Posted on: Saturday, October 5, 2002
EXPRESSION OF FAITH
We must turn world on its ear
By The Rev. Liz Zivanov
Jesus said to his followers: "I have come to turn the world on its ear, and now I want you to go out and do the same."
They said to him, "Master, we don't understand."
He said, "You have seen me do it and you know exactly what I mean. Ignorance is no longer an excuse for inaction. You are to feed the poor, clothe the naked, heal the sick, protect those in danger, and comfort those who mourn; your lives are to reflect my love for creation."
They whined back at him, "Lord, you said the poor will always be with us. We need to increase our numbers. We can't put all our energy outside our community."
He replied, "Didn't you listen to my Sermon on the Mount? Haven't you seen how our followers have increased in number because of God's love shown through our mission and outreach? I never said this was going to be easy, but if you are truly my followers, you'll go out there and do what God expects of you. You are to share, not hoard, the blessings God has already bestowed upon you. Then after a few days in the field, come back to this community and I will feed you and give you strength to go out and continue to do my work."
Can't find this passage anywhere in the Bible? Maybe not the exact words, but this is certainly an overview of the great commission that Jesus issued to his followers. As Jesus' followers learned, receiving God's blessings is only part of our divine covenant. The other part of that covenant is our responsibility to bring God's kingdom to Earth as we progress on the ultimate journey toward his kingdom in heaven. We will not move forward on that journey until we help along those who don't have the resources — physical, emotional, or spiritual — with which we have been blessed.
Over the past week, two women from the Society of St. Margaret, an Episcopal religious order, have been in the Islands talking about the ministry at St. Paul's Chapel immediately after the terrorist attacks, as well as the ministry of their order to share God's justice with those on the margins of our society. We all know about the incredible outpouring of support the workers at Ground Zero received over the past year.
Now that the rescue and cleanup is finished, the chapel ministry no longer exists in such a radical form, and life has returned to normal. But there are still so many in need.
Radical hospitality extends God's love to those who continue to live on the fringes of our society and our churches. Radical hospitality is not a finite approach to the ills of God's creatures; it's an ongoing ministry.
Radical hospitality can be aimed at those who do noble deeds; it is also for those who continue to be excluded because they don't meet the "acceptable" criteria of society and religious institutions: the divorced, those of a different sexual orientation, the homeless, those who have physical handicaps, those whom God has forgiven but who have not received our forgiveness.
Radical hospitality forces us to constantly recognize that we are called to reach out to others who are also created in the image of God, even when we are too blind to see it. Like the disciples, we can no longer use ignorance as an excuse not to act, and we can no longer whine about the poor always being with us. It's time for us to become radical in the way we live out our faith, even when it means being uncomfortable or making difficult decisions. This is a radical hospitality that can turn the church and the world on its ear, a hospitality that actually changes the norms so that more of those on the margins can be included as we continue our journey to the fullness of God's love.
The Rev. Liz Zivanov is rector of The Parish of St. Clement (Episcopal) in Makiki.
