Elections seem to bring out the worst in all of us. In 2020, I submitted prayers to the Clergy Emergency League that can be read in the original blog post linked above. A few of my prayers were chosen for the Clergy Emergency League Liturgical resources for election season.
This mid-term election cycle feels almost like a presidential election year in the sense of importance and in the mudslinging. I’m reworking a small section of the previous blog, focusing on two scripture passages. Juke 19:1-10 and John 7:53- 8:11 because I see in both a focus on an individual when a larger system should also be examined. Much like the communities in these passages, our nation needs systemic change. Those changes can start in small scale relationships, like the way you and I treat our neighbors and we need large scale change in our public discourse and how we treat each other. It is my hope that the upcoming elections will provide us with some harm reduction and refocusing on issues that matter to all of us.
Zacchaeus (Luke 19:1-10) Instead of focusing on only on Zacchaeus’ transformation, I wonder about the people in his community. Everyone loves to hate Zacchaeus because everyone loves pointing to someone who is a “big” sinner so their sins look small or they appear sinless. I wonder what happens when Zacchaeus changes his ways. Do they welcome him into the community and build new relationships with him? Do they find someone else to point to as the big sinner or does the entire community change their ways too?
The woman who wasn’t stoned (John 7:53-8:11). Most people know this as the women caught in adultery. This title is problematic. If she was “caught in the act” she certainly wasn’t alone and that other person should be facing consequences as well. Maybe they didn’t want to ruin his promising future. They bring one sinner for punishment and Jesus helps them to see that none of us are sinless and throwing stones won’t get us anything but more violence, destruction, and sin.
Call to confession: We all know the story of Zacchaeus (Luke 19:1-10). He climbed a tree to see Jesus. But Zacchaeus wasn’t in the tree because he was short. Zacchaeus was in the tree because no one would offer him space, no one said, come, stand in front of me so you can see, no one said, stand here, you should see Jesus too. Because everyone in town had already decided that Zacchaeus was ‘the’ sinner. They had already decided his sins were the worst and excluded him from community. Jesus goes to Zacchaeus’ house for dinner because no one else would. Jesus treats Zacchaeus like a beloved child of God. And in doing so shows all of us that we are never beyond God’s love and forgiveness. Beloved children of God let us confess our sins and seek forgiveness.
Prayer of Confession: Merciful God, we have sinned but instead of seeking forgiveness we are quick to point out the sins of others. We are cruel and inhumane, and worse we are indifferent to the suffering of others. You call us to work for justice, but we are frozen by apathy. You call us to work for peace, but we would rather fight about who threw the first stone. You call us to love ourselves and each other, but we are poisoned by our hate. Help us to see the pain we cause and guide us in the work of healing and restoration. Keep us from chasing the Zacchaeus in our midst up a tree, but instead to go out on a limb and offer an olive branch. Holy God fill us with your spirit of peace. We ask these things in the name of the one who showed us how to love, Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
Assurance of Pardon: Sometimes it is hard to break away from sin and sometimes it is hard to let go of the label that is put upon you by your family system. Like Zacchaeus, if we are being called worthless sinner, that is all we can imagine being, but Jesus calls us beloved saints; he brushes away our sin like the dust from his hands. He liberates us from our sin and restores us to righteousness. Jesus forgives and shows us that sin does not have to destroy our community but that true justice restores us to our proper place at the table of the family of God. Friends believe the good news of the gospel that in Jesus Christ we are forgiven.
Communion Invitation: Today, as we gather around this table, we are untied with all who believe in Christ, with all of the saints and sinners who have gone before us, and with all of the saints and sinners we will not meet in this lifetime. We are united with all believers in every time and place. Christ welcomes all of us. As we prepare to celebrate this meal, let us take a moment to remember who is here with us. There is a short tax collector at this table and a woman singled out for a partnered crime. And with them are all of those who shunned and scorned them to hide their own sins. At the table are all of us who have clenched rocks in our fists and finally decided to drop them instead hurling more injury and injustice into the world. Around this table are holy people who were imperfect and made mistakes and yet found in Christ freedom from sin and death and went on to do God’s work in the world. At this table we are surrounded by our enemies and our loved ones. And as we look into the face of each child of God, we realize that the things that divided us on this earthly world do not matter, there are no barriers between us, there are no harsh words or hatefulness, but only love and unity among the children of God. This meal is a foretaste of the coming kingdom of God, where true justice restores us to one another, and where love unites us.
Benediction: Beloved children of God, let go of your rocks, do not add to the violence and pain of the world. Instead, open your hearts to transformation in Christ, repair relationships, restore community with your neighbors. Go and sin no more. Behave as beloved children and love one another.
