Created Equal (2020-06-21, Sunday-12 - Father's Day_

2020-06-21 _ 12^th Sunday (A) & Father’s Day ● Jeremiah  20:10-13  ● Psalm 69  ● 1 Romans 5:12-15  ●  + Matthew 10:26-33 ●

Title:    Created equal

 [_01_]   Are we all created equal?

You know the famous phrase of the 1776 Declaration of Independence:

“all men are created equal.” “AMACE”

          The historian Joseph Ellis observes that it is quite ironic that “AMACE” should have been written by Thomas Jefferson of all people that “that while he was the person who authored the most eloquent words about human freedom and equality in American history, perhaps in modern world history, he was also the owner at any one point in time, of about 200 slaves, over 600 slaves over his lifetime.”

          Was he secretly an abolitionist, trying to abolish slavery?

          According to Ellis, AMACE was quite acceptable to everyone because – first of all – the words were in the preamble – or preface to the Declaration of Independence. It’s like it was not that important to Jefferson, like the pre-game show of the Super  Bowl or the speech that introduces someone more famous to the stage. So, it was introductory.

          Also, it was accepted because the definition of “men” which was not a generic inclusive term for all of humanity.  Jefferson and others understood that equality applied to the male gender, white males,  and white males who owned land.

          If you were not a white male landowner, you did not count for “equality.”

          Are we all created equal? Yes, in Christ, in Christian terms. And, in terms of a true civil rights movement.  Thomas Jefferson was not trying to argue for civil rights in 1776.

 

[_02_]   In the era of 1776, the founders and rebellious colonists considered – but then significantly and intentionally postponed – any question of the abolition of slavery, the enslavement of black persons and the slave trade.

          They had to run the revolution.  Abolition of slavery would have torn the republic apart. So, they postponed not only the abolition but also the tearing apart of the country.

          Did black lives matter? Not so much.

 [_03_]   In 2013, the Black Lives Matter movement began with the use of the hashtag #BlackLivesMatter on social media after the acquittal of George Zimmerman in the shooting death of African-American teen Trayvon Martin in February 2012. The movement became nationally recognized for street demonstrations following the 2014 deaths of two African Americans: Michael Brown—resulting in protests and unrest in Ferguson, a city near St. Louis—and Eric Garner in New York City.

          Is it true that historically in the United States that black lives did not matter? Yes, that’s true.

[_04_]   In our readings this Sunday, I’d like to touch on the words of the prophet Jeremiah  and Jesus.

          Both are speaking about the movement from terror to trust.

          Jeremiah laments that his life is in danger that there is “terror on every side” that others are out to get him, to denounce him. This is not a physical assault, but a verbal assault, denunciation. Sometimes, a word is mightier than a sword.

Jeremiah understood that verbal danger.

          Regarding “terror” and “fear” Jesus speaks to his disciples about the terror of rumors, of slander, the terror of keeping sinfulness secret.

          “Nothing is concealed that will not be revealed, nor secret that will not be known.” (Matthew 10:26)

          Jeremiah and Jesus were aware of this terror…and they did not even have wi-fi or social media.

          All of us – both younger and older – may express a hope – and it is a false hope that once everything is expressed, once every angry word is said, that this will be the end of terror the end of fear.

          That’s the beginning, that’s not the end.

          One beautiful aspect of our Catholic sacraments and of the confession of our sins out loud  to God – through the priest – is that we believe our deepest darkest secrets and scandals can be brought up and also put to rest.

          If we do not put them to rest in repentance and confession, someone else may use them against us.

          There can be terror on every side, but there does not have to be.

[_05_]   Terror or some form of terrorism can be avoided if we accept and work toward both EQUALITY and AUTHORITY.

          We cannot have one without the other. Equality without authority is ANARCHY. It means that the mob is in charge, that it does not matter what is true, only what you feel is true.  My mother told me…”act do not react.”

          Now, I believe that many who protest today do so with a plan of peaceful action and not simply reaction. Be careful – if you are at a protest at town hall, Times Square, on Facebook, or in your home of simply “reacting”. You are a person with dignity not a chemical agent thrown into an experiment for an explosion.

          We cannot have equality without authority. That’s anarchy.

[_06_]   On the other hand, AUTHORITY without EQUALITY is tyranny or slavery. Choose your poison. It means that those in charge can oppress or subdue.

          Jesus, however, gives us by his sacrificial death the example saying and doing, “I came not to be served but to serve.”

          And, so any form of authority is a form of sacrifice or service to others. To be an authority means not that you accept “power” as an instrument for good, AND that you renounce “power” it as a sledgehammer.

          In other words, authority and equality go together.

[_07_]   Here is an example. As you may imagine, Catholic priests do not always get along or agree on everything.

          When I came here to Our Lady of Lourdes, I was the assistant or parochial vicar to the pastor, Monsignor Joe Petrillo.    

          Upon meeting Monsignor for the very first time, I knew we were very different, and imagined we would not agree on everything.

          One time, many years ago, there was a conflict about a decision. I thought he was wrong, and told him the following: “Look, Joe, of course it’s going to be this way, you’re going to have it this way because you are the pastor.”

          I never saw him get visibly angry, but that made him angry and I really had to consider what was my view of his authority – and was I really NOT being treated as an equal. Just because we disagreed, was I being rejected?

          In the end, we still disagreed, but reconciled.

          In a sense, this was also a reconciliation and recognition that the covenant of priesthood was not my covenant with the pastor, with God and the people of God.

          It is a recognition also that we are all works in progress…

It is Father’s Day…and if there are any human beings who need to remember that they are truly works in progress, that they have miles to go before they sleep, that they are becoming who they are …it is fathers.

          This is not to say that women and mothers are not works in progress and a blessing to us.

          But, is it not true that a father must learn his fatherhood from others – from his own father, from father figures in his life, and from his wife and from the mother of his children.  (Source: William E. May, ”Marriage: A Common Endeavor” Section 3. “Man as Father”)
 

[_08_]   My own father is currently an active caregiver to my mother. Sometimes, people joke around with him and with me, amazed at how devoted and attentive he is, surprised that he has adopted this role.

          Those who say this …do not know him…nor did they know my grandparents through whom he learned both a work ethic, a nurturing spirit and a persistence borne not only of the Great Depression but also immigration to the United States.

          I also see in my grandparents and in my father an integrity and authority sense of humor that is based on true HUMILITY – GRATITUDE – COMPASSION.

          Just as my grandparents were always becoming who they were, my father is becoming who he is.

          I hope and pray that we as individuals, as a community and country will also become who we are truly called to be.  [_fin_]