been the best approach to bringing about the kingdom of God - but it is our history. We have to deal with that. We are still shackled by the dominance of the Holy Roman Empire and the Roman Church. 

In some ways, looking at our own times, we are in similar straits. The world feels like it is ending. The progress we have made with democracy, for development, for human life and health all feel at risk. Haiti, Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Ukraine, a world pandemic. What right do we have to think we can continue to carry the good news forward? 

We know the good news is not about actually achieving the end of poverty - it is about the choice to live for and with each other. It is about the choice to embrace all humans as sisters and brothers. But, in fact, in our day, it is actually within our reach to end poverty. Here in the US it is clearly doable. We have more than enough food, more than enough resources, it is really just about the commitment to make it happen. We can do this - we just need to choose it. People talk about having faith - like faith is a gift from above. I think it is simply a choice. I have no firm proof that we can do this - that we can make the kingdom real - but I choose to believe that.  I choose to work on that. 

For the world, the UN actually has a plan to end world hunger - the world just needs to choose to commit the resources. We can end and reverse global warming - it is a choice. It is the recognition that we are all in this together - that we must work together - to actively love and serve each other for humankind to thrive, or simply to survive.

How do we do that? I think we need to keep the commitment visible. Keep a global perspective - but work locally. Do what you can. Elect people who support this. Donate to causes with this goal. Pay attention to what is going on around you.

Stop waiting for Jesus to come - go out and find him. Visit Dorothy Day. Help at the food shelf. Drive for the food garden. Volunteer in a nursing home. Just seeing and speaking with some of our sisters and brothers will keep you honest and engaged. If you never see them, never talk with them - you can easily forget.

When I was a kid, Jesus came to our back door on a regular basis. We lived miles from the railroad yard. But hobos would walk an hour or so and manage somehow to find our house. They came because they had marked our home and spread the story that a warm hearted woman lives here. There is a hobo symbol for the warm hearted woman - a small smiling cat. We were just above the poverty line, but my mom always gave them something to eat - ALWAYS. And we would sit and visit with them. They were not to be feared, or pitied. They needed help, and we could do it. Who benefited from that? We did. My mom changed how I see all of life. 

We did a bit of that for our kids and family and friends. Our church of Guardian Angels gave us many opportunities to show what the gospel message means. We are eternally grateful for that. And the message was not: “Go to church every Sunday”. The message was: Pay attention to those around you. See what they need, help them with their problems. Love and care for them. Be part of the solution. You can do this. Choose to do this.

You can do it too. Think, meditate, find out how you can help. What kind of message or example can you set that might reach out and change others? What if you are walking in downtown St. Paul and a beggar approaches. Or you are at a stop sign and someone is begging there. 

I think the message here is more than just fixing the world’s problems.  It’s rather about letting go of our worries and cares, and focusing on the needs of others.  Every mystic of every religion has preached this same gospel in hundreds of ways – let go of yourself – it is the only way to find yourself, to find salvation.

The Gospel message here is not about what we do – but about what we are.  It’s about how we see ourselves in the world.  If we were to retell the story using a modern paradigm – the damned are the “me” generation – the folks that care only for themselves, that are out to get theirs, and the rest of us be damned.  The blessed are the people who are there for others – who do not think of themselves first.  They worry about themselves enough to stay alive, to grow and learn, but their first thought is always out there – how can I be of help and service to others.

The amazing thing about this choice, being a person for others, is that it is itself our freedom and our salvation.  It frees us of that selfish concern that ties us up in knots.  It opens doors, it changes focus, it lets others see us as people open to them.  Rather than being afraid and protective of our own, we are open, encouraging, helping.  We invite others to confide in us, to ask for help, to let us be there for them.  It is the secret of a rich and fulfilling life – and it turns out, it is also the secret of a long life.  It is clearly proven that people who live a life of service and concern for others actually live longer.  Life is fuller, more joyful, and longer.  

What this means is:

• I am less concerned about my property values, than I am about the welfare of my new neighbors.  I don’t live in fear of them, but rather focus on helping them.  
• I am not worried about being part of the ‘in’ crowd, or fearful of losing my status as one of the power elite at work, or the bosses’ favorite – I am focused on how I can help them all, how to understand them.
• I am not frightened of the beggars on the street or at my door, but rather focused on how to really help them.
• I don’t need people to like me – I need to understand and like them.

The perverse or amazing thing is, that once I let go of the “me”, it all comes back to me.  People see me as focused on them, and they respond to that in kind.

I think this gospel has worked, and continues to work.  It is about becoming a “person for others”.  I can’t fix the world’s problems – but I can do something here and now.

Take the next opportunity that shows up to do anything at all to help – speak to someone, help someone, include someone, approach the stranger, or the poor, or the naked.  Let go of protecting yourself, and experience the fearlessness of living for the other. 

Think about it. Pay attention. When you see the people panhandling at a stop sign - what goes through your brain? Do you see them with love and respect? Or do you dismiss them as lazy and incompetent. Do you see them as victims of some organized ponzi scheme? Are you warm hearted - do you hold others in your heart?

We can do this. It is a choice.