Notes for a more coherent sermon—Feast Day of St. Clare

NOTES FOR A MORE COHERENT SERMON 1 P.M.

I’m surprised that I haven’t posted the following sermon before:

Sunday, August 12 , 2007 (Feast Day of St. Clare)
St. Andrew’s Old Catholic Church
Small Meeting Room, 138 Pears (Toronto)
1:00 p.m.

1st Lesson: 1 Corinthians 15: 1- 11

Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you,
which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this
gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you.
Otherwise, you have believed in vain.

For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that
Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was
buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the
Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve.
After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at
the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen
asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last
of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.

For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called
an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of
God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I
worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was
with me. Whether, then, it was I or they, this is what we preach, and
this is what you believed.

Gospel: Luke 18: 9 – 14

To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down
on everybody else, Jesus told this parable: “Two men went up to the
temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The
Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: ‘God, I thank you that I am
not like other men — robbers, evildoers, adulterers — or even like this
tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’

“But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up
to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a
sinner.’

“I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified
before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who
humbles himself will be exalted.”

SERMON PROPER BEGINS

Depending on the church calendar, the feast day of St. Clare of Assisi
is celebrated either August 11th or 12th. It is therefore appropriate
to spend a few moments reflecting on the life of someone who has
challenged me to be serious about faith, and yet also tried to get me
to laugh at my own absurdities.

About 800 years ago Italy was in ferment. There were wars and
political violence; religious strife, particularly between western
Christians and the Muslim world, was a dominant factor in international
affairs; economic hardships for some while new sources of wealth for
others was an all too common source of social tension; epidemics and
famine were feared.

And into this world came some very odd people. Voices for peace were raised by those in the military; people of property renounced their priviledge and lived among and as the most vulnerable; people of firm religious conviction found ways to listen for the voice of God across cultural and religious barriers—everyday stubborn and cantankerous people looked to find ways to love one another.

It seemed that the strangest area in Italy at that time was Assisi—for Assisi was the home both of Francesco Bernadone and Clare di Offreduccio.
Francesco was the son of a rich merchant, an army veteran and former
POW, discharged due to health concerns. Clare was the daughter of
wealthy minor nobility who had to flee her home for a while due to
civil war. Both had a personal history of generosity to friends and those in need,
but no more than any others who grasped the responsibility of those with wealth and power to the community they lived in.

These two, who we know as St. Francis of Assisi and St. Clare of Assisi, were merely two of a large number of people who at about the same time
heard the call to love one another and then set about exploring what
such a call means to themselves, to their community and to the world.
Some, like St. Francis, were orators and poets. Others, St. Clare,
were administrators and organisers. All shared the idea that sainthood
wasn’t for the perfect but for the imperfect—we can, with the help of
God, live out in the here and now an echo of the shalom kingdom.

These early Franciscans and Poor Clares weren’t unfamiliar with living in harmony with the daily demands of their faith. They attended mass, gave to charitable endeavours, attempted to be good family members. But this wasn’t sufficient for them. They wanted to respond more intimately to the loving presence of God and less to the structured way that a faithful life had become.

They didn’t see the life that they were called to—voluntary poverty and simplicity, a rejection of violence and priviledge and the social barriers
so readily woven between individuals and communities—as a grand
gesture that elevated them above other believers. Rather, they embraced their life and encouraged others to find truth in theirs, challenging everyone by
example to move closer to the fullness of life shown in the example of Jesus’
life among us.

This spirit of seeking to be with those in need, to help one another, to embrace peace rather than conflict, to find a way of life closer to that of the creator, continues to move among us. There are many Poor Clares’ communities, living in ways inspired by the rule for the order devised by St. Clare, that seek
through prayer and charity, contemplation and a model of life in community, to imitate in a joyous fashion the life of the risen Christ.

Like she did some 800 years St. Clare inspires not only those called to a life of
simplicity and prayer. She inspires those that want to hear the voice
of God in creation—a spiritual approach to cherishing the environment
and seeking to share it with all those who are within God’s creation.
She inspires those wanting to provide a haven for those on the
outside—both those that do it through communities of hospitality such
as the Catholic Worker movement and those that do so within a more
formal structure such as St. Clare’s Multifaith Housing Society. And
she inspires those who need to be reminded that prayer is active
participation in the life of the world.

St. Clare, and the others in the circle that come together in Assisi,
didn’t come to their conclusions in a vacuum. They had heard from
their earliest moments of what happened when God walked among us, that
Jesus spoke to those, such as the Samaritan woman at the well and the
tax collector for the Roman occupiers, who were outcasts and yet who
wanting to be included in the embrace of a loving creator. They
learned about Jesus who called blessings on the peacemakers and healed
the leper. They learned about the last judgement, when people would be
held to account for how they treated the hungry and homeless and
dispossessed of the world. They were challenged to renounce the
things of this world and embrace the things of the next. And in a time
of chaos and fear, they chose to do the ridiculous thing of becoming
powerless, peaceful and poor.

The renounced and reclaimed—they renounced priviledge and reclaimed
joy; they renounced power and reclaimed hope; they renounced status and
reclaimed love. It was a time of liberation.

Life to St. Clare and for St. Francis was upside down. If one fasted,  it wasn’t to deny life but to embrace a sense of freedom from the restrictions of normal life. If one wanted to be heard, one spoke to the birds as what was said in
creation was forever present. This was a Pentecost movement, born in
joy and exuberance and hard work and faith.

800 years later there are around us modern Clares. They will be found
in places of conflict caring for the suffering. They will be found trying to encourage people to share what they have with one another. They will be found
getting people to laugh at themselves.  Some are within religious
orders; others are in movements for calling for economic and social
justice; some are in places of conflict seeking to explore non-violence
in dangerous lands; others are found on the 4th floor of an apartment
building making a meal for their neighbour who’s just got out of the
hospital. They can be advising the powerful and panhandling on the
streets—they are among us. Like all saints, they aren’t perfect.
And like all saints, they make a difference in the same way we all
can—doing what we are able to do to show that love is ever present in
the world.

NOTES FOR A MORE COHERENT SERMON: Feast of the Holy Innocents

(celebrated instead of either the First Sunday after Christmas
or the Feast of the Circumcision of Christ)
11:00 a.m., January 1, 2012
St. Andrew’s Old Roman Catholic Church
138 Pears Ave. Meeting Room
Toronto, Ontario

FIRST LESSON

Revelation 14: 1 – 5

I saw, and, behold, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father’s name written in their foreheads. And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps: And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth.  These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the first fruits unto God and to the Lamb. And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God.

GOSPEL OF THE DAY:

Matthew 2: 13b – 18

The angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him. When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt:  And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, “Out of Egypt have I called my son. “

Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently inquired of the wise men. Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying, “In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not. “

SERMON PROPER BEGINS

Not growing up in the Catholic world, I was unaware of the calendar of feast days. I was not exposed, during my youth, to the ongoing challenge of seasonally thinking in different ways that God interacted with humanity. Where I learned about feast days and related spiritual disciplines was from people active in the peace movement and particularly individuals such as Tom Joyce, Len Desroches and Joe Mihavec who were part of, or supporters of, the Cruise Missile Conversion Project. In particular, I learned about the Feast of the Holy Innocents which was chosen as a day of prayer, reflection and civil disobedience at the gates of Litton Industries. Litton Industries, on City View Drive in northwest Toronto, was in the 1970s and 1980s a focus of major protests of the production of the guidance system of the air launched cruise missile. The Cruise Missile Conversion Project wanted Litton Industries to be converted to the production of civilian goods.

Those that chose the Feast of the Holy Innocents as a day of presence at Litton did so because in the preparation of the tools of modern warfare an echo of the actions of Herod was seen. Just like he caused the slaughter of children because he was afraid of what the future might bring as a result of the birth of Jesus, our modern world prepared for and participated in the slaughter of innocents due to fear and the desire for power. Being silent when weapons of mass destruction are developed and used makes us complicit what happens around the world when the innocents and powerless of the world have their lives woven into the power struggles of the mighty. Being at the gates of Litton was a time to example ourselves as people living in a world that does not value children, as living in a world where families have to flee as refugees, a world in which violence is justifiable tool to achieve a political end.

Being at the gates of Litton was a statement that being people of faith who remember with shame and horror the slaughter of the children of Bethlehem we are called to build up a world in which such evil is not repeated, whether in the small scale of our homes or where war is being fought around the world.

We hear in the Gospel what can happen when a political leader with little restraint on their power, is frightened. They can lash blindly, sweeping into the lives of innocents with violence. Herod was afraid of what a political messiah could do and he tried to kill everyone who could possibly grow up to be the messiah. His motivations could even been positive. A political messiah, a claimant to the Jewish throne, could cause the Romans to take over the last remains of Jewish independence and slaughter everyone who they saw as connected to the Messiah. A messiah, in the apocalyptic times of 2,000 years ago, could threaten the balance that kept the Jewish faith alive in the centuries since the end of the Babylonian captivity. The magi who had visited the infant Jesus made it clear that someone unique was happening in the world—and Herod chose to deal with it through directed, mass violence. Herod had many options before him, from doing nothing to seeking out the specific infant he saw as a threat to seeking advice and help from the wider community. For what may have been the best of motives, Herod chose to do evil on a wide scale. And he created the first martyrs for our faith, completely innocent by-standers who died because of fear as a result of God being among us.

Jesus did live through this period thanks to Joseph being willing to believe a divine warning. I could easily imagine Joseph not taking this warning seriously—we all get a feeling of something bad about to happens, things that rarely, if ever, occur. A bad dream would not likely to get us to rush to a strange land in order to protect our family.

Jesus and Mary were fortunate that Joseph believed the dream and brought his family to Egypt as refugees. They found a haven in a strange land. Jesus would have had to learn Greek (the dominant language of Egypt since the time of Alexander the Great); if his family settled in Alexandria—the major city of Egypt of the time and a good place for a carpenter to find work—he would have been immersed in centre of learning for Roman empire at the time. The possibility of Jesus to have lived a sheltered life was shattered by living as a refugee in a foreign land. His having been a refugee helps to explain why Jesus was so compassionate to the needs of the outsider.

Something good did come from the actions of Herod—the divine Jesus experienced the results of fear, hatred and oppression in his formative years among us. But just as the best of motives doesn’t excuse an evil action, an unintended good result doesn’t justify evil. We can learn from and overcome harm we have experienced, but we would be healthier if we never experienced violence or tragedy in our lives.

When I was in front of Litton Industries approximately 30 years ago I was seeking a world where compassion was stronger than fear, where love was more omnipresent than hate, where violence was no more because we converted our swords into plows and our spears into pruning hooks—I sought to live in a place and time where the Sermon on the Mount and the Magnificat were woven into the fabric of daily life. I saw in the massacre of the innocent children of Bethlehem the same evil that resulted in the bombing of Hiroshima, the realities of Auschwitz, the killing fields of Cambodia, the massacre of Wounded Knee, the burning times of the witch hunts of Europe…the evil that was done by people who believed that the ends justified the means. I also saw, thanks to those who were a part of the Cruise Missile Conversion Project the value in the examples of St. Francis of Assisi, Dorothy Day, Cesar Chavez, Simon Menno, Martin Luther King and others within the broader faith community who believed that the way one lived in the world was the key way of showing the value of the Gospel to the world around us and that if one was going to engage the world in a struggle for the shalom kingdom, a world of peace, justice and compassion, one had to do so in such a way that the means and the ends were one. Otherwise, whatever our motivation, evil will be the outcome of our actions.

We are entering a new year, carrying with us all our memories and experiences. Let us seek to leave it with memories of what we have accomplished during the year, every small step we take towards the building up of God’s kingdom on earth. When we give clothes to those on the streets; when we bring meals to shut-ins; we we move our money from banks to credit unions; when we bite our tongue rather that respond with anger; when we say no to violence in our homes, in our neighbourhoods or around the world; when we find a way to welcome the refugee into our city…in all these ways we are showing that the Kingdom of God is alive and welcoming all those seeking to live more fully in harmony with one another and with all of creation.

End of the Year Ideas for Donations

2011 is coming to an end. Some of us may have a little left over resting in our pockets that we’d like to consider giving to a good cause or two. Here are a few suggestions of groups which I have supported over the years that would certainly put your gifts to good use.

1. St. Clare’s Multifaith Housing Society
.  138 Pears Ave. #801
, Toronto, Ontario
 M5R 3K6

St. Clare’s is continues to both develop new affordable housing efforts and provide affordable housing to people, most of whom come as a result of referrals from agencies working directly with the homeless, marginalized and difficult to house. In 2011 two projects, 180 Sudbury and St. Clare’s – Monaco Place, officially opened—over 200 units of new affordable housing. St. Clare’s grew out of Toronto Action for Social Change, which organised a number of creative protests during the Harris years. More information can be found at: http://stclares.ca/

2. FoodShare Toronto.  
90 Croatia Street, Toronto, ON M6H 1K9.  Attention: Zola Dyer.

From the good food box programme to community gardening to advocating for sustainable food policies, FoodShare works hard to make sure that social justice includes what is on the table. More information can be found at: http://www.foodshare.net/

3. Rooftops Canada.  
720 Spadina Avenue, Suite 313, Toronto, Ontario M5S 2T9

Rooftops Canada, the international development arm of Canadian co-operative and non-profit housing movements, works with overseas partners in countries from the Baltic Sea to Zimbabwe to “improve housing conditions, build sustainable communities and develop a shared vision of equitable global development. “ More information can be found at: http://www.rooftops.ca/

4. Student Christian Movement of Canada.  
310 Danforth Ave., 
Toronto ON      M4K 1N6

The SCM has a long history of being an inclusive faith-based voice for positive radical social change university campuses. In addition to direct work for social transformation, SCM is a member of the Canadian Alternative Investment Co-operative. From responding to homelessness to indigenous solidarity to the Queer and Christian Without Contradiction initiative, the SCM continues to link reflection with action. More information can be found at: http://scmcanada.org/

5. Elizabeth Fry Society
.  215 Wellesley Street E.
, Toronto ON M4X 1G1
The Elizabeth Fry Society provides effective support for women involved with the criminal justice system. From transitional housing to jail support, E Fry makes a difference in the lives of women in conflict with the law. More information can be found at: http://efrytoronto.org/

6. CHFT Charitable Fund.  
658 Danforth Avenue, Suite 306
Toronto, ON,          M4J 5B9

The CHFT Charitable Fund is a project of the Co-operative Housing Federation of Toronto. Its programmes range from diversity scholarships to support for the Green Roof initiative at Hugh Garner Housing Co-operative to a basketball court at Atkinson Co-op. More information can be found at: http://www.coophousing.com/charitable/charitable_mission.asp

Over the years I have also supported the following organisations that are more activist than charitable in focus.   These include:

7. Christian Peacemaker Teams.

In the USA:
CPT, PO Box 6508; Chicago IL 60680-6508
In Canada:
CPT, 25 Cecil Street, Unit 310; Toronto, ON M5T 1N1

CPT sends delegations to places of conflict to be a practical resource for non-violence and a witness to the world of violence and injustice. From Columbia to Iraq to first nations in Canada, CPT delegations have been a hopeful presence in many places around the world. For more information see http://www.cpt.org/

8. Ontario Coalition Against Poverty. 7 Labatt Avenue, Unit 209H, 
Toronto, Ontario
 M5A 1Z1

From direct action casework to solidarity with imprisoned refugee claimants to walking picket lines, OCAP activists are a strong voice for economic and social justice. For more information http://www.ocap.ca/

9. Wilderness Committee. P.O. Box 2205, Station Terminal, Vancouver,                BC  V6B 3W2

The Wilderness Committee is a mainstream but persistent voice for wilderness and endangered species. In addition to political campaigns, they are a good source of fair trade goods not found elsewhere. For more information see http://wildernesscommittee.org/home

10. Peace Brigades Canada. 145 Spruce Street, Suite 206, Ottawa, ON K1R 6P1

Peace Brigades Canada is a part of a global network of activists who work with human rights activists in places of conflict. From Nepal to Mexico, Peace Brigades volunteers accompany human rights workers as the eyes of the world. For more information see http://www.pbicanada.org/

NOTES FOR A MORE COHERENT SERMON—ADVENT 4

NOTES FOR A MORE COHERENT SERMON
11:00 AM., Sunday, December 18, 2011
St. Andrew’s Old Catholic Church
Meeting Room, 138 Pears Ave. (Toronto)

FIRST LESSON

Philippians 4: 4 – 7

Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice. Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

GOSPEL OF THE DAY: John 1: 19 – 29

And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who art thou?”

And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, “I am not the Christ.”

And they asked him, “What then? Art thou Elias? “ And he saith, “I am not.”

“Art thou that prophet?” And he answered, “No. “

Then said they unto him, “Who art thou? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself? “

He said, “I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias.”

And they which were sent were of the Pharisees. And they asked him, and said unto him, “Why baptizest thou then, if thou be not that Christ, nor Elias, neither that prophet? “

John answered them, saying, “I baptize with water: but there standeth one among you, whom ye know not; He it is, who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe’s latchet I am not worthy to unloose.”

These things were done in Bethabara beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing.

The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. “

SERMON PROPER BEGINS

As seasonal temperatures begin to surround us and snow is a real possibility even in down town Toronto, it is hard for us to think about what it must have been like in the middle east about 2,000 years ago. We know that shepherds were watching their flocks by night, so it must have been the dry season. Shepherds, the hobos and migrant workers of the time, didn’t bring sheep out into the hills during the rainy times of the year. If flocks were in the hills, that could help explain why the stable was empty. While it was occasionally dangerous work, with wild animals and human perils to deal with, being a shepherd would take you away from the ebbs and flows of urban life and put you more directly in harmony with the rythms of the natural world. One would need to be open to all sorts of possibilities without certainty as to what the future would bring. A wolf could appear, a lost lamb reappear, someone from a nearby village could drop by with the latest gossip or a tax assessor to could appear to determine the value of the flock. There was a quiet urgency to the work. The whole life of a shepherd is one of expectation.

Pope John Paul II, in his address on Dec. 18, 2002 said, “The liturgy of Advent…helps us to understand fully the value and meaning of the mystery of Christmas. It is not just about commemorating the historical event, which occurred some 2,000 years ago in a little village of Judea. Instead, it is necessary to understand that the whole of our life must be an ‘advent,’ a vigilant awaiting of the final coming of Christ. To predispose our mind to welcome the Lord who, as we say in the Creed, one day will come to judge the living and the dead, we must learn to recognize him as present in the events of daily life. Therefore, Advent is, so to speak, an intense training that directs us decisively toward him who already came, who will come, and who comes continuously.”

Like the shepherds who gathered outside Bethlehem, we are in a time of expectation. Something is about to happen in our world. It isn’t a good time to waiting for some people, particularly those on the outside or in places and times of stress and danger. We hope that what we yearn for will come to birth—but we have only faith that something good can happen.

Madeleine L’Engle, in her poem The Risk of Birth (Christmas, 1973), looks at the time of the birth of Jesus through a contemporary lens. When Mary and Joseph went to Bethlehem there were doing so in a time of apocalyptic visions, of hope for a nationalistic Messiah, of wars and rumours of wars, of plagues and famines and in a time of loving communities, intellectual curiosity, new goods coming into the marketplaces from far flung parts of Europe and Asia and Africa…She writes:

This is no time for a child to be born,
With the earth betrayed by war & hate
And a comet slashing the sky to warn
That time runs out & the sun burns late.

That was no time for a child to be born,
In a land in the crushing grip of Rome;
Honour & truth were trampled by scorn-
Yet here did the Saviour make his home.

When is the time for love to be born?
The inn is full on the planet earth,
And by a comet the sky is torn-
Yet Love still takes the risk of birth.

Signs in the sky and difficulties in the world are not unusual. If we let the realities of the world at its worse overwhelm us, we’d freeze, we’d stop expecting that something different is possible. 2000 years ago, when it would have been easy to accept despair, hope was alive; vigils were kept; shepherds looked up to the sky and an expectant couple took a journey to Bethlehem. Even in a last of foreign occupation, love can find its way to make a home in the strangest of places.

Daniel Berrigan, in his poem Advent, helps make this clear: He writes:

It is not true that creation and the human family are doomed to destruction
and loss – -
This is true: For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son,
that whoever believes in him, shall not perish, but have everlasting life.
It is not true that we must accept inhumanity and discrimination, hunger and poverty, death and destruction –
This is true: I have come that they may have life, and that abundantly.
It is not true that violence and hatred should have the last word, and that war and destruction rule forever –
This is true: For unto us a child is born, and unto us a Son is given, and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
And his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, the Everlasting, the Prince of Peace.
It is not true that we are simply victims of the powers of evil                                      who seek to rule the world –

This is true: To me is given authority in heaven and on earth,
and lo, I am with you, even unto the end of the world.
It is not true that we have to wait for those who are specially gifted, who are the prophets of the Church, before we can be peacemakers. This is true: I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh,
and your sons and daughters shall prophesy,
your young shall see visions,
and your old shall have dreams.
It is not true that our hopes for the liberation of humanity, for justice, human dignity, and
peace are not meant for this earth and for this history –
This is true: The hour comes, and it is now, that true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth.
So let us enter Advent in hope, even hope against hope. Let us see visions of love and peace and justice.
Let us affirm with humility, with joy, with faith, with courage: Jesus Christ — the Life of the world.

++++++++++

We know that our world is one in which there is suffering, but we also know that our world is one in which joy can burst forth.

Advent is a time when we come closest to understanding this. We may have the excitement of waiting to open a present wrapped and lurking within the shadows of a Christmas tree to help us understand Advent; we may be hosting parties that help us understand the uncertainty of offering hospitality to strangers; we may be leading lives of loneliness or fear and are wondering if something good could possibly come our way. We worry and wonder. We may be facing a celebration without a family member; we may be about to start a new job. We may live in the midst of conflict; we may live in a peaceful haven. But we are all living on the edge—something can change; things will change. This is advent, the very edge of time when all things are possible. Just on the edge of our hearing is
the sound of a sheep bleating. Night has fallen. We wait.

Funeral Mass for Father Karl Oliver Jacobs Clemens

Funeral Mass for Father Karl Oliver Jacobs Clemens (November 12, 1941 – December 11, 2011)
10:00 A.M.
Saturday, December 17, 2011
Chapel, Rosar-Morrison Funeral Home
467 Sherbourne Street, Toronto

Introit:

Give them eternal rest, O Lord, and may perpetual light shine on them for ever:

Greeting:

Celebrant: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the Love of God and the fellowship of the holy spirit be with you all.
All: And also with you.

Opening Prayer:

Almighty God and Father,
it is our certain faith
that your Son, who died on the cross, was raised from the dead,
the first fruits of all who have fallen asleep:
Grant that through this mystery
your servant Karl Clemens who has gone to his rest in Christ,
may share in the joy of his resurrection.

We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever: Amen.

The Collect:

O God, the maker and redeemer of all.
Grant us, with our servant Karl
And all the faithful departed
The sure benefits of your Son’s saving passion
And glorious resurrection;
That in the last day,
When you gather up all things in Christ
We may with them enjoy the fullness of your promises;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God for ever and ever: AMEN

Readings & Reflections

First Reading: Isaiah 40: 6 – 11

A voice says, “Cry out.”
And I said, “What shall I cry”
People are like grass,
and all their faithfulness is like the flowers of the field.
The grass withers and the flowers fall,
because the breath of the LORD blows on them.
Surely the people are grass.
The grass withers and the flowers fall,
but the word of our God endures forever:
You who bring good news to Zion,
go up on a high mountain.
You who bring good news to Jerusalem,
lift up your voice with a shout,
lift it up, do not be afraid;
say to the towns of Judah,
Here is your God!
See, the Sovereign LORD comes with power,
and he rules with a mighty arm.
See, his reward is with him,
and his recompense accompanies him.
He tends his flock like a shepherd:
He gathers the lambs in his arms
and carries them close to his heart;
he gently leads those that have young.

Celebrant: The Word of the Lord
All: Thanks be to God.

Second Reading: Romans 6:3-9

Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his. For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin because anyone who has died has been set free from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him.

Celebrant: The Word of the Lord
All: Thanks be to God.

COMMUNITY MEMORIES

We invite family and friends of Karl who may have memories to share to
come forward at this time.

GOSPEL

Celebrant: The Lord be with you.
All: And also with you.
Celebrant: The continuation of the Holy Gospel according to John:

Gospel: John 14: 1 – 6; 18 – 19; 27

Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.

Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?”

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”

Celebrant: The Gospel of Christ.
All: Thanks be to God.

HOMILY: NOTES FOR A MORE COHERENT FUNERAL HOMILY

Sometime before the end of the last century I met Fr. Karl, an odd and stubborn energetic priest who had a vision of a world in which a faithful life meant dealing with the lives of individuals where they happened to be. If I thought about it at all, I would have assumed he’d celebrating a mass at my funeral, not me at his.

Karl was a very stubborn person. Because of this he was able to accomplish a phenomenal amount of practical work in his life of ministry. Like many, he was compassionate and committed to the work of a priestly vocation. But it was his stubbornness and persistence that allowed his idealism to bear practical fruit. This expression of ministry changed over time—he developed more than one parish from scratch; at a time when many diocese’s budgets were creative statements, he worked hard in the Kingston’s chancellery office to make sure that the diocese was in good financial state; he reached out to, and encouraged, generations of young people to become priests; he walked the streets and entered the hospices to make a difference in the lives of people with HIV aids when that was an unpopular ministry. And he chose to marry Nicholas Burger, making a statement with his life that love is real and is to be expressed in a real and public fashion.

Karl was a story teller. Some of these stories were ones arising from his life experiences. From finding ways to go around approved church architects to use designs that were more affordable to some of the strange arguments ecclesiastical tribunals used to justify the granting or rejecting of marriage annulments, Karl’s background was an often mined source of material. But Karl would tell other stories that were more of a teaching nature—how a brief prayer with a stranger could have a real impact; of how sharing a cup of coffee with someone with HIV/AIDS was at one time a rebellious act and we should seek out similar opportunities with the outcasts of the current moment.

Karl’s life journey wasn’t a static one; his choices weren’t always consistent. He ran for office both for the NDP and for Campaign Life. He grew up on a small farm in rural Ontario but ultimately found a home and haven in Toronto. According to his brother Terry his one point of consistency was the fact that he loved a good political fight—whether at school as a teenager or in a coffee shop on Church Street. Before becoming a priest he was a school teacher; the first time he entered seminary he changed his mind, almost rejecting a calling he was definitely suited for. And it seems that for most of his adult life he faced a real personal struggle—a true and abiding commitment to the Roman Catholic faith and his calling to the priesthood and the integrity that required him to be honest about his sexual orientation.

Karl and I had very little in common, but there were two parts of ministry that we seemed to have common views about. We found performing weddings not
really to our liking and that the rites around death actually are meaningful.

Those of us here today are given the opportunity to seriously reflect on our relationship with Karl and how we carry into the future a part of his life through our memory. But we are also given the opportunity to see our death and how it isn’t really the end for us. What we have given to the world will live on after we pass away. Just as Karl has left behind churches and memories of shared good times and bad times with those many of us turn away from, we too should know that what we give to the world will last longer than our physical presence. We may never know who will have the cherished memory of us that sustains them in hard times; we may never know the way our simplest act of compassion with ripple out into the world. But this is a part of our own reality, something we share with our brother Karl.

Karl took risks to love; to experiment with life; to become at 60 the person who embraced life with the exuberance of a teenager. He was a conservative who found meaning in the celebration of the Eucharist and a revolutionary who found meaning in the financial wellbeing of an institution he was devoted to. He loved his family of birth and of marriage; cared for his neighbours and struggled hard to be a good priest even when that took him in new directions as his life changed.   His work was recognized in many forums, including his being made a papal knight, a member of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre.  We’ll miss Fr. Karl in many different ways, but we will continue to be different and better people for having known him.

THE PEACE

Celebrant: The peace of the Lord be always with you.
All: And also with you.

THE EUCHARIST

Prayer over the Gifts:

Lord, receive the gifts we offer for the salvation of Karl Clemens . May Christ be merciful in judging our brother Karl Clemens for he believed in Christ as his Lord and Saviour. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Great Thanksgiving:

Priest: The Lord be with you.
All: And with thy spirit.
Priest: Lift up your hearts.
All: We lift them up unto the Lord.
Priest: Let us give thanks unto our Lord God.
All: It is meet and right so to do.
Priest: It is very meet, right, and our bounden duty
that we should in all times, and in all places,
give thanks unto thee,
O Lord, Holy Father, Almighty, Everlasting God.

Father, all-powerful and ever-living God, we do well always and everywhere to give you thanks through Jesus Christ our Lord.
In him the world is saved, humanity is reborn, and the dead rise again to life.
Through Christ the angels of heaven offer their prayer of adoration as they rejoice in your presence for ever. May our voices be one with theirs in the triumphant hymn of praise:
All Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of hosts, heaven and earth are full of thy glory: glory be thee, O Lord most high.
Celebrant: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.
All: Hosanna in the highest.
Celebrant: We give thanks to you, Lord our God,
for the goodness and love
you have made known to us in creation;
in calling Israel to be your people;
in your Word spoken through the prophets;
and above all in the Word made flesh,
Jesus your Son.

For in these last days you sent him
to be incarnate from the Virgin Mary,
to be the Saviour and Redeemer of the world.
In him, you have delivered us from evil,
and made us worthy to stand before you.
In him, you have brought us
out of error into truth,
out of sin into righteousness,
out of death into life.

On the night he was handed over
to suffering and death,
a death he freely accepted,
our Lord Jesus Christ took bread;
and when he had given thanks to you, he broke it,
and gave it to his disciples, and said,
“Take, eat:
this is my body, which is given for you.
Do this for the remembrance of me.”

After supper he took the cup of wine;
and when he had given thanks,
he gave it to them,
and said, “Drink this, all of you:
this is my blood of the new covenant,
which is shed for you and for many
for the forgiveness of sins.
Whenever you drink it,
do this for the remembrance of me.”
Therefore, Father, according to his command,
All: we remember his death,
we proclaim his resurrection,
we await his coming in glory;
Celebrant: and we offer our sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving
to you, Lord of all;
presenting to you, from your creation,
this bread and this wine.

We pray you, gracious God,
to send your Holy Spirit upon these gifts,
that they may be the sacrament
of the body of Christ
and his blood of the new covenant.
Unite us to your Son in his sacrifice,
that we, made acceptable in him,
may be sanctified by the Holy Spirit.

In the fullness of time,
reconcile all things in Christ,
and make them new,
and bring us to that city of light
where you dwell with all your sons and daughters;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
the firstborn of all creation,
the head of the Church,
and the author of our salvation;
by whom, and with whom, and in whom,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
all honour and glory are yours, almighty Father, now and for ever.
All: Amen.

The Lord’s Prayer

Celebrant: As our Saviour taught us, let us pray,
All: Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Save us from the time of trial,
and deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours, now and for ever. Amen.

Prayer after Communion:

Lord God, your Son Jesus Christ gave us the sacrament of his body and blood to guide us on our pilgrim way to your kingdom. May our brother Karl Clemens who shared in the Eucharist, come to the banquet of life Christ prepared for us. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Final Commendation
Invitation to Prayer:

Before we go our separate ways, let us take leave of our brother Karl Clemens. May our farewell express our affection for him; may it ease our sadness and strengthen our hope. One day we shall joyfully greet him again when the love of Christ, which conquers all things, destroys even death itself.

Silence

Signs of Farewell

Celebrant: Saints of God, come to his aid!
Hasten to meet him, angels of the Lord!

All: Receive his soul and present him to God the Most High.

Celebrant: May Christ, who called you, take you to himself;
may angels lead you to the bosom of Abraham.

All: Receive his soul and present him to God the Most High.

Celebrant: Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord,
and let perpetual light shine upon him.

All: Receive his soul and present him to God the Most High.

