Matthew 9:35-10:8
Proper 6 / Year A
In her
sermon last Sunday at the National Cathedral, the Rt. Rev. Marianne Budde, Bishop
of the Diocese of Washington DC, noted New Testament Greek has two different
words for ‘time’ – chronos and kairos.
Chronos refers to
chronological time: 6:01, 6:02, 6:03… When
you ask someone the time you are inquiring about chronos. Kairos refers to when the time is right
or opportunity is at hand. “Make hay
while the sun shines.” “Strike while the
iron is hot.” Both refer to kairos time. Think about a football commentator who might
say, “With six minutes left in the third quarter (chronos), this might be a good time to take a shot down the field (kairos).”
Bishop
Budde stated she believes our country is in a kairos moment when we have the opportunity to create a society more
reflective of the ideals set for by our founding documents; one moving us
closer to God’s dream for all people (what we Christian’s call The Kingdom of Heaven). Who saw this coming? In the midst of a global pandemic, the death
of a black man at the hands and knees of Minneapolis Police Officers has
brought us to a kairos moment. People of color are speaking out once again
about the injustice they experience and this time white America is listening
and willing to learn and to act.
I’d like to
think I am a good person. I try to treat
everyone with dignity and respect and even go out of my way to extend my value
of civility to people of color. Am I
perfect? Of course not, but I don’t think
of myself as being a racist. If you
point out to me a way in which I am, I will repent and work to amend my attitudes
and behavior. And most of you, along
with most of the white people I know, are good people; folks who try to look
beyond the color of a person’s skin to the common humanity we all share as
children of God.
But the
events of the last few weeks have got wondering if being a nice person is
enough, why is our country still struggling with racism? Sure, there are a few “bad apples” who make
things difficult. While their actions
are an affront to what our country and our faith stands for, their presence
alone cannot account for the brokenness in our civic life. For the first time I am beginning to think
about things like systemic racism and institutional racism. I want to know more about what they are and I
want to understand how they play out in our society.
I
understand how phrases like Systemic Racism, Institutional Racism, Black Lives
Matter, White Privilege, White Fragility, Reparations, and Defund the Police
elicit an almost involuntary negative reaction in white people. I understand this because it is a part of my
initial response. But I also recognize
my first impulse is not necessarily the best course to take in any particular situation. Thomas Jefferson did not say “The cornerstone
of democracy is your gut reaction”. He
said, “The cornerstone of democracy rests on the foundation of an educated
electorate.” I recognize I need to learn
a lot before I can begin to act in a thoughtful, meaningful, helpful way
reflective of my pride in being an American and faithful to my calling as a
child of God baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.
A week ago
I had never even heard of the notion Defund the Police. On the surface, it sounds like a completely
absurd idea. I committed myself to
reading articles about it and to listen to those advocating for it. I read about how Camden, NJ dismantled its
entire police department in 2013 because the problems in it were so deeply entrenched
reform was deemed not possible. And I
read about how they rebuilt the force on a new model using different,
community-oriented methods. I read about
the positive results coming out of their efforts.
Now, I am
not advocating for the Defund the Police movement, nor am I saying we in
Suffolk need to dismantle our police force.
What I am saying is now is a kairos
moment and we white people enter into first by listening and by learning. Many of you have told me you have had enough
of our society’s injustice, but you just don’t know what to do. I have a four-part answer. First, pray.
Second, listen to the experience of others. Third, learn, explore, understand before
dismissing something out-of-hand. And
fourth, act locally.
We don’t
live in Minneapolis. We don’t live in
Camden. We live in Suffolk, VA, a part
of the metropolitan region of Hampton Roads.
What is the policy of our police force with regard to restraint? What are our statistics for incarceration
based on race? For educational results? For income level? For access to healthcare? For representation at all levels of local
government? What do these numbers
mean? Are they reflective of a just
society where everyone has an equal opportunity? If not, what can we do about it? Speaking only for myself, I will need to
listen and learn before I can advocate for anything specific.
I am a
member of Suffolk Clergy United (a multi-ethnic group founded five years after
the shooting at the Charleston A.M.E. Church). We have been privileged to
attend meetings with Suffolk’s Chief of Police, with the Sheriff and members of
his Department, and with representatives of the Commonwealth’s Attorney
Office. All are actively engaged in
community relations and (in my opinion) genuinely seek to make Suffolk a good
and fair place for every resident in our community. Are we perfect? No.
But we are trying and I am sure this kairos
moment will only bolster our resolve to move forward.
In today’s
reading from the Gospel of Matthew we find Jesus at an interesting juncture in
his early ministry. He has healed. He has taught. He has feed.
He has forgiven. He has
challenged the powers that be. And he
has amassed a following. He has done all
of this and yet he recognizes there is so much more to do. And he recognizes how his human limitations
mean he cannot do it all by himself.
Jesus knows he needs help. So he
calls twelve and appoints them as his disciples. He gives them authority and sends them out to
expand his work, giving them only the barest of instructions. The message, it is not what you have that
matters. What matters is who you are and
who is with you.
Jesus
describes this moment in a metaphorical way: “The harvest is plentiful, but the
laborers are few.” The harvest is
plentiful. He is not talking about chronos time here. He is not saying it is fall and the time for brining
in the crop is upon us. He is talking
about kairos time. We have an opportunity to spread the Good
News. People are open to it in ways like
never before and we cannot let this moment pass. Do borrow a phrase from the Navy, we need all
hands on deck.
All kairos moments come about by the
movement of God’s Spirit. Some kairos moments are deeply personal and
tailored to where you are as an individual…
the time comes for you to stand up for yourself, or to make a change, or
to put away destructive behaviors and make a new beginning. Other kairos
moments are communal as it is with where we are in right now. The harvest is plentiful. You and I are called to be laborers who pray
first, then listen, then learn, and then act.
It is not enough to spectate.
This kairos moment requires
all hands on deck.
