Jesus went down to Capernaum, a city in Galilee, and was teaching them on the sabbath. They were astounded at his teaching, because he spoke with authority. In the synagogue there was a man who had the spirit of an unclean demon, and he cried out with a loud voice, "Let us alone! What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are, the Holy One of God." But Jesus rebuked him, saying, "Be silent, and come out of him!" When the demon had thrown him down before them, he came out of him without having done him any harm. They were all amazed and kept saying to one another, "What kind of utterance is this? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and out they come!" And a report about him began to reach every place in the region.
I have been engaged in a discussion with a long time friend about whether or not religious institutions should be involved in politics and if they are, should they loose their tax exempt status. As I understand the laws of our Nation a religious institution that enjoys a non-profit status cannot publicly endorse or campaign for a candidate. A church or synagogue can state that they support a position like LGBTQ equality or a woman's right to choose. They are not suppose to act as a PAC by which they as a group attempt to persuade or "buy" a candidates way into office. However, that is not what we witnessed in the case of the health care reform bill when the President of the Conference of Catholic Bishops told Rep. Bart Stupak word for word what to say or write in his amendment to ban public funding of abortion in the health care bill.
I personally am of the opinion that if they show support or even lack of support for a particular issue that is their choice. However when they go beyond that to create a political action committee and attempt to force an agenda and call it "religious freedom" that is when a religious institution is going past their boundary point.
I entitled this blog entry "Do We Recognize Evil? What Are We Doing About It?" because there is a lot of evil afoot thanks to the work of Christians. Anti-LGBTQ equal rights is just one way that evil is around us because of Christians. The work of the secretive religious group called "The Family" to infiltrate political and public offices with the explicit intention of ramming radically conservative Christian matters into America's law, is in and of itself evil. When such groups become the backbone that helps drive American dependence on corporations so that those of us who are progressive or liberal cannot even get a word or action in edgewise, there is evil a foot. Especially when a group like that helps export missionaries of hate to Uganda, to help them write their anti-homosexuality bill.
What is the progressive left agenda about? Taking care of people first, corporations second. Making sure that people have health care, human and equal rights, be sure those who have fought for our freedoms have adequate access to jobs, health care and that they are buried in the right plots at Arlington National Cemetery. Working to be sure that our elderly and challenged have Social Security so that they do not become homeless or without means to feed themselves. Working for the rights of women, LGBTQ, Native Americans, people from other countries, of other races, backgrounds and abilities have the opportunity to work for and toward prosperity. When we as a nation and as a Church turn our backs on those who cannot get up off of level 1 without some kind of help, evil is afoot. When we as a nation turn our backs on the gay and lesbian citizens who want to fight openly in our Military and tell them that they must be kicked out because of Don't Ask, Don't Tell, evil is alive and well. When marriage equality is only available to heterosexual people, but not LGBTQ people evil is walking around with a license to kill. When women are told that they do not have a right to choose to give birth to a child, even if they are raped or because of incest, yet conservative Christians want to take away women's health care to help them take care of a child should they choose to give birth, the ways of the wicked are living without the need of life support. When women are also told that they better not use contraception, but must submit themselves to an outcome that affects them only if they choose to have sex with a man, that is the wickedness of our times, and Christians are responsible.
In our Gospel reading, Jesus saw the wickedness in this man's life for who and what it was. The evil spirit knew that it was in the presence of God's perfect revelation or it would not have been so terrified. The evil demon knew that God was going to reach out to this man with the unconditional and all inclusive love and command that evil to leave the poor man. Evil was no match for God. In Jesus, God took command and drove out the evil spirit from the man. What happened was so amazing that those around Jesus who saw what happened talked about it all over the place.
The Christian Church has every business clinging to Jesus Christ to help us eradicate evil from our time, our society and our Church. The Church does not have or hold a monopoly on the truth, and we do not have the right to spread evil, death, discrimination and wickedness in the Name of God. We do not have the right under God's heaven to create a capitalistic empire that will dominate and command every women, man and child to be something God never created her or him to be. Because of God's magnificent, extravagant, unconditional and all inclusive love, we have every business affirming and celebrating the wonderful diversity of every person that God has created, redeemed and sanctified. Each day that we are alive and able to share in the wonders of the mystery of God's creation of others and ourselves, God is celebrating each and every one of us. Why then are we not celebrating each other? Why are we not looking to embrace one another? Why are we so concerned about our wealth and profits and possessions that we are not the least bit concerned about each others welfare? Our wealth and our profits, our possessions will one day be gone. They will be sold at an auction or burned in the incinerator of some garbage collection company. But the love that we share with and between each other as God's created and loved children, is the love that chases away evil in this world and prepares us to live together with God in the next.
Do we recognize evil? What are we willing to do to change what evil through the deeds of Christians does to humankind? In our prayers can we pray that God who loves us will help us to love each other today, better than we did yesterday, and tomorrow even better than we did today? What ever position of life we are in, can each of us make plans today to eradicate evil by loving those whom society and even the Church suggest should not or can not be loved? If we have failed to love, can we honor the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ by asking God to forgiven us and send the Holy Spirit to help us do better?
Grant us, Lord, not to anxious about earthly things, but to love things heavenly; and even now, while we are placed among things which are passing away, to hold fast to those that shall endure; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. (Proper 20, Book of Common Prayer, page 234).
O God, you have made of one blood all the peoples of the earth, and sent your blessed Son to preach peace to those who are far off and to those who are near: Grant that people everywhere may seek after you and find you; bring the nations into your fold; pour out your Spirit upon all flesh, and hasten the coming of your kingdom; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (Prayer for Mission, Book of Common Prayer, page 100).
Lord, make us instruments of your peace. Where there is hatred, let us sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is discord, union; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy. Grant that we may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen. (Prayer Attributed to St. Francis of Assisi, Book of Common Prayer, page 833).
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