Prayer of Commendation:

Into your hands, Father of mercies,
we commend our brother Karl Clemens.
in the sure and certain hope
that, together with all who have died in Christ,
he will rise with him on the last day.

We give you thanks for the blessings
which you bestowed upon Karl Clemens in this life:
they are signs to us of your goodness
and of our fellowship with the saints in Christ.

Merciful Lord,
turn toward us and listen to our prayers:
open the gates of paradise to your servant
and help us who remain
to comfort one another with assurances of faith,
until we all meet in Christ
and are with you and with our brother for eve:
We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Committal:

In peace let us release our brother to his place of rest.

May the angels lead you into paradise; May the martyrs come to welcome you and take you to the holy city, the new and eternal Jerusalem.

May choirs of angels welcome you and lead you to the bosom of Abraham; and where Lazarus is poor no longer May you find eternal rest.

Whoever believes in me, even though that person die, shall live. I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever lives and believes in me shall never die.

May the God of peace
who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus,
the great shepherd of the sheep,
by the blood of the eternal covenant,
equip you with everything good
that you may do his will,
working in you that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ,
to whom be glory for ever and ever:

All: Amen.

Celebrant: Go forth in the name of Christ.

All: Thanks be to God.

Notes For A More Coherent President’s Report

Notes For A More Coherent President’s Report
2011 CAIC AGM
Friends House, December 6, 2011

Those of us gathered here today are sharing in a incarnational journey as we explore the meaning of Advent in current times. We see a world being turned upside down as a result of the birth of baby in a stable in a small town in the middle east. We are on the cusp of a moment when everything is made new. The dream that brought CAIC to birth over 25 years ago is intimately woven into what we see as having happened in the first moments of the birth of our faith. We share our resources in harmony with a vision of what we understand as having been born in Bethlehem.

While the liturgical calendar has us moving through Advent, the calendar on our walls has today as being one of remembrance of the murder of 14 young women on December 6, 1989. The reality of a world in which women are disproportionally the victims of violence is one in which CAIC functions. It is a world in which the members of CAIC really difference.

Looking over the groups that CAIC has offered support to this year provides a glimpse in the many ways our visions and that of local communities come together. 10 new loans and loan renewals went out to initiatives that include a women’s centre, community loan funds, affordable housing, a food distribution centre and worker co-ops. Loans were approved, but not yet advanced, to 4 projects that will likely accept our help. As well, after receiving approval for a loan from the CAIC board, one housing project found a different source of funds and one possible syndication with credit unions was found to not be practical. From the St. John’s Women’s Centre in Newfoundland to the Edmonton City Centre Church Corporation) in Alberta, grass roots organisations have found CAIC an essential partner in bringing to life their different visions for a better life for those they work with which in turn helps to weave together a stronger and healthier community for all.

We should be very proud of our shared vision. Because of CAIC there are fewer homeless people in Canada. Because of CAIC there are more places for victims of domestic violence to find a haven. Because of CAIC there are more jobs in Canada. Because of CAIC there are fair trade partnerships between Canadian co-operatives and co-operatives in the developing world. We may not have transformed the world, but we have transformed the lives of strangers.

CAIC’s success is due primarily to the dedicated work of our staff—Valerie Lemieux and Beth Coates. They do the key work to ensure that the proposals the board reviews meet the needs both of borrowers and the mandate of CAIC. And, from our website through newsletters to public presentations, our staff are the ones who share the news of what CAIC is and what we offer to those seeking resources to meet the challenges they have taken on.

Our work is greatly assisted by an advisory board whose skills and expertise are drawn up to help judge the strength and weaknesses of the proposals the Board reviews. Jen Heneberry, Andre Schroer, Paul Connolly, Ted Hyland, Paul Plecash and Karen Knopf give a great deal of time and effort to help ensure the board both due diligence and honouring our mission.

The Board of Directors of CAIC—Arlene Kubiak. Sr. Doryne Kirby, Fr. Paul Hansen, Moira Hutchinson, and myself—share in the hard task of judging the proposals that come before us. It can be a difficult role for us—we are all idealists, all advocates for social justice. The Board struggles with balancing our stewardship of the resources entrusted to CAIC with the deeply held desire to work with others to meet pressing social, economic and personal needs. This can be daunting at times, but the results are truly worthwhile.

The real strength of the Canadian Alternative Investment Co-operatives is our members. For over a quarter of a century CAIC members have trusted each other with our pooled resources and a shared vision of a world in which homelessness, hunger, violence in our homes are compassionately addressed and alterative structures such as community loan funds, co-operatives and community economic development projects are supported at critical moments in their development. Through CAIC our members engage the world in a sustained way. By supporting local initiatives that make a difference in the lives of individuals, we collectively help to bring to life the shalom kingdom.

Thoughts after the dismantling of Occupy Toronto at St. James Park

In December of 2008 the majority of the members of the Canadian House of Commons, in harmony with parliamentary tradition, came together with the proposal for a coalition government. Instead of either listening to the voice of the majority of the elected members of the Canadian government and calling upon Stéphane Dion to form a new government or requiring Steven Harper to call for a vote of confidence by the House of Commons, the governor general of Canada prorogued parliament. When the house resumed sitting, the coalition became mute. For me, the idea that there was any possible value to electoral politics ended that day. When the majority of the House of Commons could not determine who was prime minister, parliamentary democracy was injured. When the majority of the House of Commons accepted this, the possible value of voting became meaningless.

I have voted since then, but only for individuals with whom I have worked with outside of electoral politics. It would have been nice to have had them elected, but it wouldn’t have resulted in a better world.

Low voter turnout may indicate that a large number of people have also come to feel that it is not important to participate in a process that has become symbolic rather than meaningful.

When the Occupy movement came to life and, more specifically, when it appeared in a place about 15 minutes walk from my home, I became immediately encouraged. In a time of political cynicism and barely responsive elected officials people from diverse backgrounds came together to talk and raise questions. Specific demands were less important than the exploring of ideas and possible options. There were points of clarity—a real desire for inclusive political processes, efforts to bring into the Occupy community the marginalized who (with the exception of OCAP) have historically not been too welcome within social movements, respect for opponents, the need for people centred economic structures. The Occupy movement came into a politically and emotionally empty void.

The vicious attacks on the movement, whether in the media or in places by the police, have not been a surprise. Public dissent is rarely welcomed, even more so when it actually is unique. An effort that can gain support from the Paul Martin’s of the world as well as those charged with conspiracy for their participation in the G20 protests is a rare and potentially truly radical, truly turning the world upside down.

I hope that the state supported attacks on the Occupy movement don’t end it. I hope that it doesn’t disappear into the many private spheres but finds a way to be a physical present in our towns and cities. As someone who finds little to support in traditional politics I may be expecting too much from the Occupy movement. But it has been a true beacon of hope for me. Somehow in the midst of all the social, economic and political ills, when police violence against dissent is displayed across the internet if not in our recent personal memories, people from faith communities and unions, homeless people and co-op housing activists, people with drug and alcohol issues and small business owners, students and veterans, libertarians and Liberals…a phenomenal diversity of life experiences and social visions have found a shared expression in our common community spaces.

I go to sleep with the memories of watching my union brothers helping to take apart a physical statement of an desire for a better world and with the knowledge that a member of the clergy who had seemed surprisingly and wonderfully supportive of the camp at St. James banning participants from Cathedral property. This does not sit easy with me.

But I also go to sleep knowing that I am not alone in wanting the seeds planted in the Occupy movement to grow. This will help keep the darkness at bay.

THOUGHTS ON THE OCCUPY MOVEMENT—TWO MONTHS IN

First, as a personal observation, I have found the people at the Occupy Toronto site hard to deal with unless one has good social skills and can easily start conversations with strangers. During all my visits it has only been people that know me that have come up to me to talk, share stories and memories, etc. I get friendly nods but I can be at St. James Park for a long time before someone (and, again, it is always people that know me) stops me for a chat.  I can’t be the only person coming by that wanders through who feels uncomfortable in groups and informal settings. For those at the Occupy site, I do encourage you to welcome the stranger among you.

When I wander through and observe what is happening at St. James Park and read about what is happening elsewhere I am always pleasantly surprised. It is all too rare for those who are homeless, addicted and otherwise marginalised to be seen, let alone integrated into a broad effort to transform the world. Yet, from speaking at general assemblies to sharing food to having a fairly safe place to rest, the Occupy movement has been a phenomenal example of inclusiveness. It is not perfect, but it is in many ways closer to the shalom kingdom than most faith communities.

I have been excited at the use that St. James Park has been put to. From having community speakers to being a base for marches, at last there seems to be in Toronto a truly public square. The state provided spaces at Queen’s Park, Nathan Philips Square, Dundas Square, etc. have not proven to be welcoming places. Yet a park that is built on the site of a cholera burying ground has proven to be a living and dynamic place.

I am angered and frightened that elected officials seem to have the popular support to stop public usage of a shared resource. Mayors and city councillors have taken what should be a welcomed change—large number of publically and peacefully politically engaged people—and labelled the movement a danger. Courts in Canada seem all to willing to put aside the ideal of public assembly. The police seem all to willing to use excessive force to put down dissent, noticed in Toronto at the G20 and around the world when people gather in the public squares. I can understand why the state and corporate interests want to hide away dissent; wants to hide away homelessness, addictions and mental health challenges; wants to use violence against current protestors to discourage future ones. However, as one dependent on the media for information, it is easy to develop the opinion that oppression is a very popular political option. This angers and frightens me.

This week a 28 year struggle for pay equity was finally won. If it takes over a generation for one victory to occur, why is there impatience with a few weeks that the Occupy movement has been a part of the political landscape? Social change takes a long time. Progressive movements need to be a part of the ongoing social fabric. Ending the Occupy movement, even transforming it by taking it into local meetings, having small scale neighbourhood actions and becoming a part of the private meetings and backroom lobbying of traditional social movements, will be a real set back for the work for positive social transformation. Currently there are places in cities and towns around the world where there is a clear statement that not only is something wrong but there are alternatives to be considered. The commons have been communalised but around the world, from court injunctions to brutal physical force, the Occupy movement is under substantial threat.

I hope that I will continue to have the opportunity to feel a stranger in the midst of the Occupy Movement. Come tomorrow the courts may rule that the City of Toronto can take down the camp in St. James Park. With the state and corporate interests driving the Occupy movement out of public spaces and having significant popular support to do so, it is hard to feel confident that a wonderful public expression of hope and anger will continue to be a public witness.

THOUGHT FROM THE FRINGES OF THE OCCUPY MOVEMENT

There is a wonderful and radical spirit flowing across the world.
People are going into public spaces and demanding that the public good
be the key focus of all economic and political decision making. I am not
a part of any Occupy expression, but have been encouraged that demanding a better world is a contemporary dream.

My only connection to this movement is occasional visits to Occupy Toronto at St. James’ Park. I am fascinated by the decision making process. The patience of general assembly facilitators and spirited input by participants is something I’ve not seen since the early days of the Clamshell Alliance and the large assemblies of the Great Lakes Coalition Against the Cruise/Alliance for Nonviolent Action.

In my visits, though, I feel like an outsider. As I am not staying at the park or flexible enough in time and spirit to go on marches or take part in any concrete tasks (i.e. medical; logistics; food), I feel I shouldn’t participate in discussions or group decision making. I am a visitor to someone else’s movement, not a part of it.

I hope that this movement continues to grow. There are huge social problems, from poverty to war to urban violence to homelessness to alienation from participating in mainstream decision making, that need to confronted. Every moment that a public space is occupied is a moment in which the world as we experience it can be transformed.

The occupy movement is a place for experimentation in effective compassion. How is food shared? How can the scare resources of shelter and privacy be equitably provided? How can the views of different people be brought forward into the decision making process without discouraging those with divergent views from participating? How can this movement link with other struggles without losing its own internal dynamics and logic? It deserves to be supported and lessons learned from it as it evolves.

Different expressions of the occupy movement have different needs. What they have in common is a need for space that can be set aside on an ongoing basis, access to food, shelter, washrooms and communications technology so that they can be sustained on an ongoing basis. In some places a flying squad of supporters would be truly helpful—if they are threatened there should be something in place that will bring the broader community together in support. Spiritual and emotional support is often greatly needed—it is hard to maintain a movement if only the physical needs are met. Logistical support, including food and medical supplies, is always important for an ongoing public movement.

Weaving links to the broader community is essential. If you are a member of a church or a union with a presence near the occupied site urge them to open their doors to the occupy movement. Even a couple of hours a day would be helpful. Whether providing a space for mediation or a hot shower, simple practical expressions of solidarity will help sustain the movement for the long haul.

If you know neighbours that feel intimidated by the people in the Occupied space, bring them by and introduce them. Neighbours need to be acknowledged as stakeholders in the public space; their help will be essential in keeping the space available for the long haul.

The public face of the occupy movement is essential. It is hard but long term movements do need to realize that both sides of a protest are included when the whole world is watching. It is hard to focus public attention on police violence and overreaction if the media can show occupiers using force or violence, throwing things at police or vandalizing property.

I am hoping that as winter approaches safe places are found for those occupying in the northern hemisphere to continue their protest in the public eye. From church sanctuary spaces to city squares surrounded by buildings that block the wind and snow, most urban places have areas where occupiers can continue to gather publically and safely. It will take a long time for the compassion and commitment of the Occupying movements to have a substantial impact on the broader world. But as someone who began participating in social movements while the Vietnam War was still being waged, I know that the world can change.
And social transformation can best come about if movements are supported on a long term basis.

I am on the fringes of the Occupy world. As I reach late middle age I am filled with hope because this is happening around me.

NOTES FOR A MORE COHERENT REFLECTION: 2011 ON CO-OP CONFERENCE

I am trying to remember my first co-op meeting as an individual. There are very early memories of attending meetings of the Algoma Steel Workers Credit Union with my father. I was involved in efforts to develop a food buying club back when I was at Algoma. I was on Queen’s AMS when CMHC swept in and took down Elrond College. I remember giving money to the Worker Ownership Development Foundation which was working out of a United Church on Danforth. I made deposits at Bread and Roses Credit Union for CMCP and ANVA. My co-operatives kept touching my life for many years.

Somehow in the mid to late 80s a shift occurred.  Instead of touching my life from time to time, co-operatives became a key part of my identity. I started looking for work in the co-op sector; I moved into a housing co-op; I joined food co-ops and worker co-ops and credit unions and energy co-ops; I began running for regional, provincial and national co-operative boards—I began woven into the co-operative sector.

Being a part of the co-operative world has resulted in my travelling from Victoria to St. John’s, conducting workshops, raising points of order from microphones, examining investment holdings and sharing in decisions about what venture will be funded. For several years I have attended a gathering once held at the Atrium in Guelph and now at the Royal Botanical Gardens in Burlington—the On Co-op (formerly CCA Ontario) Conference. Unlike most co-op gatherings where I have a formal role I am at the periphery. I attend opening sessions and workshops; once I even stayed for the evening gala/awards event (the year that the Canadian Alternative Investment Co-operative received an award).

What brings me back year after year is that this is a gathering of the clans. Once a year I share a few hours with those who have devoted their whole lives for the co-operative movement and those making their first venture into an odd community. And it is an odd community. Senior officials of co-operatives with hundreds of millions in assets join with those who depend on a government subsidy to be able to afford their homes in celebrating a common vision of a world where people share their time and resources to jointly meet individual and community needs. I meet people every year that came from the Alliance for Non Violent Action or The Student Christian Movement or the Public Interest Research Group network, which helped form my approach to the world and those from business schools and traditional businesses that find common ground in figuring out the best way to jointly meet human needs.

This On Co-op conference was structurally the same as other years—-the morning devoted to speakers with workshops in the afternoon. In the morning we had a change to hear three good speakers. Networking opportunities were woven into the lunch hour. The day ended with concurrent workshops.

Dame Pauline Green, president of the International Co-operative Alliance, appeared via internet hook-up., and gave the key-note speech. She focused on 2012, the International Year of Co-operatives. She gave a global perspective on our movement and encouraged participants to use 2012 to share our good news and our shared vision. It is sometimes hard to find common ground across co-op sectors (co-op housing is very different from credit union and a community medical co-operative); Dame Green has devoted her life to not only weaving together co-operatives across sectors but around the world.

She was followed by Mike Colledge of Ipsos Reid. While not the most dynamic speaker, his presentation of the results of a recent survey on the attitudes of Canadians towards co-operatives was informative. It helped to put our movement into the broader Canadian context. I was struck by the comment that the most cynical people in regards to co-operative are often the most knowledgeable about co-operatives. This strikes home as those who are the most familiar with co-operatives will be dealing with co-operatives both at their best and at their worst.

The final speaker of the morning, John Restakis, was challenging and moving. He is the author of Humanizing the Economy: Co-operatives in the Age of Capital. Much of his presentation consisted of extracts from the book. His illustrations were fascinating. The difference between the way that the U.S. responded to Katrina and the people of Sri Lanka responded to a massive tsunami gave a clear distinction between the values of a co-operative community and one of a competitive one. We were reminded that co-operatives are truly revolutionary, capable of transforming the world through the combination of practicality and idealism. He drew clear links between the world that a co-operative society could build and the visions behind much of the Occupy movement.

Lunchtime was an opportunity to meet with co-op members from across Ontario and across sectors. As I moved from energy co-ops seeking investors to a Gay Lea travelling museum I got to talk to people who talk about offering statements without a blink, to reconnect with others from the libertarian left movements of 70s and to sample fair trade dark chocolate.

I spent the afternoon at a workshop on Assessing Capital. This may sound dull, but co-ops do depend on finding money to start up and to expand. Whether this is done by people reaching into their own pockets to start up a small cooking co-op or through mortgages to buy the buildings for a housing co-op or selling bonds to build a wind or solar power facility, money has to come from somewhere for such dreams to come to life.

As is always the case, I leave these co-op gatherings encouraged and hopeful. Co-operatives for me are a way of transforming and renewing society. Through co-operatives people can share in controlling their economic and social realities. There is something spiritual in co-operatives as well. It isn’t an accident that people like Father Moses Coady and Toyohiko Kagawa linked their faith to the development of co-operative communities. In the co-operative movement I am connected to a web of dreamers and practical folk who share a vision of a better, transformed and transforming world for all.

WHY IS A STRONG LEADER DESIRABLE?

I’ve not understood opinion polls and comments claiming that the current Canadian prime minister, Stephen Harper, is more popular than Stéphane Dion because Harper is a strong leader. Jack Layton’s campaign stresses that he is a strong leader. For me, a person that can facilitate a meeting, bring different views together to come to a common understanding, who puts collective wisdom and experience ahead of individual ego and ambition, who listens and considers other views seriously—in short, someone who doesn’t act as a strong leader but rather is an encourager of the skills and ideals of others, who sees grassroots and community based initiatives as at least as valid as what comes from those at the top, is far more preferable than a strong leader.

Over the years I have grown fearful of strong leaders. They may be able  to get focused action for a time but in my experience organisations that are built around a strong leader aren’t sustainable in the long term, ultimately aren’t as a creative and certainly are less accountable.

I find expressions of a desire for strong leadership crossing the mainstream political spectrum. From those that claim that deregulation is great and the government needs to get off the backs of people to those that see government as a resource for positive social change, it doesn’t seem that ideology determines ones view on strong individually focused leadership.   Indeed, while I can understand those that want to solve a social problem considering strong, central authority something positive I am constantly surprised by those that oppose the state apparatus doing something positive for people, distrusting big brother and wanting government off their backs, calling for law and order to get the state on the back of those they are ideologically opposed to.

Just like I don’t understand academic plagiarism (why do people have so little confidence in their own ideas and arguments?), I don’t understand the desire for strong leaders. What occurs in our society, in our personal social development, that leads people to want to be told what to do and how to do it and to distrust their own abilities and insights? In times of uncertainty especially, when the ability to bring people together to use their individual ideas and skills to meet common goals should be of more importance than coercing people to achieve a single vision, the call for a strong leader seems to be raised even louder. This desire for a centralising of power and authority is frightening.

Perhaps the desire for a strong leader is a search for an ultimate sacrificial lamb. If something goes wrong it is the fault of the leader, not of us. Having someone to blame may be easier than sharing in the responsibility to solve a problem. It doesn’t result in a better solution, but we can individually feel left off the hook if we give the power over to a strong central authority. And, when the strong leader proves to be as human and frail as we are, a strong leader can be attacked for imperfections we forgive in ourselves. We get to be a hypocritical judge as well as avoiding a shared responsibility to work together towards solving common problems.

Perhaps I do understand what strong leaders are popular after all. I still don’t like the concept, though. Too much harm can be caused by such a centralising of power.

THOUGHTS ON REMEMBRANCE DAY

I couldn’t help thinking today of those that made the possibilities of peace and justice a little more real, closer to being achievable:

Fedelina Costa

Medger Evers

Ginger Goodwin

Franz Jägerstätter

Sophie Scholl

Tom Fox

 

Archbishop Romero

And thousands upon thousands who did what seemed impossible—lived their lives as people committed to peace and justice in times of violence and oppression. It is due to their keeping alive a tradition of hope in periods that may seem hopeless that has truly made it possible for anyone to live in places of relative peace and security.

They did not serve in disciplined armies. They did not take up arms against the forces arrayed against them. But they did speak out. They leafleted, fasted, fed the hungry, sheltered the refugee, walked the picket lines, refused to kill, prayed, sang, petitioned, refused to turn away from those in need. They were mocked, assaulted, arrested, imprisoned, killed.

They did not become those they opposed. They continued to love their enemies, feed the hungry, honoured the creator, write satirical folk songs, pray, celebrate with the wrong people, remember, dream.

We don’t easily recall their names or faces. We saw them on the bridge at Selma; We saw them at Tiananmen Square; We saw them putting flowers in the barrels of guns at the Pentagon and draping garlands on tanks in Prague. We read about them in May Square or Rosenstrasse.

We recall them in various church litanies and old labour songs. Occasionally made saints, most often they were part of the unmarked chain of ordinary people who just did ordinary things in times when too many others didn’t.

If I am free today it is due to the ongoing work of those who live out a call to a peacemaker in times of war; who feed their neighbours in hard times; who find their world includes those pushed to the margins.

Working for peace and justice is dangerous work. People loose their freedom. They are wounded and left shattered. People die doing it.

We need to remember them. More importantly, we need to emulate them. In times of economic crisis and in a world with interwoven wars and violence, we need to join in the work of the unremembered. It is time for peacemaking and co-op building and reweaving all the many webs of life.

 

Thoughts on the Loss of Democracy in Canada

It is surprising to me, given my libertarian socialist bent, to find myself nearly in tears upon hearing the news that the Governor General of Canada chose to ignore the wishes of the majority of the members of the House of Common and prorogued Parliament.   It surprised me more than the grey days of the Mike Harris government of Ontario, with its Omnibus Bill and other attacks on on civil society.  It even hit harder that the declaration of the War Measures Act by  Pierre Trudeau, a political leader who had a strong history of supporting civil rights and civil liberties.

It was unusual to see representatives of three political party work hard to find common ground in order to address the problems of the day.   While not moving towards a radical agenda, the coalition of the Bloc Quebecois, the Liberal Party of Canada and the New Democratic Party symbolized a new way of working together, indicating that perhaps community and mutual aid were concepts creeping back into the public agenda.  And, as Canada is a parliamentary democracy, the majority of House of Commons should naturally form the government.

Yet, using language worthy of Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe or Hugo Chavez of Venezula, the now officially minority voice in the House of Commons, has attacked the majority as traitors, socialists and dangerous to democacy.  Instead of accepting the will of the House of Commons, Harper and his supporters have chosen to undermind the democratic institutions of Canada.  Aided by the Governor General, the Conservative Party have shown contempt for the House of Commons that they have chosen to serve in.  Refusing to give up authority to the majority, they have circled their wagons and are waging a war of vicious accusations against those who have found a way to put aside partisan interest for the public good.

This is truely frightening.  If elected officials are willing to show such contempt for the political process they have chosen to be a part of, what are their views about those who have different ideas, lifestyles or visions of how social should function. If members of the House of Commons are being denounced as traitors, who will be next?  If even parliamentary traditions are not respected by M.P.s, what will be the next target?

We already know that pay equity and the right to strike are in danger, non-profit health care threatened and the idea of Canada as a haven for those opposed to war and injustice a concept pushed to the margins.The Harper agenda is not a hidden, right wing one but a public right wing one.  Such an agenda combined with a blatant anti-parliamentary, anti-democratic approach to governing makes me quite frightened for the future of Canada.

It is not a coup when the majority of a legislature agrees to work together to do their job.   It might be a coup when a small group refuses to cede power to larger, particularly when the larger group clearly represents the will of the people by having won approximately 62% of the popular vote.

Is Canada close to becoming a kinder, gentler Burma?

Notes for a More Coherent Sermon—Remembering the Light in times of Darkness

NOTES FOR A MORE COHERENT SERMON
10:00 AM., Sunday, January 4, 2009
St. Andrew’s Old Catholic Church
Small Meeting Room, 138 Pears Ave. (Toronto)

1st Lesson: Isaiah 9: 2 – 7

The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.
Thou hast multiplied the nation, and not increased the joy: they joy before thee according to the joy in harvest, and as men rejoice when they divide the spoil.
For thou hast broken the yoke of his burden, and the staff of his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, as in the day of Midian.
For every battle of the warrior is with confused noise, and garments rolled in blood; but this shall be with burning and fuel of fire.
For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.

Gospel: Luke 2: 15 – 21

And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.

And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.

And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.

And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.

But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.

And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.

And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name was called JESUS, which was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb.

SERMON PROPER BEGINS

I don’t think that the world is seeing much light these days. The media is full of darkness—missiles aimed at Sderot and massive air raids on Gaza; civil wars in many countries in Africa; drought and floods; even a new anti-biotic resistant strain of leprosy resulting—darkness is all around us, most of which is the result of the conscious decisions of humanity.
This is not a unique time in human history—there have been more bleak moments in history. But for those in the midst of human initiated and sustained tragedy, knowing that the past has been hard doesn’t really provide motivation to get through the evils of the moment.
At the time when the words of Isaiah were put down, the people of Israel were facing deep despair. A long period of foreign occupation, exile, civil strife and corrupt and unjust government beat down upon the people of Israel. There was hunger and sickness in parts of the land.
What they had to keep them going was a promise, the hope that the ultimate arc of the covenant was not a physical object but the ongoing movement towards a kingdom in which peace and justice permeated every aspect of society. What existed in the moment was hard to bear, but what could come into existence and was already permeating through the people was the knowledge that this would pass. Evil would not last forever. It would not be sustained.
By righteous living in their private relations the covenant with God would be made real. There would be peace in the land, there would be milk and honey for everyone, justice would roll down like water. Those that ruled were called to justice, but everyone else was also called. It wasn’t just the rulers that had to not cheat their subjects. Individuals had to not cheat their neighbours. It wasn’t just the rulers that had to not go to war. Individuals had to not harm one another. The covenant was for everyone and the more it was lived out by individuals, the more the divine will would be established within creation.
We know that there is darkness around us in current times because we know what is in the light—peace and reconciliation; compassion and comfort; sharing of resources with those in need. If we did not have the light in front of us, darkness would overwhelm us.
Accepting the temptation of being overwhelmed by the potential of darkness—war and hatred and oppression and hunger and fear—is all too easy. It is only human; it is nothing new.
And yet, from Amos to Archbishop Romero, it has proven to be just as human to speak truth to power, to care for others, to refuse to use violence against others, to seek in both private and public for a just social order.
Just as we can nurture an infant and show an example of loving and caring for one another to the child as it develops, we can nurture a society in which love does get passed on from one to another, sustaining and nurturing a society in which the temptations of violence and oppressive behaviour cease to be dominate themes in the world around us.
In this season of winter and time with wars raging in many parts of the earth, perhaps Pablo Neruda’s “Prayers for the Earth”, speaks loudly for hope in moments of hopelessness, the possibility for a transforming experience within everyone:

For once on the face of the earth
let’s not speak in any language
Let’s stop for one second
and not move our arms so much.
It would be an exotic moment
without rush, without engines.
We would all be together
in a sudden strangeness.
Fisherman in the cold sea
would not harm whales
And the man gathering salt
would look at his hurt hands.
Those who prepare green wars,
wars with gas, wars with fire,
Victory with no survivors
Would put on clean clothes
and walk about with their brothers
in the shade doing nothing.
What I want should not be confused with total inactivity,
Life is what it is about.
I want no truck with death.
If we were not so single minded about keeping our lives moving,
And for once could do nothing,
Perhaps a huge silence might interrupt this sadness
of never understanding ourselves
And of threatening ourselves
with death.
Perhaps the earth can teach us when everything seems dead
and later proves to be alive.

++++++++++++++++++++++

God demands little of us but to seek to live as if we were always in the light. We know that war is not inevitable—there are times of peace that show us that war is not inevitable; We know that oppression is not forever lasting; there are moments of celebrations throughout the secular calendar of the end of repressive regimes. We know that no matter how powerful the temptation to despair—it is only a shadow that is being offered, not the true substance of creation.
About 2,000 years ago something wonderful happened in the middle east—a fragile god reached out to us in vulnerability, trusting that we would find a way to let the divine will find a home among us. That divine infant felt love and betrayal, community and loneliness, pleasure and torture, life and death. And, having gone through all that humanity could offer, the divine presence promised to be with us always. The divine will offers us something concrete—a call to work hard to build the shalom kingdom of peace and justice in the current moment in our homes, our neighbourhoods and in the world.
Micah tells us about the end time (4:3,4):

He will judge between many peoples
and will settle disputes
for strong nations far and wide.

They will beat their swords
into ploughshares
and their spears into pruning hooks.
Nation will not take up
sword against nation,
nor will they train for war anymore.

Every man will sit under his own vine
and under his own fig tree,
and no one will make them afraid,
for the LORD Almighty has spoken.

In this ongoing apocalyptic time, a moment stretching back for centuries, we have a vision of God’s plan for us to share and make real. There may be darkness, but there is always light; there may currently be war but there is always peace.
As we prepare to share in our communal meal, we are also preparing to share in our communal call to love one another in all its difficult and challenging forms. When we are dismissed to love and serve the Lord, we are dismissed to live in ways that show that in the divine kingdom, in our world that we are to ensure that justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream (Amos 5:24) and peace is real for those who are near and for those that are far away (Ephesians 2:17 ).

Notes for a More Coherent Sermon—A Universal Call for Justice

NOTES FOR A MORE COHERENT SERMON
10:00 AM., Sunday, January 25, 2009
St. Andrew’s Old Catholic Church
Small Meeting Room, 138 Pears Ave. (Toronto)

1st Lesson: Romans 12: 16 – 21

Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits. Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hungers, feed him; if he thirsts, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.

Gospel: Matthew 8: 1 – 13

When he was come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him. And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, “Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.”

And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying,” I will; be thou clean.” And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.

And Jesus saith unto him, “See thou tell no man; but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.”
And when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion, beseeching him, and saying, “Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented. “

And Jesus saith unto him, “I will come and heal him.”

The centurion answered and said, “Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed. For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it. “

When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, “Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel. And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven. But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

And Jesus said unto the centurion, “Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee.”

And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour.

SERMON PROPER BEGINS

Scripture assumes that those that read it have many motivations. Those concerned with their ultimate judgement and place in God’s kingdom are likely to find that the call to practical compassion in Matthew 25:31 – 46 speaks loudest, and particularly the promise made to those who do care for one another:

“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

“The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’”

Alternatively, one may be motivated to the same acts of practical compassion, of economic justice based on a more pragmatic, materialistic assumption that living out the faith is part of building the kingdom of god in the current moment. One would then likely find Acts 2: 42 -47 a passage that is more readily heeded:

“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favour of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.”

Those who see justice, not as proper individual actions or communal responsibility but as an expression of one’s right relationship with the divine, a form of proper worship, will find the message strongest in Isaiah 58:6 – 11:

“Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice
and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke?

Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter-when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?

Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard.

Then you will call, and the LORD will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I. “If you do away with the yoke of oppression, with the pointing finger and malicious talk, and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday.

