The Divine Tag
May 27, 2012 |
Patrick Preheim | Acts 2:1-8,12; Romans 8:22-27
In my time away from Saskatoon since Easter I have devoted myself to pursuits that I enjoy but often short change. Unencumbered by evening visits or meetings I gave myself fully to the NHL playoffs: pre-game reports, post-game analysis, next day sports editorials, all of it. Prior to the Nashville / Phoenix series one of the reports highlighted the Christianity of Mike Fischer and Shane Doan. Apparently Shane Doan writes “Romans 8:28” on his hockey sticks. The reporter asked him about Romans 8:28. Doan responded, “In all things God works for good”; and then he added with a smile, “even when we get knocked out of the playoffs”. Doan’s emblazoned hockey stick immediately made me think of Glamdring, Orchrist, and Sting from the Lord of the Rings—swords which bear particular names related to their mandate. Shane Doan and JRR Tolkien have built upon biblical examples of the Divine tag. Police refer the graffiti signature of a street artist as their “tag”. This morning I will reflect a bit on the divine mark which brings good out of the painful and life out of death.
One of the earliest stories in the bible is about Cain who murders his brother Abel. Cain fears the death penalty others will impose upon him, so God gives him a divine mark which commutes the death sentence. At the 1st Passover it is the blood of a lamb smeared on the doorposts of a home which permit the Angel of Death to pass over—the doorposts are marked with the blood of redemption. In both Ezekiel (9:4) and the Revelation of John (14.1) a faithful remnant bear a mark on the forehead which identify them as true practitioners of God’s way—a mark which preserves their lives. Isaiah 49 (v.16) speaks of Zion being inscribed on God’s hands—the implication being that God does remember the exiled people. At the baptism of Jesus in each of our gospels, in a rare moment of coherence, he is marked with a dove as a son destined for something special. And naturally we have today’s passage from Acts in which the Holy Spirit rests, literally sits, on the flawed but forgiven disciples. They have been marked to bring good news and life to all nations and peoples. Each of these biblical examples reflect something very important, something we all want, something we all need to survive—LIFE. The divine tag is given to promote life. Let me share with you several stories about the divine inscription which draws people to life, even when we get bumped from the playoffs or suffer worse.
This past Tuesday I was reminded of the Spirit’s powerful mark as I heard again the story of the Ethiopian Mennonite Church—the Meserete Kristos Church. Carl Hansen, long time worker in Ethiopia, shared a bit of the history which is also found in Daniel Hege’s book Beyond Our Prayers. By 1973 the Mennonite Church of Ethiopia had roughly 5,000 members. The 30 years of North American mission work had done reasonably well, but the fate of the entire denomination was threatened in 1974 when a revolution ousted the monarch. The non-orthodox churches bore a mark which with revolutionaries found threatening. The Marxist ruling committee (known as the Derg) deported all North Americans, closed all non-orthodox churches, killed thousands of community and church leaders, and imprisoned thousands more; all in the first months. Carl described these events as terrible and also as the best circumstance possible for the indigenous church. It was good for the local church in that they learned to look to God for their collective survival and see themselves as the mission workers, not relying on the white North Americans. Before Carl was sent home the church leaders told him not to seek intervention on behalf of the church. They told him to do one task: pray that they would remain faithful in prison and in dying well for the faith. Under no circumstances, they repeated, should the North Americans intercede. During the 15 years of the “Red Terror” hundreds of thousands died. In 1991 the Marxist regime collapsed. The disbanded churches were allowed to re-assemble and begin meeting again. The first census of the era tallied some 35,000 members of the Mennonite Church which supposedly had been closed. That is a 700% increase. All this happened with many church members imprisoned or killed, no place to hold public worship, and dire consequences for affiliating with a banned church group. The life giving tag of the Holy Spirit was more compelling for the Christians and converts than the death mark of the Derg. In the face of persecution and despair the Mennonites lived with the joy of life. And it was contagious. The mark brings life, not necessarily safety. But truly, in all circumstances God makes all things work for good. Today, the Meserete Kristos Church number 100,000(s).
