LAND ACKNOWLEDGMENT

With that being said, I’d like to once again begin with a land acknowledgment to honor the Native people that existed here before us. This land we dwell upon today (Grace Lutheran Church in downtown Phoenix) is the ancestral land of the Tohono O’odham (Thaw-naw-Awe-Thumb) Nation. We acknowledge their historical roots in this place and the many generations who were stewards of this land before it was stolen from them.

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THE LIFE OF OSCAR ROMERO

You can read the timeline of Oscar Romero on this website.

Over the last several weeks leading up to the season of Advent when we’ve been preaching from the homilies of Oscar Romero along with corresponding lectionary passages. To give you some quick background about Romero…

In 1917

Oscar Romero was born into a family of ten on August 15th (my birthday 🥳) in El Salvador. His father was in charge of the local telegraph office and sometimes the young Romero helped his father to deliver telegrams. Oscar even learned to be a carpenter, making tables, chairs and doors.

In 1930

When he was 14 years old, he wanted to be a priest so he went on to study at a junior seminary. When his mother was ill and they needed money for medicine, Oscar left the seminary for three months and worked in the gold mine. He earned about 4p(asos) a day.

In 1937

Romero went to Rome at the age of 21 to study and stayed there during World War II. Unfortunately, both his father and brother died while he was in Rome.

In 1974

Violence increased in El Salvador, as the government and army began killing poor people who stood up for their rights. When the army killed three people in the village of Tres Calles, Romero comforted the families and wrote to the President to protest about the murders.

In 1977

Romero became Archbishop of San Salvador, the capital of El Salvador. Some rich people were happy because they thought he would stop priests from helping the poor to stand up for their basic rights. But a few weeks later, his friend Father Rutilio Grande was shot and killed, along with two companions. The following Sunday, Romero allowed only one Mass in the whole diocese - at the Cathedral - where he spoke out against the murders. This was a significant moment in the life of Oscar Romero.

From 1977 to 1980

Romero continued to speak out, as the violence in El Salvador continued. Every Sunday his sermon was broadcast by radio.

So now that you have a bit of context, I’d like to read to you a portion from one of his homilies, spoken on April 9, 1978.

A HOMILY BY OSCAR ROMERO

A Christian’s authenticity is shown in difficult hours. By Christian, I mean every member of God’s people, whether a lay person, religious, priest, bishop, or pope. And by difficult hour, I mean those circumstances in which following the gospel supposes a multitude of ruptures with the tranquility of an order that has been set up against or apart from the gospel.

I call it a difficult hour because it is very hard to live in it as a genuine follower of the only Lord. It is much easier to keep on following the many easy lords set up as idols of the moment: money, power, prestige, and so on. How easy it is then to make religion a lovely fantasy created from a false interpretation of the gospel or of the church’s teaching. Those adorers of idols even go so far as to disparage with slanderous and perni-cious criticism those who have the courage to remind them of the true interpretation of Christ’s teaching and of their need for conversion.

And so conflict arises. There is talk of “confusion.” The blame for the disorder is put on “subversive sermons.” Attempts are made to isolate the voice that cries out in the name of the Lord. The church’s teaching power is likened to a popular democracy, as though the number of those who speak were worth more than the right-ness of what is said, and it is forgotten that mediocrity will always be majority and the courage of authenticity, minority. Recall “the wide way” and “the narrow way” of the gospel.

How necessary in this difficult hour is a conscience docile to the Lord’s truth. In this difficult hour more than ever is there need for prayer united with a genuine will to be converted, prayer that out of intimacy with God cuts one off from the confused clamor of life’s shallow expediencies, a will to be converted that is not afraid to lose prestige or privilege, or to change a way of thinking when it is seen that Christ insists on a new way of thinking more in keeping with his gospel.

I believe, (Romero says) that for our archdiocese a difficult hour is here and is putting to the test the Christian authenticity of all of us who make up this local church. We should not be surprised, then, that in this test of authenticity not all that glistens is gold. But at the same time we should intensely rejoice that this moment of Christian hazard is revealing that we have much fine metal, which comes out of the crucible with greater excellence.”

End quote.

HOMILY SUMMARY

What I love most about this homily from Oscar Romero is that he speaks plainly of the confusion that arises when you have a group of people spouting a gospel that doesn't match the gospel that Jesus Himself lived and spoke.

He calls this a difficult hour because there is an existence of people who follow Jesus mixed in with a group of people…who instead follow money, power, and prestige. They know that the Lord and Savior, Jesus, stands with the oppressed and marginalized, so they worship idols but call it preaching a gospel – all the while convincing listeners to see those at the center as marginalized and those at the margins as the center. (I got that from Jessica Poppe).

