WESTMINSTER PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
March 2nd 2008
Communion Meditation
Rev. Mark R. Bradshaw-Miller
"The Vampires of Despair"
I Samuel 16:1-13; Ephesians 5:8-14; John 9:1-41
A title like, vampires of despair, simply begs the question: “What are the vampires of despair? Well, they are not a group of people or a physical being that we can drive a stake into like Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Instead, they are the beliefs and actions that attack the places of hope in our world. They are the places in our heads, or even the voices of our friends that lead us to choose doubt and cynicism over hope. Acting out of our vampire mode is a way of being that moves us to notice the crumbs on the floor and miss the life-giving community going on around us. It is a way of being that leads us to focus more on the difficulties and challenges of worshiping in the parlor rather than giving thanks for the deep intimacy that has been created by our worshiping in this place. Do not hear me wrong, I am not being Pollyanna. (And I am pretty sure most people would never confuse me with Pollyanna…) Instead, what I am saying is that when we spend all our energy on those sorts of things, we have lost sight of God’s vision for our community. Metaphorically, we have become blind to the new life being offered through Jesus. The beauty of this passage from the Gospel of John, is that it reminds us of that the new life will be messy, and it might just involve a little dirt and spit.
I am more convinced today that God is doing a new thing here at the corner of Union and Delmar. And, I believe that our energy should be focused on how best to catch up with this new reality. In order to do this, each one of us must become encouragers of this vision. Each one of us needs to be willing to confront the vampires in ourselves and in each other. And, each one of us needs to share in the messiness that may involve a little spit and dirt on the road to healing and wholeness. Part of this work is the letting go of the beliefs about what a church is supposed to look like. Instead, we are called to allow the spit and dirt to open our eyes to way of Jesus laid out for all his followers.
This way of being is a life-long journey that involves our whole selves. However, one thing it does not entail is the spending of our energy engaging the vampires of despair. Instead using the battle metaphors the most fruitful work is to follow the words of musician Michael Franti. In his song See You in the Light he calls us to simply bring the vampires into the light. No need for struggle, no fighting, just the work of being a bearer of light. In other words, we need to move into the light ourselves, and shine that light on the vampires in our head, in our lives, and in the world. In doing so we take the power from the vampires of despair who drain us of the hope, vision, and healing we have come to know in Jesus.
The Pharisees in this story are so bound by their beliefs and religious expectations that they are willing to fight and struggle, and use precious energy and recourses, in order to maintain the status quo. First, they go after the messenger who embodies the healing and vision. Who did this to you? Were you really blind? After challenging his credibility they move to his family. When they fail to do their vampire work, because they are incapable of embracing the vision, their last resort is to throw the healed one out of the community. A new vision, of healing and wholeness, is unwelcome if it challenges their well ordered world. Yet despite throwing this man out, they save their greatest wrath for Jesus. Jesus must be a sinner because he is calling for a new day, a new vision, a way of healing and wholeness that does not fit their well ordered world.
But, again, we must be careful to note that the vampires of despair can come from within as well as from without. One day we may act as children of light and the next day we are the very vampires of which we speak. Acknowledging this reality is an important and humbling step. The vampires of despair always act out of fear. Fear of loss, of change, of something or someone different than we expected. Or, fear that God might actually be serious with works like – “I do not judge by outward appearance” or “Act as children of light” Or even in the way that Jesus calls us to risk our favorite pet projects or well practiced vampire ways. So what then are we to do? We need to challenge one another to give up our vampire ways, wherever they arise. We need to be bearers of the light.
But I believe that the admonition to be children of light goes far beyond communal practice and personal action. I believe this calling to be children of light means we need to bring light to the vampire places in the wider world. Moving in this direction however moves us to confront the underside of human activity. I have come to believe that one of the most important issues of our day is what has happened in the places like Abu Ghraib, Guantanamo, and Bagrahm. When it all came to light, most of us had no clue that it was talking place. Or if we did, any thought of such things was tucked away in a safe place where we could ignore it. However, now that it is out into the light we cannot remain faithful if we ignore what we know. The pictures from Abu Ghraib prison showed us the fruits of a worldview nurtured in fear that unleashed the hounds of war without restraint. Those pictures and the many people working to bring this evil to light, in all its forms, threw spit and dirt in our eyes so that we could see with clarity the immorality being done in our name. It is not a comfortable place to be. Like the newly healed young man we too must go back and ask Jesus, well now what? What shall we do now that we know?
I want to attempt to deal with those questions by way of personal confession. You see, when the pictures came to light I was in no hurry to deal with those questions. I have drug my feet in dealing with one of the great moral issues of our time. When the pictures first showed, and the movement to end this horror started I was nowhere to be found. I did not want to deal with this because of the dark places of my own mind. The vampires of despair led me to ask: Well maybe it is necessary? Maybe they deserved it? Maybe this is just the way things work? Yes, I confess that I have thought those things and as a result I remained silent. So I stand here this morning to confess my own submission to the vampires of despair.
It is my prayer that in offering this public confession, that we all might be willing and able to ask these hard questions. It is my hope that this confession will allow us all to acknowledge the places where the vampires of despair are speaking to us and keeping us from faithful action in our own lives and in the world. But a calling to be bearers of light and hope, in other words, a life of faithful discipleship may lead us to an encounter with spit and dirt in our eyes, rejection from family and even other members of our shared faith. But the good news is that this encounter with dirt and spit is the path of Jesus. It is the way of new vision, of new life, of healing and of wholeness. Let us seek to be the bearers of light. Amen.
