Readings for Proper
19:
Isaiah 50:4-9; Psalm 116:1-8; James 2:1-5, 8-10, 14-18; Mark 8:27-38
Date
The Rev. Mary B. Blessing
St. Jude the Apostle Episcopal Church, Cupertino,
CA
You shall love your neighbor as yourself. (James 2:8b)
The Biblical law "Love your neighbor as yourself" (Lev. 19:18) begins in the Old Testament with the Holiness Code of Leviticus. In the New Testament, Jesus refers to this law often. He tells a lawyer that the greatest commandment is to love God, and a second is like it: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." (Matt. 22:39) Paul sums up the 10 commandments by proclaiming "Love your neighbor as yourself." (Romans 13:9). Timothy and now James remind their congregations that the most important way to behave as a Christian is to "Love your neighbor as yourself." Of the many laws offered throughout the Bible, this is one that I suspect was given directly from God, not merely one that came from human insight. This law has endured over centuries. It is relevant to us now just as it was 2000-3000 years ago. If this law is followed, it will result in bringing people closer to God, and closer to each other in Christ.
Lately here at St. Jude's I have been hearing how difficult it is sometimes to "love our neighbors." People have shared with me that they are puzzled by their neighbors. They don't understand them. But does God's law say we must understand our neighbors in order to love them? Well, it helps, but I believe that the very thing that is unique about the Gospel of Jesus is the way he showed us first to love, then by our love for others, we could grow to understand them. In the Levitican law "love your neighbor as yourself", the "love" the Hebrew Bible refers to is a kind of "reaching out to befriend" our neighbor (Harper Bible notes, p. 182) It is not the emotion of love, but rather a concern for the other. In this case, the neighbor was a person somewhat like yourself, a member of the group, a citizen of the land, if you will. To reach out to your neighbor was to make peace with those around you, who were basically like you. You would then trust one another, and not be worried that your house would be robbed, or your wife taken, or your children murdered. Reaching out to befriend one's neighbor was prudent, to treat them as you wanted to be treated. Your neighbor understood this and reciprocated. Actually of all the laws, "to love your neighbor as your self" is a win-win situation, and welcomed by most. But what do you do when your "neighbor" is different, and may not know this law? Or what if your neighbor is someone who has nothing to offer in return for you "reaching out in friendship"? Well, there is another law in Leviticus that follows close on the heals of the law to "Love your neighbor as yourself."
A few verses past this one is another: "When an alien (or non-citizen) resides with you in your land, you shall not oppress the alien. The alien…shall be to you as the citizen among you; you shall love the alien as yourself, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt." (Leviticus 19:33-34) It seems as if the Hebrew people understood there are times when people come to live in our communities who are at some disadvantage, and God still requires us to show them hospitality. God calls us to love not only our neighbor who is like us, but also to love those "resident aliens" who are not like us. It may require more effort on our part, but, after all, we are choosing to follow a God who showed us he is willing to sacrifice everything for us, even to the point of death. What are we willing to sacrifice for God? Remember the Community Forum hosted here at St. Jude's last month? It was a time for the people of Cupertino to gather and talk about our changing demographics. We were asked to discuss candidly our feelings and concerns living in an area where racial/ethnic demographics have changed dramatically in recent years. The Cupertino Courier reported that "the Asian population has (grown) …over the past decade from 9,000 to 25,000." And that "racial tension has become a problem residents are reluctant to talk about." (Courier, August 13, 2003) The Community Forum gave us a chance to learn about each other's cultures, and in the process create a plan to develop a more harmonious community. The Courier reports the participants concluded that the solution for racial tension is simple: get to know your neighbors.
However, many of you have told me it is not easy to get to know your neighbors. When a familiar neighbor retires or moves away for a new job, a new family moves in. Perhaps you go over with a batch of cookies to introduce yourself, to welcome them to the neighborhood-this is an expectation we have from our cultural experience. But when the new neighbor answers the door they are surprised, and maybe embarrassed. Maybe they do not speak English well. Rather than receive the gift of cookies, the door shuts in your face, and you leave puzzled, perhaps hurt.