This is a difficult hour.

Romero also speaks of something called a conversion – the point at which we let go of Idols – power, money, and prestige; and instead, embrace the life and work of Jesus in its purest form.

Romero’s own conversion happened after his best friend was murdered…A moment in time when his body, mind, and voice were aligned. He felt in his body what he knew in his mind of history and their present-day reality…and his mouth…could no longer deny how Jesus meets us there. He could no longer be silent about it.

What do you do with that? Did the Injustice exist before his best friend was murdered? Or did his conversion simply open his eyes to see the Injustice that was there all along? Did the Gospel for the oppressed exist before his best friend was murdered? Or did his conversion simply open his eyes to see what Jesus has been about all along?

Did the gospel change or were his eyes simply opened? What opened his eyes? And friends, I ask us…What opens our eyes?

I find it fascinating to think about the type of preacher he was before his friend was murdered. Before his friend was murdered he was content to preach things that kept the rich happy. To preach things that kept his life out of danger. To preach things that kept the people in power and government happy with him. For that is why he was originally selected anyway.

But in his moment of conversion…with prophetic force…it was like he said, “To hell with the idols! To hell with the money, power and prestige. I cannot deny that Jesus meets all people in the here and now.”

There was a series of moments leading up to a conversion in the life of Oscar Romero. But as Michael Jackson cried out…”WHAT ABOUT US?!”

What opens our eyes?

What keeps our eyes closed?

What opens up the eyes of other people we know?

What keeps their eyes closed?

IT’S TIME TO LIBERATE THE GOSPEL

My husband wrote an article called “It’s Time To Liberate the Gospel” covering three attributes of western society that have caged or attempted to tame the meaning of the gospel we preach today. It’s honestly so good, I’m just going quote it for you. He gave me his permission.

“The 19th century preacher Charles Spuregon stated, “The gospel is like a caged lion. You don’t have to defend a lion. All you have to do is let the lion loose from its cage, and the lion will defend itself.”

We have put the Bible’s gospel in a cage in our time. Relinquishing its power to bless others and give others the freedom to live out their God given purpose. I am guilty of allowing this to happen in my own story.

So, what is it in culture that has been caging and oppressing the gospel? In this post I want to focus on the western world’s value of whiteness, individualism, and rationalisms’ suppression of the gospel.

WHITENESS IS CAGING THE GOSPEL

White is right. Or at least that has been the narrative of western culture. History matters, and what we can learn from history is how European colonization, specifically in the western world, has set cultural norms and defined what is right and true. This has caused the gospel to be narrated and interpreted through one lens: from the majority who is in power.

Whiteness had used the Bible and gospel to enslave Africans and to terrorize indigenous people. The gospel needs to be set free. For the last few centuries the gospel has been confused with the white dominant culture. Sadly today, when people think of living out the gospel they think of living out white culture. For many in the U.S. the gospel is tied to the dominant white culture in the U.S. White leaders have governed the western world and ordered its systems and structures which makes minority behavior outside of the norm of society. This means for many minorities conforming to the gospel is synonymous with conforming to whiteness.

INDIVIDUALISM IS CAGING THE GOSPEL

Individualism in our culture has led us to seek what it is that we can gain from the gospel personally. This had led many people to only hear and focus on the personal salvation aspect of the gospel. People cling to whatever removes the personal guilt we feel about ourselves and the shameful actions we commit. However a self-serving gospel is no good news at all.

When the focus of the gospel is solely on being saved from our individualized sin, then there is no room to bring justice and health to systems and institutions. Even though there are individual aspects to the gospel, individuality's high emphasis in culture has caused the Gospel to be reduced as if you were to only look at one side of a jewel without beholding the whole of the diamond.

Kendall goes on to write…An individualized gospel traps the whole gospel and puts an over emphasis on individual sin making you far from and how Jesus’ death allowed you to be good with God. A true wholistic gospel will push someone to discover how they make their faith more than an individualized matter, but search for ways they can be a blessing to those around them, especially those who are in the margins of society.

RATIONALISM IS CAGING THE GOSPEL

The beginning of the Enlightenment had made the scientific method and rationalism god in our time. This has influenced us to rationalize the meaning of Jesus' death and resurrection and search for one conclusive answer on its implications. Rationalism has led theologians to create theories on atonement that try to sum up what the gospel is. This has left little room for mystery concerning Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection.

Not everything about Jesus destroying the evil forces of darkness through his death and resurrection can be rationalized and clearly explained. Jesus’ act is surely the climax of history and much of its implication is still shrouded in mystery, and that is okay.

