A MESSAGE FROM THE RECTOR

A MESSAGE FROM THE RECTOR WE CAN DO BETTER

In the fall of 2016, only three months after I arrived at Saint Michael, I led an adult forum titled “Post-Election Reconciliation.” That forum fell on the Sunday after election day, and I was more scared that day than at any point in my career. Our country was divided, our church community was divided, and in front of a packed church, I stood up and said one thing clearly: “Let’s not do this again.”

My message in that forum was simple: The runup to the election brought out ugliness on all sides and we cannot and should not allow any worldly disagreement to change who we are as disciples of Jesus Christ. As we approach the next presidential election, I fear we are accidentally and unintentionally making the same mistakes. So, in great hope that we can anchor ourselves to a faith that can overcome anything this world throws at us, I believe to the depth of my being that we can do better this time.

At first, “doing better” might seem like an incredibly subjective idea. Most of us are passionate, thoughtful people who believe what we believe with confidence. By suggesting that we can do better, I imagine some readers might feel defensive. But hang with me and allow me to explain. When I use the phrase “do better,” I root the idea of better in the image of Christ. I want us to regularly hold ourselves accountable to the life and mission of Jesus as the compass of our actions and identity. Without Christ, the choices we make about how we live, move, and have our being are unmoored and vulnerable to the twists and turns of the world.

In the Gospel of Luke, at the very beginning of his ministry, Jesus reads from Isaiah: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor (Lk 4:18-19).” Immediately, Jesus takes up that mantle, proclaiming that he has arrived to fulfill God’s promise. His announcement was initially well-received, but after he explained that his mission would make the people uncomfortable, challenging their very way of being, the people were enraged and tried to kill Jesus by throwing him off a cliff.

Anger is a natural human reaction to a world we don’t like or appears to be unfair. I’m painfully aware of how argumentative, hurtful, and sharp our social rhetoric has and is becoming. I’m afraid that passionate issues have become more important than the people they effect, and when issues take on an inhumane perspective, we feel righteous in our opinions, even to the point of aggression.

In a recent newspaper column, I recalled a popular phrase that felt like a yearning of my own heart: “Can’t we all get along?” As I prepared to write the article, I did an internet search for “can’t we all get along” to discover the history behind the simple phrase. To my surprise, the moment this phrase was popularized in our culture came in 1992 when Rodney King, having physically recovered from his beating, begged people to stop the riots in Los Angeles. As we likely all remember, Mr. King was beaten brutally by police officers in 1991, and then in April of 1992, the officers were acquitted of wrongdoing. The acquittal ignited intense riots that continued for six days, killing at least 63 people and causing catastrophic damage in LA. On day three of those riots, Mr. King appealed to the public to stop rioting, saying, “People, I just want to say, can’t we all get along? Can’t we all get along?”

Nearly thirty years after those riots, there have been very few moments when our country appeared as divided as it did during the LA riots, but it seems so today. I’ve heard these divisions explained as necessary for a healthy democracy. Yet the hurtful, even hateful way people treat one another has begun to exceed even the most cynical view of social discourse. I wonder how healthy our democracy can be after we treat one another so badly, and I wonder how healthy we can be as Christian disciples when we participate.

Thankfully, we have come through collective moments like this in the past, and I am hopeful that we can come through this one, too. Although there are great reasons for hope, I’m aware that hope takes action. Hope is active and intentional, calling us all to rise above that which divides us in order to seek the greater good.

As a disciple of Jesus Christ, my concept of “the greater good” comes directly from the model of his life shown in

75years scripture and the call put to each of us through the Holy

Spirit. If we strive to be disciples of Jesus, then our discipleship should be anchored in Jesus’s identity and mission.

In the passage from Luke referenced above, we see a clear path set out before Jesus by God. As we consider this defining statement, I want us to go beyond the literal. Most of us aren’t poor, we aren’t in prison, we aren’t blind, and we wouldn’t consider ourselves oppressed. Yet Isaiah’s words and Christ’s purpose go far beyond the literal into the spiritual.

