EZEKIEL 33:1-11

PSALM 119:33-48

ROMANS 12:9-21

MATTHEW 18:15-20

Sermon – 9/8/02

One Year Later

Did St. Paul write a letter to American Christians, mailed so as to be opened and read on the Sunday before the anniversary of 9/11? No, but to me the words we just heard are as timely and pertinent as if he had done so, and to think our lectionary just happened to assign them for this Sunday.

Paul was writing to the new, small collection of Christians in Rome, a city centuries away from being synonymous with a powerful Christian leader and in fact then synonymous with the pagan empire which ruled with an iron hand from France to Armenia and from the Sahara to the North Sea. Paul by this time knew a great deal about suffering, persecution and the danger of violent death at the hands of bitter enemies. He was no Pollyanna, and the fact that vicious fanatics could kill people as they did a year ago here would not have surprised him. Free will gave and gives people the opportunity for great love or for great wickedness. And when great wickedness is perpetrated upon unsuspecting, innocent people, how those who side with the victims respond is vital.

Paul does not indulge in any moral relativism as some so-called liberal theologians have done when they were slow to label evil behavior as evil and sought to almost blame the victims or our country, for the catastrophes of last year.

Rather, Paul says, “Hate what is evil.” Seems obvious, doesn’t it, but note his careful phrasing: “hate what is evil, not “who.” Evil behavior can and should be opposed with all the strength in our beings, but evil behavior should not be glued in our minds to certain human beings, whether of a religion, a nation, or an ethnic group.

This came home to me indelibly a few years ago, when South Brunswick hosted the Anne Frank exhibit, and a survivor of a concentration camp spoke of the distinction he made between “the Germans” in general and those Germans who did those things. If he can make that distinction, so can everyone.

Likewise, we can make a distinction between “the Arabs” and those Arabs, between “the Muslims” and those Muslims, and only hate behavior that is evil, whoever does it. Not only does that help us avoid identifying evil with a vast number of innocent people, this distinction also helps us remember that evil behavior is a temptation to everyone – including us. We must never become what we oppose.

“Hate what is evil.” Mass murder is evil. Premeditated surprise attacks on civilians are evil. Hatred of people (as opposed to behaviors) also is evil.

But hating evil is not enough. “Let love be genuine...hold fast to what is good; love one another with mutual affection,” Paul continues. The extraordinary heroism in response to the attacks, the outpouring of generosity, the endless hours of support groups, counselors, thousands of volunteers and paid workers painstakingly responding with care to so many aspects of the disasters in New York and Washington are good and show enormous love. So are the considerable efforts to bring people together in our nation – and in the world – in opposition to terrorism and in support of non-violence (at the least) and peace (at the best). “Love one another” has been and continues to be practiced with an intensity all too rarely seen in recent years.

“Do not lag in zeal, be ardent in sprit, serve the Lord,” Paul declares. A year ago at this time the leaders of Trinity Church, Wall Street were wondering what could possibly be the mission of St. Paul’s Episcopal Chapel in the world today. On September 11, they – and the world – found out, as it became a crucial center for care for all those working at Ground Zero. “Serve the Lord.” You’ll never know how important it may be to someone.

“Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer,” Paul writes. I think he was there as well as the chapel named for him; this passage could be called “The letter from Ground Zero.” “Contribute to the needs of the Saints; extend hospitality to strangers.” Yes, Paul, your chapel got your letter. “Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.” All that we, and millions of others have done, and continue to do.

But now comes the hard part. Remember that St. Paul was himself bitterly persecuted. Yet still he writes, “Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them...Do not repay anyone evil for evil, but take thought for what is noble in the sight of all.”

Anyone who thinks Christianity is easy has not tried this. Yet let’s think of the alternative: continually cursing a persecutor will never convert that person into a new person who can be your brother or sister. Blessing that person might.

Sound crazy? Think back to the civil rights movement and Martin Luther King, Jr. Stand tall and strong for justice, yes, and “Do not repay anyone evil for evil.” Those were the mottoes of King and his followers. America is far from perfect, but it is a radically different place especially for people of color then it was 50 years ago, in large measure not only because of the success of the movement but of how it was successful. Strength and peace. Both amazed white America, and changed many people.

Former Atlanta Mayor Andrew Young has said that if not for Dr. King and the assent to his philosophy of so many people, “Atlanta today would look like Beirut.”

We in America today face an ongoing threat from Al Quaeda, from a group whose actions are despicable. But their fondest hope was to provoke a war between America and all Muslims, a hope they have not realized. The aid we Americans have sent to the people of Afghanistan (who have suffered far more than we have) and the conscious and careful efforts at greater understanding between Muslims and people of other faiths in this country are exactly what needs to be done, and done more, and they are what Al Queda abhors.

Paul writes, “Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave room for the wrath of God; for it is written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.’” Seeking vengeance would not bring back a single victim, and would only open the doors to an endless cycle of revenge.

Should we defend ourselves? I say, absolutely. Were we right to overthrow the Taliban and help liberate Afghanistan from their grip? Again, I believe, yes. Should we continue to strive to apprehend terrorists who mean us harm? Personally, I say certainly.

Should we launch a pre-emptive strike on Iraq? Again, speaking personally, I believe this is an entirely different matter. When did Iraq attack us? Is Iraq more threatening to others now than a year ago? Who would be hurt most in an attack, Saddam – or his long-suffering people? And what would such an attack do to what must be America’s crucial long-term effort, to be a friend of the long-suffering Arab masses? A friend, not only because of their need to be liberated from poverty and despotism, but because only such true friendship will dry up the swamp of simmering resentment which breeds terrorists who then attack us.

Military action is sometimes necessary, but in the long run only a commitment to justice, generosity and, yes, love will contribute to security.

And if you don’t believe me, how many wars have we fought with Germany and Japan in the last 57 years?

We certainly defended ourselves vigorously in 1941-45, and we meted out justice with strength – and then we helped feed those people and rebuild those nations enough so that they are now our competitors. But not our enemies. Paul writes, “’If your enemies are hungry, feed them; if they are thirsty, give them something to drink.’” Marshall Plan, anyone?

Justice, generosity and love are, in the long run, the only policies which really have a chance of working.

But whether they “work” in our lifetimes or not, they are the right things to commit ourselves to. As Paul concludes, “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” Otherwise, we become what we oppose.

We as individuals, as part of the Central Jersey community and as part of the St. Barnabas family have many opportunities to live out St. Paul’s words now and in the year to come. Let me mention this one. This very week, our multi-faith South Brunswick area community will be gathering together to remember September 11, 2001 and to affirm the kind of people we are. We will gather this Wednesday evening in a mosque, the Islamic Society of Central Jersey. I am honored to be one of the speakers, following others including our Mayor, Superintendent of Schools and Chief of Police, as well as some clergy. You can come to South Brunswick High School at 6:30p.m. where fleets of buses will take you to the mosque, where you will be welcomed by a refreshment buffet the likes of which I certainly have never seen.

We will have Greeters from nine different faith communities welcome you as you get off the busses – including four members of St. Barnabas. We will gather to remember, to weep, to pray, to sing – taught by the Cantor from the synagogue, to listen, and to sing “America the Beautiful” with our fellow Americans in a mosque. We will live out the one phrase of St. Paul's from today's Epistle I saved until now: "Live in harmony with one another."

Again, my friends, “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”

(The Rev.) Francis A. Hubbard

St. Barnabas Episcopal Church