Much of what I mentioned, the values of whiteness, individualism, and rationalism caging the gospel, is deeply embedded within our society and the framework of Christianity many of us have been given. Perhaps the cage is more enclosed than we could have ever imagined. To let the gospel roam free in your life may take constant chipping away at the gate of the cage the gospel may be held in for you.

For me, (Kendall writes) constant criticism of my own bias influenced by society’s values, and viewing the meaning of the gospel in its historical context has brought freedom and passion in my own life. People who are free and experience freedom then have an opportunity to free others. That is how the gospel spreads.”

Kendall is a phenomenal writer. Thank you for allowing me to share it!

With that in mind, let me ask you a question…if Whiteness is caging the gospel…what is your line of tolerance for White Supremacy?

BRITISH COLONISATION

Did you know that of the current 200 nations in the world, the British have invaded all…but 22 of them?

Did you ever think about why after Britain invaded North America in the 16 and 1700s and eventually declared independence in 1776, we separated ourselves from dictatorship but we never told the people who colonized us to actually get out?

Which tells me there's a difference between freedom in dictatorship and the colonization of a country versus freedom from the colonization of a mind, spirit, and soul.

Even today every part of our being is still being influenced consciously or subconsciously by white supremacy that invaded North America in the 1600s.

The reason why I ask what is your line of tolerance for white supremacy is because this nation’s very birth was conceived with stolen land and white supremacy. Even in the way we practice our faith, we are still coming up against the colonization of mind and spirit — Fighting against dominance, and control, and trying to sort through White Supremacy’s interpretation of scripture which upheld over 400 years of slavery and free labor on stolen land.

So, what is your line of tolerance???

STAND 10 TOES DOWN

If you're familiar with the Black community you may or may not have heard us say, “10 TOES DOWN” which simply means…

I'm solid in my perspective
I said what I said, what I said, what I said
ain't nobody gone to change it
Even if you think I’m ALL the way wrong
I'm ten toes down.
Amen? Amen.

I’m going somewhere – stay with me.

Now, if you didn't know, Kendall and I have been taking martial arts classes! Don't ask me to spar, ask Kendall. He's got a third-degree black belt. Me, on the other hand, don't often know what I'm doing but…I'm getting better!

But once a week our Grandmaster guides us through something called Chi Gong, which is a slow movement exercise developed in China thousands of years ago as part of traditional Chinese medicine. It involves using slow exercises to optimize energy within the body, mind, and spirit, with the goal of improving and maintaining health and well-being.

While doing this practice our Grandmaster talked about the importance of scrunching your toes down into the Earth while you do Chi Gong because it is a form of rooting yourself to the energy that is supplied in the Earth.

So when I say “10 Toes Down” in this sermon…I’m not just saying be forceful in perspectives that provide dignity for all people, but I am also saying be rooted in the history that the dust of the earth provides. Be rooted in the history of your ancestors. Let the stories of truth and our lived experiences provide energy to stand 10 TOES DOWN in the perspective of a Gospel that you know to be true.

Will you stand 10 toes down…and be an embodied witness of conversion for those whose eyes have not yet been opened?

Will you stand 10 toes down…and tell White Supremacy to get out? To get out of your mind, your perspective, the way you make decisions, censoring the way you talk, the way you carry yourself…will you tell White Supremacy to get out of the way you care FOR yourself?

I am not saying that white PEOPLE must get out because we exist as a multi-ethnic community with plenty of white people here as you can see.

But what I AM saying is that if we are to exist as the multi-ethnic family of God, the system of whiteness and colonization…which gave birth to the the system of individualism, which gave birth to the the system rationalization…has to get out and be converted into a way of a love that Jesus exemplified that sees all people, embraces all people, and meets all people in the here and now.

As Dr. King said to a Black audience in the Civil Rights movement, “I come here tonight to plead with you: Believe in yourself, and believe that you’re somebody! “I said to a group last night, nobody else can do this for us. No document can do this for us. Not even an Emancipation Proclamation can do this for us. Nor can a Johnsonian Civil Rights Bill do this for us. “If the negro is to be free, he must move down into the inner resources of his own soul and sign with a pen and ink of self-assertive manhood his own Emancipation Proclamation!"

What I'm saying to you today multi-ethnic family of God who practices of the ways of Jesus together…we are present here in the oldest church in Phoenix…sitting in a sanctuary with pews that seat at times both white and black; Asian and Pacific Islander; Puerto Rican and Mexican; Guatemalan and African…will you dig deep into the inner resources of your own soul & sign with a pen and ink that you will not go back to bowing down to White Supremacy?

In the spaces you occupy…

Will you with prophetic force…push back…against the line of tolerance for white supremacy?

Somebody say, “10 Toes Down!”