The LORD will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.”

The call for justice, for practical compassion, to care for one another, is woven throughout our scriptures. It seems to be so important than we are given the message in different ways at different times to different groups of people.
It is a universal message but sometimes different ways must be used to get this essential teaching across to everyone.

So it is not surprising to hear in today’s epistle reading Paul telling the
community of believers in Rome to care for the needs of everyone—even their enemies. God’s love is universal so the expression of love by those called to the Christian community also is to be universal. Everyone is to be treated honesty and with respect. All those who are hungry deserve to be fed; all those who mourn to be comforted. God is to be trusted with the long view—our role is to be present for one another in the current moment. Indeed, we are the agents of God. There is evil in the world, but also good. We are told to not add to the evil—not to let people go hungry, to be a peaceful presence in times of conflict. Paul did encourage people to behave in a loving matter towards all by an appeal to God’s will. But he also added a new twist, an appeal to a different possible motivation to do right—that it might cause distress to your enemies if you treat them with respect, an appeal to a rather dark side of human nature. This is combined with the statement that evil can only truly be overcome by good. If one behaves in the same way as one’s oppressors injustice is not overcome, there is only a substitution of who is the oppressor. But if one does what is right, it is a challenge by example to everyone that love is possible, that dignity is possible, that hope is possible—not the pie in the sky version but the heaven on earth version of living in harmony with one another and all of creation. It is a way of retaining power in times when one feels most powerless; sharing when one feels most like hoarding or not replying with angry words when taunted is something that is not necessarily easy, but we are called to to these things.

And whether we are motivated by fear of judgement, by communal interests, by seeking a right form of worship or by wanting to annoy our opponents we are called to same mission—to make the world a better place for all.

The gospel today has Jesus doing just this—healing a member of his own community and a household member of a Roman official. One was healed, and told to follow the traditions of the Jewish community; the second was healed according to the faith of the official. But both were healed—a fellow community member and one of the occupying forces. In very practical ways Jesus showed all those around him that need trumps ideology, class, religious, nationality or other social barriers.

In difficult times we need to remember this—we can easily be lead to make distinctions between deserving and undeserving poor, between those who we claim are alien and those we claim as our neighbours. Scripture points us towards a universal compassion; Christ’s example shows us that
a universal approach is the proper path to follow.

This may lead us to uncomfortable choices, but it will lead us towards being a part of bringing to birth a better world.

Notes for a More Coherent Sermon: Feeding the Multitude

NOTES FOR A MORE COHERENT SERMON
10:00 a.m.., Sunday, March 22, 2009
St. Andrew’s Old Catholic Church
Small Meeting Room, 138 Pears Ave.
Toronto

1st Lesson: Galatians 4: 26 – 31

But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all. For it is written, “Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband.”

Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise. But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now.

Nevertheless what saith the scripture? “Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman.”
So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free.

Gospel: John 6: 5 – 14

When Jesus then lifted up his eyes, and saw a great company come unto him, he saith unto Philip, “Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat?” And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do.

Philip answered him, “Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little.”

One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, saith unto him, “There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many?”

And Jesus said, “Make the men sit down.”

Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand. And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would.

When they were filled, he said unto his disciples, “Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost.”

Therefore they gathered them together, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves, which remained over and above unto them that had eaten.

Then those men, when they had seen the miracle that Jesus did, said, “This is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world.”

SERMON PROPER BEGINS

There is not a living person who does not hunger for something. It can
be a desire for safety, for love, for security, for inspiration, for a closer relationship with God. But none of these hungers, these desires can possibly be fulfilled if we do not have air, water and food. The essentials of life are primary and once they are secured dreams can have a chance of becoming real.
About 2,000 years ago a group of people followed someone that they saw as a religious teacher, a miracle worker, a political leader or possibly just an interesting celebrity. They obviously had not planned to spend a long time with him—they hadn’t packed a lunch, they walked by markets without purchasing food—but they did hope to gain something by following him.
Unfortunately for them it wasn’t a spiritual journey that Jesus took them on that day. It was a long walk in a hot, dry climate. They travelled
along an unpaved path into an area that had a lot of grass with little shade, no nearby lunch counters or grocery stories, no place where they could beg a meal.
As much as they may have admired Jesus, they were tired and hungry and perhaps a bit worried and scared. When they woke up that morning they hadn’t planned to be sitting on a hillside in the late afternoon sun, a part of a crowd of people who also hadn’t thought of bringing something to eat. And it wasn’t just the crowd of followers that we caught unprepared. Jesus and his followers didn’t seem to have a great deal at hand to feed themselves, let alone those that followed them. When Jesus turned to Philip, one of his disciples, testing him to solve the problem, there wasn’t a ready answer to meet the needs of everyone around. A second disciple, Andrew found one person with foresight—a young boy with some bread and fish. Five barley loaves and 2 small fishes doesn’t seem enough to Jesus and his immediate followers, let alone everyone gathered on the hillside. But it was the basis of a meal; it was a gift from the one person who was prepared when no one else was.
Jesus took this gift, blessed it and distributed the bread and fish to all who were there. There was enough that everyone was fed and there were substantial leftovers. Jesus didn’t offer prayer as a way of filling the moment and distracting from hunger. Jesus didn’t denounce physical weakness and hunger. Jesus took what was given and met the needs of his disciples and those that followed him. He didn’t ask for I.D.; he didn’t separate the Jews from the Samaritans or the rich from the poor. He shared a miracle with all who were there—he made sure that none were hungry before they were sent on their way. Food was offered to Jesus and he shared it with everyone.
Jesus was a very practical messiah. He didn’t judge people. He didn’t pull down a government and put himself in its place. He didn’t put off until after the revolution addressing the needs of those around him for love and hope, for food and community. And he expects us to do the same.
We are in a society where food banks and community meal programmes are essential to ensure that people have their daily bread.
During Lent we are especially reminded of the need to take what we have and share it with others. We are asked to take food and give it to others, to take our money and donate it so that charities can pool the money and buy fresh foods and staples.
On a global scale, efforts from famine relief to dealing with plant diseases that are destroying food crops to the need to preserve and enhance farm land are ongoing demands on the stewardship resources of all who share in the fruits of creation.
Jesus instituted the eucharist with real food, not symbols, blessing common elements of people’s meals in the society he lived in and then sharing it with them. Whether feeding us with bread and fish or sustaining us with bread and wine that has become the actual presence of Christ among us, Jesus did not and does not take food lightly. If people are to follow Jesus, if they are to be able to choose to take part in the Lenten journey, then they need to be sustained in this effort. Everyone needs food in order to live out their lives; those sharing in the Lenten journey need food to sustain us in the walk and in the building up of the shalom kingdom, the gates of which lay ahead at Golgotha. Those not on our journey need food to continue to be a living part of the family of creation. When we share in the Eucharist, when we donate to a food bank, when we pressure the government to ensure that those on social assistance don’t loose their food allowance, when we help preserve farmland from urban sprawl, when we support heritage seed preservation, when we work to end the violence that prevents food from reaching those that need it in places of conflict, we are doing our part to share our few loaves of bread and small fish. We ensure that the miracle of the loaves and fishes continues to feed those that are in the presence of the divine, all those that share in God’s creation, when we seek to put food on the tables of all.

Notes for a More Coherent Sermon—Radical Love

NOTES FOR A MORE COHERENT SERMON:
10:00 a.m.., July 12, 2009
St. Andrew’s Old Catholic Church
Small Meeting Room, 138 Pears Ave.
Toronto

1st Lesson: Romans 6:3 – 11
Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin.
Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Gospel: Luke 6: 27 – 36
But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you, Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you. And unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other; and him that taketh away thy cloak forbid not to take thy coat also. Give to every man that asketh of thee; and of him that taketh away thy goods ask them not again.  And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.
For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? for sinners also love those that love them. And if ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye? for sinners also do even the same. And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye? for sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much again. But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil. Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.

SERMON PROPER BEGINS

Rain has two natures—the gentle nurturing life giving force and the transforming storm. Both natures are essential within creation, but we often only welcome the former and seek to avoid the latter. Rain is never weak and however
it is experienced, something new can always come to life through its presence.

Love is similar. We think of love as something mystical and transcendent. But we also know that love can be overwhelming and rooted in the most radical expressions of humanity. It comes into our lives and something happens that we don’t always expect or that we can easily control.

No matter how love comes into our lives, we know that love is not weak. It is not without risks. Love isn’t an excuse for turning away from life but rather impels one towards the chance for transformation. We know from what happens in our personal lives that love motivates us to do things for others that encourages transformations. We finding ourselves expressing love in the hope that change will occur—we take friends to A.A. meetings; we coerce our children to go to school; we take risks because of love, we hope for miracles in the lives of those we care for because of love. Some of these risks are very personal; some of these risks are taken for those that seem to be denied their share of the gifts of the creation.

We can find it hard enough to love those we feel an obligation to love. We leave ourselves vulnerable every time we open ourselves up to someone. Today’s gospel tells us that to be faithful to our calling we need to go beyond our immediate circle to express our compassion. The reading from Luke’s gospel we hear today tells us to love our enemies, to do good just because it is the right thing to do. And this calling isn’t made in isolation—it was first heard by people living under foreign occupation, struggling for survival in difficult times. People were seeking guidance from any source on how to live a good life in difficult times and how to change the social and political world they inhabited.

There were people calling for a return to Puritanism; some called for a violent response directed at those too closely aligned with the occupiers. Others called for withdrawal from daily lives into cloistered, inward looking gated communities. And there was a voice calling for something difference—love and respect in the home and towards everyone within creation. There was a voice stating that love for your neighbour started with love for one’s self and that your neighbour included those close to you and those distant—either in space or in power. There was a voice calling for something truly radical—love expressed in all aspects of life from the most private to the most communal. It was not a call for meekness, weakness or passivity but a call for strength, creativity and hope.

I found the passage from Luke had a different meaning for me after reading Walter Wink’s response to the passage:

Something seems terribly wrong here. Turn the other cheek sounds like supine cowardice, the refusal to confront someone who is doing evil. It’s being a doormat for Jesus. It strikes many as suicidal, as an invitation to let someone wipe up the floor with us. Battered women have all too often been told by their pastors that the Bible requires them to turn the other cheek when they are being pulverized by their husbands or lovers.

I think I realized that there was something else going on in the passage about “Turn the other cheek” when I did an imaginative “blocking” of the text (blocking is something actors do to a scene — it’s a diagram where they would stand and move). The full text reads “But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.” For most people to strike you on the right cheek, they must use the back of their hand — the way a master would hit a slave or an oppressed person. To turn the other cheek is to invite that person to strike you as an equal. This passage is not about becoming more passive — but a challenge to the system.”

Loving your enemy doesn’t mean accepting their behaviour or changing yours. It can mean standing firm in one’s
dignity and seeking to change your opponents understanding of themselves and their actions. Wink reminds us of the possibility for transformation even in the midst of conflict. We are responsible for our behaviour which changes the dynamics of the relationship. We show our love by responding creatively and thoughtfully to the needs of the moment—in proposing marriage, in feeding the hungry, in sitting in a hospital emergency ward in persistently acting as if both you and your opponent are equal in the sight and love of God.
Living out a radical understanding of God is not always easy, not always safe and certainly not always certain. We never know how the seeds we plant will grow. We can only be confident that living a life deeply rooted in love will change ourselves and those in the world around us.
We see most clearly see love in our world in two interwoven spheres—the communal effort to care for one another, the justice seeking movements; and in the living out of love in the day to day realities of marriage.
Archbishop Romero talked most eloquently about the first sphere:

“Those who surrender to the service of the poor through love of Christ, will live like the grains of wheat that dies. It only apparently dies. If it were not to die, it would remain a solitary grain. The harvest comes because of the grain that dies We know that every effort to improve society, above all when society is so full of injustice and sin, is an effort that God blesses; that God wants; that God demands of us”.

Dorothy Day helps us to weave together the larger world of practical love and daily expressions of love:

“Whenever I groan within myself and think how hard it is to keep writing about love in these times of tension and strife which may, at any moment, become for us all a time of terror, I think to myself: what else is the world interested in? What else do we all want, each one of us, except to love and be loved, in our families, in our work, in all our relationships? God is Love. Love casts out fear. Even the most ardent revolutionist, seeking to change the world, to overturn the tables of the money changers, is trying to make a world where it is easier for people to love, to stand in that relationship to each other. We want with all our hearts to love, to be loved. And not just in the family, but to look upon all as our mothers, sisters, brothers, children. It is when we love the most intensely and most humanly that we can recognize how tepid is our love for others. The keenness and intensity of love brings with it suffering, of course, but joy, too, because it is a foretaste of heaven. When you love people, you see all the good in them. There can never be enough thinking about it. St. John of the Cross said that where there was no love, put love out and you would draw love out. “

Bill Moyers helps to bring the ideal of radical, faith based love into our homes:

“…In marriage, everyday you love,
and everyday you forgive.
It is an ongoing sacrament, love and forgiveness.”

We are called to this active love and seek to live it out not because of the hope for any immediate reward but because it is the right thing to do. In all times and in all places we are given an opportunity to live in harmony with the divine will by reflecting divine love in what we do. We may be called to do this in grand ways or quiet ways, in the public sphere or in our homes. But we are all called to show love. Just as radically, as Luke tells us, we are to expect love.

We evangelise most effectively by living with the expectation that everyone we come into contact with is capable of transforming, of become open to all the possibilities within creation. We nurture or children with this understanding and hope; Jesus asks us to go forth into the world and nurture even our opponents with hope and love, setting forth the seeds of a just and peaceable society. It may at times seem overwhelming—our friends may have heavy demons; our nation may be glorifying violence—but love ultimately will find a way of growing providing we plant the seed.

Notes for A More Coherent Sermon – In the Shadow of Hiroshima

NOTES FOR A MORE COHERENT SERMON:
1:30 p.m., August 2, 2009
St. Andrew’s Old Catholic Church
Social Room, Northview Meadows Co-op
Oshawa, Ontario

*FIRST LESSON*
2 Samuel 11:26-12:13a

When Uriah’s wife heard that her husband was dead, she mourned for him. After the time of mourning was over, David had her brought to his house, and she became his wife and bore him a son. But the thing David had done displeased the LORD.

The LORD sent Nathan to David. When he came to him, he said, “There were two men in a certain town, one rich and the other poor. The rich man had a very large number of sheep and cattle, but the poor man had nothing except one little ewe lamb he had bought. He raised it, and it grew up with him and his children. It shared his food, drank from his cup and even slept in his arms. It was like a daughter to him.
“Now a traveler came to the rich man, but the rich man refrained from taking one of his own sheep or cattle to prepare a meal for the traveler who had come to him. Instead, he took the ewe lamb that belonged to the poor man and prepared it for the one who had come to him.”
David burned with anger against the man and said to Nathan, “As surely as the LORD lives, the man who did this deserves to die! He must pay for that lamb four times over, because he did such a thing and had no pity.”
Then Nathan said to David, “You are the man! This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul. I gave your master’s house to you, and your master’s wives into your arms. I gave you the house of Israel and Judah. And if all this had been too little, I would have given you even more. Why did you despise the word of the LORD by doing what is evil in his eyes? You struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and took his wife to be your own. You killed him with the sword of the Ammonites. Now, therefore, the sword will never depart from your house, because you despised me and took the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your own.’
“This is what the LORD says: ‘Out of your own household I am going to bring calamity upon you. Before your very eyes I will take your wives and give them to one who is close to you, and he will lie with your wives in broad daylight. You did it in secret, but I will do this thing in broad daylight before all Israel.’ “
Then David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the LORD.”
Nathan replied, “The LORD has taken away your sin. You are not going to die.

*RESPONSORAL PSALM*
Psalm 51:1-12
R. Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your unfailing love;
according to your great compassion
blot out my transgressions.
C. Wash away all my iniquity
and cleanse me from my sin.
R. For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is always before me
C. Against you, you only, have I sinned
and done what is evil in your sight,
so that you are proved right when you speak
and justified when you judge.
R. Surely I was sinful at birth,
sinful from the time my mother conceived me.
C. Surely you desire truth
in the inner parts;
you teach me wisdom in the inmost place.
R. Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean;
wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
C. Let me hear joy and gladness;
let the bones you have crushed rejoice.
R. Hide your face from my sins
and blot out all my iniquity.
C. Create in me a pure heart, O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
R. Do not cast me from your presence
or take your Holy Spirit from me.
All: Restore to me the joy of your salvation
and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

*EPISTLE* Ephesians 4:1-16

As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit-just as you were called to one hope when you were called- one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. This is why it says:
“When he ascended on high,
he led captives in his train
and gave gifts to men.”

(What does “he ascended” mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions? He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.) It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

*GOSPEL* John 6:24-35

Once the crowd realized that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they got into the boats and went to Capernaum in search of Jesus.

When they found him on the other side of the lake, they asked him, “Rabbi, when did you get here?”
Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, you are looking for me, not because you saw miraculous signs but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. On him God the Father has placed his seal of approval.”
Then they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?”
Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.”

So they asked him, “What miraculous sign then will you give that we may see it and believe you? What will you do? Our forefathers ate the manna in the desert; as it is written: ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’”
Jesus said to them, “I tell you the truth, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” “Sir,” they said, “from now on give us this bread.”
Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.

SERMON PROPER BEGINS

Our world is filled with imperfect people. This has always been the case. From jumping to conclusions to exploiting others to violence in our homes to war—we live within creation as fragile, dangerous, frightened, violent individuals. But our world is also filled with people of compassion and vision, who create havens for victims of domestic violence, who seek to solve disputes between neighbours, who bear witness of the power of non-violence in places of violent conflict, who live within creation as calm, confident, gentle people. Part of our imperfection is that we may be both—at times the peace maker and at times violently driving our opponents from our presence.

Something that gives hope is the fact that we usually know what is right, even if we don’t always achieve it. The Old Testament passage we heard today had King David challenged by the prophet Nathan. When told of an injustice, King David immediately wanted to help the victim and seek to hold the oppressor to account. Nathan brought the message home to David that the oppressor was David, a revelation that lead to a transformation in the life of David and the promise of forgiveness and transformation if David truly repented.

The crime of David was causing harm to an individual—he arranged for Uriah the Hittite to be in the front lines of a battle in the hopes that he would die so David could pursue Uriah’s widow. He used violence for personal ends and, although he couldn’t escape the consequences, he could still find a way to be forgiven for his actions and find a way to redeem himself in the eyes of God.

On August the 6th in places around the world people will gather in silence to reflect on what can happen if we turn to violence for collective ends. We all know that violence is wrong; we may understand it and justify it in certain circumstances, but deep inside we always want something different to occur.

We look back at August 6, 1945 and the dropping of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima with understandable horror. Approximately 140,000 people died by the end of 1945 as a direct result of the use of one small bomb. Some justify the use of the bomb as a way of shortening the 2nd World War. But even they would have preferred that another option had available that would have had the same result without so much killing, so much destruction, so much unleashing of fear about what we could do to all of creation.

Whether translated as “Thou Shalt Not Kill” or “Do not murder” the 6th commandment tells us very clearly not to take the life of another. Whether for personal reasons or to pursue national interests, killing another is wrong.
On September 11, 2001 it seemed that the world was about to let itself embrace the God of War and turn away from any understanding of the God of Love. As I often do, not completely unlike David, I responded in words:

BUT IN WHOSE NAME?

My memory of war is all second hand
—I was not at Mai Lai. I was not running down the road
with napalm etching into my flesh.

I did not watch my feet rot in trenches
or wake up with my neighbour’s blood dying my shirt
or believed, somehow, that my battles lead to freedom and to peace.

I was not on a bridge in Belgrade or
at an airport in Grenada or
in a schoolroom in Baghdad or
in a factory in Dresden or
at a church in Nagasaki or
in a hospital in Stalingrad or
in an office in New York.

Nor is my memory of serving peace first hand.
I have not sat in the Gulf Peace Camp or
prayed in Chiapas or planted trees outside Hebron or
disrupted the School of the Americas or
handed out leaflets in Burma or
sat with the families in East Timor or
fasted with the wives outside Gestapo headquarters.

But I have held the children of war.
I have talked with the veterans of war.
I have added my prayers to the voices for peace.

It has to start somewhere.
In the here and now war is being waged
and in the here and now the seeds of peace are being looked for.

The war is waged in someone else’s name. Not in mine.
The work for peace is in the hands of us all, including mine.

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We, as individuals and as a society, aren’t perfect. But we can reach out towards perfection. We can seek ways to bring into the present the eternal Shalom Kingdom, a world in which violence and hatred and suffering does not abound. We can sow the seeds of a new world by turning away from what we know harms others and seeking to ensure that what we do does not add to the suffering of the world. And we don’t have to wait until we achieve perfection before we accept this responsibility. Imperfect people can still stock the shelves of a food bank, drive a neighbour to the doctor, donate to a homeless shelter, bite their tongue to avoid speaking in anger, refuse to kill. Imperfect people doing good things is at the heart of the shalom kingdom—we all have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, but we all can also be a reminder of the loving presence of God within creation, showing what is possible if we open ourselves up what God offers to all. We can be an instrument of God’s peace for all of creation.

Notes for a More Coherent Sermon-Nagasaki Day

NOTES FOR A MORE COHERENT SERMON:
11:00 a.m., August 9, 2009
St. Andrew’s Old Catholic Church
Small Meeting Room, 138 Pears
Toronto, Ontario

*FIRST LESSON*

1st Lesson: 2: 1 – 4

This is what Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem:
In the last days the mountain of the Lord’s temple will be established
as chief among the mountains; it will be raised above the hills, and all nations will stream to it.

Many peoples will come and say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths.” The law will go out from Zion, the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.

He will judge between the nations and will settle disputes for many peoples.
They will beat their swords into ploughshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore.

Gospel: Matthew 5: 1 – 12

Now when he saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them saying:

“Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled.
Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called sons of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
“Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

SERMON PROPER BEGINS

In ceremonies held on August 6th, to remember the victims of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and today, August 9th, to remember the victims of the bombing of Nagasaki, paper cranes are often shared and on ponds and rivers released. It is a small sign of hope that there will be a time when there will be no more victims of war. Like many ceremonies, there is a concrete beginning to symbols. According to Wikipedia, the use of paper cranes as a symbol of the hope for peace began with a young girl who died of leukaemia a few years after living through the bombing of Hiroshima:

Sadako Sasaki January 7, 1943 – October 25, 1955) was a Japanese girl who lived near Misasa Bridge in Hiroshima, Japan when the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima. Sadako was only two years old on August 6, 1945 when she became a victim of the atomic bomb.
At the time of the explosion Sadako was at home, about 1 mile from ground zero. By November 1954, chicken pox had developed on her neck and behind her ears. Then in January 1955, purple spots had started to form on her legs. Subsequently, she was diagnosed with leukemia, which her mother referred to as “an atom bomb disease.” She was hospitalized on February 21, 1955 and given, at the most, a year to live.
On August 3, 1955, Chizuko Hamamoto – Sadako’s best friend – came to the hospital to visit and cut a golden piece of paper into a square and folded it into a Paper Crane. At first Sadako didn’t understand why Chizuko was doing this but then Chizuko retold… the Japanese saying that one who folded 1,000 cranes was granted a wish. A popular version of the story is that she fell short of her goal of folding 1,000 cranes, having folded only 644 before her death, and that her friends completed the 1,000 and buried them all with her. This comes from the book Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes. An exhibit which appeared in the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum stated that by the end of August, 1955, Sadako had achieved her goal and continued to fold more cranes.
Though she had plenty of free time during her days in the hospital to fold the cranes, she lacked paper. She would use medicine wrappings and whatever else she could scrounge up. This included going to other patients’ rooms to ask to use the paper from their get-well presents. Chizuko would bring paper from school for Sadako to use.
During her time in hospital her condition progressively worsened. Around mid-October her left leg became swollen and turned purple. After her family urged her to eat something, Sadako requested tea on rice and remarked “It’s good.” Those were her last words. With her family around her, Sadako died on the morning of October 25, 1955.
After her death, Sadako’s friends and schoolmates published a collection of letters in order to raise funds to build a memorial to her and all of the children who had died from the effects of the atomic bomb. In 1958, a statue of Sadako holding a golden crane was unveiled in the Hiroshima Peace Memorial, also called the Genbaku Dome. At the foot of the statue is a plaque that reads, This is our cry. This is our prayer. Peace in the world.

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Long before Christ walked the earth a time when war would cease was envisioned. In Isaiah we hear of a time when war would cease and the weapons of war would be converted to peaceful usages. People in a time and place of conflict looked forward to a different world, one where violence towards others would cease to exist. Their experiences didn’t lead them to despair for the future of humanity but rather lead them to see that something different was possible, indeed inevitable. Isaiah tells us of a time when peace would reign—those who first heard these words didn’t know when it would occur, but had faith that if they kept alive the possibility of peace it would inevitably occur. And to keep alive the vision of what God intended for us they described a time of peace in language we can still understand—swords into ploughshares; spears into pruning hooks. From peace groups such as Project Ploughshares to a statue in front of the United Nations headquarters in New York, what inspired those thousands of years ago in Israel still has universal meaning today. If we envision something we can make it happen. The paper cranes floating in the pool at the Peace Garden or the statue of a sword being beaten into a ploughshare keeps alive the possibility that dreams will be made real.

Perhaps we keep a dream of peace alive because we are foolish people. We take as a the basic core of our faith a calling to simple acts in what is an all-too-complex world. We are to love our neighbour, we are to feed the stranger, we are to be meek, we are to be strong in the faith, we are to be peacemakers.

Around us are wars and rumours of wars, often justified on religious grounds. And yet around always are those who speak of peace:

Abdul Ghaffar Khan: “The Holy Prophet Mohammed came into this world and taught us: ‘That man is a Muslim who never hurts anyone by word or deed, but who works for the benefit and happiness of God’s creatures. Belief in God is to love one’s fellow men.’”

Abdu’l-Baha: “I charge you all that each one of you concentrate all the thoughts of your heart on love and unity. When a thought of war comes, oppose it by a stronger thought of peace. A thought of hatred must be destroyed by a more powerful thought of love. Thoughts of war bring destruction to all harmony, well-being, restfulness and content. Thoughts of love are constructive of brotherhood, peace, friendship, and happiness.”

Fr. Oscar Romero: “Peace is not the product of terror or fear. Peace is not the silence of cemeteries. Peace is not the silent result of violent repression. Peace is dynamism. peace is generosity. It is a right and it is a duty.”

If there is violence in the world the violence exists in opposition to divine will. On August 9, 1945 one bomb was dropped on the city of Nagasaki. According to Wikipedia “the death toll from the atomic bombing totalled 73,884, as well as another 74,909 injured, and another several hundred thousand diseased and dying due to fallout and other illness caused by radiation.” This was one act in a war that saw some 60 million die. And in every country, from downtown Berlin to Mennonite settlements in Western Canada, voices were raised that violence was wrong. They may have been drowned out by the wars around them, but they kept alive the spirit and vision of a peaceful world.

We here are fortunate. War is something for memories or history books or the news or letters from someone in the midst of armed conflict. We see the harm of war with limited experience of it. The picture of a girl running down the road with napalm etching into her skin; the cloud over Nagasaki; the destruction of the World Trade Centre; the news story of the wedding party accidentally bombed…the world provides us with knowledge and images that brings home what war can do. The paper crane, the sword made into a plough and the Sermon on the Mount provide us with knowledge and images of what peace is and can be.

On this day when people reflect on war and peace, let us go forth from here taking the Sermon on the Mount into every corner of our lives, trusting that the voice of the prophet heard 3,000 years ago and the voice of the peacemaker heard 2,000 years ago and the voice of the child heard just over 50 years ago are still voiced in our actions and our dreams.

Thoughts on the Groundbreaking at 180 Sudbury (aka 48 Abell)

It has been a long time since St. Clare’s began the process to build affordable housing at 48 Abell/180 Sudbury. We had to weave together funding from various sources, primarily from all three levels of government, getting approvals from the City of Toronto, work our way through appeals to the Ontario Municipal Board and to divisional court and maintain confidence that no matter how bleak it appeared the effort to develop new affordable housing was worth the struggle—ground was broken today for 190 units of new affordable housing.

St. Clare’s came together about 10 years ago, arising from Toronto Action for Social Change. We came together to do something practical to address the housing crisis and the ongoing tragedy of homelessness. Over the years we’ve been able to weave together government financing and the financial and moral support of foundations, faith communities, corporations, unions and individual donors to help St. Clare’s, in some small way, address the problems that brought St. Clare’s together.  We continue the spirit of TASC in our approach to development—in essence we are a direct action collective that builds affordable housing.

My family has had a long history of involvement in addressing the needs of the broader world. When my mother passed away we were encouraged to follow he example of working to ensure everyone was welcomed, everyone had a home. She tried to bring to life in the current moment the spirit inherent in the passage (John 14:2): “In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you.” What St. Clare’s does, indeed what everyone involved in new hosing development does, is to share in the sacred tradition of ensuring that all people have a place they can call their home.

 

 

 

 

 

Today’s ground breaking of the 150 Sudbury/48 Abell affordable housing project in the penultimate step in providing new affordable housing in a mixed income community for hundreds of people from a diversity of backgrounds an experiences. It hasn’t been an easy process but the results will certainly be worthwhile. In about 18 months there will be close to 200 new units of housing in Toronto, affordable rental housing in the mixed of a major urban renewal initiative.

SABOTAGING MEETINGS

      It was both surprising and enlightening to find in a recent update to the offerings on Project Gutenberg the Simple Sabotage Field Manual of the Office of Strategic Services (the forerunner of the CIA).    While much of the information provided dealt with physical sabotage and workplace resistance, what I found most interesting was advice on how to interfere with organisations and conferences:

 (11) General Interference with Organisations and Production

 (a) Organizations and Conferences: 

(1) Insist on doing everything through

“channels.” Never permit short-cuts to be taken

in order to expedite decisions.

(2) Make “speeches.” Talk as frequently as

possible and at great length. Illustrate your

“points” by long anecdotes and accounts of per­

sonal experiences. Never hesitate to make a few

appropriate “patriotic” comments.

 (3) When possible, refer all matters to

committees, for “further study and considera­

tion.” Attempt to make the committees as large

as possible — never less than five.

(4) Bring up irrelevant issues as frequently

as possible.

(5) Haggle over precise wordings of com­

munications, minutes, resolutions.

(6) Refer back to matters decided upon at

the last meeting and attempt to re-open the

question of the advisability of that decision.

(7) Advocate “caution.” Be “reasonable”

and urge your fellow-conferees to be “reason­

able” and avoid haste which might result in

embarrassments or difficulties later on.

(8) Be worried about the propriety of any

decision — raise the question of whether such

action as is contemplated lies within the juris­

diction of the group or whether it might conflict

with the policy of some higher echelon.

+++++++++++++++++++

Being a meeting addicted person, who has attended thousands of co-op, church, union and community meetings over the years, finding out that what I have consistently found frustrating was recommended as sabotage techniques for those wanting to ensure that organizations couldn’t function well.

Notes for a More Coherent Sermon—Feast of St. Francis of Assisi

NOTES FOR A MORE COHERENT SERMON:
11:00 a.m.., October 4, 2009 – Feast of St. Francis
St. Andrew’s Old Catholic Church
Small Meeting Room, 138 Pears Ave.
Toronto, Ontario

1st Lesson: Galatians 6: 14 – 18

But God forbid that I should glory, save in
the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by
whom the world is crucified unto me, and I
unto the world. For in Christ Jesus neither
circumcision availeth any thing, nor
uncircumcision, but a new creature.
And as many as walk according to this rule,
peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the
Israel of God. From henceforth let no man
trouble me: for I bear in my body the marks
of the Lord Jesus.

Brethren, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ
be with your spirit. Amen.