How many of us have money that keeps us comfortable and secure, but when we consider our emotional and spiritual lives, we are far poorer than we want to be? How many of us are or know someone who is imprisoned by addiction, damaging habits, or hate? How many people do we pass every day who seem unable to see the beauty that surrounds them on every side? And how many, especially this year, are crying out from a place of despair to be released from the bounds of social oppression?

My fellow disciples, in Christ, we see a complete, unequivocal honoring of all people. Without question, the model of love we find exemplified in Jesus compels us to a love for others that overcomes any and all worldly limits. And why? Because we are loved first.

God loves us first, with us doing anything to earn or deserve that love. And when we fall short of God’s hopes for us, likely hurting one another in the process, God loves us anyway. Our love of God and faith in God is a reciprocation of God’s love and faith in us first. In that profound truth, we are called to do better and be better than we can ever manage on our own.

We are called to live lives of hope, to reach out to people with love, and to shine light in the darkest places. We are called to root ourselves in a Christian identity that appeals to our shared humanity. We are called to forgive even when forgiveness is hard, to love even when loving is hard, and to hope even when hopefulness is hard. We are called to do better.

Make no mistake, there is plenty of work to do, but we can do that work when we choose one another over any and all issues that try to divide us. These next few weeks will be hard, and there are powers in the world that will seek to divide us. Remember that we are always stronger when we walk together, and with love on our side, healing can be part of our future. For that, and for all of us, I hold great hope.

RECTOR’S STREAMING BIBLE STUDY

Led by Rector Chris Girata Wednesdays 10:30 - 11:30 a.m. Live-Streamed and On-Demand at saintmichael.org/RBS The Rector’s Bible study (RBS) continues this fall with a study of the Books of Daniel and The Revelation. Stay tuned for more details and don’t forget you can still watch and listen to the recordings, link below.

Questions? Email Meredith Rose, mrose@saintmichael.org

OCT 14: Daniel 8 OCT 21: Daniel 9 OCT 28: Daniel 10 NOV 4: Daniel 11-12 NOV 11: Intro & Revelation 1 NOV 18: Revelation 2 NOV 25: Thanksgiving - No Class DEC 2: Revelation 3 DEC 9: Revelation 4 DEC 23: Christmas - No Class DEC 30: New Years - No Class

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Make plans to join us Saturday, December 5 for the Advent Retreat: "Peace to God's People", featuring noted author Rev. Claire Brown

The Archangel Newsletter (USPS 015-033) is published liturgically seasonally by Saint Michael and

All Angels Episcopal Church. POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to the Archangel, Saint theMichael And All Angels Church, P.O. Box 12385, Dallas TX 75225-0385

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LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

the STEWARDSHIP 2021: BUILDING THE KINGDOM 2020 VESTRY & SAINT MICHAEL FOUNDATION 2021 VESTRY SLATE the 2021 DIOCESAN CONVENTION DELEGATE NOMINEES [PHOTOS] AROUND THE PARISH FINDING PEACE IN THE MESS the SAINT MICHAEL PILGRIMAGE: OBERAMMERGAU SAINT MICHAEL FOUNDATION GIFTS $50K TO FOUR EDUCATIONAL RECIPIENTS the PARISH CALENDAR MY STORY SCHEDULE

YOUTH CONFIRMATION: IT'S A WHOLE NEW THING!

[PHOTOS] OPEN AGAIN! WELL, SORT OF... THE REV. BOB SCOTT

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CLERGY

CLERGY The Rev. Dr. Christopher D. Girata, Rector The Rev. Kenneth H. Brannon, Vice Rector The Rev. Dr. Eric Liles, Associate for Formation The Rev. Greg Pickens, Associate for Pastoral Care The Rev. Bob Johnston, Associate for Contemporary Worship The Rev. Mary Lessmann, Associate for Spiritual Growth

ASSISTING CLERGY The Rev. Canon Michael Harmuth, Sunday Assistant The Rev. Amy Heller, Sunday Assistant The Rev. Tim Kennedy, Sunday Assistant The Rev. Dr. Hiltrude Nusser-Telfer, Pastoral Care Assistant The Rev. Canon René Somodevilla, Assistant Priest for Worship & Liturgy

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