March 2nd 2008
Communion Meditation
Rev. Mark R. Bradshaw-Miller
"The Vampires of Despair"
I Samuel 16:1-13; Ephesians 5:8-14; John 9:1-41
A title like, vampires of despair, simply begs the question: “What are the vampires of despair? Well, they are not a group of people or a physical being that we can drive a stake into like Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Instead, they are the beliefs and actions that attack the places of hope in our world. They are the places in our heads, or even the voices of our friends that lead us to choose doubt and cynicism over hope. Acting out of our vampire mode is a way of being that moves us to notice the crumbs on the floor and miss the life-giving community going on around us. It is a way of being that leads us to focus more on the difficulties and challenges of worshiping in the parlor rather than giving thanks for the deep intimacy that has been created by our worshiping in this place. Do not hear me wrong, I am not being Pollyanna. (And I am pretty sure most people would never confuse me with Pollyanna…) Instead, what I am saying is that when we spend all our energy on those sorts of things, we have lost sight of God’s vision for our community. Metaphorically, we have become blind to the new life being offered through Jesus. The beauty of this passage from the Gospel of John, is that it reminds us of that the new life will be messy, and it might just involve a little dirt and spit.
I am more convinced today that God is doing a new thing here at the corner of Union and Delmar. And, I believe that our energy should be focused on how best to catch up with this new reality. In order to do this, each one of us must become encouragers of this vision. Each one of us needs to be willing to confront the vampires in ourselves and in each other. And, each one of us needs to share in the messiness that may involve a little spit and dirt on the road to healing and wholeness. Part of this work is the letting go of the beliefs about what a church is supposed to look like. Instead, we are called to allow the spit and dirt to open our eyes to way of Jesus laid out for all his followers.
This way of being is a life-long journey that involves our whole selves. However, one thing it does not entail is the spending of our energy engaging the vampires of despair. Instead using the battle metaphors the most fruitful work is to follow the words of musician Michael Franti. In his song See You in the Light he calls us to simply bring the vampires into the light. No need for struggle, no fighting, just the work of being a bearer of light. In other words, we need to move into the light ourselves, and shine that light on the vampires in our head, in our lives, and in the world. In doing so we take the power from the vampires of despair who drain us of the hope, vision, and healing we have come to know in Jesus.
The Pharisees in this story are so bound by their beliefs and religious expectations that they are willing to fight and struggle, and use precious energy and recourses, in order to maintain the status quo. First, they go after the messenger who embodies the healing and vision. Who did this to you? Were you really blind? After challenging his credibility they move to his family. When they fail to do their vampire work, because they are incapable of embracing the vision, their last resort is to throw the healed one out of the community. A new vision, of healing and wholeness, is unwelcome if it challenges their well ordered world. Yet despite throwing this man out, they save their greatest wrath for Jesus. Jesus must be a sinner because he is calling for a new day, a new vision, a way of healing and wholeness that does not fit their well ordered world.
But, again, we must be careful to note that the vampires of despair can come from within as well as from without. One day we may act as children of light and the next day we are the very vampires of which we speak. Acknowledging this reality is an important and humbling step. The vampires of despair always act out of fear. Fear of loss, of change, of something or someone different than we expected. Or, fear that God might actually be serious with works like – “I do not judge by outward appearance” or “Act as children of light” Or even in the way that Jesus calls us to risk our favorite pet projects or well practiced vampire ways. So what then are we to do? We need to challenge one another to give up our vampire ways, wherever they arise. We need to be bearers of the light.
But I believe that the admonition to be children of light goes far beyond communal practice and personal action. I believe this calling to be children of light means we need to bring light to the vampire places in the wider world. Moving in this direction however moves us to confront the underside of human activity. I have come to believe that one of the most important issues of our day is what has happened in the places like Abu Ghraib, Guantanamo, and Bagrahm. When it all came to light, most of us had no clue that it was talking place. Or if we did, any thought of such things was tucked away in a safe place where we could ignore it. However, now that it is out into the light we cannot remain faithful if we ignore what we know. The pictures from Abu Ghraib prison showed us the fruits of a worldview nurtured in fear that unleashed the hounds of war without restraint. Those pictures and the many people working to bring this evil to light, in all its forms, threw spit and dirt in our eyes so that we could see with clarity the immorality being done in our name. It is not a comfortable place to be. Like the newly healed young man we too must go back and ask Jesus, well now what? What shall we do now that we know?
I want to attempt to deal with those questions by way of personal confession. You see, when the pictures came to light I was in no hurry to deal with those questions. I have drug my feet in dealing with one of the great moral issues of our time. When the pictures first showed, and the movement to end this horror started I was nowhere to be found. I did not want to deal with this because of the dark places of my own mind. The vampires of despair led me to ask: Well maybe it is necessary? Maybe they deserved it? Maybe this is just the way things work? Yes, I confess that I have thought those things and as a result I remained silent. So I stand here this morning to confess my own submission to the vampires of despair.
It is my prayer that in offering this public confession, that we all might be willing and able to ask these hard questions. It is my hope that this confession will allow us all to acknowledge the places where the vampires of despair are speaking to us and keeping us from faithful action in our own lives and in the world. But a calling to be bearers of light and hope, in other words, a life of faithful discipleship may lead us to an encounter with spit and dirt in our eyes, rejection from family and even other members of our shared faith. But the good news is that this encounter with dirt and spit is the path of Jesus. It is the way of new vision, of new life, of healing and of wholeness. Let us seek to be the bearers of light. Amen.
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