Gospel: Matthew 11: 25 – 30

At that time Jesus answered and said, “I
thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and
earth, because thou hast hid these things
from the wise and prudent, and hast
revealed them unto babes. Even so, Father:
for so it seemed good in thy sight. All
things are delivered unto me of my Father:
and no man knoweth the Son, but the
Father; neither knoweth any man the
Father, save the Son, and he to
whomsoever the Son will reveal him. Come
unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy
laden, and I will give you rest. Take my
yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am
meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find
rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy,
and my burden is light.

SERMON PROPER BEGINS

Today we commemorate St. Francis of
Assisi, the patron saint of animals and the
environment. He grew up in privilege and
yet embraced poverty; he wanted to be a
soldier and ended up being a voice for
peace; worldly in his youth, he came to
embrace a mystical relationship with the
divine. He lived the contradictions we all
do, and yet never compromised in his desire
to express the love of God in everything he
did.
St. Francis of Assisi has long been the
focus of reflection and a source of
inspiration. His call for a live of voluntary
poverty in a community of service has
inspired many who’ve joined L’arche and
Catholic Worker communities. His view
that priests should be self-supporting
participants in the life of the world inspired
the worker priest movement. His insistence
that no Franciscan speak poorly of Muslims
or the Qu’ran, arising from his experiences
in the Muslim Middle East, was an early
expression of interfaith respect and
dialogue.
His example of prayer and mediation
inspired people to join cloistered orders to
seek through active contemplation a closer
relationship with God.
In my lifetime St. Francis inspired
generations to reconsider the relationship of
humanity to the physical world, finding in
the life of St. Francis an example of respect
for all of creation.
One can even find an echo of the ideals
of St. Francis is current models of palliative
care and the hospice movement. St. Francis
did not fear death and did not fear those
that suffered. He approached everyone as
being equal in the sight of God and worthy
of respect, love and dignity.
St. Francis did not want people to see a
faithful life as a burden but as a joy. For
him, as for Matthew, there is not a harsh
set of expectations for those called to a
faithful life. It is our approach to life rather
than the rules of life that is most important.
God gave us a physical existence to
embrace; a community to embrace; a world
to embrace—if we cut ourselves off from
what we are offered we remove ourselves
from the presence of God. God wants us
to feel that our relationship with the divine
is a comfortable one, not one of fear.
If we are live openly in the presence of
God, delighting in what we are offered
within creation, we will life differently and
with fewer burdens. If we don’t worry
about status or power but do what we can
do to the best of our ability with pleasure
we will be happier and will also create a
space in which there is a little more light
and a little less misery in the world. If we
don’t cut ourselves off from the natural
world, if we act as if we are truly a part of
creation, we will inevitably move towards a
more sustainable relationship with the
world. And we will do so, not by extensive
effort, but through the very normal path of
wanting to show respect and care for a gift
that we ourselves are a part of.
While firmly rooted in the current
moment, St. Francis consistently reached
out to God in prayer, poetry and song—
giving praise for everything that came his
way and thanks for opportunities to care for
God’s creation. He preached to birds and
mediated between humans and a wolf;
comforted lepers and engaged in debate
with leaders of the Muslim world. He saw
all of his actions as a form of prayer and
thus took on the most menial of tasks and
the most exciting of tasks with equal
delight.
St. Francis offers us a reminder that
there is always good in the world that we
can help bring into the light. If we do
simple things like sharing what we have
with others, sharing the burdens and joys of
life, sharing in fulfilling the expectations of
a faithful life outlined in Micah that we are
called “To act justly and to love mercy and
to walk humbly with your God.”, then we
will accomplish more than we can possibly
imagine in bringing to birth the shalom
kingdom.

“The Divine Praises”
Francis of Assisi

You are holy, Lord, the only God,
and Your deeds are wonderful.
You are strong.
You are great.
You are the Most High.
You are Almighty.
You, Holy Father are King of heaven and earth.
You are Three and One, Lord God, all Good.
You are Good, all Good, supreme Good,
Lord God, living and true.
You are love. You are wisdom.
You are humility. You are endurance.
You are rest. You are peace.
You are joy and gladness.
You are justice and moderation.
You are all our riches, and You suffice for us.
You are beauty.
You are gentleness.
You are our protector.
You are our guardian and defender.
You are our courage. You are our haven and our hope.
You are our faith, our great consolation.
You are our eternal life, Great and Wonderful Lord,
God Almighty, Merciful Savior.

NOTES FOR A MORE COHERENT SERMON – JUST LIKE STARTING OVER

NOTES FOR A MORE COHERENT SERMON:
11:00 a.m.., October 18, 2009
St. Andrew’s Old Catholic Church
Small Meeting Room, 138 Pears Ave.
Toronto, Ontario

1st Lesson: Ephesians 4: 17 – 32
This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: Who, being past feeling, have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.  But ye have not so learned Christ; if so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; and be renewed in the spirit of your mind; and that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.  Be ye angry, and yet sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: Neither give place to the devil. Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.  Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.  Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:

And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.

Gospel: Matthew 9: 1 – 8

And he entered into a ship, and passed over, and came into his own city. And, behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed: and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy;  “Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee.”

And, behold, certain of the scribes said within themselves, “This man blasphemeth.”

And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, “Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts? For whether is easier, to say, ‘Thy sins be forgiven thee’; or to say, ‘Arise, and walk?’ But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins.”

Then saith he to the sick of the palsy,  “Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house.”

And he arose, and departed to his house.  But when the multitudes saw it, they marvelled, and glorified God, which had given such power unto men.

SERMON PROPER BEGINS
(Just like starting over)

Over the years I have the opportunity to work for a more peaceful and compassionate world alongside many dedicated people. My focus may have shifted over the years, from opposition to war to addressing hunger and homeless that in the reality for so many even in a place of plenty. But my motivation has always been to express in the public realm my understanding of how God wanted all those with creation to treat one another. The most challenging times were those spent with those, such as Ruth Morris and Fred Franklin, who worked with those seeking a healing, transforming approach to crime in the world—sometimes expressed as victim/offender reconciliation; at other times as healing the wounds of all those affected by a criminal act.

Perhaps the best description of this can be found on Margo Arrowsmith’s website Squidoo where I found the following description of what such an approach is based upon:

Restorative Justice posits a paradigm shift
that is best understood by asking the oft-
quoted “three questions.” The more
common three questions for a system of
justice to ask are “1. What laws have been
broken?, 2. Who did it?, 3. What do they
deserve?” Restorative justice asks, “1. Who
has been hurt?, 2. What are their needs?, 3.
Whose obligations are these?” Zehr,
Howard. The Little Book of Restorative
Justice Intercourse, PA: Good Books. 2002.

There have been occasional miracles—for the me the first one being the Kingston store owner who, after being the victim of vandalism, agreed to have the offenders to repair the damage. In the time they spent together, both the victim and the offenders learned to see common humanity in someone they had previously pushed aside. The store owner ended up hiring people he at one point wanted to punish. There are stories of healing and reconciliation involving far more serious crimes that more experienced practitioners of healing justice
have been involved with—victims of rape; victims of torture; the families of murder victims.

Such overturning of expectations is at the core of our faith. If it works in the big, overwhelming experiences of life, it surely can be made real in the daily ebbs and flows of our lives.

We do not need to be trapped by habits and decisions that lead us to actions that harm ourselves and others. We see this in big ways such as when a decorated soldier speaks out against war. We see it when we work to make amends with those we have harmed—perhaps through a meaningful apology to our spouse or by paying for the replacement of someone’s tools we’ve lost or inviting an estranged relative to a holiday meal. If we change the way we usually behave, we will change the way others treat us and eventually the way they treat others.  We build the new Jerusalem by feeding the hungry and housing the homeless and by healing our relationships.

We need to start this process very close to home. Paul also tells us, in Romans 13:9 to “Love your neighbour as yourself.” You can’t care for others if you don’t care for yourself. Just as one can’t be guaranteed food unless everyone is guaranteed food, love can’t be truly free in the world if anyone is excluded. Putting off one’s old self includes putting aside self-defeating attitudes and learning that one is worthy in the sight of God, deserving of love and compassion and healing. You can’t put aside bitterness and anger if you hate yourself. You can’t be tender hearted towards others if, in your innermost thoughts, you are harsh and hurtful towards yourself.

Ghandi urged us to “Be the change you want to see in the world”. To see a world without hatred, we need to not hate others; to see a world without war, we need to live in peace with those around us. To see a world where the shalom kingdom is being made real we need to accept that we have a home in it and show the world what this can mean. We need to forgive others and ourselves, we need to put aside gossiping and speaking harshly of others and ourselves, we must accept help when we need it and offer it to others in turn. We are to seek to
show in our private lives what we want for others.

And we can do these things because we are a free people, not trapped in old ways of doing things. We are offered rebirth, a renewal of ourselves. We are offered a chance to both return to Eden and live in the Shalom kingdom—to be in harmony with creation and the creator and therefore in harmony with ourselves. What brings us together are not rules and laws but love and hope. Whether expressed through the social gospel and liberation theology or the 12 Steps or through caring for ourselves and those we share a home with, we weave together a free society of people equally embraced by the divine spirit.

Paul’s epistle is an inspiring passage—we are told that whatever our past we can become a new person. We aren’t chained to what we have done but, thanks to God’s grace, are forever liberated.

God does not want us to be worn down by our personal demons or the ills in the world around us. God does not want us trapped into bitterness or being pushed to the margins. God wants us to experience joy, to know we are loved, to share in the abundance that lies around us.

THOUGHTS ON THE 10TH ANNIVERSARY OF ST. CLARE’S

I wish to thank all of you for coming together in this celebration
of 10 years of work in developing affordable housing, joining together
to share with the staff and board of St. Clare’s as well look forward to
two new projects—180 Sudbury and 200 Madison—being brought to life.

This has been a very long and very short ten years. St. Clare’s
came together because there was, and is, a real need for decent, secure affordable housing. When we first came together we would have been
delighted to have created a few units of affordable housing. 177 units
later, we have achieved more than we thought possible and there are more
than 250 new units just over the horizon.

It hasn’t been easy. Funding isn’t easy to obtain. There have
been outbursts of opposition that leapt past NIMBYism to “Not in
their back yard”. Finding ways of ensuring that there are supports in
place for more vulnerable people to be able to successfully live in our
communities is an ongoing and essential, but not simple, work.

But this work is truly worthwhile, truly essential. Living
in communities that St. Clare’s has worked to develop are people who
have moved from homelessness to a place of their own. Some have gone
back to school; many have gone onto employment. We’ve even had someone
move out because they were able to buy a condo. The range of skills and
talents and dreams of those that have found a home with St. Clare’s
is inspiring and a humbling reminder of why our work is so important.
It is hard to not see the need around us. People sleeping on the
streets; overcrowded shelters; affordable housing waiting lists that
are 10s of thousands long. Those that are a part of the work of
St. Clare’s, and other efforts to respond to homelessness, see those
in need and take it to heart. You pray for us and those we work for.
You reach into your pockets, give of your time, devote your lives to
make a meaningful contribution to addressing the problem of
homelessness and the personal challenges so many marginalized
individuals face. Your practical compassion changes the world
around us and gives hope for the future.

10 years ago, when we started out, St. Clare’s was a small group
of people committed to sharing our resources as best we could to meet
a real human need. We knew that we couldn’t do much on our own
so we found dedicated people to work for us and on behalf of those
who we offered a home to. We found a core of support in the faith
community that enabled us to go beyond reflection to achieving
something in the here and now. We were surprised by the
willingness of all levels of government to share in our vision.
Lenders were found that were confident that we’d be successful in
building our projects. Social agencies dealing with the homeless
have formed partnerships with St. Clare’s that have permitted truly
life transforming work to be done. And individuals, foundations and
corporations have come forward to ensure that gaps in resources
wouldn’t become a barrier to our effort to make a real difference in
the lives of the vulnerable among us. St. Clare’s Multifaith Housing
would have achieved nothing without you.

Again, thank you for sharing in our work and in this celebration.
Let us go into the future together, sharing what we have to ensure
others will have something to share.

Thoughts on Strike Breaking

It’s been a long time since the Honourable David Croll resigned from the Ontario cabinet stating “I would rather walk with the workers than ride with General Motors.” It recent times it has almost become a badge of honour for politicians to oppose organised labour, up to and including organising strike breaking efforts. This became very apparent in the recent strike by employees of the City of Toronto.

 

City Councillor Giorgio Mammoliti, a former NDP MPP, who served as a union local president and the first declared candidate for next year’s election for mayor of Toronto organised residents to do the job of striking municipal employees. Two other possible candidates for the mayor of Toronto—provincial liberal cabinet member George Smitherman and former Ontario Progressive Conservative Party leader John Tory also organised strike breaking initiatives. And not only local politicians—one prominent charity War Child Canada also organised efforts to do the work of striking employees. Its past president, Eric Hoskins , won a recent provincial by-election for the Ontario liberals.

 

With these examples before them it is not surprising that Vale Inco promotes the using of scab labour during the strike in Sudbury or that Cadillac Fairview has locked out and then fired all their unionized staff and replaced them with non-union labour. If successful politicians gain votes from strike breaking, it gives legitimacy to anti-union activities in the broader world.

 

Strikebreaking has a long and dishonourable history. Sometimes it involves the direct hiring of replacement workers. At times it involves other forces doing the work of those on strike. It pressures unions to back down and creates permanent tensions in the workplace, giving even more power to management than it already has in the always uneven struggle between employers that own the jobs and those that are leasing their labour power.

 

While private sector and government employers have brought in strike breakers in the past, it has rarely been done with so much direct involvement by politicians and so little outrage.

 

This bodes poorly for the future well-being of society. The stronger the union movement the stronger all aspects of civil society are. Unions create a work in which there is more justice in the work place, greater community accountability and an ongoing pressure for a more egalitarian society. It is not surprising that a strong independent union movement is opposed by totalitarian and authoritarian states. It is far more surprising when attacks on the union movement becomes wide spread even amoung those that have benefited, and continue to benefit, from the union movement. And it does become frightening when political leaders feel that setting an example by strikebreaking is something helpful in a politicial career in a liberal democratic society.

Investing for Justice – Canadian Alternative Investment Co-operative

For 25 years the Canadian Alternative Investment Co-operative (CAIC) has pooled investment resources of Canadian charities, currently all faith based, to work towards a transforming, more just and equitable society. Worker co-ops, women’s shelters, community loan funds and resource centres have found in CAIC a source of funds to help achieve a shared vision of a world where the gifts of creation are more readily available for all.

CAIC has worked with fair trade initiatives such as La Siembra.  CAIC has worked with housing co-operatives such as Margaret Lawrence Co-op. From co-operative radio stations to a community bakery, and from Vancouver Island to Yellowknife to St. John’s, CAIC has played, and continued to play, a unique role in
Canada.

CAIC is an investor co-operative. Its members need to make a return on their investments to help ensure their own viability. But CAIC’s members attempt to do something more with their resources—-they share what they have to support co-operatives and community initiatives. Investments must result in a social good.

CAIC was born in the shadow of Vatican II and liberation theology.  25 years ago representatives of religious orders came together to give a practical expressing to a desire to be a positive transforming presence in the broader society.  While definitely faith based and Catholic in orientation, CAIC was formed not
to advance the Christian faith but to ensure that the preferential option for the poor, and particularly as it was expressed in the spirit of the beatitudes, Matthew 25: 31 – 46 and Acts 2: 42 – 47, was given concrete expression while ensuring the stewardship and oversight requirements of those entrusted with a charities’ resources was maintained.

Over the past 25 years the membership of CAIC has grown beyond the Catholic roots, bringing in such bodies as The Canadian Friends Service Committee, Trinity St. Paul’s United Church and the Student Christian Movement of Canada. Each new member brings additional financial resources and a renewal of the vision of the founders, a renewal that ensures that as the priorities and needs of Canadian communities change, CAIC can find a way to share in meeting these needs.

Recently the Ontario Region of the Canadian Co-operative Association honoured CAIC for its creative and unique work.

It would be great if CAIC grew, both by bringing in more members from among the Christian community and by growth in the broader charitable world.   CAIC’s by-laws require members to be Canadian charities; there is no requirment for members to be connected to a faith community. What is required is a desire to share the financial resources of the charity through a revolving loan fund. The loan fund works in the world to support initiatives that may not be able to find funds elsewhere, projects that house the poor, build fair trade enterprises, encourage individuals and communities to pool their own resources in co-operative and community economic initiatives and in many other ways promote a more just and sustainable world.

CAIC is not a charity but an investment organisation of charities that find within CAIC a way to fulfil their mandates, gain a return on their investments and help others create transforming alternatives across Canada and, indirectly through fair trade efforts, around the world. The larger the membership of CAIC, the greater the investment pool, the greater the impact CAIC can have in the world.

I have a personal stake in CAIC—I represent the endowment committee of the Student Christian Movement to CAIC and sit on CAIC’s board. I am unique among the directors in that I also sit on the board of a project—-St. Clare’s Multifaith Housing Society—that has used the resources of CAIC. Without CAIC St. Clare’s would have far fewer units of affordable housing to offer. Without CAIC the investment options available to the SCM would be fewer, and investment options that help promote social justice would be almost impossible to find.

I encourage anyone involved in a Canadian charity that has resources to invest and a vision of a better world for others to promote membership in CAIC. Information on CAIC can be found on its website: www.caic.ca.

Outline for the wedding service of Karl Clemens and Nicholas Burger.

OUTLINE FOR WEDDING SERVICE

GATHERING

Prelude/Music

Entrance (procession)

Greeting/Welcome

P:            The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the Love of God and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

All:            And also with you.

P:            Friends, we are gathered here today in the presence of God and of one another to share together to bless the public commitment of Karl Clemens and Nicholas Burger to a lifelong covenant of fidelity and mutuality. The bond of marriage was given by God who created us to be in covenant and community. We acknowledge the reality of human failure; yet we affirm the joy and freedom of lifelong union.  In the assurance of God’s promise to be with us, let us open our hearts in faithfulness and in hope.

The Declarations (Statement of Intent)

P:            Karl Clemens and Nicholas Burger , you have made it known that you wish to be  joined together in marriage.  If either of you, or anyone here present, can show just cause why you may not lawfully be married, now is the time to declare it.

P:            Karl Clemens and Nicholas Burger , you have made it known that you wish to have  your marriage blessed and honoured according to the rites and customs of this gathered community.   Before God and before these witnesses, do you freely confirm that you have come here to give yourselves to each other in marriage and will you honour and love each other for the rest of your life?

Karl Clemens and Nicholas Burger :  We will, with God’s help.

P:    Will you support one another in love so that you may both grow into maturity and wisdom?

Karl Clemens and Nicholas Burger:   We will, with God’s help.

P:            Will you do all in your power to make your life together a witness to love in the world?

Karl Clemens and Nicholas Burger :  We will, with God’s help.

P:            You, the friends and family of Karl Clemens and Nicholas Burger are witnesses to this marriage.  Will you support Karl Clemens and Nicholas Burger in the promises they have made?

All:            We do.

P:            Will you celebrate the goodness of God’s grace evident in their lives?

All:            We will.

P:            Will you stand by them, encourage, guide and pray for them in times of trouble and distress and join with them in times of joy and celebration?

All:            We will.

P:            Do you give them your blessings?

All:            We do.

Prayer

P:            O Lord our God, who didst grant us all things needed for salvation and didst command us to love one another and to  forgive one another our failings, do Thou now, Ruler, Lord, lover of good and of humankind, bless these thy servants  Karl Clemens and Nicholas Burger , who love each other with a love of the  spirit and have into thy holy church to blessed by Thee.  Grant them unashamed fidelity, true love, and as Thou gavest to thy holy disciples and apostles thy peace and love, grant to them also these, Christ our Lord, bestowing on them all things needed for salvation and eternal live.

All:            Amen.

SERVICE OF THE WORD

“Gift from The Sea”

In the years together one recognises the truth of Saint-Exupery’s line “Love does not consist in gazing at  each other, but in looking outward together in the same direction”.  A good relationship has a pattern like a dance built on some of the same rules.  The partners do not need to  hold on tightly, because they move confidently in the same pattern, intricate but swift and free, like a  country dance of Mozart’s.  To touch heavily would be to arrest the pattern and freeze the movement, to  check the endless beauty of its unfolding.  There is no place here for the possessive clutch, the clinging  arm, the heavy hand; only the barest touch in passing.  Now arm in arm, now face to face, now back to  back – it does not matter which, because they know they are partners moving to the same rhythm, creating  a pattern together, and being invisibly nourished by it.

When you love someone you do not love them all the time, in exactly the same way, from moment to  moment.  It is an impossibility.  And yet this is exactly what most of us demand.  We have so little faith in  the ebb and flow of life, of love, or relationships.  We leap at the flow of the tide and resist in terror its ebb.   We are afraid it will never return.  We insist on permanency, on duration, on continuity; when the only  continuity possible, in life as in love, is in growth, in fluidity – in freedom, in the sense that the dancers are  free, barely touching as they pass, but partners in the same pattern.

Ann Morrow Lindbergh

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

BLESSING FOR A MARRIAGE

May your marriage bring you all the exquisite excitements a marriage should bring, and may life grant you also patience, tolerance, and understanding.

May you always need one another – not so much to fill your emptiness as to help you to know your fullness. A mountain needs a valley to be complete; the valley does not make the mountain less, but more; and the valley is more a valley because it has a mountain towering over it. So let it be with you and you.

May you need one another, but not out of weakness.

May you want one another, but not out of lack.

May you entice one another, but not compel one another.

May you embrace one another, but not out encircle one another.

May you succeed in all important ways with one another, and not fail in the little graces.

May you look for things to praise, often say, “I love you!”

and take no notice of small faults.

If you have quarrels that push you apart, may both of you hope to have good sense enough to take the first step back.

May you enter into the mystery which is the awareness of one another’s presence – no more physical than spiritual, warm and near when you are side by side, and warm and near when you are in separate rooms or even distant cities.

May you have happiness, and may you find it making one another happy.

May you have love, and may you find it loving one another.

~ James Dillet Freeman ~

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

John 2:1-11 (English-NIV)

On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding.

When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no more wine.”

“Dear woman, why do you  involve me?” Jesus replied. “My time has not yet come.”

His mother said to the servants,  “Do whatever he tells you.”

Nearby stood six stone water  jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from  twenty to thirty gallons.

Jesus said to the servants,  “Fill the jars with water”; so they filled them to the brim.

Then he told them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.” They did so, and the master of the banquet  tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside and said, “Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now.”

This, the first of his miraculous  signs, Jesus performed at Cana in Galilee. He thus revealed his glory, and his disciples put their faith in him.

(Music)

Sermon/Homily

NOTES FOR A MORE COHERENT WEDDING HOMILY

This is a liminal moment, a time when all things are possible, when the future becomes shaped by the choices and experiences of the moment.  It is a dangerous moment, an awesome moment, a terrifying moment, a hopeful moment, a joyous moment.   We are present when a new life, a new relationship, is birthed.  We are present to celebrate the marriage of Karl Clemens and Nicholas Burger.

In the faith community I am a part of the role of clergy in a marriage is that of a formal witness—we confirm that the relationship we communally acknowledge has already had the ontological moment, that intimate and permanent change within the individuals that has moved them from being separate to being somehow both autonomous and one.   We may sign papers and perform certain rites, but these are the publicly shred expressions of what has occurred.   That change may have occurred the first time Karl and NIcholas saw each other; it could have occurred during an argument; it could occur as soon as all the documents are signed.  But at some point Nicholas and Karl felt certain that they had not only found someone to love but were different because of this love.   At that point their marriage began.

The validity of their marriage is not determined by the rites of the church or the regulations of the state.  It is in the hands of God to verify that the sacrament of marriage is valid.  Our role is to celebrate the choice of Karl and Nicholas to share in this sacrament.

Since that moment their relationship has grown.   Part of what has helped it to grow has been the families Nicholas and Karl are a part of.  How they view marriage and love was formed by those who nurtured them and who have been nurtured by them.  Even when they have learned that sometimes marriages are not forever, they also learned that marriages can last and love exists.  You have to have some vision of what is possible through love to take the risks of living in love.

Another part of what has helped it to grow has been those who have come to be a part of their lives—those that they have worked with, have laughed with, have argued with, have dreamed with.  You have to have your rough edges and your vulnerabilities tested by others before you can truly accept the challenge of living in love with someone.

Because of the families and friends and communities that have formed and sustained Nicholas and Karl, they can love and care for one another, can grow as individuals and as a couple, can accept new shared responsibilities and new opportunities for delight.

What begins today for Karl and Nicholas is a quest—a journey that will change them in unforeseen ways.

They know that the future is uncertain, that it contains both wonder and delight as well as struggle and worry.  But it is a journey they undertake willingly and with confidence that however the future unfolds, however they individually

experience the challenges life brings them, that together they will be transformed and renewed in unforeseen ways, in ways that they can not yet comprehend.

There will be ebbs and flows in their relationship—but through the good times and the bad I am confident that Nicholas and Karl will find ways to renew their commitment to each other, will find ways to explore their love for each other in fresh ways,  will weave their individual lives together into a strong and vivid tapestry.

The third reading we heard today, the turning of the water into wine at a marriage feast in Canann, is for me a profound reminder that daily life is inherently sacred.  Christ’s first miracle wasn’t healing the sick or raising the dead—it was ensuring that the celebrations of a community could continue.   In the changing of water into wine we are urged to consider that the most simple things in life can be transformed from mundane to wonderful.

There is also a lesson in the reading we tend to overlook.  Christ changed his mind.  He chose to listen to someone else, to meet their needs and that of those around him, rather than hold stubbornly to a pre-set plan.

This spirit of compromise, of being willing to listen to the needs of others, to change direction while being true to one’s self is key to any successful relationship.

I am honoured to have been asked to share today in this celebration.  In their desire for marriage they remind all of us that we are never alone, of the possibilities of love in an often uncertain world.  Karl and Nicholas, may you live from this day forth in love and hope.

The  Marriage

Prayer

P:            Almighty God, you send your Holy Spirit to fill the life of all your people.  Open the hearts of these your children to the riches of your grace, that yhey may bring forth the fruit of the Spirit in love, joy and peace through Jesus Christ our Lord.

All:            Amen.

The Vows

(With right hands joined, reciting after the presider)

In the presence of God and before these witnesses, ____________________, I give myself to you from this day forward, in joy and in sorrow, in good times and in bad, to love and to cherish, as long as we both shall live.  This is my solemn vow.

The Giving of Rings/Blessing of Symbols

P:            Bless, O God, the giving of these rings, that those who wear them may live in faithfulness and love all their days, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

All:            Amen.

Exchange:

I give you this right as a sign of the covenant we have made with God and with one another.  Amen

THE KISS

The Proclamation

P:            Karl Clemens and Nicholas Burger have made a covenant of marriage before God and in the presence of all of us.  They have confirmed their marriage by the  joining of hands, by the exchange of rings and by the giving of a kiss.  Therefore,

I declare them to be joined together, their essences woven together and made one.

The Blessing of the  Marriage

P:            May God bless, preserve and sustain you; may God look upon you with favour;

May God fill you with all blessings and give you grace that you may in the life live together in joy, and in the world to come have life everlasting.

All:            Amen.

Signing of Documents/Registrar

P:            Greet Karl Clemens and Nicholas Burger  who are joined in marriage.

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE

P:            Let us pray.

Abundant God, Lover of all creation, pour out your blessing upon us and upon the marriage we celebrate..

All:            Be with us, Spirit of God.

P:            In solitude and companionship,

All:            Be with us, Spirit of God.

P:            In tenderness and intimacy,

All:            Be with us, Spirit of God.

P:            In knowing and in being known,

All:            Be with us, Spirit of God.

P:            In self-sacrifice and self-offering,

All:            Be with us, Spirit of God.

P:            In comfort and consolation,

All:            Be with us, Spirit of God.

P:            In doing justice and making peace,

All:            Be with us, Spirit of God.

P:            In generosity and hospitality,

All:            Be with us, Spirit of God.

P:            O God, ruler of all, you made us in your image and likeness and bestow upon us life and blessing.  You command your followers to be united by the new commandment of love.  Receive the prayers of your people and grant to Karl Clemens and Nicholas Burger grace to love each other all the days of their lives; for you are a compassionate God and a lover of all within your creation, and we glorify you now and forever.  Amen

Exchanging of the peace

P:            The peace of the Lord be with you.

All:            And also with you.

P:            Let us extend to one another signs of love and reconciliation.

Lord’s Prayer

P:            As Jesus taught us, let us pray:

All:            Our Father in heaven

hallowed be your Name,

your kingdom come,

your will be done

on earth as in heaven.

Give us today our daily bread.

Forgive us our sins

as we forgive those

who sin against us.

Save us from the time of trial,

and deliver us from evil.

For the kingdom, the power,

and the glory are yours,

now and for ever.

Amen.

Blessing/Commissioning

P:            Spirit of God, in whom we live and move and have our being, you have given us life and the grace of human love that draws us to each other.  Today we pray for Karl Clemens and Nicholas Burge in their life together. We are thankful for the joy they find in each other and for the hope they declare in this act of marriage.  May they always be strengthened to keep the vows they have made, to cherish the life they share, and to honour each other in love.

All:            Amen.

Sending Forth

P:            Go in peace to love and serve the Lord and one another.

All:          Thanks be to God.

RECESSIONAL/MUSIC

Elements for this service were taken from Same-Sex Unions in Pre-Modern Europe (John Boswell); Same-Sex Unions Stories and Rites (Paul Marshall);  and The Celebration of Marriage: for optional use in The United Church of Canada.

Notes for a More Coherent Sermon: Ephiphany 3—The Acceptable Year of the Lord

NOTES FOR A MORE COHERENT SERMON:

11:00 a.m., January 24, 2010

St. Andrew’s Old Roman Catholic Church

Toronto, Ontario

1st Lesson: Ephesians 2

And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;  Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:  Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,  Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)  And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:  That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.  For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:  Not of works, lest any man should boast.  For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:  But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.  For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;  Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;  And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:  And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh.

For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.  Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God; And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:  In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.

Gospel: Luke 4:14-21

And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and there went out a fame of him through all the region round about.

And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified of all.  And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up for to read.

And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written,

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,  to preach the acceptable year of the Lord. “

And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him.

And he began to say unto them, “This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.”

SERMON PROPER BEGINS

During the season of Epiphany, the time between advent, when we look forward to Jesus’ birth, and lent, when we look towards Calvary and beyond, we are offered the chance to walk with Jesus as he lives and works with the people of Middle East 2,000 years ago.

Last week we heard of the formal beginning of Jesus’ ministry—the turning of water into wine at the marriage feast of Cannah.  Christ began his work in community, sharing in the life of those around him.  These weren’t strangers—he and his mother wouldn’t have been at the wedding feast if they didn’t know the bride and groom.  Jesus’ miracle made it possible for a family on the verge of public humiliation to continue to show generosity and hospitality to those who came to share in a moment of joy.

Today we see this action, this caring for those around him, expanded.  We hear Jesus announcing that there is something for everyone, that everyone is invited to the banquet of creation.  Today we hear Jesus announce what he prematurely announced at the wedding feast—that God is with us and he can make all things new.

Today’s gospel sets out clearly the manifesto of Christianity—what we are called to do and who we are to most directly express God’s love for.  Jesus read from Isaiah 61 and stated that the time for he kingdom of God, the shalom kingdom, is now, and that in this moment begins the rebirth of creation, the restoration of what was offered to all.

Jesus announced his care for those within creation, the poor and hungry and imprisoned and lonely and afraid—he did not announce immediate perfection but immanent compassion.  He didn’t claim to be offering something new, other than hope, but reminded all those around him that their traditions, their vision of a good society included making sure that everyone was welcomed, everyone good live with dignity, everyone could live without fear.

This was good news promised by Isaiah and made real with the incarnation.

