Dear People of St. James’,
Last week, we celebrated our first services of Holy Eucharist in English and Spanish since March 8, gathering 30 people at 8 am and 10 people at 6 pm outside in a masked, socially distanced, kind of way. And then the day was filled with the new kinds of communion we have discovered in this time of COVID: people gathered on Zoom for the adult forum and Zoom Church in English and Spanish; people watched the video together on FB Watch Party or with their households. I am noticing that even our pets are getting a good deal of religion these days, drawn, as it were, to the warm light of our computer monitors and the soulful sound of David Pulkingham’s guitar.
As a number from among us gathered for some sort of communion on Sunday in a bunch of different ways, Paul in his letter to the Romans reminded us that “we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members one of another.” That reminder stuck with me, because I think that the challenge of our day is to choose how we will be one body, individually members one of another.
We are being called to choose how we will be one body in Christ in a moment of disembodiment, when those physical signs of love and compassion are not available to us in the same way. We are being called to choose how we will be one body in Christ in a moment when the violent physical signs of the disregard of black and brown personhood are very present in our newsfeeds. We are being called to choose how we will be one body in Christ as hundreds of thousands face the prospect of being left without the basic needs of the body: shelter, food, electricity, connection.
In this moment, what choices will we, the people of St. James’ make, knowing that we are, despite appearances, one body, individually members of one another?
Individually as members of one another, we can choose to do something daily about the exile of disembodiment. Here are a few recommendations from exiles in our tradition: seek the Lord in worship, write a letter like Paul (or use newer technology to reach out), sing a song of hope, weep for someone, picture the gathered beloved community that God wants and act with that vision set before you.
Individually as members of one another, we can choose to do something daily about the violent physical signs that point to our societal disregard of black and brown personhood. Here are a few recommendations from our tradition: examine your conscience, get curious about the life of the other, share power, seek la hermandad (brotherhood/sisterhood), put down your own weapons of dehumanizing aggression and consider how you demand that others take up weapons for you.
Individually as members of one another, we can choose to do something daily about the neglect of the basic needs of certain bodies. As Rev. Hoster mentions, we are putting a lot of energy into this through Welcome Table, and we need your gifts and your help. Our tradition offers clear recommendations: rebudget, give alms, dedicate your time to something other than consumption or production, reconsider your own needs in light of others and let something go.
Whenever we say, “Wherever you are on your journey of faith, you are welcome at this table,” we are saying, “You are part of the body. We are not us without you. You are needed. You are loved. You are blessed by the grace of God.” In this time of fragmentation, the Spirit of God is still at work, gathering us around tables of welcome, pouring out the gifts of God’s grace, and uniting us as one body.
What holy experiment will you take up today?
The Rev. Eileen O’Brien
