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A Church that Articulates the Gospel

Writer's picture: The Rev. Jim SteenThe Rev. Jim Steen

January 26, 2025 - The Third Sunday after Epiphany



This past week, I read a sermon on today's Gospel reading in which the preacher referred to the passage as containing Jesus' "Mission Statement." That characterization struck a chord with me, because I have long regarded it as containing something similar, namely, Jesus' "Inaugural Address."


I still remember the first time this occurred to me. It was exactly 27 years ago, on this same Sunday, in 1998. Appropriately enough, I was preaching at St. Mark's Church, on Capitol Hill, in Washington DC. 1998 wasn't an inaugural year. Bill Clinton was one year into his second term. But if the metaphor of Jesus' inaugural address made sense then, because of where I was preaching, it makes even more sense now, because of what took place this past Monday and what has taken place since then.


Further, I will say, without reservation, that the values of justice and compassion expressed in today's Gospel reading are diametrically opposed to those articulated last Monday and those already being acted out on Capitol Hill by the new administration.


I know that most of you know this; but it still needs to be said, in church.


This is not about the Church meddling in politics, if that's a bad thing. Rather, it's a matter of the Church articulating the Gospel, which is fundamentally to proclaim justice and mercy. If we fail to do this, in whatever context we find ourselves, our religion is shallow, at best.


By contrast, I have seldom - if ever - been as proud to be an Episcopalian as I have been this week, following the inauguration. Within our tradition, there have been numerous responses to this week's events that we can be proud of; but I am going speak of just two that I found especially impressive.


First, on Tuesday, as many of you are aware, Bishop Mariann Budde, the Episcopal Bishop of Washington, DC, preaching at a prayer service in her Cathedral, addressed the new President directly. While calling for unity, she pleaded with Mr. Trump to show mercy toward those at-risk persons who are now frightened, and for whom he normally voices only contempt.


Although she has received huge support, from within and from outside the Church, the derision that has been directed toward her is shocking, beginning with the President referring to her as a member of the radical left hard-line Trump haters. Bishop Budde, a 65 year-old grandmother, is anything but a hard-line leftist or a hater of anyone. But like her Lord, who is her inspiration, she is not afraid to speak truth to power. When asked on NPR about the President's response, she said, I don't hate him, but I do pray for him.


The second response from Episcopal leaders, for which I felt pride, came in a letter to the whole Church from The Presiding Bishop and from the President of the House of Deputies, our highest governing body composed of laity, priests, and deacons. The letter, itself, is a kind of sermon, and I'm going to read it in full:


Dear People of God in the Episcopal Church:


Yesterday, Donald Trump was sworn in as president of the United States. We pray that he and all of our elected officials will, in the words of the Book of Common Prayer, have the wisdom and strength to know and to do God's will and be filled with the love of truth and righteousness.


Even as we gave thanks for a peaceful transfer of power, we learned from news reports that the new presidential administration has issued a series of executive orders that are a harbinger of President Trump's pledge to deport undocumented immigrants at a historic scale, restrict asylum, and direct other immigration actions.


We read this news with concern and urge our new president and congressional leaders to exercise mercy and compassion, especially toward law-abiding, long-term members of our congregations and communities; parents and children who are under threat of separation in the name of immigration enforcement; and women and children who are vulnerable to abuse in detention and who fear reporting abuse to law enforcement.


As Christians, our faith is shaped by the biblical story of people whom God led into foreign countries to escape oppression. Exodus tells us the story of the ancient Israelites escaping slavery in the land of Egypt and wandering in the wilderness without a home. In Leviticus 19:33-34, God commands that we remember this sojourn as part of our own story of faith: "When an alien resides with you in your land, you shall not oppress the alien. The alien who resides with you shall be to you as the citizen among you; you shall love the alien as yourself, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt."


Now, as Paul tells us in Ephesians 2:12-19, we are no longer aliens. Christ Jesus has made us citizens with the saints and members of the household of God. As we read in 1 Peter 2:9 12, we have received God's mercy, and we must demonstrate this sacrificial love in our lives and deeds. Because our true citizenship is not here on earth but in heaven, we are called to transcend the earthly distinctions made among us by the leaders of this world. We must proclaim that the kingdom of heaven is promised to the persecuted and answer Christ's call to welcome the stranger among US.


This vision of God's kingdom, this new reality, is the one to which we Christians are pledged in our baptism above any political preference or policy, and to which our church must bear witness through word and deed. This sacred call shapes both our churchwide commitment to stand with migrants and the ministries of congregations across our church who serve vulnerable immigrants and refugees in their communities.


Since the late 19th century, The Episcopal Church has followed this call by welcoming immigrants and refugees to the United States, and today, Episcopal Migration Ministries is one of 10 resettlement agencies through which refugees enter this country. Our Office of Government Relations is a persistent advocate for [immigrants' rights] and works with ecumenical and interfaith partners to urge compassionate and humane policies that at the same time recognize the need to protect borders and address security threats. Thousands of Episcopalians participate in this ministry of advocacy through the Episcopal Public Policy Network.


As more immigration enforcement policy changes are announced, our churchwide ministries will continue to provide practical pathways to protect the most vulnerable among us. We invite you to join us by:


• Advocating with our members of Congress... to protect immigrants. known as Dreamers, who were brought to the United States as children and have lived here most of their lives. The long-standing Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program that offers a respite from the fear of deportation is at risk, and Congress must take action. Standing against mass deportation ... which would have severe consequences for our communities and economy.


• Supporting orderly border management that is proportional and humane and respects the right of asylum.


• Supporting programs that protect vulnerable groups of people, [including Temporary Protected Status (TPS), Deferred Enforced Departure (DED), humanitarian parole, and the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program.}


• Speaking out against anti-immigrant rhetoric and actions, including race-based targeting, vigilantism and violence, family division, and detention and deportation without charges or convictions. As Christians, we must stand against these expressions of hatred and fear with a clear witness to our sacred promise to respect the dignity of every human being.


• Encouraging our congregations to use the resources of the Office of Government Relations and the Episcopal Public Policy Network as we embody the Gospel through direct witness on behalf of immigrants in our communities.


Across our church, migrants are members of the Body of Christ and part of our congregations and communities, and our common life is richer thanks to their contributions. To our [sisters and brothers in Christ] who are at risk of deportation or of being separated from those you love, know that your story is our story, and your dignity is inseparable from our own. We stand with you, and we will face these challenges together.


As one church united in the Body of Christ, please pray especially for families who live under the shadow of separation, and for all who seek asylum for protection from persecution. Pray, too, for the people of our congregations and dioceses who work tirelessly to serve immigrants and refugees, and who now face new and heartbreaking challenges to their ministry.


Finally, as faithful Episcopalians have done for decades, please join us in giving generously to Episcopal Migration Ministries and its ministry with refugees seeking a new life in the United States.


In Christ's Peace, The Most Rev. Sean Rowe - Presiding Bishop

Julia Ayala Harris - President of the House of Deputies


In closing, I would only reiterate that we must pray for Donald, the President of the United States, and for all in authority, that they may grow in the compassion, justice, and mercy that will enable them to faithfully serve our country, by serving the most vulnerable among us. And, finally, if there was ever a time for us, as Christians, and as Americans, to become involved in working to protect the vulnerable, it is now.


Amen.

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