What was different to the ears of those around Jesus was that this wasn’t good news for only some people but for all people.  It wasn’t only his friends and family that were called to the feast, but everyone.  All people were included in the good news; if they were excluded it was up to those that heard the word to bring them in—to make sure that they had bread, had warmth, weren’t suffering due to illness or the actions of others.   And, with his reference to the acceptable year of the Lord, the year of Jubilee he called for something that had long be overlooked—personal and communal responsibility for the shared resources of creation.  Every fifty years, the year of Jubilee, all debts were to be forgiven, the land given the change to renew itself, land and other goods returned to their original owners—Jesus stated that it was now time, like it would be fifty years later, for all things to be renewed, to be healed, to be shared again.  It was a chance to start over again to build a right relationship with God, with one another and with all of creation.  And it was reminder that this was a part of the covenant—an agreement between God and humanity.  There was acknowledgement that we are less than perfect, that there is greed and wrong decisions as well as good well and compassion, and that every generation or two things need to be restored so that everyone can freely participate in the life of the community, everyone can have a chance to shape the future.

This taking on the shared task of ensuring that everyone in creation can share in the gifts of creation is not always easy.  We can’t carry the burden of compassion on our own.  But as Paul reminds us in today’s epistle, we aren’t on our own.  We are part of a community of people that are able to put aside the customary social divisions and share a calling to service.  We are not expected just to act but to be open to the grace of God so we can act with assurance and confidence that we are not alone in showing the potential of divine love revealed among us.  Action alone isn’t sufficient to transform ourselves, let alone the world around us; it is only the presence of a sustaining, nurturing spirit that makes it possible for us to become near to acting justly, fairly, compassionately in the world.

We walk down the streets of any city and see hands stretched out for a little spare change.  It is all too easy to develop calluses on our souls that blind us to the shared humanity that exists between us and the panhandler and which encourage us to forget that they share with us the good news promised by Jesus.  Good news to the poor doesn’t start with spiritual salvation but food, housing and a chance to meaningfully contribute to the community.  We know that there are people in prisons, know that the situation for these people is dehumanising and not rehabilitate and yet too often choose to deny that they share in our common humanity and therefore share with us the good news promised by Jesus.  Good news to those imprisoned starts with the chance to transform their lives, being healed of the injuries they have sustained and provided with a chance to help with the healing of those they have harmed.  For those feeling spiritually damaged, angry at the divine for their person reality good news doesn’t start with a potluck dinner or a victim/offender reconciliation programme but with a chance to find a new direction towards the divine.  Jesus preached good news for all people based on what individuals need.  Jesus preached a good news that is rooted in what different people actually need instead of a blanket offering.

And he preached something else important—that if we fail to achieve a just society, if we haven’t yet established the shalom kingdom, we aren’t to give up.  Instead, we are to try again.  We are to forever bring the love of God to life in new ways when we forget the old; to seek a new way to live in harmony with the physical creation, to share the abundance we’ve accumulated with those who have not done so.  The acceptable year of the Lord, the year of Jubilee, is now and fifty years from now.  With God’s grace we fill in the time between the jubilee where the spirit moves us to service, seeking the wisdom to know when we ourselves need sustenance and healing and the compassion and understanding to reach out to the individuals around us to preach the good news offered to them—peace in times of war; food in time of hunger; transformation in times of imprisonment; liberation in times of oppression—God with us in all times.

The Problem Is Riders, not Workers

In over 30 years of riding public transit I have memories of 4 problems on transit involving staff—two buses pulling away as I came near; once having doors shut in my face; once being let off at the wrong stop. However I have had thousands of bad experiences involving other passengers—less common decades ago and now almost every time I take transit.

Transit drivers don’t block entrances to subway cars.  Transit drivers don’t spill coffee on seats. Transit drivers don’t play music so loud that I can hear it the length of a bus. Transit drivers don’t block the aisles. Transit drivers don’t panhandle. Transit drivers don’t drop newspapers and food waste on the floor of stations. Transit drivers don’t run down stairs knocking people off balance. Transit drivers don’t stand in clusters preventing people from moving safely along subway platforms. Those that make it difficult to access transit, those that make riding unpleasant are consumers of public transit, not the providers.

There has been massive media attention focusing on public transit workers stopping briefly for coffee in the midst of a long shift, falling asleep in a fare booth and other minor workplace events. This is portrayed as a major problem. There is little attention being paid on a real crisis with transit—those that make riding transit unpleasant, difficult and unsafe.

Some of this problem is due to a lack of empathy for those near by.  Running down stairs to catch a subway train and knocking into someone usually occurs without thought—self-centred actions done without considering possible harm to others. Having been, on more than one occasion, verbally abused for having been in the way of someone who knocked me down from behind, I now find being on stairs in a subway station a stressful situation.

Some of this problem is general hostility. Blocking a subway door, not moving when politely asked to do or glaring at someone who has dared to try to enter a subway train is a very hostile act but it is generalized hostility.  The person or persons preventing me from accessing a train know nothing about me other than my desire to, like them, ride on public transit. I now don’t even bother to try and get on a train if there are people in the doorway—it’s not worth the uncertainty of wondering if I’ll be let on the train or if the next time I’m not let on something more than my experiencing intimidation may occur.

Most of the problem, though, seems to be a privatised consumerist approach to riding on public transit. Instead of it being seen as a collective response to meeting a common need, too often riding on transit is seen as a personalized experience that gives the rider the privilege to disturb others with their music, spill drinks on seats, litter, block aisles and make the ride unpleasant for others. Payment of a fare is a often seen as a statement of privilege. Someone else will clean up my mess. It doesn’t matter if my music is loud as long as I can enjoy it. Instead of the space being an ‘our space’, with the accompanying view that one can not dominate the use or disturb others, space becomes a ‘my space’, with no personal obligation to share it or take responsibility for it.  I’m faced with this on an ongoing basis.  Each time I step on a bus, streetcar or subway is to risk experiencing dirty seats, tossed aside newspapers, loud music leaking from headphones, loud one sided conversation from cell phone users, being bruised from repeatedly being hit with backpacks and other stressful encounters with others.

It is a distraction to claim that there are significant problems with transit based upon employers who are tired, in need of a break or attempting to cope with the same stressful people passengers too often encounter. The customer isn’t always right. Too often the customer is the problem.

The Toronto Transit Commission, in its wisdom, has bowed to anti-worker views. They have created a panel of experts to address the minor matters arising from the recent media attack on TTC employees, not to address a real problem of those TTC passengers who make riding transit unpleasant for many and threatening for some. I am not less likely to be knocked down by someone in a stairwell when a driver is reprimanded for using an ATM. My being prevented from entering a subway car is not solved by suspending a worker for falling asleep in a fare both. However, if I am dissatisfied by my experiences riding transit I might be looking for a scapegoat and, rather than addressing the problems created by my peers, blaming staff could be seen as an effective alternative. Blaming staff, and particularly unionised staff, is a publicaly supported way of giving the appearance of addressing a problem.

Creating the belief that transit riders are consumers rather than owner/users is, I feel, the true root of the problem. We have been encouraged to self-alienate in our use of shared resources. If we see our only connection to riding a bus being the fare, making the leap to having both a communal connection and a personal connection is difficult to accomplish. Without the communal connection, how can we see ourselves as having a shared responsibility in ensuring the common facilities is enjoyed by all? If we only have a personal connection, a consumer connection, our responsibility towards other users is easily seen as limited. Indeed, a consumerist approach makes the selfish personalised experience more important than the shared well-being of all riders. Blocking access to a subway car, knocking someone down on a stairwell, letting music loudly bleed from earphones are good consumerist approaches to riding transit.  Unionised transit staff don’t indulge in such practices.

Notes for a More Coherent Sermon – Lent IV

NOTES FOR A MORE COHERENT SERMON

11:00 AM.,  Sunday, March 14, 2010

St. Andrew’s Old Catholic Church

Small Meeting Room, 138 Pears Ave. (Toronto)

1st Lesson:  Galatians 4:26 – 5:1

But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.  For it is written, “Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband. “

Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise.  But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now.  Nevertheless what saith the scripture? ‘Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman. ‘

So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free. Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.

Gospel:  John 6: 5 – 14

When Jesus then lifted up his eyes, and saw a great company come unto him, he saith unto Philip, “Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat?” And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do.

Philip answered him, “Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little. “

One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, saith unto him,  “There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many?”

And Jesus said, “Make the men sit down.”

Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand.  And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would.

When they were filled, he said unto his disciples, “Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost.”

Therefore they gathered them together, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves, which remained over and above unto them that had eaten.

Then those men, when they had seen the miracle that Jesus did, said, “This is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world.”

SERMON PROPER BEGINS

We are in Lent, a time in the church calendar traditionally associated with restraint and self-denial.  We are encouraged to fast, to reflect on our shortcomings, to look at the life of Christ and examine ourselves in light of his living example.

It might seem, from tradition, that our faith is a restraining one, a faith defined by self-denial and introspection.  And yet in today’s epistle, where we are reminded that we are free people, and in today’s gospel, where Christ feeds the multitude rather than preaching on the virtues of fasting and denial, we are told of a faith that is liberating, outgoing and compassionate.

It is hard to be free when there are substantive restrictions on our freedom.  Worry about where our next meal is coming from; wondering about access to a doctor; fear of walking along the sidewalk; worry about someone you care about—feeling free is hard.  And yet we are called to be a free people, people offered a real relationship with the divine who in returns is present in all our moments of decision, every time we are called upon to exercise our freedom.

We may not know what the right decision should be, but we are free to make them.  If we need evidence of the correctness of our decision we find it in the world around us—when we and others have less restrictions on our ability to life in harmony within ourselves, our community, our shared creation. The more that hunger doesn’t have a role in our decision making; the more that fear doesn’t have a role in our decision making, the more that hatred doesn’t have a role in our decision making the freer we are.  The more our decisions make it possible for others to be free from darkness that distorts decision making the freer others become, the freer the world we live within becomes and the easier it is for us to live our own lives as free and conscious followers of Christ.

We are offered a vision of heaven, a place of beauty and plenty and free from suffering.  And we are called to build this heaven here on earth, preparing for the ever imminent coming of God among us by weaving together the shalom kingdom today, at this time and in this place.

If, ultimately, we were not free then the Lenten journey, Christ’s passion and resurrection makes little sense.  Jesus did not have to feed the hungry, heal the blind, call for practical compassion.  He was given the choice of power over all of creation or walking with humanity and sharing in our burdens.  Jesus rejected the temptation to govern and chose freely to share with us the joys and sorrows of a free existence, the possibilities of love and the consequences of advocating a life of compassion and commitment.

Along the way Jesus tried to open eyes and hearts, not by force or coercion but by example and precept.

We see in today’s Gospel Jesus challenging his disciples, and particularly Philip, to deal with a practical problem—feeding 5,000 hungry people who had invited themselves to follow him into the wilderness.   In a place where there wasn’t a supermarket or food court, hungry and tired people were growing restless.  Jesus asked for advise from his disciples, who had no ready solution.  Andrew was approached by a young person who had enough for a meal for a few people.  And, while his disciples expressed doubt, Jesus gave thanks for what they had and asked to have it shared out.  There was suddenly enough food for everyone, with lots left over.   Whether the miracle was people following the child’s and Jesus’ examples by sharing what they had or was a physical miracle that created fish and bread out of the elements of creation, Jesus’ decision to have thousands of people sit down to rest and be fed was a conscious decision. He could have decided differently—perhaps not based the shared meal on the gift offered to him; perhaps encourage the strangers to move on; perhaps talk about the virtues of fasting as a spiritual discipline.  Jesus didn’t—he chose to care for those in need; share out what was freely offered to him; took time to talk with his friends about how the problem could be solved—a problem he didn’t cause but could help alleviate.

Once the multitude was fed and rested they could each choose what to do—go home; spent the night where they were; follow Jesus in his personal pilgrimage.  They couldn’t make such decisions when tired and hungry.  They weren’t free to make a good decision until their immediate physical needs were met.

As followers of Jesus we are urged to follow his example.  We are free people encouraged to help people be free from the burdens that stop them from being truly free, truly human.  This is something we can only do if we freely chose to attempt it.  We don’t last on the front lines of compassion if we feel coerced to be there.  But as free people we can help the hungry loose their chain of hunger; as free people we can work hard to ensure that there will be an end to violence in our homes; as free people we can learn to trust one another, weave together a small glimpse of heaven that heals the tensions that leads to battlefields.

About 2,000 years ago a small group of people challenged the entire world by saying that feeding the poor was a sacrament, that God was for everyone, that love of neighbour was the true essence of being within creation.  They chose to embrace the possibility of a free relationship with God and one another and sent out ripples that continue to the current moment. From sanctuaries for abused women to the gates of The School of the Americas to digging wells to healing circles to communities such as the Catholic Worker, in movements such as Christian Peacemakers, in meals-on-wheels programmes and wherever people come together to build a better world for others the ripples from the hillside in Galilee continue.

Sometimes we break the laws of our society to accomplish this—risking fines to feed the hungry in a park; risking jail to provide sanctuary to the illegal refugee in our lands; sometimes we are honoured by all for living in community with the most vulnerable.  The freedom we embrace permits us to embrace the real challenge of removing all the barriers between people and freedom.  This was the gift offered to all of humanity at creation and embraced freely by Jesus on the road to Calvary and beyond.  When we look at the cross we see freedom in action; when we remember the open tomb we see liberation.

Thoughts on the Life of Fr. Leonard Kennedy, CSB

Grave Marker for Fr. Kennedy, CSB

THOUGHTS ON THE LIFE OF FR. LEONARD KENNEDY:
Eulogy/Homily given Monday, April 5, 2010
during Evening Prayers for the Dead
Chapel, Cardinal Flahiff Basilian Centre
Toronto, Ontario

Remembering and celebrating the life of Leonard Kennedy is a daunting task. He moved through the world having a substantive impact on the lives of generations of students; sharing substantively his time and compassion with people from diverse walks of life; finding ways to bring to life a reasoned, systematic approach to a living a faithful life in times of dramatic transformation in the church, in his community, in the world.

Fr. Kennedy was born in England, in 1922 and came to Canada as a young boy. He grew up in Hamilton, in the shadow of steel mills and in the dark years of the great depression. His family was a loving one, giving shape to the man who delighted in the many delights of the world, from candy to musical theatre, who was able to love and care for others simply and honestly because that was what he experienced in his most formative years.

It is easy to focus on Fr. Kennedy’s life in academia. He had a long and distinguished academic career—scholar; professor and administrator—doing well in these often contradictory rolls. Former students of his whom I’ve met spoke of him with fond memories. His scholarly work, most notably on Thomas Aquinas, ended up as required reading. He served as president of Assumption University, Dean of Philosophy at the University of St. Thomas, and Vice-Rector of the diocesan seminary in St. Lucia—helping to shape the structures in which formal learning could truly be nourished.

But the sheltered life of academia didn’t completely enfold him. From publishing pamphlet sized summaries of the ideas of Thomas Aquinas that brought ideas out of the classroom into the hands of the broader community to his writing for publications such as Catholic Insight, he actively strived to touch the world and help shape the response of many to current struggles in the faith.

Fr. Kennedy was a compassionate conservative—he cared about the need of people to be valued, encouraged people to think seriously about the decisions they made and the consequences of their decisions on themselves, on those they cared about, on those around them. And yet, despite or perhaps because of, his conservativeness, he was one of those priests who laid the groundwork for the breaking down of generations of barriers that helped to open up the church and permitting it to be a living presence in times of massive transformation. He was ordained before Vatican 2, making a firm commitment to both the church and those it served in a different era and found a way to make sense of, and keep, these vows when his whole world changed.

He didn’t spend much of his life in traditional pastoral work, yet he always strove to find ways to engage in such work as he wove his way through his different formal positions. From offering hospitality to colleagues to providing a quiet ear to many to celebrating mass in parishes short of clergy, he shared with many the ebbs and flows of communal celebrations and personal tragedies. Despite his reserved behaviour and appearance, children genuinely liked him—one doesn’t get called The Good King without reason.

It was hard to see the change in Fr. Kennedy in recent times. When I first met him he was newly retired, had a challenging intellect, could beat me at Scrabble and surprised me (having been told of his conservative nature) with his strong admiration of Dorothy Day and the Catholic Worker community. On occasion he’d slip theatre tickets my way—from The Magic Flute to Dry Lips Ought to Go to Kapuskating. In more recent times, he became physically frail and less intellectually capable, but he’d still talk about things in ways that surprised me—from Mao to problems in Catholic education. And most recently he laid on a bed, barely present to the world. He had welcomed me into his world in his good times and bad and I am better for it.

Leonard Kennedy was a very stubborn man, one who put up barriers between himself and the world. But whatever barriers he put up, he struggled hard to find a way around them. He wanted to be in community with those who shared his calling, to be a part of his family that nurtured and formed him and to give something to the world that made things better for individuals and society as a whole. His faith was real; his commitment genuine; his love abundant. We’ll miss him.

NOTES FOR CANDIDATE STATEMENT—CHF ONTARIO COUNCIL

BRIAN BURCH
AT-LARGE, ONTARIO COUNCIL

For the past two years I have had the privilege of serving on Ontario Council. I am running for re-election, seeking to continue to use my experience and dedication to co-operatives on behalf of a movement that has provided a home for my family and me for 25 years and my employment for over a decade.
Don Area Co-op (DACHI), where I live, is a long-established federally funded co-op. It is there that I learned to read financial statements and develop policies, honed chairing skills and practiced finding common ground with people from a wide range of backgrounds. It has been a secure and safe place to raise children; a supportive place in times of crisis; a challenging place when new ideas struggle to find expression. I have served on most committees at DACHI, from newsletter to maintenance, as well as a number of terms on the board, including periods as treasurer and as president.
I have also been active in my local federation. I have twice reached term limits on the CHFT board—once representing housing co-ops and once as the staff association representative. Here I learned about the importance of member services, of providing educational opportunities and the challenge of preserving the integrity of the co-operative housing movement while addressing the challenges of downloading.
Provincially, I have served on Ontario Council at the turn of the century and since 2008. The challenges faced here echoed the realities of my own co-op and our local federation but with a clearer focus on preserving and strengthening co-op communities and making sure the co-operative vision finds fresh ways of expression.
I have also served the co-op housing movement nationally—on the Co-op Development Working Group and the CHF Finance Committee over a decade ago and more recently, as treasurer of the CHF Ontario region, serving on the CHF Finance and Audit Committee.
I am committed to new co-op development, to strengthening our existing communities and continuing to work with co-op housing members to help address the problems of poverty, homelessness and marginalisation—principles that have been at the core of the co-op movement since the time of the Rochdale pioneers.

CO-OP AND COMMUNITY INVOLVMENT

Over 30 years of co-operative and community involvement in housing, food security, labour and faith-based social justice initiatives. including:

Current:

President, Canadian Alternative Investment Co-operative
President, St. Clare’s Multifaith Housing Society
Treasurer, Ontario Region, CHF Canada
Treasurer, Student Christian Movement of Canada
Member/Owner: Ganesh Community Development
Co-operative
Director, Bathurst Quay Community Land Trust
Director, CoLandco
Director, Tenant Non-profit Redevelopment Co-operative
Member, Toronto Renewable Energy Co-operative
Member, WindShare Co-operative
Member, Subsidy Committee, Don Area
Co-operative Homes
Shop Steward, Labourer’s Local 183

Past:

President, CoAction Staff Association
President, Don Area Co-operative Homes
Vice-President, Ontario Worker Co-operative Federation
Treasurer, Co-operative Housing Federation of Toronto
Director, Rooftops Canada
Director, FoodShare Toronto
Director, CHFT Charitable Fund
Shop Steward, OPSEU Local 595
Toronto Delegate, I.W.W.
Programme Volunteer, Quaker Committee on
Jails and Justice
Co-facilitator, Mennonite Conference Eastern Canada Peace Troup
Chaplain volunteer, Mimico and Toronto (Don) Jails
Volunteer, Field to Table (Toronto)

BRIAN BURCH
AT-LARGE, ONTARIO COUNCIL

CITY OF TORONTO HONOURS ST. CLARE’S MULTIFAITH HOUSING

Georgio Mammoliti and I

NOTES FROM THE EDGE OF THE G20 WORLD

I’m in my cocoon. Around me the City of Toronto is still waking up. Somewhere not too far from me is a building with hundreds of people waiting for the state to decide if they will be going home, held for a bail hearing and then released or detained at her majesty’s pleasure if they aren’t granted bail, don’t know someone who can afford a surety or are unwilling to accept burdensome restrictions on their human and civil rights while awaiting trial.

People I know were picked up in pre-dawn raids. People I know were arrested at 3:00 a.m. for refusing to obey arbitrary orders. This is a dangerous city to care about poverty, the environment, land claims, freedom of choice. Speaking out publically can result in assault and arrest.

I am in a city where the police don’t stand between stores and protestors, but will line a street in front of a fence; where police will watch a car being set on fire with calmness and restraint but will charge into a group of people sitting on concrete. Being a property owner can result in being abandoned by the police who are busy dealing with public expressions of dissent in an area that had been promised to be a safe, free speech zone.

I am opposed to the use of property damage as a protest tactic. It is a form of intimidation that I do not believe leads towards a more peaceful, egalitarian society. While I do know that movements from the suffragettes onwards have used property damage to further their cause and have often been honoured for the success of their movements, it is something I can not support. There were tears on the faces of many along Yonge Street after their livelihood was attacked and their safety threatened. They have learned an unusual lesson—the police are not, despite the claims of many including myself, there to protect the interests of property owners. So whose interests were they protecting when they turned away from confronting those with rocks in hand in favour of confronting those reclaiming the streets and parks of Toronto?

I am in favour of peaceful, but confrontational forms of public dissent. Blocking the streets leading to the convention centre, sitting down in front of Novetel Toronto, showing solidarity with those in custody—-this I support whole heartedly. Within the movements of social transformation advocates of such tactics use are seeds of co-operation, compassion, creativity and community from which a better world can grow. The vast majority of media reports I’ve come across indicate that these movements were the target of the police, as it seems were some journalists who were arrested and, in at least one case, assaulted.

I am in a cocoon. At some point I will have to burst from the cocoon and live in the world in a new way. The events of this weekend show me a dangerous, oppressive world exists out there, with pockets of hope and enlightenment standing forth despite the best efforts of the police and their conservative allies to drive them away.

MORE REFLECTIONS ON TORONTO IN THE TIME OF G20

First, let’s start with a confession. As a result of fear of being arrested I did not go to the Detention Centre on Sunday morning when I was asked to go and give communion. After years of willing to confront the state, I couldn’t face what others were willing to face—tear gas; rubber bullets; police truncheons; indefinite detention. While on my own I could have coped with the consequences of my actions, members of my family couldn’t have taken the stress. In a free country I shouldn’t have been afraid to respond to a pastoral concern and my family should not have been incredibly anxious about what could happen to be if I went to a public place to share in a religious sacrament. It turned out their fears were accurate. Police responded with force to against those gathered near the detention centre, a well documented example of the actions of the police over the past weekend. And no only against protesters. This has been a time when even the media, including conservative media, was targeted.

Second, let us consider that 22 years ago, during the G7 protests, I was part of a group that split off from the main protest to challenge police restrictions on the right to protest as well as to try and serve citizen arrest warrants against the leaders of the G7 for various crimes against humanity. There was no secret in what we were attempting; we confronted openly the power of the state. There was indeed an abuse of police power—arresting about 200 people doesn’t occur without an abuse of power. Lawyers were denied access to some clients; food was denied; there were documented incidents of assault by police. There was even a secret law passed—an order in council granting immunity to prosecution to leaders of the G7 for the duration of the meeting. However, there was restraint on what happened. Tear gas was available but not used. People not engaged in the non-violent protest were not arrested. The charter was violated, but not shredded. Reporters were able to do their job without being arrested.  And it was police that provided the security in 1988, not police plus over 1,000 unlicenced security guards who provided security forces for the G20.  It is possible for non-violent protest to happen without the state massively over-reacting. With an Anarchist Survival Gathering happening in Toronto that same time, which had a Day of Action with did involve some property damage, the state could have found a way to justify greatly overreacting, but didn’t.

Third, let us consider that the police don’t act in a vacuum. Individual officers don’t leave home in the morning, choose to put on riot gear, grab a tear gas gun and wander aimlessly through the streets. Each police officer is a part of a system that does not readily separate political dissent from criminal activity. Indeed, police officers are a part of a system that, at least on paper, criminalises many expressions of dissent. Over the decades I’ve been charged with everything from unlawful handbill distribution to unlawful assembly with the vast majority of charges being dismissed. There is a systemic problem that involves the enforcement arm of the state being used against people involved intimately in the business of the state—bringing forward ideas and concerns in the public sphere where violence is used to stop dissent. Individual officers need to be held accountable for their actions—and that is what civil courts and the police complaints process can partially achieve. Civil suits and complaints do need to occur in large numbers to help ensure accountability by individual officers. However, the real problem is much larger. The police didn’t create the Unlawful Assembly and related sections of the Canadian Criminal Code—the House of Commons and Canadian Senate did. The police did not create the Ontario Trespass to Property Act or enact regulations under Ontario’s Public Works Protection Act —the Ontario legislature is responsible for the former; the Ontario cabinet for the later. Even the purchase of sound cannons wasn’t ultimately the responsibility of the police—the Toronto Police Services Board with federal financial assistance is responsible.

The public face of oppression—the police—must indeed be held accountable. However, it is their employers, i.e. our elected and appointed officials that must be held even more accountable. Whether it is the Police Services Board that signed off on policy and purchasing decisions or legislative bodies that enact laws that restrict rights of expression and assembly, the events of the past weekend would not have occurred without their involvement.

And, ultimately, we as citizens are to be held accountable. We accept with silence or muted voices the decisions that lead to the police actions this past weekend. As we were told in Buffy St. Marie’s Universal Soldier—the orders come from you and me. We elect those that put into place the laws that oppress us and which, in our names, hire those that use truncheons against people sitting on a road and ride horses into people seeking a better world.

Thoughts after leaving a Facebook group

I’m growing intolerant. I find myself unable to shrug off the world easily. I am specifically angered at this time, and quite frequently at other moments, at comments people post on Facebook pages, newspaper comment sections and other public forums.

As examples:

From a Facebook group dealing with the policing of the Toronto G20 gathering:
“bring rope so you can choke them out cold. then look for his badge”

From a Globe and Mail comments section:

“Accused by who, Left Wing Parasitic Unions? Who cares they did a great job of trying to keep the filth off the streets. Lefties are horrid cretins that lie all the time. Chief Blair we have your back and NO Leftie thug will win. “

It is phenomenally distressing that people feel that violent language and abusive statements are acceptable discourse. Language is not neutral—the way we express ourselves is a mirror of the world we wish to live in. How we express ideas helps shapes the world in which we live.

Perhaps my world is too sheltered but the ever increasing tendency towards violence in language and intolerance of others is intimidating. What have we done in our schools, in our child rearing practices, in our media, in our public discourse to encourage intolerance in personal expression, the glorification of violence, the destruction of empathy in our relationship with others as reflected in comments such as illustrated above?

I found the arguments raised in church circles in the 70s and 80s around inclusive language formative. Working within Quaker and Mennonite circles I learned to think about the way violence in language undercuts efforts to create a more peaceful and egalitarian world. This background has probably made it difficult for me to deal with equanimity the comments, often moderated comments, woven throughout the internet publishing world that are symptoms of problems in the wider world I have been trying to address for generations. You don’t create a peaceful world with violence; you don’t create a world of inclusion through violent language.

THOUGHTS ON POLICING AND CRIMINALISING OF DISSENT

Being held for hours without water, verbal abuse, arbitrary search and seizures are not unusual in Canada.   Homeless, first nations, people of colour, those caught in the cycle of economic crimes for survival experience on a regular basis what those arrested over the period of the G8/G20 lead-up and meetings went through.   Crime is crime and speaking for economic justice in an unacceptable way will be treated in the same way as making an illegal income is.    When there is a general societal call for stronger penalties for criminals, it is almost inevitable that the same penalties will be used against those involved in creative, passionate, public and/or forceful dissent.

The linkage between the way economic crime and political dissent is clearly being demonstrated in the courts around the G20.  From not letting media and observers into courtrooms to impositions of bail conditions that restrict freedom of movement and assembly to conspiracy charges being laid against organisers, our courts our reminding us that to many in positions of authority drug dealing and organising a militant protest are similar actions.

This is nothing new.  As an example, neighbourhood groups that gave victim impact statements to support bail conditions banning individuals from neighbourhoods have helped create an atmosphere where such restrictions are imposed in bail conditions when protesters are released.  Despite case law going back to Regina vs. Collins that clearly state that such conditions can be an unfair restriction on civil rights, such conditions are often imposed on people charged with offences at demonstrations.   The way that society deals with anyone it marginalises will become the way it treats those that speak out.

One positive thing that could arise from the events of recent times would be a realisation on the part of the activists going through the system is that there has to be a better way of addressing the whole spectrum of crime.   It would be great if there was a renewal of the restorative and transformative justice movements with the influx of hundreds of new activists.    Better treatment of political criminals will only truly occur with better treatment of all criminals.     The same legal decisions will be called up to decide if there is an unreasonable search and seizure for a drug dealer and a political activist.

Thoughts on The Sermon on the Plain

NOTES FOR A MORE COHERENT SERMON:
11:00 a.m., July 11, 2010
St. Andrew’s Old Roman Catholic Church
138 Pears Ave. Meeting Room
Toronto, Ontario

1st Lesson: Romans 6: 3 – 11

Know ye not, that so many of us as were
baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized
into his death? Therefore we are buried
with him by baptism into death: that like as
Christ was raised up from the dead by the
glory of the Father, even so we also should
walk in newness of life. For if we have
been planted together in the likeness of his
death, we shall be also in the likeness of his
resurrection: Knowing this, that our old
man is crucified with him, that the body of
sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we
should not serve sin. For he that is dead is
freed from sin. Now if we be dead with
Christ, we believe that we shall also live
with him: Knowing that Christ being raised from the
dead dieth no more; death hath no more
dominion over him. For in that he died, he
died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he
liveth unto God. Likewise reckon ye also
yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but
alive unto God through Jesus Christ our
Lord.

Gospel: Luke 6: 20 – 36

And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples,
and said, “Blessed be ye poor: for yours is
the kingdom of God. Blessed are ye that
hunger now: for ye shall be filled. Blessed
are ye that weep now: for ye shall laugh.
Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you,
and when they shall separate you from their
company, and shall reproach you, and cast
out your name as evil, for the Son of man’s
sake. Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for
joy: for, behold, your reward is great in
heaven: for in the like manner did their
fathers unto the prophets.

But woe unto you that are rich! for ye have
received your consolation. Woe unto you
that are full! for ye shall hunger. Woe unto
you that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and
weep. Woe unto you, when all men shall
speak well of you! for so did their fathers to
the false prophets. But I say unto you
which hear, Love your enemies, do good to
them which hate you, Bless them that curse
you, and pray for them which despitefully
use you. And unto him that smiteth thee
on the one cheek offer also the other; and
him that taketh away thy cloak forbid not to
take thy coat also. Give to every man that
asketh of thee; and of him that taketh away
thy goods ask them not again.
And as ye would that men should do to
you, do ye also to them likewise. For if ye
love them which love you, what thanks
have ye? for sinners also love those that
love them. And if ye do good to them
which do good to you, what thanks have
ye? for sinners also do even the same. And
if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to
receive, what thanks have ye? for sinners
also lend to sinners, to receive as much
again. But love ye your enemies, and do
good, and lend, hoping for nothing again;
and your reward shall be great, and ye shall
be the children of the Highest: for he is
kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.
Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also
is merciful.

