Do you remember the last time you
felt decidedly uncomfortable somewhere? For me the time that is still forged in
my memory is when I went away for initial orientation and training for my first
job. I was twenty two years old and had just been discharged from Army active
duty and was invited to attend my initial orientation for my company in
Kalamazoo Michigan. This was a totally new experience for which I was so
unprepared in so many ways. Sure, I had the required academic credentials and knew
that I was fortunate to have been selected for this sought-after position. But
I felt decidedly out of place, being the only one from my area and finding
myself seated with a group from a far-away state, who spoke as differently to
me as I did to them. Except for the military in which everyone was very young
and frightened and “forced” to feel uniform,
(the reason for the name of our apparel), I was made to feel different and
out-of-place. I can remember the not so subtle aside remarks that were privately
shared among the other group. I remember asking myself: what am I doing here? This
experience was completely foreign to me. Usually, we feel uncomfortable either
when we don't know many of the people around us or when we're not sure of our
role, place, or responsibilities. We've all been there -- feeling left out,
alone, out of place and unwelcome. It's a lousy feeling. So lousy, in fact,
that we'll go to pretty great lengths to avoid it. The Canaanite woman in our
Gospel [Matthew 15:(10-20,21-28] today, who I’m sure was made to feel out
of place when she heard Jesus say "I was sent only to the lost sheep of
the house of Israel," reminded me of my experience so long ago.
Now, imagine for a moment feeling
that way in church. This may be harder for most of us to believe since church
is one of the places we feel most at home. But let’s face it, each and every
week there are a certain number of people sitting in the pews, listening
attentively or only partially to sermons, singing or just mouthing the words of
the hymns, going through the motions of the prayers and worship, who do not
feel at home at church. They feel like outsiders.
No one sets out to make them feel
unwelcome. It just happens. Blame isn't the issue. The issue is what can we do
about it? The text appointed for Sunday in Matthew is the quintessential
insider/outsider story. Matthew reshapes the belief from some are chosen and some are not to make the case that everyone
should feel welcome. Why? Because God says they are welcome!
Matthew's Gospel is the most
"Jewish," in the sense that Matthew is intent on demonstrating that
Jesus is the Jewish messiah, the fulfillment of long-awaited prophecy. In that context,
listen to Jim Boyce's excellent summary of Matthew as he pits the insider
disciples against the outsider Canaanite woman:
Gathered in one corner are those familiar
disciples, for Matthew the true blue representatives of the faithful lost sheep
of Israel, Like a gang of watchdogs at the door they are about the checking of
IDs and keeping out the non-pedigreed riffraff. On the other side of the
gate stands this outsider, a woman no less, one lone representative of the dogs
of religion, pleading for the mercy of the master shepherd. No English
translation can capture Matthew's careful orchestration of the painful choral
refrain. "Get rid of her," the "lost-sheep chorus" barks
back in reply.
And into it all strides Jesus, the shepherd, who not only welcomes this
newest and most unlikely of disciples, but praises her great faith! Yes, all
are welcome. All. Everyone. All.
Who knows why people don't always
feel welcome. Maybe they are present on Sunday as reluctant spouses or for
their children…that is, they may be people who would prefer to spend their
Sunday mornings in another way, if it didn't matter so much to someone they
cared about. Or maybe they've never really understood all the things we say and
do at church and it's all just a little confusing. Or maybe they had some bad church
experiences as a child and it's hard to ever feel comfortable. Or maybe they
just can't figure out this whole biblical-story thing and just wish the pastor
would reference a story they understood. Or maybe they're intimidated because
all the "regulars" seem to know what they're doing. Or maybe they
have a hard time believing that the pastor wants them there if you really knew
the problems they have. Or maybe....
But that's the point. We don't know.
And we won't......Unless we ask and listen, really listen.
So that's the challenge. We need to
talk about these texts in the contexts of what it's like to feel welcome or
unwelcome at church. And then ask in our own words: Why do you feel welcome at
this church? What is it that makes you feel welcome? What has made you feel unwelcome?
What do you love most about being here? What's gets in your way?
Maybe we can talk about how Jesus has promised
to build his church on us, just people and just as unlikely and “qualified” as
Peter was qualified. Just people. God willing, he will call upon the Holy
Spirit to open our hearts and minds and help us renew the process of building
and going forward. At the very least, we may get some insight into our own
people, whom we have been called to love and welcome in the name of Christ. And
that alone, will be enough. Reference: Dear Working Preacher, David Lose July 31,
2011