LUKE 24:13-35

Luke 24:13-35 is the corresponding lectionary passage to Oscar Romero's homily that we read earlier tonight.
Michael Beth Dinker summarizes it:

(This passage) offers a glimpse of Jesus and his disciples after that first Easter. The story begins with two of Jesus’ followers on the road between Jerusalem and Emmaus. One is named Cleopas; the other is not named, and might be Cleopas’ wife.

It is no accident that the first place the Risen Jesus shows up in the Gospel of Luke is on a road.

Suddenly, Jesus appears on the road and asks: “What are you discussing with each other while you walk along?”

What Cleopas and his companion are discussing is the news, specifically, political news. Jesus has just been crucified, and in the Roman Empire, crucifixion was deeply political. Like many today, Cleopas and his companion have lost hope in the face of this political news; he declares in the past tense, “We had hoped Jesus would be the one to redeem Israel” (24:21). They have heard that Jesus’ tomb is empty (24:22-23), but they do not believe it.

They spoke with great sadness discussing these things and continued to walk…We pick up their conversation in verse 18:

“The things about Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, and how our chief priests and leaders handed him over to be condemned to death and crucified him. But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things took place. Moreover, some women of our group astounded us. They were at the tomb early this morning, and when they did not find his body there, they came back and told us that they had indeed seen a vision of angels who said that he was alive. Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said; but they did not see him.” Then (Jesus) said to them, “Oh, how foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have declared! Was it not necessary that the Messiah should suffer these things and then enter into his glory?” Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them the things about himself in all the scriptures.

As they came near the village to which they were going, (Jesus) walked ahead as if he were going on. But they urged him strongly, saying, “Stay with us, because it is almost evening and the day is now nearly over.” So (Jesus) went in to stay with them. When he was at the table with them, he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him; and he vanished from their sight. They said to each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he was talking to us on the road, while he was opening the scriptures to us?”

That same hour they got up and returned to Jerusalem; and they found the eleven and their companions gathered together. They were saying, “The Lord has risen indeed, and he has appeared to Simon!” Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he had been made known to them in the breaking of the bread.

THE TABLE IS THE PLACE OF CONVERSION

What I love most about this passage is that In the height of political confusion, disappointment, and despair…Jesus's place of conversion is the table. He takes his time with people who do not recognize Him though he was standing with them.

At first, He's playful and pokes fun that they do not see him standing there the one that they are talking about, but he keeps walking with them and He keeps telling them the truth..

Then he walks ahead of them and they ask him to stay.

And eventually, get to a house for dinner. They sit at a table…Jesus takes the bread, blesses it, and breaks it. Gives it to them and THEN they finally SEE!

There is something that happens when you eat the same bread drink the same wine and sit at the same table that equalizes all those present and that atmosphere created allows eyes to be opened…so that we can all see.
The very Jesus they were speaking of was with them the whole time, but it was at the table that they could finally see Jesus for who he really was.

At Kaleo we know that Jesus ate and drank his way through the gospels and as His followers we are invited to follow this example by gathering around tables, too. Before meeting in sanctuaries, church buildings, or cathedrals followers of Jesus met in homes around tables, practicing the ways of Jesus by eating and drinking together. A shared table is a shared life and a shared life is an invitation for eyes to be opened to SEE and be converted to a way of love -- the cornerstone of community.

As the band comes up…

Will you close your eyes with me, sit in a comfortable position, and take a deep breath. Sometimes you just have to breathe to process the things that you’ve heard.

Ask the Lord, “What do you want me know tonight? What do you want me to do with the things that I’ve heard?”

Imagine yourself in that story.

You've walked a long time on this journey, perplexed by political news, awaiting the presence of a redeemer and deliverer.

Jesus is with you but you can’t see Him.

But then you get to the table when everything changes. Jesus, we love you and we thank you for being with us and patiently revealing yourself to us even when we cannot see! We ask that you would help us be an embodied witness for others who cannot see just as well.

AMEN.

EUCHARIST

Remember to vote on November 8th! Our meal tonight is beans and rice as we stand in solidarity with a large portion of the world that has this as their daily meal. We have pot sauces and toppings to spice it up a bit but before we had to the table I'd like to read to you our Eucharist.

“The table of bread and wine is now ready.

It is the table where Jesus is the host, and we are His company. It is the table we share with the poor of the world, with whom Jesus identified Himself. It is the table of communion with the earth, in which Jesus became incarnate. It is the table, not of the church, but of the Lord… it is made for those who love Him, and for those who want to love Him more.

So come to the table, you who have much faith and you who have little You who have been here often and you who have not been here long You who have tried to follow Jesus and you who have failed. Come, because it is Jesus who invites you And it is His will that those who want Him, should meet Him here.”