SERMON PROPER BEGINS

We are an angry society. We see it in the
expressions of those passing by a
panhandler; we see it in posture of those
blocking access to a subway car. We read in
on-line commentaries from across the
political spectrum. It seems that much of
the energy of humanity is being spent on
hated of others, on resentment, on ensuring
that the current societal scapegoat doesn’t
have a chance of acceptance into the wider
community.
It isn’t easy to let go of this anger. The
world seems intent on adding to it—British
Petroleum and the oil spill; threatened
stoning of a woman in Iran; ongoing
civilian causalities in war zones; suicide
bombings; mass arrests; more species on
the brink of extinction…the mass media and
the internet brings the tensions of the world
into our homes and we can’t escape them.
But this isn’t new. Walking from Galilee
to Jerusalem, Jesus wouldn’t have been able
to avoid seeing poverty and oppression,
anger and sickness, occupying forces and
reactionary religious leaders. War was
always imminent; assassinations with
follow-up reprisals a worrisome reality;
healthcare was rudimentary and pain and
suffering something one couldn’t avoid.
People were angry and frustrated and bitter
and too often lacked hope that things
would be better. There were those
advocating withdrawal to isolated
communities; others pushing for
accommodation with the occupying forces;
some took up arms; other took up religious
rituals as a form of cultural resistance and
source of personal integrity. And into the
midst of this Jesus came in with the
outrageous expectation that people could
live in the here and now as if the new
Jerusalem, the promised renewal of
creation, had already occurred. In the new
world without hunger, people shared what
they had; in the new world without barriers
strangers were welcomed into the
community, the voiceless were heard;
power relationships turned upside down.
Jesus was talking to a gathering, a
political rally of sorts, of people from many
backgrounds who came together near the
crossroads of the middle east. Some would
be people of property; some likely officials
of the Roman occupations; others were
labourers or shepherds; some reduced to
begging for survival. There would be Jews
and pagans and even the odd Samaritan.
They were gathered to listen to a
charismatic speaker, perhaps for inspiration
on how to get through another day in tough
times. What they received was unexpected-
–a call for permanent revolution. No
longer was it acceptable to put off unto
tomorrow care for one another; no longer
was it acceptable to horde wealth in the
midst of poverty; no longer was vengeance
or hatred to acceptable—love of God
included love of all.
This wasn’t a call for quietism, but a call
for something dramatic and new. You
didn’t treat others as inferior but neither did
you accept being treated as unworthy. No
longer was the behaviour of others to
determine one’s behaviour. You may be
hated but you don’t hate in return. You
may be in the midst of war but you don’t
pick up arms. Our actions were to show
the world the type of society we were called
to build. Jesus gave a call to a faithful life
based on propaganda by deed. The new
world wasn’t a pie in the sky world, but a
kind heart in this world.
It was a rejection of diversity of tactics,
but an acceptance of diversity of humanity.
People of peace don’t pick up rocks or
guns, but they might plant a garden or
visit the sick or create a inspiring work of
art or mediate a conflict. People of hope
don’t start a fire in a downtown street, but
they might build a home or give out
blankets or listen the pain of someone on
heating grate. People of love don’t accept
relationships based on exploitation,
whether of themselves or others.
This new way of living wasn’t expected
to be an easy one—but it was one that make
it possible to transform the world. One
puts aside the old and builds a new world
in faith that something good will arise
sooner than waiting for the miraculous to
occur, in the expectation that meeting the
needs of those around us is the fulfillment
of the purpose of creation, in the certainty
that our lives has meaning to the extent that
we ensure that everyone’s live has meaning.
There is a Catholicism, a universality of
expectation in the Jesus’ sermon on the
plain. There is acknowledgment that it is
easy to be good to those one knows, that it
is easy to hate those hold power over one’s
life, that it is normal to expect something in
return for one’s good deeds. But Jesus
asked for something greater, something
closer in spirit to Kropotkin’s Mutual Aid
than the spirit of capitalism. Jesus asked
that we care for others just because it’s the
right thing to do.
There are consequences for doing so, as
Jesus and Simon Menno and the Diggers
and Food Not Bombs and Archbishop
Romero and so many others throughout
history have experienced. But there are
consequences for not doing so as well.
We live in times of wars and rumours of
wars because people still pick up weapons;
we live in times of hunger because people
are denied access to food; we live in places
of fear and mistrust because not enough
have taken the risk of caring for their
neighbours. The reward of refusing
violence is ultimately peace for all; the
reward for overcoming poverty is ultimately
dignity for all; the reward for rejecting the
acceptance of oppression is ultimately the
renewal of all relationships; the reward for
loving one another is a closer relationship
with the divine.
In the 2,000 years from the plain in
Judea to the midst of Toronto the call for
a new Jerusalem continues to be heard, to
be interpreted, to be lived. Those that
gathered to listen to Jesus are our friends
and neighbours, the stranger whose image
haunts us from the cover the New York
Times, the person on the heating grate, the
child hearing the bombs fall again…and
they share in the same calling to be reborn
in a new world of our shared hopeful and
loving creation.

Notes for a More Coherent Sermon—Trinity 10

NOTES FOR A MORE COHERENT SERMON
11:00 AM., Sunday, August 1, 2010
St. Andrew’s Old Catholic Church
Meeting Room, 138 Pears Ave. (Toronto)

1^st Lesson: 1 Corinthians 12: 1 – 11

Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant. Ye know that ye were gentiles, carried away unto these dumb idols, even as ye were led. Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost. Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of
tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.

Gospel: Luke 19: 41 – 47(a)

And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it, saying, “If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes. For the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side, and shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knowest not the time of thy visitation.”

And he went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold therein, and them that bought; saying unto them, “It is written, My house is the house of prayer: but ye have made it a den of thieves.”

And he taught daily in the temple.

SERMON PROPER BEGINS

The epistle today contains a message familiar to fans of Star Trek. Spock’s view of diversity—“Infinite diversity in infinite combinations… symbolizing the elements that create truth and beauty”—is not far from that of St. Paul. Our faith was founded on mutual respect for, and delight in, diversity. Diversities of abilities, diversity of understandings, diversities of structure. At the core is the commonality of God’s love for all, expressed differently by each of the triune God—the creator, the redeemer and the sustainer. God embodies diversity in expression, but unity in substance. The divine spirit works within all of us, encouraging both our uniqueness and our desire to work together with others to build a community.

Over the year in Toronto there are celebrations, from The Cabbagetown Festival to Caribanna to the Beaches Jazz Festival to Gay Pride week that are visual statements of the diversity of the people that make up Toronto, the
commonality of public celebration and our mutual desires to share what makes us unique with the broader world. God moves through the many faith communities in similar ways—we worship in Quaker silence and in gospel hall exuberance; we march for social justice and pray in cloistered communities; we feed the hungry and study 1,800 year old manuscript fragments. We are diverse in our responses to the presence of God, responding differently to the common call of service to God and all within creation.

We are called to be a part of a diverse community, but we don’t truly know the end result of our actions in response to this call. We don’t know the future. We live in the present, bringing our personal history and communal
experiences with us as we try and shape the future. We are called to live such that we, even surrounded by foes, don’t retreat into solitude and isolation. We are to remain present in the world, acting in the public spaces, teaching in the communal centres, being a force for loving transformation even if we aren’t sure of the way towards the goal. We are promised that if we feed the hungry we will be in the presence of God; we are assured that we will be blessed if we work for peace in a world of conflict. We come to know the shalom kingdom by its echoes in the current moment. We shape the shalom kingdom when we care for one another, when we don’t accept violence as inevitable or treat war as normal, when we don’t create barriers of hatred and distrust between ourselves and others, when we seek to live in harmony with creation and not as its exploiter. We build the shalom kingdom in our efforts to live in it in the here and now.

The world around us is not a peaceful place, but it always contains the seed of peace. We read of wars and read of reconciliation; we learn of a nationalism based on violence and hate, the essence of Nazism, and learn of a nationalism based on love and inclusion, the essence of Ghandi’s philosophy. We have free will and examples around us of a world closer in harmony to divine will for creation; we need to learn to see what is around us and be open to the quiet, sustained prompting urging us always towards the light, towards hope, towards peace. It takes an act of won’t to turn away from the light, to turn from what is truly human and liberating to what is hardening and burdening and corroding.

When Jesus came into the presence of something he saw as a betrayal of what was good in a communal, religious life he didn’t turn away or engage in dialogue. He acted. Like the anarchist black bloc, he destroyed privately controlled property to make a broader statement. Those that were making a profit from the strongly felt desires of those coming to the temple to worship and make sacrifices were attacked and driven away from their commercial activities. A place of commerce was turned upside down and the spirit of worship permitted to return. The response of the religious community to this action of Jesus deserves note—he wasn’t turned away; he wasn’t criticized. The gospel tells us that after he overturned the tables of those that sold in the temple precepts he taught in the temple for many days. Jesus was not rejected by the religious leaders for his violence; Jesus wasn’t viewed solely as someone who responded forcefully to greed and hypocrisy. Jesus was treated as someone who had something to say. He had views and knowledge worthy of passing on and the skills to do so.

We are given similar opportunities to Jesus on a daily basis. We are challenged by the homeless on heating grates and the lingering presence of nuclear weapons. We are confronted by injustice and greed and hypocrisy in the news and in the records of legislative debates. We are challenged to turn swords into ploughshares or at least put an end to military trade shows. We are called to action to bring our faith to life in the public arenas, not to take power but to make the world better for those around us. Equally, we are called to help make sense of faith, to teach our traditions and reasons for our actions, to help others make sense of the many ways that a living faith can be expressed, to give shape to a vision of a peaceful, just, hopeful world—the shalom kingdom being born. We don’t know how the future will unfold, but we can shape it by the way we act in the present.

We may not be certain of how to act in the world, but we do know that we will act in it, either by doing something or by not doing something. We need to start by making the basic decision of what side we are on and from this all things develop. As the Niahnawbe elder Art Solomon tells us in words I wish to conclude with:

“If we choose to be on the side of that great Positive Power we have no choice but to set our hearts and minds against the destruction around us, but thought without action is useless. We must be on one side or the other and how we involve ourselves must be the free choice of everyone. If we choose to act, we must act intelligently and with common sense. It means we will do everything in our power to understand the questions that we choose to involve ourselves with. But whatever we are, we must be action people, even if the only action possible is prayer.”

Notes for A More Coherent Ordination Homily

Notes for the Homily of the ordination of
Deacon Eric Reynolds to the Priesthood
with The Ontario Old Roman Catholic Church.
Sunday, August 22, 2010
St. Saviours Anglican Church
43 Kimberly Ave.
Toronto, ON

There are many gifts and callings to be found among the people in this room—there are musicians, carpenters, community workers, therapists, labourers, baristas…there is work that we individually are called to do in the world to make a living, to give something back to our community, to fulfil a dream.   In our faith community there are also many callings, many opportunities to serve. The most important is one that every member of the Christian community shares in—the priesthood of all believers—all Christians are called to share the word, to join in acts of radical compassion, to seek out ways of building up the new Jerusalem, the shalom kingdom, in the current moment. We might be a teacher or a carpenter or a poet, but if we are a Christian we are also priests in our own right with responsibilities for our faith and for all within creation. In the priesthood of all believers there are no distinctions of class or gender or race or sexual orientation or nationality or denomination or ability—the work is shared, the responsibility shared, the access to the presence of the divine shared equally and fully.
We are asked to share in the sacrament of ordination to the priesthood today, a formal ministry.
It is a celebration of a call to ordered servanthood—to serve the church and its members. Priests enact the life of the faith in celebration of the Eucharist (Christ’s service; trial; death and resurrection); they are called to specific sacramental duties. Their essential priesthood is that one offered at Pentecost when God pushed aside all human barriers to fill with the burning spirit the lives of all those present and inspired the priesthood of all believers.
The distinct priesthood is that of word and sacrament, but it is no greater than than any ministry and its most important value is to enable the ministry of others. Deacon Eric Reynolds, whose ordination to the priesthood we will be celebrating in a few moments, has responded to a call to service of the faith. It is a persistent call, one that he has not been able to put aside. It is a call to move closer to God, to explore what service to the people of God means, to experiment with finding out the most meaningful way of bringing the good news to life in ever challenging times.
Eric Reynolds, like all of us in ordered ministry, will continue to be imperfect. Eric will not cease to be human. In our sacramental theology, though, Eric will undergo a fundamental change in his being, an ontological change that will forever set him apart. How he will experience this is something only he will comprehend. It likely won’t be a massive transformation in his way of being in the world, but a slow revelation of how he can best be in the world in the presence of, and as witness to, God’s love. It involves the accepting of a burden unique to him, of how he can become more open to God’s use of his skills and talents, of how he can ensure the sacraments of the Church have power and meaning, of how he can learn to be a witness of God’s grace in his life and in the world.
Eric will leave here a newly ordained priest, but he will leave here in the company of a community of priests who share the responsibility to feed hungry, encourage the hopeless, comfort the ill and share the good news. Eric will have taken on the task of sacramental ministry, of ordered ministry, but he will not be the only priest with the commission to serve God and one another leaving St. Saviour’s this afternoon. Today we celebrate his ordination; at all times we will share in his work.

Notes for a More Coherent Baptism Sermon

NOTES FOR A MORE COHERENT SERMON:
11:00 a.m., October 17, 2010
St. Andrew’s Old Roman Catholic Church
138 Pears Ave. Meeting Room
Toronto, Ontario

1st Lesson: Galatians 3: 26 – 29:

You are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.

Gospel: Matthew 3: 13 – 17

Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. But John tried to deter him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John consented. As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”

SERMON PROPER BEGINS

Rites of passage from one state of life to another are common in many traditions. Some are literal rites of passage, such as the blessing of a lintel or doorway. Some are more significant, such as the celebration of marriage. Humans celebrate together those things that give meaning and significance in our lives. Today we will be sharing in the celebration of one rite of passage, a rite that has a significance across the many expressions of the Christian faith—baptism. It is a moment of wonder, when all the mysterious potentialities of new relationships with God and all within creation is released. In baptism, we become the embodiment of the promises of the Gospel.

The actions are fairly simple. Water is poured onto the head of a person. Water itself has magical significance—it heals, its cleanses, it sustains life, it can be a barrier between the seen and unseen worlds. But it is common. We all have felt it, we all have tasted it. We have experienced it in nature in rain and snow, as welcomed relief from the heat and as penetrating cold sleet. It transforms the world as it erodes mountains and brings sand to a beach. And in baptism water is part of what transforms those who experience it for in baptism we move from one world into another.

In undergoing baptism we join in the body of Christ. We join a community of faith that has in its most integral expression a radical vision of inclusion—we cease to be divided by the divisions of the world. We put behind a world where there are racial divisions and gender segregation and power relationships to enter into the shalom kingdom where all things are made new again. In baptism we become an infant, untainted by the world, and an elder, with the experiences of a lifetime to draw upon.

In a world where power and greed dominate and Christianity seems to be a ubiquitous presence, it is hard to take in the difference in living in the world a small group of people embraced over 2,000 years ago. In a place of war and foreign occupation, people blessed peacemakers and gave to all in need—their enemies and their friends. In a place of massive social divisions of faith and race and gender everyone was welcomed into a community that broke down the old ways of viewing the people around them. In a place and time that encouraged hording and looking out for one’s own, the founders of our faith called for sharing what one had with all in need, living a life where love for all was integral to a faithful life. And in a time of strict religious hierarchy, the founders of our faith called for a priesthood of all believers. It wasn’t the responsibility of a few to ensure that the faith was a living expression of divine will, but the responsibility of all. It wasn’t just men that were leaders, but women. It wasn’t just people of one nation that shared in the possibilities of the shalom kingdom, it was all. And the work of faith wasn’t confined to a specific place or time. Wherever people were hungry they were to be fed; wherever people were homeless they were to be sheltered. Wherever people were aliens in a strange land they were to be given haven. The life of the faith included worship and ritual but it was, and is, more clearly expressed in caring for the needs of one another.

In baptism we put aside the sins of the past, the shared sins of greed and anger and hatred and exploitation and are ennobled with a call to love and be loved, to care for others and to accept care, to seek out the divine in prayer and in all our relationships. We take on the call to share the good news that God loves us with all and to find our own calling that allows us to best be an evangelist. Those called to prayer live the faith differently than those called to work in a soup kitchen, but both share in the work of ensuring that God’s grace is active in the world. Those that struggle for peace in places of conflict are an essential witness for God’s love as are those who visit the sick. In baptism we join in this tapestry of people who for 2,000 years have lived both in the world and in the kingdom of God who try by precept and example to show in the hear and now the promise of God’s kingdom—peace, justice and the integrity of creation.

 

In baptism we join into a community that includes Archbishop Romero and Caesar Chavez and Jean Donovan and Francis of Assisi and Teresa of Avila and doubting Thomas and Dorothy Day and June Carter and Galileo and Mary Di Rosa and Hildegard of Bingen and J.S. Woodworth. This sounds like an impossible burden and awesome company, and it is. Any one of us would likely break if we were solely responsible for the faith, to be the only voice sustaining the gospel message in the world. But in life the burden is light. It is shared. All those who are baptized take a share in the work. And in baptism we accept the promise that God’s spirit will be with us in our new life, sharing with us in our struggles to be faithful, in our striving to be good to one another, in our seeking a life of meaning in every challenging times. We become ontologically changed, somehow different in the way we move through creation. We can find sustenance in art and music, strength in a potluck dinner, meaning in active sharing with the homeless and disposed, hope in a peace vigil, a vision of God’s purpose for creation in a jail cell, joy in sharing the Eucharist. In baptism we accept the promise of a new beginning, one in which we are never alone in creation, the yoke of faith is light, our responsibilities shared and 2,000 years of a living tradition renewed.

THOUGHTS AFTER THE 2010 CCA ONTARIO REGION/ON COOP CONFERENCE AND GALA

I am a bit later on my reflections on the ON COOP conference than I had expected. I am still pondering all the ramifications of a comment made by Anne-Marie McInnis, Manager, Policy and Research, with the Rural and Co operatives Secretariat of the federal government. Her statement “Be careful of the things you allow to become normal” really struck home. When I first moved to Toronto I would phone for an ambulance when I can across someone passed out on the street. Now I walk by. Verbal abuse by emergency services personal for wasting their time with drunks, complaints from those passing by of wasting tax payer money and a growing callousness of spirit have convinced me that it is okay to pass by those in need. Their problems have become normal and therefore I have diminished.

McInnis’ statement changed the way I moved through the ON COOP conference and still haunts me. In addition to those I now walk past on the streets of Toronto, what other problems, both big and small, have I dismissed as normal, as just the way things are? Do I accept unfair corporate practices, products from low wage sources, too much packaging with the goods I buy—the lists of problems in the world I once spoke out strongly on seems long. Is it my age that has quieted me or am I merely a reflection of the age I live in?

And yet, in the midst of all things that I have become quiet on, that I have let slide, I find that co-operatives still inspire me. There is something in the entire co-operative movement that I find cannot be made normal, mundane or easy to overlook. There are problems with individuals, but the co-operative movement and the many structures and expressions that co-operatives have continue to challenge and inspire me.

It is only at such a gathering of the broader co-op sector that I have the opportunity to meet with anarchists involved with bicycle networks and food buying clubs, socialists from small local worker co-ops and executives of major insurance and financial institutions coming together to share experiences, skills and idealism, being motivated by the same set of principles. The world around me works hard to convince me that there is no real interest in individuals coming together to share their resources to meet common needs—we are either atomised or collectivised. But in the co-operative world I am reminded to stop treating as normal the competitive, divisive normative world and see that there is a concrete and realistic alternative that can put food on our tables, clothes on our back and roofs over our heads, offers meaningful work and move through the competitive marketplace with confidence that different values do work in the harsh environment of the capitalist marketplace.

The co-op world is small. I had someone come up to me to say “I must be Sandra’s brother. I have a family resemblance”. As she was from a co-op from my home town, that was indeed a good assumption. I got to renew acquaintances there with people I met in the back of paddy wagons at demonstrations in the 1980s and those whose requests for equity finance I reviewed in the last twelve months. We came together to look at the future of the co-operative movement, to look at the role of education in co-operative governance, how to finance co-op start-ups and to reach into our personal pockets to support training for the next generation of co-op leaders. We ate cheese from a co-op dairy, drank fair trade coffee from a co-op distributer and took part in a silent auction for wine from a co-op vineyard. An example of a successful alternative economic model easy to overlook in a grocery store—the Gay Lea Dairy co-op comes to mind—became the norm. A better world is possible because it is already with us; we just need to remember this when the broader world seems overwhelming in its simplicity.

I ended up leaving before the dinner/gala—age and lack of sleep taking a toll so I didn’t get to see people I know honoured by a movement I care so much about. But I did have a chance to reweave myself into the co-operative community, even if I didn’t last into the night.

I left feeling humbled by the movement that has let me in and helps give my life shape and meaning. Co-ops by existing make the world a better place to be and I continue to try and spread the co-op message.

I also left wondering about what I am not seeing in the world, what I am treating as normal. The broader world doesn’t see co-ops in its midst. I have learned to treat homelessness as normal. I turn away from those with outstretched hands. I don’t see the hands of the prison labourers in the factories where the goods at the bargain store are made. I don’t hear the voices of the children farm labourers when I reach for a chocolate bar. The normal world I walk through does have the structures of the better world woven through it that I rarely see. The normal world I walk through does have the vulnerable and exploited woven through it that I rarely see.

I’M AN ELITE—I NEED MY PAYCHEQUE

During the recent municipal elections in Toronto a number of right wing candidates attacked as being elitist those that support unions and environmental issues, who oppose homophobia, who advocate for inclusive neighbourhoods that include affordable housing and, in general, can be described as progressive. I’m one of these people.

 

As a further sign of being an elitist, if my politics weren’t enough, I also need to work for a living. Being able to give away a salary of $100,000 is just not something I can easily comprehend. However, it seems from a right wing populist perspective being able to give away a salary earned by working for the people of Toronto as a city councillor doesn’t make one part of the elite, as the newly elected anti-elitist Doug Ford plans to do.

 

One of the great reform movements of the 19th century in England was the Chartist movement. It pushed for radical democratic reforms, including the very radical idea of “Payment of members, thus enabling an honest tradesman, working man, or other person, to serve a constituency, when taken from his business to attend to the interests of the Country.” Paying the salaries of elected officials meant that holding a position was no longer restricted to those of wealth, but were opened to those who were dependent on their own efforts to earn a living.

 

Doug Ford’s actions seem to be a part of an ongoing effort by right wing populists to undermine generations of initiatives that help to hold politicians accountable to the electorate and to encourage true grassroots initiatives, efforts that range from attacks on electoral financing reform that attempt to level the playing field for those seeking office to inspiring nimbyism in efforts to undermine progressive officials to attack ads that inflame social divisions. It is a new direction in our local politics and is frightening. It mirrors the successful attack on the national coalition supported by the majority of MPs but undermined by Harper and the Governor-General of the time.   As a member of the elite (i.e. idealist working class, faith-based activist), I fear that we are facing even darker times than during the Harris years.

 

 

THOUGHTS ON THE 2010 ONPHA CONFERENCE

The Ontario Non-profit Housing Association is an odd organisation. It brings together government housing providers, large non-profits and small non-profits to share ideas, expertise and experience. It is not political in the partisan sense or the movement sense, but it by its existence it serves as a strong statement that there is a large body of people in Ontario who strongly and passionately support the ideal of safe, affordable housing for all.

In some ways ONPHA is more grassroots and inclusive than the co-operative housing movement. Here tenants of community housing, directors of small rural housing providers and senior staff of major urban NGOs can be found. There are people with current experience of deep poverty and substandard housing and people who have come from backgrounds of priviledge who seek to do something positive in the world. Because of who lives in social housing in urban areas participants do come from a more diverse background in terms of religion, place of origin, ethnic background and cultural roots that one usually sees at a co-op housing gathering. This is exciting in many ways, not the least of which is having assumptions of who lives in social housing challenged.

It other ways it is less grass roots. The entire business meeting—from election of officers to dealing with resolutions to hearing from a politician to approving of the audit is a one and one-half hour session on Sunday morning. The connection between governance and direct membership involvement is very weak. And yet (and with ONPHA there is always a yet) there does seem to be a constant flow of ideas and information to the board and staff of ONPHA—transformation by osmosis rather than arising from public and spirited debate.

There are always a wide range of workshops at ONPHA, more than most conferences I attend. From courses on elevator safety and maintenance to using small claims courts to examining relevant legislation to social enterprise in rural areas to senior’s fitness to social housing as a career, I was impressed at the diversity of courses which helps encourage greater and broader participation in the ONPHA world.

I feel less at home in the ONPHA world than the co-op world. In co-ops, even in non-profit housing co-operatives, one deals ultimately with idealist owners. Members of housing co-ops are owners of the company which provides the housing they live in. Those involved with non-profits are either users or providers—no matter how idealistic or personally connected the person is the level of commitment and responsibility is not of the same nature in non-profit housing that it is in co-operative housing. I serve on the board of a non-profit (St. Clare’s Multifaith Housing Society) that I am proud to serve on. But it has not, and could not, become part of my self-identify that being a part of the co-op housing movement has. St. Clare’s provides very necessary affordable housing, but it is done for others, bringing together skills and funding from different sources. Don Area Co-op, where I live, provides necessary housing for others and for myself, and we share our resources to do so. The worlds are similar; the impact on society is different.

SUGGESTIONS FOR DONATIONS DURING ADVENT

Advent, the period leading up to Christmas, is often a time of giving.  It is a way of honouring the creator by sharing what we have with others within creation.  In the event that people have money to spare and are interesting in suggestions of organisations that could use your gifts, I have the following suggestions.   I am current or past director of all of these organisations.

1. St. Clare’s Multifaith Housing Society
138 Pears Ave. #801
, Toronto, Ontario
  M5R 3K6

St. Clare’s is in its eleventh year, providing affordable housing to people, most of whom come as a result of referrals from agencies working directly with the homeless, marginalized and difficult to house. St. Clare’s grew out of Toronto Action for Social Change, which organised a number of creative protests during the Harris years. More information can be found at: http://stclares.ca/

2. FoodShare Toronto
90 Croatia Street, Toronto, ON M6H 1K9

From the good food box programme to community gardening to advocating for sustainable food policies, FoodShare works hard to make sure that social justice includes what is on the table. More information can be found at: http://www.foodshare.net/

3. Rooftops Canada
720 Spadina Avenue, Suite 313, Toronto, Ontario M5S 2T9

Rooftops Canada works with overseas partners in countries from the Baltic Sea to Zimbabwe to “improve housing conditions, build sustainable communities and develop a shared vision of equitable global development. “ More information can be found at: http://www.rooftops.ca/

4. Student Christian Movement of Canada
310 Danforth Ave., 
Toronto ON M4K 1N6

The SCM has a long history of being an inclusive faith-based voice for positive radical social change university campuses. From responding to homelessness to the Queer and Christian Without Contradiction initiative, the SCM continues to link reflection with action. More information can be found at: http://scmcanada.org/

5. Elizabeth Fry Society
215 Wellesley Street E.
, Toronto ON M4X 1G1

The Elizabeth Fry Society provides effective support for women involved with the criminal justice system. From transitional housing to jail support, E Fry makes a difference in the lives of women in conflict with the law. More information can be found at: http://efrytoronto.org/

6. CHFT Charitable Fund
658 Danforth Avenue, Suite 306
Toronto, ON, M4J 5B9

The CHFT Charitable Fund is a project of the Co-operative Housing Federation of Toronto. Its programmes range from diversity scholarships to support for the Green Roof initiative at Hugh Garner Housing Co-operative. More information can be found at: http://www.coophousing.com/charitable/charitable_mission.asp

Notes for A More Coherent President’s Remarks—2010 CAIC AGM

Canadian Alternative Investment Co-operative

Annual General Meeting, Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Over the course of a year I attend large numbers of meetings, conferences and workshops. Recently I attended a workshop on Social Enterprise in Rural Communities at the 2010 ONPHA conference.  It was a gathering of people from areas where the social infrastructure from schools to post offices have disappeared, local jobs are scarce and services such as internet access are often impossible to find. What they do have are dreams and a history of working together. They dream of women’s shelters, home based businesses, satellite based internet cafes—and they work hard to bring their visions to life. What they often lack is financial support. And it is here that CAIC’s dream intersects theirs for we have come together to share our resources to help bring to life such transformative visions.

CAIC itself is in the process of transformation. Some of the changes are ones common to any dynamic organisation. We have added new voices to our advisory committee—Paul Connolly and Andre Schroer, who join Karen Knopf, Ted Hyland and Paul Plecash in providing expert advise on projects CAIC has been asked to support and without them the quality of our decision making would suffer.

Work continues on getting the word out about CAIC. Beth has participated on panels and as a workshop leader at ON Co-op, the Ontario Association of Food Banks and Social Exchange. Beth and Valerie have used websites and blogs such as socialfinance.ca to share information and ideas. They’ve visited with members of CAIC, most recently the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peterborough, share with our members and their communities the work of CAIC and the change in the world that occurs because they share their wealth with others.

CAIC’s loans have gone out to new organisations and to renewed requests for help. Elizabeth Fry, Life*Spin, Toronto Brigantine, Centre for Social Innovation, John Bruce Village Co-operative, Nishnabe Homes, Carmelina’s Home-Mater Dei, Quebec City Community Loan Fund; L’arche Hamilton/The Ark…from affordable housing to community economic development, the wealth of our members is in the world helping to ringing into life our shared vision of a more just, compassionate and inclusive society. Our current and historic work has created a strong foundation for the future.

CAIC continues to be blessed with excellent staff—Beth Coates and Valerie Lemieux. From helping perspective applicants through the process of applying for a CAIC loan to board support, our staff are vital to the work of our co-operative venture.

The organisation is well served by dedicated and knowledgeable directors. Rev. Paul Hansen, Sr. Doryne Kirby, Arlen Kubiak and Don Middleton have brought together passion for social justice, a keen eye when examining financial statements and a diversity of life experiences as the lenses through which applications for funding are examined. Together with our advisors and staff they successfully carry out the visions of our founders who came together over a quarter century ago.

CAIC, primarily represented by Beth, continues to take part in discussions with other organisations as a leader and initiator of social investing, watching the world catch up with what we’ve been doing for over a generation. This is exciting to see.

CAIC is in the process of rebirth. We have initiated the Canadian Alternative Investment Foundation, details of which you will hear elsewhere in the meeting. We are always looking for new initiatives to support and for new member organisations, Canadian charities that share our values and wish to share in our work and new ways of building on the strong foundation the Canadian Alternative Investment Co-operative has created.

Finally, on behalf of the board, staff and advisors of CAIC, a heartfelt thanks to the member of this unique co-operative. Our world is a better place because your communities have come together to work in the world, sharing wealth and dreams in practical and idealistic ways. From community based businesses to shelters for abused women, CAIC’s members make a sustained and substantial difference in the society we live in. Thank you for your commitment for social justice and for the chance to serve you in this wonderful mission.

Notes for a More Coherent Sermon—Feast of St. Stephen/Sunday within the Octave of Christmas

St. Andrew’s Old Roman Catholic Church
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Meeting Room, 138 Pears Ave., Toronto
11:00 a.m.

Galatians 4: 1 – 7

Now I say that the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all; But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father. Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world: But when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, “Abba, Father.“ Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.

Matthew 1: 18 – 25

Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily. But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a dream, saying, ‘Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. “

Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, “Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.

Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife: And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS.

Sermon Proper Begins

The party is over. We’ve celebrated the new year of the Christian faith and rejoiced in the birth of Jesus, now a day old and 2013 years old. We’ll soon finish cleaning up our place, remembering what we’ve just experienced and are already beginning to work on the next celebration. We are a people of ritual and tradition and also a people looking for something new and exciting. New born infants bring out this in all of us—we have family or community traditions that guide us in the ways we raise our children and we all want the best possible world for them, even if it means sacrifice and struggle. We change in the way we live in the world when we are in the presence of a baby.

Since the birth in the stable in Bethlehem we have been in the presence of the baby Jesus. We have been in a world where God came among us, and continues to come among us, as one of us in a fragile and dependent baby. And we know most of the story of how his life turned out—fleeing as a refugee into Egypt, working in his father’s carpenters shop with his brothers, studying and arguing with the religious leaders of his time, engaging in an active ministry, executed by the occupying forces of his land, his resurrection and temporary departure from us. We don’t know the rest of his story, we don’t know when he will return to be among us—but we do have confidence that he will return.

