Fowl Love

“Fowl Love”

Sermon for MCC New Haven

March 3, 2013

Rev. Brian Hutchison, M.Div.

  

         Have you ever seen a cartoon or a movie where two kids decide that one get on the other’s shoulders, and then put on a costume (maybe a sheet with two holes) to appear as a ghost or as a disguise?  Sometimes they do it to scare their friends.  Other times, they do it to scare away the “bad guy.”  Other times they are posing as an adult to get away with doing something they’re not supposed to. Regardless, the strategy usually works and the kids rejoice at their success. Strangely, I’m reminded of this by today’s Gospel reading.  I’ll tell you why in a few minutes; just remember that image.

In the Gospel reading, King Herod is not present in body, but is certainly present in power from afar.  He had beheaded John the Baptist, so Jesus knew what evil he was capable of. Jesus names Herod as a fox (because foxes are known to by sly and cunning in hunting their prey, not because Jesus thought he was foxy).  Whether in actual concern for Jesus or as a scare tactic, the Pharisees tell Jesus to go away because Herod wants to kill him.  But this kind of fearful language did not stop Jesus from doing the ministry he was called to do.

         Rather, Jesus’ mood changes.  He becomes both sad and angry at once.  He is saddened and frustrated by the fact that as hard as he tried to help people throughout Israel, the religious leaders were suspect of him.  Jesus was too loud, too effective, and proclaimed too much truth for the Pharisees’ taste.  And though Jesus was not pleased- to say the least- by the Pharisees’ attempt at disheartening him in his efforts, Jesus does not snarl back.  Jesus does not threaten death, harm, or hell.

         Instead, Jesus did as he taught; he stood in resistance.  He paints a picture of himself as a mother hen- … a somewhat unexpected, yet powerful Feminine Divine image (one that is actually used several times throughout the Hebrew Bible, except the bird is usually an eagle, not a chicken; we all know what it means to call someone “chicken”!).  Jesus says, “How many times I wanted to put my arms around all your people, just as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you would not let me!”  Jesus is recognizing here the limitations of his bodily presence on earth.  He could only visit so many people.  He could only preach the Good News in so many places.

         But what Jesus says next shows the power of God beyond Jesus’ bodily presence.  He says, “And so your Temple will be abandoned.”  This was a strong statement considering that the Temple was the center of life for the religious leaders.  (Could you imagine going up to the Pope and telling him that the Vatican would be abandoned?) Jesus is telling the Pharisees that there are dire consequences to being complacent or predatory instead of being resistant to oppression by defending the most vulnerable of society.  He is essentially saying, “If you do not defend ALL of your people, your structure of power will fall.”  And guess what happened: by the time the Gospel of Luke was written, the Romans had destroyed Jerusalem and the Temple in the year 70 (about 40 years after Jesus’ death).  So Luke knew how history played out for the religious leaders of Jesus’ time.

         And Luke also knew how history played out for the Christ-followers as well.  The author of the Gospel of Luke also wrote the Book of Acts, which explains the life of the early church.  Luke knew how the Holy Spirit was recognized by those in the Upper Room on the day of Pentecost.  He knew that this Jesus, who called himself “Mother Hen” in bodily form, would return soon as the dove of the Holy Spirit to surround them with spiritual wings of shelter.

         I had the opportunity in 2010 to attend Equality Maryland’s Lobby Day in Annapolis.  Hundreds of activists for LGBT equality came together to present the truth of our lives and the lives of those we love and care for to our legislators.  I joined with folks from my district to plan what we would say to our delegates.  Fortunately, our delegates not only supported LGBT equality, they sponsored bills on our behalf.  So we simply reaffirmed our stance and thanked our delegates for taking a stand for our community.

         However, there was a transgender woman who had come from a rural part of Maryland who didn’t have anyone else with her from her district.  She explained that she could not dress as a female in public where she lived because she does not “pass” well.  She was fearful about facing her conservative, anti-LGBT delegates, so several of the people from my district volunteered to go with her to face her delegates.  Sadly, after mustering up enough courage to face them, and making an appointment with them, they did not show up.  They didn’t even have the decency to make the appointment.

         So our delegates had a plan: stand outside of their door and wait for them to come out.  When they come out, the transwoman would simply express to them her disappointment at their not showing.  Also, she would express to them how she was afraid to meet them- because it speaks volumes to say that a delegate’s constituents are afraid of them.  I didn’t hear what ended up happening, but this reminds me very much of the Gospel story.

         When threatened by the oppressive stance of the anti-LGBT delegates, the baby chicks were frightened at first.  Their Mother Hen with her wide embrace cannot be seen- She is Spirit.  So they decided to take her form, to become members of one Body.  They recognized strength in numbers.  So they got on each other’s shoulders- so to speak- and threw on a big hen costume to face the fox.  Yes, they trembled under that costume, but they had the assurance that they had each other.

         To many of us, the fox has been the institutional church.  The church has proclaimed so many hurtful things that have done spiritual damage to many of us.  In resistance to such “Bible abuse”, MCC formed in order to become a large hen of many chicks.  Fortunately, this resistance has scared away the fox many times (though unfortunately, not every time).  We value MCC because as the Body of God, the Body of Christ, it has been our hiding place.  Psalm 27 says, “One thing I ask of God, that will I seek after: to live in the house of God all the days of my life… For God will hide me in God’s shelter in the day of trouble; God will conceal me under the cover of God’s tent…”  We have asked for this, and we have received it.  We must also remember, however, that there are thousands of LGBT people around the world who live in fear, who do not yet have shelter.  Thank God, MCC and other global efforts are on the way.

         Though we have the assurance that the wings of Christ will forever surround us, we must never forget that they are there.  As they become a part of our regular existence, it is too easy to take them for granted. Essex Hemphill was a bold African American gay poet who lived with HIV and unfortunately died of AIDS in 1995. Essex wrote this in his poem “Better Days:” “A false safety compels me to think I will never need kindness, so I don’t recognize that need in someone else.”

         I know that our safety in God’s embrace is not false.  But I also know that feeling too safe and being too comfortable can cause people to close up and become non-receptive to those who reach out in love.  I’m sure you’ve heard many a person say, “I’m fine just the way I am, thank you!”  With this mentality, it is difficult to then see others’ need for a loving word or an act of kindness.

         After describing God as Divine Shelter, the Psalmist writes, “Now my head is lifted up above my enemies all around me, and I will offer in God’s tent sacrifices with shouts of joy; I will sing and make melody to God… ‘Come,’ my heart says, ‘ seek God’s face!’ Your face, O God, do I seek.”  The Psalmist is giving us the next step on the spiritual path.  After resisting, after taking shelter and allowing our wounds to heal, we let our heads rise above the voices of intolerance and oppression.  And in allowing our little baby chic heads to rise, we see the many faces around the world.  The faces that when put together form the face of God.  This is the face that we seek.  This is the face that calls us, scars and all, to be healers of our world.  Today and each week, we hold sacred safe space as the Great Chicken Wings for all who seek refuge. Join me in gathering the chicks to Mother Christ! Amen.