I learned at the Cupertino Courier's Forum, that informal invitations in Chinese culture are not appropriate. It is considered impolite to visit the home of someone who has not been introduced through a mutual friend. In the United States, it is considered an act of hospitality, and "good old fashioned friendliness" to go introduce yourself to a neighbor, and welcome them to the area. In China one must receive a formal invitation, or a mutual acquaintance introduces. Your gift of cookies is not considered loving, it may even be seen as a threat.
At the Community Forum I learned there needs to be some bridge building between cultures. A Chinese parishioner who sat at my table at the forum suggested English speaking people learn just a few words in Chinese, simply to say hello. This shows you care, and are reaching out to befriend them. Another idea, offered by and English speaking parent, was to host one of the block parties sanctioned by the city. She said her family did this and they brought out a ping pong table-which everyone on the block enjoyed, regardless of the language they spoke.
One way I am working to bridge my cultural gap, is to read about these new immigrants. I just read a newly released book, The New Americans, by Michael Barone. Barone gives up to date information on new waves of immigration, doing comparisons of current immigration with immigration groups who built up America as we know it. In a nutshell, the research shows what we have been experiencing in California: Asian immigrants (and by Asian he means East and Southeast Asia, cultures rooted in Chinese culture) arrive in the United States highly educated, financially well-off, finding new jobs in the U.S., seeking excellent education for their children. The ancient tradition of Confucius rules deeply in these cultures, even when families practice forms of Buddhism and Christianity. One of the key tenets of Confucianism is the extremely high value placed on the family. Families are to be revered, they are the source of security, they are the foundation of everything.
My Irish and German ancestors came to America because they were starving. My Irish great-grandmother's parents sent her away at age 16 to be an indentured servant. On my other side my great-great-great grandfather left an oppressive Tzar of Prussia to fight on the side of the British in the American Revolutionary war. When the British lost the war he was released in Virginia to find a piece of land to farm, never to go back to his family again. Chinese immigrants come to Cupertino wealthy and have jobs either through families or corporations who bring them here. They keep their family ties back home whenever possible. I have very little in common with them, yet when I meet a new American of Chinese descent, I ask God to help me see the spirit of God in him/her. As I discover the unique aspect of God in this new person, I experience one more facet of God's infinite, amazing self. I have felt the love of God, the presence of Christ, as I have listened over a cup of tea to their story of family choices that brought them to America, seeking the same freedoms I value: freedom of religion, freedom of speech, freedom to be well educated, freedom to move beyond one's current status to something better. In James' Epistle today, he reprimands his congregation for showing preference to the wealthy, failing to love the poor of his community. I have noticed here in Cupertino a tendency to show a preference for the poor, including the poor alien resident, but we have a harder time befriending the wealthy new immigrant. We have understood our Christian duty to help the poor who come to us oppressed by a foreign government, but are uncertain about reaching out in friendship to the wealthy who come in pursuit of the same freedoms our ancestors sought. Maybe we just don't know how to reach out to these new immigrants. Just keep it simple.
The other night my husband, Jim, and I went to a surprise birthday party. The guest of honor was a young woman who just moved here from Singapore. She is delightful, but quite lonely. She recently married a young man who works with my husband. He is from France, but has worked in the U.S. many years. This week he will receive his United States citizenship. We rode to the party with our friends, Jan and Jay. Jan was born in Hong Kong, and moved here as a child. Jan's husband, Jay, is a first generation Mexican. My husband, Jim is half Portuguese-his mother was born in the United States, but her older siblings were born in the Azores. At Jim's work there are new Americans from England, who have become U.S. citizens, there are others from China, Pakistan, Vietnam, Korea, Israel, Lebanon and the Philippines. Each has come here to work, to use their God given gifts to contribute to American society. Each is a child of God waiting to have someone "reach out and befriend" them in the name of God, to become a part of the neighborhood of believers.
Are we willing here at St. Jude's to do our part to extend the hand of God to those in this community who come ready to become a part of the neighborhood, and invite them to add their unique aspect of God here?
| Updated 9/28/03 |
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