And we know what it is like to have a baby among us. We nurture them, we care for them, we clean up their messes and look for ways to comfort them. We carry them, make them laugh, protect them from the elements and try to be better people than we might otherwise be. We provide for all their needs through our labour and in return we are rewarded with a smile. Perfection is never achieved, but we do try to be a model for our children in how they should behave.

 

Jesus was with us in Bethlehem and is with us in Toronto, was with us in 4 BC and is with us in 2010 AD. We are eternally in the presence of the divine infant. And we have responsibilities for the infant. We are to care for his inheritance—all of creation. To harm it, to waste it, is to take way from what is being held in stewardship for him. We aren’t to leave a wasteland for the divine infant, but a cared for world.

We need to be able to let the divine infant walk safely out our door. Walking in the neighbourhood shouldn’t be a journey of fear. The world the infant Jesus, like all infants, should be one where children don’t learn to hate one other, don’t view violence as normal, don’t come to accept anger and bitterness and fear as just a normal part of life. Caring for the social world our children walk through is caring for the social world in which the infant Jesus is to be nurtured. We aren’t to leave a battlefield for the divine infant, but build together the shalom kingdom.

The spiritual life of the infant Jesus is also to be nurtured. The faith experience of every child should be one of a welcome into the presence of God—exclusion of anyone in the name of God is harmful to the spiritual life of everyone. There is evil in the view that race or nationality or gender or sexual orientation somehow excludes people from the grace and love of God. We are all children of God, all part of God’s family. Teaching children that some children are more welcomed than others is wrong for our children, our faith and for ourselves. We want children to be welcomed in the faith community, to have a healthy and open relationship with the divine. We wouldn’t want Jesus to be separated from his father; why would we seek to separate others from their divine Father?

In the Christmas Eve service at St. James Cathedral Dean Douglas Stout reminded us that one of the gifts of Christmas is permission to have fun, to have joy in life. This is a gift for all of God’s children—you and I and Jesus. But this is a hard gift to make real. When a member of our family suffers, we hurt. We particularly hurt when the suffering is due to something we could have done or should not have done. We know that Jesus weeps—he weeps for the hungry and the sick and imprisoned and lonely and weeps harder when His brothers and sisters are responsible for the suffering or could have done something to end the suffering but chose not to act. For Jesus to laugh with us we need to make sure that there are conditions in life worthy of joy—the new home for the homeless; the sanctuary for the refugee; the turning of weapons into tools; weddings and dances and community barbeques; creating the conditions for our children to enjoy life also creates the conditions for Jesus to feel welcomed and cared for in creation. We need to give presents of toys and games in the midst of love and compassion and active hope for a better world for all children, including the infant in Bethlehem.

 

In the liturgical calendar December 26th is the feast day of St. Stephen—the first martyr of our faith. His was a calling to active service to others, providing relief and support to the poorer members of the early Christian community. He was stoned to death because his work was seen as a threat to the dominate order by a mob lead by Saul of Tarsus. We know Saul better as the apostle Paul—he changed his name with his conversion. Stephen could have changed his ways, but chose not to. He continued to care for others in his community, to life in peaceful opposition to a society that had become rigid, that had little room for the widows and orphans and sojourners in the land—an opposition based on the desire to live in harmony with the example of Jesus, caring for all the children of God even if some children wanted all the good things for themselves.

We celebrate Stephen’s life and honour his memory best by continuing his work, to not let the pressures of the world stop us from being there for others. We can be an example for others by being true to our calling to love one another—expressed in our homes, in our neighbourhood, in our workplaces and in all the ebb and flow of interactions with others. We should celebrate with our friends and family, we should treat all of creation with respect, we should help the vulnerable around us, we should open to the inspiration of God in our lives, we should accept and give what is needed to be fully human, to strive to ensure that God’s love and compassion is real and active around the world in the lives of those most close to us and in the lives of those we may never be aware of but are equally beloved by God. It is a tight squeeze, but all of us are in the stable in Bethlehem with our baby brother with our love and commitment to his happiness being our true gift, all of us aware that the best chance of Jesus’ happiness is if the world he is in is one where happiness is within reach of all.

Notes for a More Coherent Sermon—2nd Sunday after Christmas

Sunday, January 2, 2010
Meeting Room, 138 Pears Ave., Toronto
11:00 a.m.

FIRST LESSON: Isaiah 9: 2 – 7

The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined. Thou hast multiplied the nation, and not increased the joy: they joy before thee according to the joy in harvest, and as men rejoice when they divide the spoil. For thou hast broken the yoke of his burden, and the staff of his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, as in the day of Midian. For every battle of the warrior is with confused noise, and garments rolled in blood; but this shall be with burning and fuel of fire. For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.

GOSPEL OF THE DAY: Luke 2: 15 – 21

And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, “Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.”
And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.
But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.
And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them. And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name was called JESUS, which was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb.

Sermon Proper Begins

A zoo is wonderful place—an opportunity to see examples of the diversity of creation that one rarely or never sees elsewhere. Late last week we visited the Toronto Zoo, spending time observing Komodo dragons, snow leopards, sea anenomies, emerald tree boas, African lung fish, pigmy marmosets, river otters and other exotic examples of life on earth. Some are rare, in danger of extinction due to human activity. Others are common, finding ways to adapt to the human impact on the world around us. But all the animals on display play a role in creation, are a part of the web of life we share in. Causing harm to the world causes harm to those that share in it and we are lessened, both as individuals and as humanity as whole when others on the planet become endangered or extinct. Our actions, as humanity, have resulted in the extinction of over 500 species—a very poor showing for the stewards of creation. Most of these extinctions have occurred since the birth of Christ. God’s concrete presence within creation has not yet resulted in a world focused on peace, justice and integrity of creation.

Today we gather to remember the circumcision and naming of Jesus, the formal welcoming of our divine brother into our family. We are being asked to acknowledge and celebrate his unique identity and to confirm that he shares in our communal inheritance. We are promising that we will be there to be a part of his life as he grows up and to ensure that his shared inheritance is there for him to partake in as he matures. Just as the communal vows in our baptism services bind us to sharing in the joyful work of helping to build a faithful community for, and the desire to live faithfully in, the baptised member of our community so to do the communal vows made when Jesus was named bind us to work to ensure that the Prince of Peace is welcomed among us and the world in which he is present is one where all life is truly valued. We should not be showing with pride to the infant messiah a battlefield or a jungle clear-cut, trying to dignify our communal failures with misleading stories of valour or economic miracles.

The natural world isn’t a gentle place—the komodo dragon is a dangerous predator; chimpanzees go to war; cuckoo birds through the eggs of other species out of their nests and replace them with their own. But nature is a balanced place—there is a cycle of life and death, of transformation and restoration that humanity can easily distort. Instead of the creation that was a gift to all, there is the ongoing danger that human actions will permanently damage the world we were given to care for on behalf of the infant we welcome into our midst today.

We have barely begun 2011 just as we have barely begun to comprehend the miracle of God among us. Whether the sky is grey or sunny, whether the shepherds are coming in or going back to their fields, the world around is changing in large and small ways. Not much is required of us as we are told in the words of Micah “ “What does the Lord require of you, Israel?” What are you supposed to do to live faithfully with your God? Do justice, love mercy, walk humbly with your God. “ In doing so we will care for the creation that Jesus came into, will care for one another as children of God, will find a way to live in a positive relation with God.

Around us are opportunities to look at the world slightly differently—we can go to the zoo to be reminded of the diversity of life on earth; we can go to an art gallery to see the many ways creativity is given expression; we can go to a historical house to see how people’s daily lives differed from ours; we can spend some time talking to a panhandler sitting outside in all kinds of weather; we can visit City Hall during a council meeting to see how various angry and partisan voices can suddenly come to agreement. We have abundant opportunities to learn more about the world we are a part of, becoming as open as the infant Jesus had to be in order to take in everything to make sense of the newness of the world around him. We have many chances to see how we can care for those in Jesus’ family and to find ways of sustaining the physical world that Jesus has been a part of since the beginning. All we have to do is what Jesus must have done in the stable at Bethlehem—reach out in wonder and grasp what we find.

Reflections on Faith and Social Investing

Proverbs:  11:24:

Some give freely, yet grow all the richer; others withhold what is due, and only suffer want.

Proverbs 19:18:

Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and will be repaid in full.

Acts 4:32-35:

All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had.With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all that there were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need.

There is a long history in the faith community of using what we have been given for the benefit of others, the sharing of which brings benefits both to the giver and the receiver.  This weaving together a social network of shared responsibility and mutual obligations helps to ensure all have access to the gifts of creation and benefit from effective stewardship.  A self-centred approach to resource management, which is what the above scripture passages are dealing with, creates karenartificial social divisions and is a wasteful approach to using the gifts granted to us, gifts given with the expectation that we would not use them for limited, selfish ends.   The resources we have to offer may be raw materials, time, skill, money or common humanity but we are expected to offer what we have for the benefit of others and be willing to accept such offerings when we need them.

We are expected to show some wisdom in what we do with our gifts.  If we sell something, there is an obligation to ensure that what we sell isn’t used to harm others.  We may sell children’s toys to raise money for the homeless, but if the toys are painted with a lead based paint, our effort to raise money to meet the needs of others will create long term harm.  Our efforts to do good should be in harmony with our desire to build a better world for all those who share in creation, not cause harm to some in order to benefit others.

I am surprised to have ended up with a stewardship role within a number of organisations who need revenue from investments but also want to use such investments to provide positive social transformation.    There is a need for money for pension plans, to have staff to meet the needs of users of the service, to directly relieve poverty.  But there is an equally strong desire to have investments support fair labour practices, strengthen communities,  encourage sustainable resource extraction policies and help encourage economic development that meets human needs.   The earliest Christian communities practiced this ideal; the Jewish world in which it was nurtured had such a vision woven throughout its scriptures.

In using our shared resources in ways to benefit others as well as to ensure that our resources are themselves sustained we join in the work that the earliest apostles did of pooling resources and sharing what they had with all according to their need.   There wasn’t a miraculous social healing occurring or even promised to those gathered in Jerusalem, but communal responsibility for the well being of all was clearly an expectation of the faith community, and a responsibility especially lived out by those entrusted with the resources of the community as a whole.

Social investing directed to meeting human needs is truly in the spirit of the earliest Christians.  It leads to healthy food being more readily available, for housing to be build for the homeless, for employment opportunities for the marginalised, for havens for victims of violence—it meets human needs in some of the most direct ways possible.   It can only occur with the sharing of resources from many sources.

The surplus resources of a single congregation doesn’t have the same impact in the world as the combined resources of a multitude that have a shared vision.

This work isn’t limited to the Christian community.  There are those from other faiths and from secular backgrounds that are passionately committed to making a real difference in the world, demanding that their wealth be used in ways in harmony with their values.   However it is to me a key requirement of the Christian faith, something that determines if one is truly committed to a faithful life, that one’s resources are used to build up the shalom kingdom.

The wealth we gain is tainted by the world around us.   Profits come about from extracting surplus value from those who labour.   Manufacturing most products leaves a permanent scar on the planet.   What we gain from our connections to the world as it is should be used to build the world as it was intended.   We don’t eliminate our communal guilt, but we can transform it into a joyous responsibility that brings us closer to the divine.

Notes for a More Coherent Sermon—Reflections on Romans 13

NOTES FOR A MORE COHERENT SERMON:

11:00 a.m., January 30, 2011

St. Andrew’s Old Roman Catholic Church

138 Pears Ave. Meeting Room

Toronto, Ontario

FIRST LESSON

Romans 13: 1 – 7

Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.  Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.  For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same:

For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil. Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake.  For for this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God’s ministers, attending continually upon this very thing.  Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.

GOSPEL OF THE DAY:

Mark 4: 35 – 41

And the same day, when the even was come, he saith unto them, “Let us pass over unto the other side. “

And when they had sent away the multitude, they took him even as he was in the ship. And there were also with him other little ships.  And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full.  And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, “Master, carest thou not that we perish? “

And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, “Peace, be still.” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.  And he said unto them, “Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith? “

And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, “What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”

SERMON PROPER BEGINS

I spent much of the 80s and early 90s involved in prison chaplaincy.  It was an opportunity for real ministry in a complex setting, watching a few lives truly be transformed while sustaining hope in a place where many were wounded by their experiences.

During a bible study at the Don Jail that included today’s epistle one inmate remarked “That’s a parole board speech”.  When asked to clarify, he brought up the fact that Paul went out afterwards and defied the law by continuing to preach the gospel.   I haven’t thought of the passage the same way since.  I also learned that scripture interpretation truly depends on the experience of the listener.  Having never been in front of, or served on, a parole board, it would never have occurred to me to understanding scripture from the point of view of someone who was trapped inside a legal system and eager to please those in authority in order to regain their freedom.

This passage from Romans is often used to justify pietism, keeping faith separate from the public sphere and keeping silent even in the face of unjust laws and practices.  If taken literally and on its own, it undermines much of the gospel and even Paul’s own writings.  It seems to contain some of the spirit of Jesus’ admonition:  Render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s, and unto God the things that are God’s” (“Ἀπόδοτε οὖν τὰ Καίσαρος Καίσαρι καὶ τὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ τῷ Θεῷ”) (Matthew 22:21) but omits the responsibility of the believer to act faithfully in obedience to God’s desire to build the peaceful kingdom, renewing the spirit that abounded at the moment of the earth’s creation.

Most rules of a society are one’s that don’t contract the obligations of a faithful life—both scripture and the criminal code condemn killing and stealing.    But there are times where there is a contradiction between living a faithful life and obeying the laws of a given society.  Paul is clear on this.  He did not throw rocks at Roman soldiers, he did not kill collaborators with Rome, he did not renounce his Roman citizenship.  But he did preach the gospel, he encouraged Christian communities to care for one another, he encouraged individuals to hold fast to the faith even in the face of persecution.   He did encourage patience and good public behaviour, indeed urged people (Acts 14:13) to act in the best possible way when he said “Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification. “  He expected Christians to be good neighbours, good citizens and good friends—but not stop being Christian even if by doing so one becomes shunned, harassed, imprisoned and martyred.

So knowing this, knowing that Paul himself didn’t put aside his commitment to a faithful life when the rulers of the land demanded otherwise, what do we make of the passage from Romans?  Do we discard it as meaningless because it contradicts other passages?  Do we treat it as literal truth, divine guidance that must be followed?  Do we try to find the wisdom in the passage even if we have to work through contradictions and inconsistencies?

As someone who is a graduate of the Toronto School of Theology my bias is towards the third approach—to work through the passage, to try and make sense of it through my own experiences and reflecting on other scripture passages that deal with the problem of being both a person of faith and a citizen of a country.

Like the inmate at the Don Jail, I find the passage familiar and now, thanks to his comments, can place it into a context. Paul’s life was a difficult one, one of deep commitment first to militant Judaism and then to militant Christianity.  He struggled to help diverse strains in the Christian community come together.  People were dying as a result of their conversion to Christianity—an awesome responsibility.

And in the midst of this Paul ended up in court—which even to someone jailed for one’s belief is a an intimidating and frightening experience.  One wrong word or action and freedom can disappear.  A different word or action and someone who is expected to be jailed walks free.   Having had my own share of encounters with the criminal justice system as an activist, I am sure Paul also had the internal argument about what happens if he is jailed—would the movement be harmed more by his being jailed than it would be encouraged by his willingness to share in the experiences of the imprisoned.  If he truly believed that being imprisoned would hurt the community, they he would feel an obligation to do what was needed to be released.  He would have in mind Jesus’ admonition (Matthew 10:16):  “Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.”  Making a statement that contained both good advice and a mollification of those with power over him must have made sense to Paul.

His advice, generally, makes sense—don’t do things that are wrong; be afraid of those with power; God works through all types of human agents; honour and respect are due to many so remember to treat others properly.  And it does have an interesting possible twist—rulers have authority from God to what is right.  Would it not follow, then, that rulers who do wrong have renounced their authority and therefore no longer properly govern?  A follower of Gamaliel could certainly reach such a conclusion from Paul’s teaching—and Paul was a prize pupil of him.  Suddenly we face a passage with a different possibility—instead of a call for blind obedience we are offered a way to understand the limits of the authority of government.  Only when leaders behave properly, when the seek to build a just, peaceful, compassionate society, are they good rulers.  Ordering someone to act unjustly would indicate that the gift of governing has been withdrawn.  Reflecting on the passage leads to different understanding, new possibilities, ways to keep the wisdom of Paul alive in different times.

I often miss prison chaplaincy work.  I found inmates, once the testing of a new chaplain was over, to be very honest and direct in their dealings with me.  I ended such work when I was offered a different challenge, an offer than came when I had reached the conclusion that I may not be able to be a presence of hope and transformation for those inside.   But inmates did permanently open up my approach to scripture.  Paul’s parole board speech ceased to be a barrier to approaching scripture, but a passage to a deeper understanding of the way God’s message is expressed in concrete ways by people faced with crisis in their lives, in their faith, in their community, in their world.

Remembering David Maltby

Watching the news from Egypt has brought back memories of David Maltby.  The following is what I wrote for his memorial.  It appeared in Xtra.

David Barker Maltby (November 12, 1962 – May 17, 2001), a Toronto photographer and activist, died in May of meningitis at the age of 38.

THOUGHTS ON THE LIFE OF DAVID MALTBY
By Brian Burch

David is no longer with us and I feel diminished. Yet, I have no strong memory of him — only of his motions among us.

David was the presence, the calm in the eye of the storm that observed us. He stood with a camera, unmoving while police and protestors blended together — he was the constant; we were the forces in transition.

David was the different one among us. He was the gentle in “Gentle, Angry People”. We were the perpetually angry ones, motivated by rage. David was the outsider, motivated by love.

David was the liberator, freeing us from the bugs in amber image we all too often mould around ourselves. In photographs and words, David made our experiences into a widening spiral, opening up all the possibilities of our movements through time.

David was the clown to our mime, pulling joy from the least opportunity, splashing the sombre with fountain sprays. He would not let anyone avoid the consequences of self-indulgence, pulling us into the surf and pelting us with lilacs.

David was the revolutionary to our dissent, hearing Emma Goldman’s “If I can’t dance, its not my revolution” when process became key. Where we build frames he blended images, and where we learned rigidity he learned from the wind.

Notes for a More Coherent Sermon—Lent 1

Notes for a More Coherent Sermon                                                                                                                                                      Sunday, March 13, 2011
Meeting Room, 138 Pears Ave., Toronto
11:00 a.m.

FIRST LESSON

2 Corinthians 6: 1 – 10

We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain. (For he saith, “I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.”) Giving no offence in any thing, that the ministry be not blamed: But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings; by pureness, by knowledge, by long suffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned, by the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left, By honour and dishonour, by evil report and good report: as deceivers, and yet true; as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and, behold, we live; as chastened, and not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.

GOSPEL OF THE DAY:

Matthew 4: 1 – 10

Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.  And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungered.

And when the tempter came to him, he said, “If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.”

But he answered and said, “It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.”

Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple, and saith unto him, “If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.”

Jesus said unto him, “It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.”

Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; and saith unto him, “All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.”

Then saith Jesus unto him, “Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.”

Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.

SERMON PROPER BEGINS

The church calendar has brought us to a new season—a time of reflection and contemplation. We are being encouraged to look at ourselves and our own long faith journeys. But Lent isn’t only a time of thought; it is a time when we are encouraged to make an effort to change the way we live in the world, to put aside the habits and rituals that weigh us down and interfere in our relationships with God and with one another. In the language of the intellectual world of my youth, Lent is Praxis time—we act in the world, take to time learn from our actions and then reengage in the world with renewed understanding. The seasons of the church year lead us through this process and most clearly during Lent.

One specific Lenten tradition is fasting—putting aside for 40 days drinking or chocolate, watching television, surfing the internet, evening meetings—putting aside behaviour and practices that have become dominant in one’s life, liberating one’s self from self imposed chains. It is not a time for proud exhortations and public displays of piety, but quiet steps towards a freer, more joyful life for ourselves and for all who share in creation.

For us, fasting has a social and political component. On a personal level, we seek to cease being dominated by the barriers we have raised between us and a good life. On a communal level, we seek to bring down the barriers that others have in their ability to live a rich and full life. Our fasting includes feeding the hungry and sheltering the homeless as well as changing personal habits. It is a faith practice that changes our personal lives and the quality of life for everyone.
Even on a quiet and personal note, our fasting can lead to a new life for others. If we give up chocolate, for example, during Lent we could spend time reflecting on the source of chocolate, on the quality of life of those that produce the commodity. When Lent is over, we might then start eating chocolate again but this time only fair trade chocolate. During Lent we can prove to ourselves that the world doesn’t have complete power over us and devote time to consider what impact on the world on faith could and should have.

The gospel today challenges us to listen to the voices around us that offer us good things in return for renouncing our freedom, through turning away from our relationship with God. The world offers us easy solutions, from credit cards to Facebook friends, to address personal problems and to lead us away from a truly liberating life. The temptations Jesus faced—to exploit the natural world for personal gain, to tempt fate, to gain power over others rather build community—are not temptations foreign to us. We don’t face them in the midst of a 40 day vision quest, but in the midst of our daily lives. Temptations to take the easy way abound. We are often challenged to do things that distract us from building a better life for ourselves and for others. Our divine GPS unit shows us where to go, but we get prompts to try a different way that distracts us from our desired destination.

The global Christian community is walking from Bethlehem to Calvary. We are learning about the nature of the world our creator intends us to have; we are being exposed to doubt and temptation and selfless love and unending generosity. It is a hard journey, with a cruel end. It is also a peaceful journey filled with hope and abundant possibilities.

We know that the Lenten journey ends at Calvary but we also know that the world begins anew on Easter Monday. This isn’t a time to build a reputation for somber piety but to show in our normal lives that we are a positive presence in the world. It is a time to pay close attention to what is around us, to what we are being tempted to do, while seeking to be open to the possibilities freely offered us by our creator, grace offered without trickery or traps.

We might use the time of Lent to read Thomas Merton’s The Seven Story Mountain, Dorothy Day’s The Long Loneliness, The Little Flowers of St. Francis or Saint John of the Cross’s The Dark Night of the Soul. Lent is a time to learn from others, to think about the way they responded to a call to a faithful life.  By giving up some of the distractions of life, we may finally have the time to think more seriously about faith and the way others have responded to personal spiritual needs and our shared communal responsibilities.

We might also use Lent to practice new ways of living out our faith, experimenting with the practicalities of evangelization by deed. We might finally take part in a weekend prayer retreat or take a poverty plunge, finally start volunteering at a food bank or working with a community literacy agency. We may change to a 100 mile diet or learn to put on a sweater instead of turning up the thermostat. Lent can be time a time to make cookies together with your family instead of continuing to wander aimlessly in every widening and ever fragmenting circles.

We are constantly finding new information, but don’t always take the time to make sense of it. There are always demands on our time, but we rarely take the opportunity to consider how important any demand really is. In Lent we are asked to think more seriously about ourselves and our world and then act upon the results of our reflection. We are to be prepared to move into the light on the far side of Calvary.

SOME THOUGHTS ON THE ONTARIO COALITION AGAINST POVERTY

A few hours ago two people from OCAP were arrested for their part in a public protest in a public space that was an effort to affect public policy.   Had they broken windows?  Thrown Molotov cocktails?   No (although their charges won’t reflect this)…they had raised their voices and spoke as a part of a group rather than waiting in line for their proper and polite turn.

OCAP’s real crime is that they bring into the political process people that would otherwise be marginalized.   To some extent this makes OCAP a conservative movement.  They trust that those with political and economic power will respond to those who are rarely heard if these people come together and engage directly with the political process.

The demands of OCAP are actually fairly limited—access to affordable housing, adequate social benefits for those without jobs and fair treatment for those with jobs, a welcome hand to be offered to the newcomers to our land…hardly radical at all.     Similar visions have been heard in sermons from many faiths and in the election campaigns of politicians across the spectrum.

What makes OCAP dangerous is that the people that come together under its banner truly care about the world and one another.    They want the highest ideals of the western world to be lived out so that people aren’t hungry, aren’t afraid, aren’t alone.    People from OCAP will help find a crib for a young mother one afternoon and confront a growing tendency towards institutionalized selfishness the next morning.

If there is a sign of hope in politically dark times it is within groups like OCAP.  They may not be the core of a political machine but they are remind us and pressure us to never forget those right wing forces want us to turn away from—those on the heating grates and in the shelters and in the soup kitchens and on the picket lines and in immigration holds and other places that continue the spirit of Victorian workhouses in the 21^st century.

THOUGHTS ON THE 2011 ECUMENICAL GOOD FRIDAY SOCIAL JUSTICE STATIONS OF THE CROSS

I was a young activist when I first participated in the Ecumenical Good Friday Social Justice Stations of the Cross. I am now deep in middle age. The social justice world I am a part of has changed in many ways since I first publically claimed a belief in peace and in social and economic justice. Organisations have come and gone; causes moved in and out of fashion. There have been years when I’ve helped organise the event; other years where I shared responsibility for one of the stations; times when I filled in where needed and others when I participated only in spirit. No matter what my level of participation is, the experience of the Good Friday Social Justice Stations of the Cross, the consistent and persistent witness in the streets of Toronto on Good Friday has proven to be a sustaining and renewing part of my life.

This year my involvement in advance of Good Friday was very small. I was asked to circulate the press release to my media contacts. Thus I had some advance knowledge of this year’s theme—Despised and Rejected—and the focuses of most of the stations. The events of the G20 summit in Toronto, the problems of the people of Palestine and injustice in the Canadian criminal justice system dominated the walk this year. I was surprised, given the fact that Good Friday fell on Earth Day, the environment wasn’t woven into this year’s theme. None-the-less this year, like in the past, the organisers did find subjects that easily linked the passion of Christ to the passion and sufferings of the current day.

And, while one never knows the results of sending out releases and PSAs, I was pleased to note that details of Good Friday appeared both in Now Magazine and on the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada’s on-line event calendar. It is rarer now than in my youth for events to be seen to appeal both to the progressive community and the more traditional wing of the Christian faith community. Media rarely covers the social justice Good Friday walk, preferring spectacle to challenging content, but word of the event is spread is certainly spread in advance with their help.

The gathering of people in the sanctuary of the Church of the Holy Trinity was a homecoming of veterans of many ecumenical struggles for peace and justice sprinkled with a leavening of those with new energy and visions. People I knew from the Student Christian Movement, the Catholic Worker, Canadian Alternative Investment Co-operative, Homes Not Bombs, Alliance for Non-violent Action, United Farm Workers….people I was arrested with at anti-Darlington protests in the 1970s and others who currently sit with me on community boards were there to share the memories and dreams of generations of commitment to a better world.

As part of the welcoming to Holy Trinity we were reminded that the sacred space we were in was on the traditional home of the Mississauga First Nations, a clear but unstated reminder that those seeking justice often do so at the expense of those who are dispossessed. The formal beginning of the Stations of the Cross was a weaving together of scripture, prayer and hymns that told the story of Christ’s passion and linked the gospel message to the challenges facing our world today.

People left the sanctuary and walked to the front steps of Old City Hall Courts.  As we neared it I was asked to lead a short responsive prayer at this station, which delighted me. This station, Punishing the Punished, focused on the ideal of restorative justice—an alternative to the traditional justice system that I have long been an advocate for. The major activity at this station was the reading of an excerpt from David S. Craig’s Tough Case by David S. Craig and Emma Prestwich of Roseneath Theatre. The reading was a short dialogue between a worker for a restorative justice programme and the son of a crime victim. While a bit didactic, it raised significant issues around the justice system and who is caught up in it from the perspectives of both victims and offenders.

The walk then progressed to a station at the corner of King and Bay Streets. This station, The G20 in Toronto, had two major responses to the G20 summit held in Toronto last June. There was a reading of a statement from a young man unintentionally caught up in the mass arrests. We heard of arbitrary arrests, dehumanising conditions and the erosion of trust in the police as being there for us. Following this reading there was a long responsive litany focusing on issues that the G20 did not address or resolve during their summit in Toronto. Concerns such as the rights of members of the LGBT communities, women’s right, the degradation of the environment, corporate greed, the rights and needs of various indigenous people, destructive mining practices, victims of civil strife and victims of natural disasters were touched on. Participants were challenged to leave the station to express in practical ways the shared desire for peace, justice and dignity.

The next station was in front of University Ave. Courts. This station, Secret Trials. Who are we protecting? What are we afraid of?, looked at the reality of 5 men who had been imprisoned under security certificates, which permit indefinite detention without charges and based upon secret evidence which neither the accused or their counsel have access to. This station was facilitated by Friends of the Secret Trial 5. Here an outline of the realities faced by the 5 men who had been imprisoned but since released to house arrest on very restrictive conditions was read. A short presentation that illustrated who has access to the information on which the security certificates were issued (judge, crown attorney, special court appointed advocate) and who doesn’t (the accused, their counsel) helped make clear the unfairness of the process within which security certificates are issued.

The next station was back at the Church of the Holy Trinity. Here the theme was Despised and Occupied: Palestinian Human Rights. Co-ordinated by members of the Canadian Interfaith and Intercultural Alliance for Palestinian Human Rights, the focus was on the plight of the Palestinian people, particularly those who lived in Gaza during a 22 day siege. This station included a responsive prayer, with a sung response in Arabic: Yarabba ssalami amater alayn ssalam. Yarabba sslami im la’quluban ssalm. (You, God of peace, send down your peace on our world. You, God of peace, fill our hearts with your peace.)

The final station, also in the sanctuary of Holy Trinity, was primarily a closing litany of commitment. We were reminded that the work of the day continues and, like Christ’s passion, the suffering of the world is there as a challenge to us in our seeking to be faithful presence in the world.
Once the formal Stations of the Cross was over, soup and bread was available for people to share.

I left the gathering feel encouraged and inspired but also feeling more could have been done during the day to show a unique Christian response to the problems of the day. My faith has lead me to pacifism, for example. I’d like to have seen explored in the light of the problems faced by people such as the Palestinians, Egyptians and others who have a long history of dealing with oppressive forces both internally and externally. How should a faith founded by criminals, one of whom refused to have force used in his defence, best respond to the challenges of dealing with security forces? And, given the ongoing crisis of the physical creation, focusing on human institutions rather than our shared impact on the world left a gap in the experiences of the day. I acknowledge that in a few hours it is hard to address all concerns and look at things from every perspective. But although I left the Good Friday walk uplifted and encouraged, I left feeling not quite full.

This walk is always a work in progress. On September 17th there will be a brainstorming meeting starting the work for next year. For details contact egfw@goodfridaywalk.ca.

Notes for a More Coherent Deputation: Bill 140, Strong Communities through Affordable Housing Act, 2011

Background Summary:

Employment:

Co-ordinator, 43^rd Housing Co-operative, Toronto

Executive Director, CoAction Staff Association, Toronto

Volunteer:

President, St. Clare’s Multifaith Housing Society

President, Canadian Alternative Investment Co-operative

Treasurer, Co-operative Housing Federation of Canada, Ontario Region

 

I want to thank the members of this committee for the opportunity to share a few thoughts on the proposed Bill 140.   I am speaking as an individual who has lived in a housing co-operative since 1984 and have devoted decades of my life to working and volunteering in the co-operative and non-profit housing sectors.  In the few minutes I have I’m aware I can only touch on a few areas of concern, the first two of which may echo or reinforce ideas already touched on by other presenters.

I share the concern raised by representatives of The Ontario Non-profit Housing Association and the Co-operative Housing Federation of Canada, Ontario Region, in regards to the need to strengthen provisions for an independent review of disputes between housing providers and local service providers.  There was an arbitration clause in the previous provincial operating agreements which, during the 18 years or so of these programmes, was never used but was there in the event that there was a serious and seemingly irresolvable dispute between parties.  An independent arbitrator, rather than going to court, is a fairer and less costly method of bringing parties together to address problems than is litigation.

