Tell me about something beautiful

There’s a viral social media meme that’s seems appropriate for this time of year…where the light is dim; the time changes…and we’re tired.  And I’m going to need your help acting it out.

Throw kindness around like confetti!

(Go ahead, throw some confetti. It’s in a plastic cup in front of you. I have already told our Facilities Manager that I’ll be using the broom after church.)

Who knows; an inspiration of kindness that floats in the air might even work on All Saints Day—the Sunday we mourn the deaths and celebrate the lives of those who’ve died in this last year.

Throw kindness around like confetti!

The originator of the meme probably meant something like—life is short and exhaustion, meanness, and sadness are real. Kindness need not be rationed; be generous with its use. Treat everyone and everything as though it’s a party. As Kool and the Gang (patron Saints of Jersey City who earned their wings at our church) said “Celebrate good times. Come on!”

Throw kindness around like confetti!

An Episcopal Priest, and professor at a Seminary sets the bar for kindness high for kindness. The Priest’s name is Patricia Lyons. She frequently tells stories about her daily life which she calls, daily evangelism. One of these stories, as told by the Harvard educated, politically left-leaning priest is about a vacation she went on with her wife.

They stopped at a truck stop to get gas and snacks. She reports the place was filled with: Rebel flags, camouflage, and people legally open-carrying guns. Every single one of these things made her uneasy. She prepared to get her supplies and get going quickly; then she looked and saw the clerk was reading a book that was on the reading list for a course she’s teaching; she took it as a sign from God. She said a prayer and she started a conversation...

Throw kindness around like confetti!

You never know where the kindness ends up.

Is that what Jesus is doing in this 5th chapter of St. Matthew? Jesus shows up in this passage of scripture on a mountain with a crowd of people.

We can surmise he’s probably fatigued. At least we would be if the previous two chapters were our spiritual biographies. Jesus has just had a spiritual awakening by way of Baptism. Then Jesus is tempted by Satan alone in the desert. His spiritual mentor, who baptized him, is imprisoned…then he calls disciples. Jesus knows that those who follow him are not on the fast track to rabbinical school; entrepreneurship; or family life. They’re sick. Soul sick. It’s as though there’s something worse than Covid fatigue, politics no one is excited about; grief for those who are dead; and dealing with the left-over emotions of those dealing with their own trauma.

In all of this; Jesus the child of a man who’s spirituality was formed by dreams and then makes his family refugees to flee genocide decides; “yes, the spirituality I’m doubling down on is one which looks upon people with joy and mercy and kindness; it blesses all of us.”

Throw kindness around like confetti!

Wait. What?

I’m not sure that’s what I signed up for as a follower of Jesus. I remember signing up for my family who goes to church regularly, maybe even goes to church summer camp; I signed up for, “theology is intellectually interesting;” and of course I signed onto the I pray because it makes a difference in my levels of anger, anxiety, and stress. Yet, here on this mountain Jesus looks out at the soul sick people, the mourning, the meek, the hungry and declares…

The Episcopal priest is at a gas station that makes her uncomfortable. She pauses; she says a prayer and the she asks,

Say, what’s that you’re reading?

Oh I have to read it for a class. I’m trying to be a teacher’s aide.

Hmmm. Tell me something beautiful.

Those mountains!  I miss ‘em when I’m working inside here.

 Not those rebel flags? Not the patriotic stuff? Those aren’t beautiful?

 No way.

 What are those?

Those are uniforms. You got to wear ‘em let people know who you are. What you stand for and won’t stand for. There’s beauty in the mountains.  Look at ‘em.

I don’t think I could do that; look at that lady, who is probably looking at me with judgement and ask her to name something beautiful.

Jesus looks out from the mountain and says, “You. Are. Blessed!” Jesus specifically names groups that are rejected and outcast: the naïve, the peaceniks, the paranoid, the angry and Jesus says:

Blessed

Blessed

Blessed

This scripture, the Gospel of Matthew Chapter 5, The Beatitudes, is about making sure no one gets left behind.

At St. Paul and Incarnation I’m throwing around Grace and Peace like confetti...because I need it. Maybe you do too. On a day you remember your friends who died; in a time you’re with people who are not their best selves, and we’re in the middle of whatever this time is. Someone might have the courage or faith to ask, “What’s beautiful...”

And someone might have the courage to say, the mountain.

That’s close to a right answer. Jesus says it’s people. It’s always people. It’s you. And you are not beautiful so much as blessed by God. And what’s more; Jesus says you going to become a blessing to someone else.

That’s how this kingdom stuff works. Relationships bridge the kingdom. It’s not something we can think our way into; pray our way into; or even culture our family into. We’ve got to be ready to start talking with liberal people we cannot stand and conservative people we don’t like; and unthinking and over-thinking people too. To see ourselves, and more importantly, to see God in each of them. It’s the challenge and the promise of Christian faith. Jesus says faith brings us closer to each other, which brings us closer to God. Which brings us all closer to heaven. Which on All Saints Sunday, when we mourn the death of family and friends; and we are exhausted sounds like, Grace and Peace; throw them around like confetti.

May Grace and Peace stick to you like the blessings and love of Jesus.