Oh, how do we begin? Do we allow the words of lament to be the space to feel sorrow or do we allow more time, words, and feelings to flow? Am I to jump in quickly with the "God is good" or does that somehow feel a little hollow right now? Donald Trump and his campaign convinced enough Americans, the majority of voters, that we live in a third world country right now, that everything is terrible, the invasion of immigrants is an act of war that needs a military response, and that government, especially the federal government, can't be trusted to help people so that people were aiming guns at FEMA workers who were literally there to help people caught in hurricane disasters. The election is over, so now I can freely talk about 'politics'. Many, who voted for him, held their noses at his bizarre speeches and accusations and incoming racist policies and lack of moral character, and voted for him anyway. Many voted for him knowing full well that this could be the end of democracy, because democracy is now bankrupt. Is it not right, for us to feel sorrow, anger, and despair? Is it not right to ask, "What just happened?" I know that there are lots of Americans who are legitimately afraid of the violence that may come, the loss of rights for women, 2SLGBTQAI people and families, and going backward for BIPOC people. Is it not right, for us to feel sorrow, anger, and despair? Is it NOT RIGHT?
Everyone who is able, I invite them to stand up. It is right and ok to feel these feelings, but we can't live in them 24/7. So let us shake them off, unclench our jaw, our neck, our hands, our bowels. Let us bounce and let those feelings float away from us, drop off us. Let us swing our arms... lift them over our heads... roll our heads to get blood going to our necks and all the places where our body is locked up. We may even need to vocalize and let the frustration out, "This isn't right... This isn't just... This isn't love... Aaaaa!" Are you any better? Maybe we need to do that a few or many more times over the coming week and months. You may be seated.
In our Bible story today, Jonah's first response was to run, as far and as fast as he could. Some scholars believe that Tarshish was in modern day Spain, for them, that was the end of the world, as far West as you could go. When he couldn't run, he decided he would rather die. Throw me overboard and let me die was his thinking. Then we have the comedy of him being held in the belly of a very big fish, giving him time to think and pray before being spewed up. Today, as you can imagine, there are lots of Google searches how to move to Canada or what is the best country to move to. There are some legitimate reasons for people to leave to protect themselves or their families. Each person and family has to make that decision for themselves. And for those of us who are staying, we have to decide whether we are going to heed God's call as a Just Peace and Open & Affirming church to be just a sanctuary in these for walls or are we going out to share the call of God to the people, especially those who voted in bring him back. Doesn't have to be today, but we need to know if we are keeping our heads down as to avoid conflict or raising them up to protect others.
So, Jonah after being spewed on the beach, decides that he will listen to God and follow. When he gets to Nineveh, he just has a simple message, "Forty days and Nineveh will be overthrown!" With anger and hate in his heart, Jonah doesn't offer for or call for repentance. Here is some of the parody of the story, that it will take 3 full days to walk from one end of the city to the other, for a size of one hundred thousand people, which may be a little bigger than Duluth. Even taking into account the sign on HWY 61 that is a couple miles north of the city, I don't think it would take most people that long to walk from the north end to the south end, besides myself who would have to stop and rest very frequently. The story tells us that only one day in, the people heard Jonah, believed him, and sent word to the King that all should repent and wear ashes and sackcloth. And God spared the city. And Jonah is more upset and again wants to die.
Another thing for us to decide is, "Is the God we proclaim to love still the God that loves everyone?" Do we wish our Republican and conservative ill, or do we see them as brothers and sisters all who need the opportunity to turn and acknowledge this election is bad for America, bad for the poor, and bad for minority groups of all kinds? If we believe in love and if we believe that love is for everyone, then we need to ground ourselves in it, use it to heal and strengthen us. Place your hand on your heart and remember that you are loved, you are worthy, you are enough. We won't go any further this morning, but remember our exercise to surround and immerse yourself in love which we have practiced over the past couple of weeks. And now, can we picture those in our families, communities, politicians, pundits, and those who support the next President and Trump himself and just see them as a child of God, loved by God? Maybe some aren't ready to do that, however, it is what Jesus calls us to do as his followers.
Can we now proclaim with a little more certainty? "God is good!" (All the time!) "All the time!" (God is good). We proclaim a God of love, a God of compassion, and a God who is present with us in our victories and defeats, in our joys and our sorrows, and in this world and in all life. "God is good!" (All the time!) "All the time!" (God is good).
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