Before another story I need to offer a few thoughts about the nature of the divine mark and how it comes to rest on a person or a people. The fire of the Holy Spirit and the mark of God’s salvation are revealed in the weak who know themselves to be broken and beseech God for mercy in their distress. It is the humble, not the perfect or the brilliant or the high-achiever on whom the Holy Spirit rests. The wretched transcript of the disciples along with Peter’s Pentecost sermon make the point abundantly clear. Cain, the murderer, cries out to God and receives the mark. The enslaved and deeply flawed Hebrews cry out to God and they are delivered. The persecuted and orphaned Ethiopian Mennonites looked to the crucified Lord rather than Kalashnikovs or Western intervention. I stand before you today not because I did well in seminary or have mastered the spiritual life. I am here because more often than not I see my weaknesses and find strength in the presence of God. When I, or any of us, lose our humility and think we are sufficient unto ourselves, the Holy Spirit will find elsewhere to sit. In the biblical testimony it is those who are “cut to the heart” (Acts 2:37) with their weakness and sin who find themselves divinely anointed.
Some marks we don’t choose, like our skin colour. This became painfully clear in March as the United States and all of us made sense of the Trayvon Martin shooting in Florida. I considered relating a moving story about a young black Christian from Florida, but I decided that was too easy. You see, we have our own race issues right here in Saskatchewan and many of us are still wondering about the purpose of this Truth and Reconciliation Commission. I do not think the settler community (us) has sufficiently been “cut the heart” by the social devastation wrought by the reservations, residential schools, and generational effects of systemic racism. At the same time, I am not certain the First Nations have taken sufficient responsibility for the dysfunctions which currently haunt many of their communities. Given that by 2030 half the children in our schools will have Aboriginal ancestry this is a serious situation. For the sake of our Province, people of good will from both sides must build trust and learn to support each other. This begins with respect. It begins with humble listening. It begins by recognizing that all humans bear the Divine mark in that we are created in God’s image. We have stories in our history that will strengthen us in this holy work. We just need to remember them and tell them. I heard a delightful memory earlier this week. I had Wally Krause write it up and send it to me.
For a young boy on the farm the harvest season was an exciting time. Being an "errand' boy was viewed as a big responsibility. Just associating with the men of the crew, however, was a real thrill.
In the very early days my grandfather was the "threshing boss" and family members made up the work crew. Eventually my father became the "threshing boss" and since there were no family members around to make up the work crew, he would go to the nearby First Nations Reservation and hired a crew of men. Year after year he would hire the same fellows. George (Mike), Eli (Mike), Paul (Little Pine), and Joe (Gardipy) were regulars. Three of the men would each look after a team of horses and a rack (bundle wagon). The fourth would be a field pitcher whose job was to help each man get loaded so that they were always at the threshing machine on time. It was fun to be around these men as they sat out on the porch after supper. They would chatter in Cree as they joked and teased and interacted with us. They had brought their bed rolls and comfortably slept on fresh hay in the loft of the barn.
One year dad was only able to get three of the fellows to be part of the crew. Dad went to town and was able to find an extra body to help out. (We will this man Johan Mennonite). Johan was the field pitcher and had a decided lack of ambition. Without grumbling the First Nations fellows put up with Johan's lazy work ethic.
One evening after supper, Johan decided that he needed to go into town for a "night out". The three fellows thought it was time to have some fun with Johan. They carefully removed much of the hay from under his bed roll. They then caught several of the farm cats and put them into this hollow and then stretched the bed roll back in its usual space, holding the cats captive. They also hid Johan's flashlight. It was dark when Johan returned and climbed the ladder to the loft. The three chaps could hardly contain their chuckles in anticipation of what might happen when Johan got to his bed. When he finally stumbled onto his roll and the hole below the furry creatures reacted with noise, claws, and flight. Johan was not happy but there was little he could do as laughter filled the loft. Needless to say, Johan lasted only one more day on the crew. We enjoyed many laughs with the fellows as they told and retold the events of that evening.
I add that joking and pranking with others is actually a sign of friendship among many 1st Nations. It is too bad Johan could not take it in stride. I like this story because it is a positive illustration of what race relations might be like here in Saskatchewan. All of the languages of the plains (low German, Ukrainian, Cree, American style English) blending together in praise of our creator. Forming this chorus of worship and witness, however, will take much trust, time and commitment. As we engage with the TRC process—volunteering and dining with our First Nations neighbours—the Holy Spirit may anoint our efforts and allow the healing of old wounds. The divine healing may enable us to live well together in the decades ahead, and I want to be part of that world. I hope you do as well.
Last Tuesday night Phoenix was bumped from the playoffs, and Shane Doan had a few harsh comments about the officiating. In spite of his baptismal vows, the reminder Romans 8:28 on his hockey stick, and even his televised testimony about trust in God to work good in all circumstances, Shane lost his cool. Most Christians, like Shane, blow it now and then. And in the moment of post-failure analysis we remember again that our faith is not one of perfection, but of God’s gracious choice to forgive and inspire and re-baptize the penitent sinner. Amen.
