Second Message 09/14/08
"Inching Toward the Child of True Humanity"
Reflection given on the 20th Anniversary of Rick Yramategui's Ordination,
Carmel Valley Community Chapel
September 14, 2008
By the Rev. Dr. Wayne B. Robinson
Text -- Gospel of Mary of Magdala Four and Five
When Bill Clinton met with Nelson Mandela for the first time, he had a burning question on his mind: "When you were released from prison, Mr. Mandela," Clinton said, "I woke my daughter at three o'clock in the morning. I wanted her to see this historic event." Then Clinton zeroed in on his question: "As you marched from the cellblock across the yard to the gate of the prison, the camera focused in on your face. I have never seen such anger, and even hatred, in any man as was expressed on your face at that time. That's not the Nelson Mandela I know today. What was that about?"
Mandela answered, "I'm surprised that you saw that, and I regret that the cameras caught my anger. But, as I walked across the courtyard that day, I thought to myself,
I heard this story recently and I thought I heard the last sentences right, but I wasn't sure. I guess that was because they seemed a bit strange to me. So I asked the speaker, and I had indeed heard correctly. But to fully understand them, I needed to go back to the middle of the narrative. First, Mandela admits that Clinton was correct in what he saw, he was indeed very, very angry and he tells Clinton in considerable detail about the scope of his anger. Everything that mattered to him the most was gone and he hated his captors for all that they had taken away from him.
But as was the case at the time of his release, so now, as he tells the story of what happened, by bringing his anger to the surface, Mandela seems to prepare the way for what the Gospel of Mary calls the Child of the True Humanity. And indeed, the Child does come through as his own Inner Voice.
In this part of the story, the key word is a n g e r. Of all the human emotions that God has given us, anger is the most problematic for most of us. And it is the one that can most easily drown out the voice of one's inner Child. This happens, at least in part, because we just don't seem to know very well how to express it, or if we cannot express it because of some circumstance, how to deal with it in a healthy way then. If we hold anger in; or suppress it; or draw someone else in and talk to her about our anger; etc., all we do is add to our lumber pile of resentments. (Literally, from OF, to feel - sentir; again - re.)
Sandi Bachom has written a book called, "Denial is Not a River in Egypt." Sandi had been addicted to alcohol and while she was in treatment, she thought that when she got through, she would never be able to laugh again. But along the way, she was at a social gathering and she overheard someone say, "Denial is not a River in Egypt," and she laughed for the first time since finishing treatment. This set her out on a journey of collecting aphorisms or short stories that related, not just to recovery, but to life in general. Her aphorisms about resentment have been very helpful to me.
Here are some of Sandi's aphorisms.
"Resentments are like taking poison in the hopes your enemy will die."
"Resentments bind you to the object of your resentment."
"Resentments are like letting people live rent-free in your head."
"Resentments are like stray dogs; if you don't pet them, they will go away."
"I don't have to attend every argument I am invited to."
"Be kind to your enemies; it will drive them crazy!"
Just as an aside, living with Sandi's book of aphorisms has given me a new appreciation for this genre, including the Gospel of Mary of Magdala.
But going back to Nelson Mandela, to remind us, after naming his resentments, his Inner Voice tells him that for 27 years, he was physically the prisoner of his captors. But during all of those years, he was still, in truth, a free man. Then the Inner Voice warns him, "Do not let them make you into a free man, only to turn you into their prisoner."
And Mandela hears and acts on what he has heard.
But how does he have the equanimity to go through this whole process in the space of a few minutes as he walks through the yard from the cell block to the gate and in his recounting of that event to Bill Clinton? That's where Mary's gospel comes in. The risen Christ comes in and speaks, greeting them all with the common greeting, "Peace be with you." But there is a second part where he admonishes them to acquire his peace within them. The Christ assumes that they can do this and his faith in them empowers them to do it. This reminded me of my grandmother. Her faith in me was amazing. For example, she had one of the first reel-type power mowers. I went out to mow the lawn with it, but it would not start. I went back in and told her it was broken and I had no clue how to fix it. But she told me, "I am sure you can fix it so just go out there and do it. Fortified by her belief in me, I went out and indeed fixed, how, I'll never know. I would have to have her nearby to find out, I guess.
