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A Christian call to action

Editor’s note: This is a transcript of the sermon delivered Sunday by Father Bob Hudak at Church of the Nativity in Fayetteville.

“Owe no debt to anyone except the debt that binds us to love one another. He who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law ... The commandments are all summed up in this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’” (Romans 13:8-14)

It was only four Sundays ago that we heard in Matthew’s gospel the story about the storm at sea (Matthew 14:22-33). It rocked the boat, terrifying the disciples. I had raised a question that Sunday for us to consider: What if this passage is a metaphor for what happens in each of our lives?

I don’t recycle my sermons so soon after giving them, but I’d like to give a recap, if I may, of what I said.

“Unexpected events and circumstances break into our daily lives. Most of the time they’re good, positive experiences. But sometimes, unpredictable circumstances beyond our control can threaten us, like the storm that arose when the disciples were rowing across the Sea of Galilee. They can catch us by surprise, creating chaos, evoking fear or insecurity within us, suddenly making us feel vulnerable and defenseless. The storms of life can leave us feeling battered, questioning ourselves and even wondering where God might be in the chaos.

“How often have we heard people say, or perhaps have said ourselves, ‘I never thought it could happen to me ... I never thought I would have to face this situation.’”

Such is the case of a staggering number of people who are evacuees of Hurricane Katrina — refugees, if you would, in their own country, forced to leave their homes in many instances with nothing but the clothes on their back. Many are in need of the hospitality of strangers and are seeking shelter wherever it’s available.

The Red Cross has never encountered an event as catastrophic as Katrina. They’re in uncharted territory, opening larger shelters, and depending more than ever, upon the goodness and generosity of all who can help. The little we feel we might be able to offer will be more than enough, if everyone does their part.

The gospel today is about reconciliation (Matthew 18:15-20), specifically what should be done when there are tensions and divisions among members of the church.  And God knows there are many! But it’s amazing how, in the face of a natural disaster the likes of which we’ve seen unfold this past week in Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana, our differences become secondary to our common humanity - especially in the face of human suffering.

In light of what has happened in New Orleans and the Gulf Coast, we might perhaps hear the message of Paul in the thirteenth chapter of his letter to Romans more clearly and succinctly this morning: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” It sounds easy enough, but we know it isn’t, especially when it comes to opening our hearts, our wallets and perhaps even our homes to strangers. I guess it’s why so many Christians make such a big deal about whether other people are saved or not.  It’s much easier to talk from the neck up about what you believe or don’t believe when it comes to Jesus, than it is to put into practice his example of reaching out in love and service to others. Paul says that all the commandments are summed up in this word, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” The way of Christ is not about who’s saved and who’s not; it’s about "putting on the Lord Jesus Christ" (Romans 13:14). It’s about practice, not belief or ideology.

At a meeting at the Fayetteville Library this past Thursday night to discuss community relief efforts for victims of Hurricane Katrina, we learned that there were already more than 125 people, from children to the elderly, who have arrived in Fayette County seeking assistance through DFACS (the Department of Family and Community Services). Jack Krakeel, the director of Fayette County’s Department of Fire and Emergency Services, told us that New Orleans alone would be closed for a good three to six months, and that 500,000 to a million people will be in need of housing - many coming to our area in hope of finding what they need.

Providing money for immediate needs is number one on the list of what we’re asked to do. And I would urge you, if you can, to make monetary donations either to Episcopal Relief and Development [or your own denominational outreach service] or to DFACS here in Fayette County. A check made out to Nativity with either of these agencies listed on your check, I guarantee, will get to these relief agencies as soon as possible.

I was impressed to see how many congregations turned out for Thursday evening’s meeting, eager to find out how our families of faith can respond. Some of the ways we can help in the long term include: staffing the many shelters which are opening, which requires some minimal training by the Red Cross; providing gift cards from Wal-Mart to DFACS; and giving blood through Peachtree Immediate Care, located next to Piedmont Fayette Hospital, which will hold a blood drive Sept. 16.

People uprooted from their homes coming to Fayette County will need work. Both the Development Authority and the Chamber of Commerce are poised to provide employment assistance. I met a woman named Angie Gaspard who has more than 20 members of her extended family from the devastated areas living with her here in Fayetteville. God bless Audrey McDaniel and the Basket Bunch who invited me on Friday to join them for lunch and share with them what happened at Thursday night’s meeting. Audrey has already been in touch with Angie and is mobilizing help to assist with such things like liquid detergent and paper products. I am grateful to those who have called me personally to let me know they have room and are willing to open their homes as well as their hearts to people who presently have no place to go, or families in our area who can’t accommodate all their relatives who have migrated here. We Hudaks are expecting a family to be with us soon. And Louise can give you the name of a contact if you’d like to do the same.

Near the end of our meeting on Thursday, a minister spoke up and said something to the effect that now that we have discussed taking care of physical needs, he’d like to see a list put together of ministers willing to offer spiritual support to the victims of Hurricane Katrina. With due respect for his concern, I leaned over and whispered to the new pastor of Fayetteville First Methodist Church sitting next to me, “Should I stand up and let him know that some of us are not into dualistic theology, separating the needs of the body from the needs of the soul, especially at a time like this?” Mark smiled at me and advised me not to do it!

The whole evening was, in effect, a spiritual response to how we can open our hearts to God’s people in need.

If I may fast forward, for a moment, to the Last Sunday after Pentecost which comes this year on the Sunday before Thanksgiving Day, we will hear near the end of the Gospel of Matthew that the criteria Jesus will use to determine whether or not we are worthy to enter the kingdom of heaven doesn’t depend upon whether or not we feel we are saved because we have accepted him as our Lord and Savior. What matters, Jesus tells, us, is how we have treated other human persons, especially the stranger in need we meet in our lives. The criteria for entrance into the heavenly kingdom, Jesus tells us, is whether or not we treated the hungry, the thirsty, the naked, the sick and those in prison as if they were Christ himself. Biblical hospitality is the way we are called to “put on the Lord Jesus Christ.”

“Love your neighbor as yourself.” It’s an action. It’s something we either do or we don’t. The command comes not from Paul but from Jesus. It’s really the only way Jesus told us that people would know we are his disciples, by our love for one another. We don’t have to look far this Sunday morning to see that our world desperately needs us to be credible disciples of the One who loves all people with an unconditional love, and who calls us to try to do the same. May we do so cheerfully and generously.

Amen.

Bob Hudak
Church of the Nativity
Fayetteville