God’s Break-In All Saints Day
Rev. 7:9-17; 1 John 3:1-3; Matthew 5:1-12
“And when the strife is fierce, the warfare long, steals on the ear the distant triumph song, and hearts are brave again and arms are strong, Alleluia.” We will sing these words in a moment, but for now, let’s pause and ponder the strife we live with every day, yet, can you hear God’s triumph song, making you brave? (Pause)
I can’t see it, but God can see it. You can’t see it, but God can see it. It’s a break-in from the future. God says it, speaks it into being, so that it is true now, literally, right now. Like He did at the very beginning of creation; like he did at Jesus’ baptism, “This is my Son with whom I am well-pleased”. He does it with us, in those moments when we experience a nudge to take a step in a particular direction toward justice, or forgiveness or mercy. It is the movement toward what we call the Eschaton, the final in gathering of all of the kindom of God. God’s Break-In.
This Divine declarative speech is enfleshed by Jesus - He preaches with His very life, lays out the path we are to take and promises to walk right beside us until that day when all is at peace. The Beatitudes school us in this other way of understanding life. The Hebrew word, Ashar, suggests “...you are on the right road when you are poor in spirit, mourning, meek, seeking righteousness and so forth. Take comfort, you will be blessed, you will be made holy.” This future tense makes clear that our world does not work this way right now. We all know that. But there will come a day when God’s Way, the way of Torah and of Jesus Christ, will reign. In the meantime, we are called to live AS IF the world has been turned upside down! To act merciful, peacemakers, pure in heart, for as you live this way you will receive mercy, you will see God, you will be called Children of God! For the Lamb is on the Throne, the peoples’ robes have been washed in blood and made white as snow, we have been brought through the Great Ordeal of life in a fallen world. This is not only then, it is now, God declares. God’s Break-In.
So I have a suggestion for you of a particular discipline to build into your life. I was reminded of this in an article in the Washington Post Magazine titled, How Religion Can Help Put Our Democracy Back Together, by Richard Just, editor of the magazine. It’s a really thoughtful piece. He writes about Rabbi Abraham Joshua Herschel, a great mid-century Jewish theologian, still very much revered and read within the Jewish Tradition. His book, The Sabbath, is a deep reflection on the structure of life in the world of space, that is the material world, where we live 6 days a week. And the life of time, which he says, “...has independent ultimate significance; it is of more majesty and more provocative of awe than even a sky studded with stars...It is the dimension of time wherein (humanity) meets God, and becomes aware that every INSTANT is an act of creation...”
What I want everyone to do is to schedule a 24 hour news break every week, a Sabbath if you will, because I want you to generate a moment for God’s Break-In. It is without the news blaring either on the TV or in our reading or with our podcasts, , that we stand half a chance to be softened in our souls. It is a moment of creation, of mystery, of generosity toward ourselves, an existential recognition, whereby we humble ourselves, for we admit to our need of redemption and resurrection and rest. We will be reminded of the great cloud of witnesses, that begins with Sarah and Abraham; Isaac & Rebecca; Jacob, Rachel & Leah; Hannah, King David; Solomon; Moses, Miriam, Aaron, Ruth, Naomi, Esther, Amos, Jeremiah, Isaiah, John the Baptist, Matthew, Mark, Luke, John. St. Paul, Mary, Mary Magdalene, Priscilla & Aquila, Barnabas, Peter. Along with our personal pantheon we hold dear: family members, Sunday School Teachers, Camp Counselors, Pastors, Professors, people we’ve read but never met. Blessed are they for showing us the path of Jesus Christ. God’s Break-In.