I also share the concern raised by representatives of ONPHA and CHFC-Ontario Region that there needs to be strong legislative protection of the existing housing stock.  While attention seems to have been focused on the fear of the future of the Toronto Community Housing Corporation portfolio, I am also concerned that there are individual housing co-operative members who would like to sell their co-operatives at the end of operating agreements either to themselves at below-market rates or in the open market with any surplus revenue generated going to those who were members when the co-operative was wound down.  The existing affordable housing communities need to continue to be a resource for future generations to benefit from and strong legislation needs to be in place to preserve it.  Without it, the risk of significant loss of affordable housing stock is all too real.

I was very pleased to see in the draft legislation a requirement for long term planning to address the problems of homelessness and the lack of decent affordable housing for all.  This is a major step forward and deserves praise and the resources for this to fully unfold.  Funding needed to meet the costs of participating in, and implementing, the development of a local strategy to address multi-faceted housing problems.  Stakeholders need the resources to properly participate in any discussions and the results of such planning need the resources to be brought to life.  Without sufficient finances being in place for meaningful participation in the planning process and for the recommendations to be implemented one of the few truly visionary legislative initiatives I have seen in my lifetime will not succeed.

I was also pleased to note in the proposed legislation the recognition that community based housing, both non-profits and housing co-operatives, are acknowledged as being part of the solution to housing and homelessness in Ontario.  Too often the role of individuals and small groups coming together to share their resources and visions to address social concerns is overlooked.  We get involved in our local initiatives to address the needs we see in our neighbourhoods.  Having our role acknowledged is really important.  In the long term, as resources become available, I hope that true partnerships come about between the province and local grassroots housing initiatives.

My second last comment comes about from my personal experiences living in a federally funded co-operative and co-ordinating a co-op funded under Jobs Ontario (now an SHRA co-op).   There needs to be recognition in place that acknowledges the difference of co-operatives from all other forms of affordable housing.  Federal co-ops have more autonomy in terms of member selection, electing their boards, setting their budget and in long term planning that those governed by provincial legislation and agreements.    Initiatives that are not a significant issue for non-profit providers such as centralized waiting lists or maximum rents/housing charges are issues for many co-operative members.  If non-profit housing co-operatives can’t easily fit into provincial frameworks, perhaps Ontario can do what the federal government has done with co-ops in Ontario that were under their jurisdiction and transfer responsibility for them to the Agency for Co-operative Management.

My final comment is a plea for those who are homeless or marginally housed, who depend on food banks, who are on Ontario Works and would benefit from an extra $100.00 month food allowance, who are here in Ontario and can’t find a permanent job with decent benefits, who are in physical danger in their own homes, who are both visible and invisible in their need.    However the discussions on the way social housing is administered in Ontario is resolved, the reality is that for too many people there is no place they can call home.   We need to remember this reality in our policy discussions and addressing their reality, a reality which could all too easily become our personal reality, needs to be the guiding purpose to the work we are sharing in today.

NOTES FOR A MORE COHERENT HOUSING PANEL PRESENTATION

Notes for Affordable Housing Workshop panel at Canadian Unitarian Council – AGM
Session F4 – Monday, May 23, 2011 – 9:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.
89 Chestnut Residence & Conference Centre
Toronto, Ontario

St. Clare’s Multifaith Housing grew out of Toronto Action for Social Change, seeing in the development of new housing a logical continuation of demanding that society effectively address the problems of poverty and homelessness. Since 1998 we have developed 173 units of affordable housing, have a project of 190 units just beginning occupancy and another 20 unit project expected to have occupancy by labour day.

We work with over 2 dozen organisations that provide referrals from people whose only real commonality is the need for decent and affordable housing. Those we house range from refugees to members of Canada’s first nations, from seniors to homeless youth. Our newest project, at 180 Sudbury, also includes artist live/work studios and a substantial number of market rent units, market being no more than 70% of the CMHC average rents for the area.

We have been the target of sustained opposition to our work—not from immediate neighbours but from people who believe in Not in Anyone’s Back Yard. Indeed, our allies have included neighbours of our projects. We build into our timelines and budgets OMB, Divisional Court and Court of Appeal hearings as opposition to affordable housing is almost inevitable given the mandated expectations of community consultations. The opposition we have faced argued against affordable housing due to claimed impact on existing communities. Jane Jacobs and the strong community movement have much to answer for as the NIMBY movement is strongly influenced by their urban vision. For our conversion projects at 25 Leonard and 138 Pears we established Community Liaison Committees once we obtained funding, an effective way of having our housing initiatives become part of a neighbourhood.

St. Clare’s has received substantive funding from all levels of government for construction and for most of our RGI subsidies. We also depend upon donations, primarily from religious orders and faith communities but also from foundations, corporations, individuals and a few unions. We traditionally have provided at least 10% direct equity financing but our 25 Leonard Phase 2 required substantively more as we drew upon our accumulated equity from 25 Leonard Phase 1 and 138 Pears to help fund the project. On more than one occasion we received loans and bridge financing from The Canadian Alternative Investment Co-operative—which for over 25 years has done social investing for Canadian faith communities. CAIC’s support has been essential for our work.

St. Clare’s does not provide direct support. A condition of receiving RGI funding under the Social Housing Reform Act is that such assistance is to be provided to those who can live independently with appropriate supports. St. Clare’s does not have the resources to provide support. Instead we partner with a number of agencies, co-ordinated through Family Services Toronto, to provide services for their clients who have been referred to St. Clare’s and which also provide programmes for our tenants.

St. Clare’s faces the same challenges as all non-profit housing providers—insufficient revenue to do everything we’d like to do, problems finding new leadership that share our founding vision, a lack of a permanent funded commitment by all levels of government to develop new affordable housing, the ongoing toxic residue of Jane Jacobs and the awareness that whatever we do isn’t enough.

Our success is a surprising one—by the end of this year we will have developed 383 units of affordable housing and we want to build more. We have converted existing buildings and have done new construction. We didn’t know what we were doing when we began but found people, like Jon Harstone, who provided the skills to bring our vision to life. We began demanding that the state build housing and ended up weaving together the resources to build affordable housing at a time when it barely makes it onto political agendas.

THOUGHTS ON THE 2011 CHFC AGM

It has been many years since my first Co-operative Housing Federation of Canada AGM. Meetings have been held from Victoria to St. John’s, with stops in between in Quebec, Ottawa, Toronto, Calgary, London, Montreal, Winnipeg and many other places. I’ve had a change to visit parts of Canada I’d never otherwise see. While not the major reason for me to attend CHFC meetings, this has been a wonderful bonus. I’ve had a change to sample the diversity of the Canadian experience in the company of people committed to the co-operative movement.  This has been a wonderful privilege.

This year’s AGM, a return visit to St. John’s, ended up being the most exhausting one I’ve attended. Close to a week after it ended, I still feel drained.  Perhaps age is catching up to me; perhaps it is withdrawal after being an active part of the leadership of CHF Canada and my return to the daily realities in the grassroots of the movement. I was present at the AGM as a member of CHF Ontario Council, a member of the Resolutions Committee and (due to my position as treasurer of CHF Ontario Council) a less visible role as a member of the CHFC Finance and Audit Committee. I didn’t attend workshops, either as a participant or as a leader, nor did I take a significant role in the debates on the floor of the AGM, both which I missed. It felt, at times, that I was not quite at the same event as most people there—like a ghost or an uninvited guest or the family member at a reunion that people can’t quite remember.

But I did attend meetings—of the Resolutions Committee, a joint CHFC Board/Ontario Council meeting and meetings of Ontario Council. I took part in meetings dealing with difficult process issues and others centred on exciting legislative possibilities. I had the opportunity to share a few words with people with a far longer history of active involvement in the co-op housing movement and with those who only recently joined a housing co-op. Being in the company of those who share a vision of a strong and inclusive co-operative movement reminds me that I am a part of a far larger movement than I sometimes realise.

I was delighted with the election of Michelle Maldonado to the CHF Board as an at-large director. She wasn’t born when I moved into my co-op and is part of successful leadership renewal in the co-op housing movement.

There were disappointments. I am worried about how few resolutions came forward from CHFC members. The AGM should be a place of debate, an opportunity to shape the values and direction of the movement in a hard to duplicate forum. It is a place where concerns expressed in private about policies and programmes should be brought forward. Perhaps few members taking advantage of the AGM to bring forward concerns and dreams is a temporary phenomena, with the distance to St. John’s discouraging participation and major issues already being dealt with through resolutions sponsored by the Board, Ontario Council or various CHFC committees. Perhaps it’s a sign of change in the way activism is expressed, with discussions occurring informally and being acted upon in less obvious ways. Perhaps CHFC is in transition, with direction coming less from a coalition of local activists and more from institutional leadership. Whatever the forces shaping this change, I still find it worrisome.

Related to this is my concern over lack of membership participation. Approximately 1/3rd of the possible membership of CHFC were represented at the AGM. There is concern being expressed at the low turn-out of voters in various federal, provincial and municipal elections. Low participation in the democratic structures of the co-op movement is more of a problem in the long term. It is in the organisations of civil society that democratic values are most effectively expressed. Low rates of participation within an organisation that exists to meet the needs of its members is worrisome. There are some good reasons for lack of participation this year—-specifically cost and distance. But reasons haven’t been truly tested. Next year the AGM is in Niagara Falls, much closer to where the majority of CHFC’s members are. I hope that there is significant growth in member participation, with at least 50% + 1 voting members registered. Efforts to improve various electronic forms of participation is essential in helping weave the organisation together, but something is lost when direct face-to-face interaction is eroded. It is harder to avoid accountability in person.

Few resolutions from CHFC members and smaller than ideal levels of participation don’t make me fearful for the organisation but they do make me concerned that some of the real strengths of the co-operative movement, particularly active member/owner participation in the life of their organisations, is becoming attenuated over time.

It is the non-governance aspects of the AGM that dominate my emotional response to CHF AGM and makes me want to continue to be a part of this movement. There were directors retiring that I’ve work with for years I may never see again. I had a wonderful moment running into a first time delegate who was someone I hadn’t seen since my wedding (27 years ago). There were exSCMers in attendance who, like me, came to the co-op movement as a way of continuing to explore what it means to be a person of faith. There were people present who remembered me from coffee houses and anarchist gatherings and church services and picket lines. There were strangers who talked to me about CHFC finances and others who were excited about the ideals of a co-operative community—the practical commonality of sharing resources to meet individual needs brought us all together.

My last morning at the CHF AGM was spent at an Ontario Council meeting, where I was re-elected treasurer. This puts me automatically on the CHFC Finance and Audit Committee. I have meetings to look forward to and a movement to share skills and visions within.

Notes for a more coherent sermon on Pentecost

NOTES FOR A MORE COHERENT SERMON
11:00 AM., Sunday, June 12, 2011
St. Andrew’s Old Catholic Church
Meeting Room, 138 Pears Ave. (Toronto)

FIRST LESSON: Acts 2:1-11

And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven. Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language. And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, “Behold, are not all these which speak Galileans? And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born? Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia, Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes, Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God.”

GOSPEL OF THE DAY: John 14: 15 – 27
Jesus said unto his disciples, “If ye love me, keep my commandments. And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also. At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you. He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.”

Judas saith unto him, (not Iscariot), “Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world?”

Jesus answered and said unto him, “If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father’s which sent me. These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you. But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. “

SERMON PROPER BEGINS

I don’t always look at things the way that others do. I find hope in odd places, see positive signs in times of darkness. Thinking about Pentecost and the flames from above I took a look again at the words of the old spiritual Oh, Mary Don’t Your Weep, specifically the lines:

“God gave Noah the rainbow sign,
No more water, the fire next time!”

At the time of Noah people had turned away from God, becoming selfish and harsh towards each other, denying a relationship to the divine and other another.  God’s response was to restart everything.   He didn’t give up on humanity, indeed there were people trusted with the renewal of life on earth.

And God also did something new—he entered into a binding agreement with humanity that in the future, no matter what the provocation, would never be the universal target of divine wrath.   Individuals would still be held accountable for their action, but the possibility of collective responsibility was forever ended.

As a sign of this permanent and new relationship, a contractual one between two parties rather than the old relationship which more closely resembled the relationship between owner and property, God created the rainbow.  If God was going to intervene in creation in the future it would be done differently.

God continued to intervene with humanity after the flood.  Prophets were sent to call for a return to a right relationship with God and with one another.   And around 2,000 years ago, God entered directly into the human experience by becoming one of us, calling again for a loving relationship with God and with one another while learning in the most direct way about the strengths and frailties of humanity.

Christ came and destroyed the world.  He overturned laws and practices and expectations and unleashed forces of dramatic transformations that continue to echo to our times.   Its impact has been long term, but God’s incarnation was destructive of the old powers and principalities of the world.  And, like after the flood, we were given a chance to renew life, both as individuals and as communities sharing in creation.

Today, Pentecost Sunday, we celebrate the ‘fire next time.’  In the upper room of Jerusalem, a short time after the ascension of Jesus, there was a small gathering of people who had just lost Jesus for the 2^nd time.   They were men and women, young and old, rich and poor.  They were together in their grief but isolated in their understanding.  The world had been promised to them and the one who did the promising had been killed.  Jesus returned from the grave and, although he promised that they would not be alone, he left them.  Around them was a city full of people from across the Roman empire; in the room was a remnant people.  They had been promised that if they remained faithful they would be provided for.   The old world was to disappear, a new Jerusalem built and they were promised that they would be welcomed in it.

For those gathered in the upper room it didn’t look like the new Jerusalem was imminent.  Jesus has promised they would be sent a teacher, a guide, a comforter—someone who would take them on a new journey into a new life in a renewed world.  Yet he was gone and what they were left was each other.

And into this gathering of people on the edge came the most destructive force they could imagine—a rain of fire.  They were engulfed and their world was destroyed.  They became one with the divine and woke up in a different world.  Suddenly they were certain of things—that they were not alone, that they were a part of something greater than themselves as individuals, that they no longer needed a mediator between themselves and God, that love was in the world and would take no prisoners.

In that small room in a city on the fringes of an empire began a force that engulfed the world and destroyed the past.

It wasn’t a violence force, but it was powerful.  Like the global flood of Noah’s time, it continues to seek every corner of creation.   But where the flood left death in its wake, the flames of Pentecost leaves the possibility of a new life.   We are in a world where our ultimate judgement is to be based not on who our ancestors were or the rituals we practice but on whether or not we enter into right relationships with God and with one another.   At Pentecost we became the fuel for the divine fire to spread in the world.  We become the voice of compassion and hope, of love and transformation.  The old world was destroyed, the old way of living in creation put aside.  With the coming of the fire God became a living presence within creation, accessible to all.

The rainbow still graces the sky as a reminder that God is in a covenant relationship with us.    Since the first Pentecost there has been another sign, the divine flame, that casts new light on a new world.   God has again destroyed the world, but this time has stayed with us while the renewal of creation occurred.   God’s covenant still stands, but now there is a new principle that overwhelms all past relationships.  God is with us, in us and around us.  Everything has been destroyed.  Everything is made new.

GENERAL THOUGHTS ON CAPITALISM

An economic system that is inherently sinful is hard to accept.   A system where wealth is generated through paying workers less than the value of their labour and charging customers more than the value of the goods and services is inherently unethical.    And yet phenomenal numbers of people of faith and from across the political spectrum either gladly support capitalism or accept it as an inevitable and eternal, even if they personally desire a more equitable and egalitarian system..

There are apologists for capitalism who complain about capitalism– the price of gasoline; the quality of cell phone services; the treatment of passengers by many airlines; discrimination in hiring; workplace injuries—who see such things as aberrations rather than capitalism functioning properly.  It is an expense to provide comfortable seating or effective technical support or decent working conditions and costs need to be minimised.

Support for the excesses of capitalism seem to be growing.   Attacks on trade unions, public interest organisations and other organised responses to injustice and exploitation have widespread and vocal public support.    Efforts to undo generations of progress in workplace health and safety, pay equity, environmental standards, food safety, safe drinking water, public transportation and accessible good quality health care are being eroded.   On-line comment sections of the media are filled with hateful attacks on public servants and public sector unions.   There is wide place resistance to the rise of unfettered capitalism but often not in the public eye.

I wonder if the reason capitalism is in resurgence is that progressive forces have been content to try and tame capitalism, rather than abolish it.    The ideas of a mixed economy, of regulated competition, of corporate social responsibility and other efforts to reshape capitalism haven’t made it into a friend to all humanity and a gentle presence on the planet but yet these ideals have been expressed by many, myself included, as ways of helping to address the worst aspects of capitalism trying to move things in a more positive direction in the long term.    Like apologists for Stalin, the crusades or the militarisation of the concept of jihad, we apologists for capitalism have much to answer for.

The resurgence of capitalism is happening in South Africa and in Toronto, in China and in Devonshire.   It is one potential expression of Think Globally Act Locally.  A profitable corporation thinks locally by threatening to move a factory if labour and environmental standards aren’t weakened.  It thinks globally by moving wealth away from those that create it into massive private accumulations.

I am angered by corporate greed; I am saddened by people of faith who justify it.   I look at my scriptures and see a preferential option for the poor, a call for sustainability, community and compassion.   I can’t make the leap to the view that capitalism is compatible with Christianity.

Notes for a More Coherent Sermon—Trinity VII

NOTES FOR A MORE COHERENT SERMON
11:00 AM., Sunday, August 7, 2011
St. Andrew’s Old Catholic Church
Meeting Room, 138 Pears Ave. (Toronto)

FIRST LESSON: Romans 6: 17 – 23
But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness. I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness. For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness. What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

The Gospel: Mark 8: 1 – 9
In those days the multitude being very great, and having nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples unto him, and saith unto them, “I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now been with me three days, and have nothing to eat: And if I send them away fasting to their own houses, they will faint by the way: for divers of them came from far.

And his disciples answered him, “From whence can a man satisfy these men with bread here in the wilderness?”

And he asked them, “How many loaves have ye?” And they said, “Seven.”

And he commanded the people to sit down on the ground: and he took the seven loaves, and gave thanks, and brake, and gave to his disciples to set before them; and they did set them before the people. And they had a few small fishes: and he blessed, and commanded to set them also before them. So they did eat, and were filled: and they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets. And they that had eaten were about four thousand: and he sent them away.

SERMON PROPER BEGINS

Our world is not a simple place. We weave together different demands on our time and emotions, on our money and our skills. We rarely get to be whole people; instead we tend to have different ways of being in the world when we are at work or at home, with friends or with strangers…being a complete person seems to be at odds with what is expected of us as we go through our normal lives.
We approach social and political problems the same way. We condemn murder but accept war; we condemn private greed but reward corporate greed.
We separate what we know is the right behaviour for individuals from what we accept as proper behaviour by institutions.
It isn’t just negative behaviour for which we treat individuals and corporations differently. Take donations to food banks, for example. If I make a cash donation, I get a tax credit, which can be deducted from income tax one has to pay (approximately 15% on the first $200 and 29% on amounts above $200).  If I make a food donation I receive no financial reward.  It is a true charitable gift. A food chain that donates, whether money or food, can deduct 100% of the value of their donation. Indeed, thanks to various Good Samaritan laws, food that can not be legally sold due to problems such as expiry dates can be safely given to food banks. These corporations also benefit from income from those buying food to donate and the publicity that arises from their participation in such a valued community effort.
These seems a long way from the message of today’s gospel, but I see in the actions of Christ an approach to life that is far more inclusive than our world expects. He was part of an organised body of people and yet the focus of his ministry was on responding to the spiritual and physical needs of those around him. He didn’t gather food together to feed those close to him and then gave away whatever was surplus—he took what he and his friends could gather together and shared them with everyone. There was no corporate or collective benefit from being a part of Jesus’ official circle. It wasn’t only those part of the official church structure that we cared for—everyone that was present was fed.
A few decades ago, on a small farm in upstate New York, over 500,000 people gathered together for a commercial activity—listening to music performed by some of the richest and/or best known musicians in the world at the time. Far fewer were expected than came—186,000 tickets were sold and facilities and food for that many were provided. Somehow, though, the 500,000 people who came were fed and sheltered—a minor but overlooked miracle of the time.  Far more food was available than was planned for; it was distributed to all that were hungry in ways that were beyond the expectations of the organisers. Such miracles do occur more often than we think—whenever the spirit of a group expands to include everyone somehow all can be nourished and cared for. Food appears at a potluck in amounts that can feed everyone with leftovers to share. Space can be found for everyone to sleep when a funeral occurs and family and friends come from out of town to share in the celebration of someone’s life. The power goes out in Toronto and neighbours who don’t talk to each other bring food and water up 20 flights of stairs to shut-ins. When the thoughts of people turn to others individuals are cared for and miracles abound.
When thoughts turn to institutions, somehow values change. Process and accountability rather than compassion and action become dominant concepts. We expect individual people to behave well; when those seem people become enmeshed in the structures of large organisations we expect them, indeed we encourage them to act in ways opposed to the values our society claims to promote. It isn’t just businesses that seem to push away values of sharing, compassion and generosity. Non-profits and QUANGOs (quasi autonomous non-governmental organisations) institutions can take on the values of the corporate world, ceasing to act on behave of the individuals they were created to care for and becoming focused on the needs of the institution itself.
Jesus took part in the institutional life of his community—he read in the synagogue; studied at the temple; paid his taxes and gave his offerings. But we are not specifically called to imitate that Christ. Rather, we are called to imitate the Christ that talked to the Samaritan women, who healed the centurion’s child, who turned water into wine at a feast, who feed the hungry multitude… the Christ that in his daily life put the needs of individuals ahead of the organisational needs of the time.
We are expected to be dead to the world, to find life in a place that heaven and earth come together. We are expected to act as if the shalom kingdom is a physical reality and we are a part of it. In this kingdom are many mansions, so that everyone can live in comfort and dignity. In this kingdom there is no wailing and despair because there is medical care for all. In this kingdom there is no fear because our neighbour is not at war with us. God calls us, individually, to this communal expression of love.

Notes for a More Coherent Sermon – Trinity 11

NOTES FOR A MORE COHERENT SERMON
11:00 AM., Sunday, September 4, 2011
St. Andrew’s Old Catholic Church
Meeting Room, 138 Pears Ave. (Toronto)

FIRST LESSON

1 Corinthians 15: 1 – 11

Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time. For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. Therefore whether it were I or they, so we preach, and so ye believed.

GOSPEL OF THE DAY:

Luke 18: 9 – 14

And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: “Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. ‘ I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, ‘God be merciful to me a sinner.’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. “

SERMON PROPER BEGINS

Comparing ourselves to others is an all too human trait. Whether based on envy, wanting to have the type of car a neighbour has, or based on pride, thinking we are better than our neighbour because of the style we put on, much of our identity and therefore the way we relate to God and to one another, is based on our judgements of others.

In today’s Gospel we are reminded that our relationship with God starts with our understanding of ourselves, not our neighbour. It is not through our public expressions of faith that we come closest to God but in our private acknowledgement that without an active relationship with God, without God’s help, we are less that we can be.

We can not strengthen our relationship with God by criticizing others. We strengthen our relationship with God by acknowledging our own weaknesses and reaching out to God with humility and hope to gain the strength to transform our lives.

Paul recognized the difficulty in being humble—throughout his epistles he makes a real effort to transform attention from himself to God. Some of this was lingering guilt from his time as a major persecutor of Christians. It is hard not to be humbled by what we have done to harm others, especially if they find a way to truly forgive us. Some of this was likely due to his early education as a student of Gamaliel, a student of Hillel. He would have learned about love of God and love of one’s neighbour as being key to a faithful life; you do not look down on in judgement those you love. When one has experienced miracles it is hard not to feel exalted; Paul gave witness to what he had experienced, but acknowledged he wasn’t the only one who had seen the risen Christ and that the community of Christ was where Christ was acknowledged. It was the content of what Paul said that was important, not him. Looking up to Paul made no sense to him —the community of believers was made up of people just like him and the important thing was the universal message of Christ’s love for us, not the specific qualities of the messenger. The community was made up of flawed people like Paul who shared in the vision of being a part of a transformed, loving and compassionate community made possible because of the coming of God among us.

This community was in its earliest formation when Jesus told the story we hear in today’s gospel. It was important to many to be seen as living a good life, a faithful life in which the common rituals enforced community. Then, like now, being seen acting in a good way fed one’s ego and became more important than the content of one’s character or the way one acted when not in the public eye. Being seen as following the proper forms of worship and praying the proper prayers lead to higher status and the temptation to look down on others. Where loving God was to “Act in such a manner that God will be beloved by all His creatures” (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Commandment)
and to worship God was to seek justice and wellbeing for all, (AMOS 5: 21 – 24: “I hate, I despise your religious festivals; your assemblies are a stench to me. Even though you bring me burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them. Though you bring choice fellowship offerings, I will have no regard for them. Away with the noise of your songs! I will not listen to the music of your harps. But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream!) public piety and the structure of worship had became paramount. Individuals who tried hard in their daily life to be good but didn’t live up to their own expectations, seemed to be of less value that those whose daily lives were less public, who were seen more in the places of worship than in the difficult places of normal life.

Today’s gospel suggests that acknowledging one’s failures and asking help to do better in the future is closer to the true essence of prayer than
living a sheltered life and following established rituals. Looking down on others is shown as a clear barrier towards one’s prayers being made real; looking closely at one’s own weaknesses is shown as a way of making one’s prayers come to fruition.

We know that worship isn’t confined to a given time and place; that all we do in life can be seen as the way we worship. (Isaiah 58:6: Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that you break every yoke?). Worship is more than ritual—it is the way we interact with all within creation. Prayer itself is more than the words we utter, it includes the actions we do and the attitudes we hold. We may utter the right words, but if we cause harm to those who share in creation our words lose meaning. If we claim to love God but show contempt towards others, our claim is meaningless. If we try to treat others with respect and dignity, but don’t know the right words to say in the house of worship we will have spoken eloquently.

Paul was a humble person who found himself in a very public role; the focus of his ministry was to direct attention towards the divine presence. The gospel encourages us to take a similar approach, particularly in our efforts to draw nearer to God. Trying to raise our own status on the backs of our sisters and brothers pushes us away from God; trying to come to an understanding of our own failings is the first step towards a new life that brings us closer to God and to all the make up the divine kingdom.

Humbleness isn’t self hatred or self denial; it is a state of honesty and awareness, a movement towards grace. To be humble is not to deny one’s talents or knowledge, but rather to not deny others’ talents or knowledge; it is to see that one is an equal and valued part of a community rather than seeing oneself as greater than the others around you. Paul was not a doormat, but did not exalt himself above the others he shared the life of the early church with.

We move through life with various statuses and titles thrust upon us, many loaded with social status—husband, wife, child, teacher, priest, painter, president, secretary. While there might be expectations based on these titles, as people of faith such titles are not justifications for division or egotism. Words describe our relationships or indicate our responsibilities; they do not govern our attitudes towards God, ourselves or one another. Both the epistle and gospel we heard today remind us that we are all equal in the eyes of God, equally flawed and equally beloved and equally called to build up the shalom kingdom. Being called to be humble isn’t a call to self-abasement; it is a call for action.

Notes for A More Coherent Sermon—Trinity 18

NOTES FOR A MORE COHERENT SERMON
11:00 AM., Sunday, October 23, 2011
St. Andrew’s Old Catholic Church
Meeting Room, 138 Pears Ave. (Toronto)

First Lesson: 1 Corinthians 1: 4 – 8

I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ; that in every thing ye are enriched by him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge; even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you: So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.

GOSPEL OF THE DAY: Mark 12: 28 – 37

And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, “Which is the first commandment of all?”

And Jesus answered him, “The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these. “

And the scribe said unto him, “Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he: And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices. “

And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him, “Thou art not far from the kingdom of God.” And no man after that durst ask him any question.

And Jesus answered and said, while he taught in the temple, “How say the scribes that Christ is the son of David? For David himself said by the Holy Ghost, The LORD said to my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool. David therefore himself calleth him Lord; and whence is he then his son? And the common people heard him gladly.”

SERMON PROPER BEGINS

“And the common people heard him gladly” Song writers such as Woody Guthrie, Ewan MacColl and Jackson Browne were inspired by this image of Jesus and his relationship with the people around him. Saints such as Francis of Assisi and Saint Marguerite d’Youville were moved by this message to lives of active compassion. Movements, such as the Catholic Worker, are rooted in this sentiment. Liberation and post-colonial schools of theology arise from this short passage.

Jesus spoke with anyone who’d listen to him. He helped Romans and Samaritans.  He debated with the educational elite. He listened to social outcasts and got his hands dirty helping fishermen. He didn’t spend his life in academic isolation or a cloister—he spent his life in the streets and hostels and taverns and auditoriums of his time. He taught and healed, but he also listened and learned. One thing Jesus learned was that before you can do something for others you have to care for yourself.

Jesus went on retreats when he was tired and discouraged. He remembered to take time to eat and drink. He learned that if someone runs himself down he was unlikely to speak well of others; if she looked down on the Samaritans she was likely to accept being looked down on by the Romans. If someone truly cared for others, such care was rooted in self-respect.

We know that it is hard to look outward and truly see others as they are if we look inwards in a distorted fashion. If we have contempt for our own bodies, we can not have respect for the physical needs of others. If we judge ourselves harshly and unfairly it is hard for us to treat others fairly and with compassion. From obsession over weight or body tone to fear of the physical effects of aging, our self contempt cuts us off from others. We judge others by their appearance because that is how we judge ourselves; we judge others by their wealth or lack thereof because that is how we judge ourselves; we judge others by social status or power because that is how we judge ourselves.

This is at odds with the life Jesus calls us to. We are offered unconditional and non-judgemental love. We are accepted no matter what we look like or how much money we have in our pocket or how many hang on to our every word.

The more fully we accept this grace, this gift, the more fully human we become and the easier it becomes to love our neighbours. We can accept their strengths and weaknesses, find common ground, care for them, let ourselves be cared for; The more we accept God’s unconditional love for us the more we can reflect the intent of the shalom kingdom in the world around us.

We won’t be greedy because we are comfortable with enough; we won’t be oppressive because we are confident in our own worth; we won’t be hateful because we no desire to exclude others from our community.

Accepting God’s love for us can have practical results in the world. We would be more likely to join a co-operative because we would be more confident in our ability to share our resources to meet common needs, more confident in our ability to make decisions with others to meet our diverse needs. We would be more willing to share food and other things with others because we would be more confident that we have lost something in the process. We would be less likely to harm others because we would be more empathetic with others and less wounded ourselves. We would be physically, emotionally, socially and spiritually healthier because we won’t be swayed by fads and social pressure.

It is hard to live a life in harmony with divine will. It can be draining, demanding and frustrating. At times being faithful can result in one being mocked, isolated, harassed, jailed, tortured and even executed. It can also be exhilarating, fulfilling, exciting and life renewing. Living a faithful life is made far easier by being open to God’s presence within.

Our contemporary world is one that discourages both love of oneself and love other others. It encourages consumption rather than sustainable economic relationships; it provokes damaging self-images rather than a healthy life; it encourages turning our eyes away from where our goods and services comes from so that we stop being aware of the tapestry of relationships that are essential for the gifts of creation to be shared among all.

The divine kingdom we are called to bring to life in the current movement is a familiar one—it is the image of the ideal family, one where people love and care for one another no matter what. It isn’t a strange otherworldly heaven, but a practical, down to earth one. If we love ourselves; if we love one another; if we accept that we are worthy of being loved we can bring such a world to into being. It won’t be a world of contemptuous corporations or alienated individuals. God offers us a world of loving, transforming relationships and calls us to remind the world that love is running rampant, that the earth is ours to share, that each of us is of worth.

It is not surprising that the common people listened to Jesus. He offered common sense and common knowledge, encouraged everyone to share work and responsibility and offered love and respect to all that were willing to accept this rare gift. In a time and place when individuals don’t matter, this was and remains revolutionary.