Back to the Christ and the disciples, his faith in them fosters their ability to indeed acquire the peace of Christ within them. But he warns them not to listen to people who tell them to look over here or look over there. I was lucky to have no people around ready to tell me I was doing it wrong or there was a better way to do it. If there were, though, my grandmother's faith in me was so strong, I think that I could have ignored them. And -
The Christ affirms that the Child of the True Humanity exists within them and will tell them what they should do. And that voice is the one they should follow. . .the exact same process that Mandela went through. This same challenge and promise comes to all of us today.
But in addition to looking within, there are folks like Mandela who give us glimpses how this works. Now, I wouldn't burden Rick by putting him on the same plane as Mandela, but at times, I have had the privilege of seeing him come close.
About 23 years ago, Rick came in to see me in the church in Robbinsdale, Minnesota where I was Senior Minister at the time. Together, we explored what it might mean for him, as a gay Christian, to become a member for the 3 years he would be at UTS.
I told him that I wanted him to do whatever felt right to him and that I would support him in whatever that might be. But I told him that the church was in the initial stages of considering becoming an Open and Affirming church of the UCC - one of the first churches in Minnesota to do that. And if he wanted to help me and the church the most, I would like to simply join and become active as a member to allow people to get to know him. He agreed.
Over the next three years, he became a member of the Board of Deacons and Chair of that Board, our delegate to the Annual Meeting of the UCC Conference, a member of our choir, a participant in worship leadership, and a fabulous addition to the keyboard artists in the church. Overall, our people fell in love with Rick. Mothers had their daughters married off to him in their mind. Men and women saw him as someone who was becoming a marvelous minister. Etc.
In his third year, the time came for him to seek ordination, which our congregation would have to vote to do. Rick felt that the time had arrived for him to come out and share his journey as a gay Christian. That was discussed in our Church Council and they recommended that Rick take the sermon slot one Sunday and have a discussion time after the service in the sanctuary. Well, he did the journey part beautifully and with great sensitivity and after the service, people gathered.
I was sitting in the congregation near our most vocal, homophobic, seventy year old man and I sat nervously, waiting for what would happen. Well, he got up at one point, and in his normal booming voice, said something like, "You know, sometimes we have an opinion all of our lives and then we find out that we have been wrong." And he sat down.
Later, he became a member of the Open and Affirming task force that was charged with helping the church get ready to vote. When the time came to vote, I think it was unanimous. And I felt profoundly grateful that God had sent us Rick, to help us inch a bit closer to the Realm of the Child of True Humanity.
Gospel of Mary 4-5
When the Blessed One had said these things, he greeted them all. "Peace be with you!" he said. "Acquire my peace within yourselves!
"Be on your guard so that no one deceives you by saying, 'Look over here!' or 'Look over there!' For the child of true Humanity exists within you. Follow it! Those who search for it will find it.
"Go then, preach the good news about the Realm/Kingdom. Do not lay down any rule beyond what I determined for you, nor promulgate law like the law giver, or else you might be dominated by it."
After he had said these things, he departed from them.
But they were distressed and wept greatly. "How are we going to go out to the rest of the world to announce the good news about the Realm/Kingdom of the child of true Humanity?" they said. "If they did not spare him, how will they spare us?"
Then Mary stood up. She greeted them all, addressing her brothers and sisters, "Do not weep and be distressed nor let your hearts be irresolute. For his grace will be with you all and will shelter you. Rather we should praise his greatness, for he has prepared us and made us true Human beings."
When Mary had said these things, she turned their heart toward the Good, and they began to debate about the words of the Savior.
Copyright © 2008, the Reverend Dr. Wayne B. Robinson, All Rights Reserved