Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh.
Jesus in Luke
Dear Friends in Christ,
On Reformation Sunday the first words of my meditation were “Are you laughing enough lately?” Heads shook “no.”
But the lectionary texts for All Saints Day are filled with gladness, rejoicing, and God “taking pleasure in his people.” Even, “Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh.”
So laughing at the Devil and rejoicing together with God are both on point.
Meanwhile, my email inbox is filled with sad, urgent appeals, as our U.S. Government food programs shut down, and a hurricane hits mission partners in Haiti, among other crises. These are not laughing matters. There are 4,300 families in Newton who rely on SNAP. There are hundreds of thousands in Jamaica and Haiti without a home, and without USAID, which was shuttered.
So, what to do? Well, be the church. Celebrate that Missions is the first category in our NHCC annual budget, before building or staff. And since we have a commitment to tithe beyond our walls, anything you and I give here is shared with those in need. Plus we have special fundraisers. Then, come and sing and pray so we remember who we are, and discover who is our neighbor. For when we sing, pray, and work for God’s world, at least some tears turn to smiles.
This season, we celebrate good news: in November we’ll start another Confirmation class. Even if you don’t have any direct connection, ten of our youth will unite to learn about our shared faith, and the God who smiles on us all the time. And come November 9th when we have a wonderful baptism. The poet said that such events are one way to share our hope for the future. Then on November 16th the Rev. June Cooper will join us to preach and teach, and her mission commitments all around Greater Boston are legendary. Really. So be sure to come welcome June. Finally for now, on Sunday November 23, we’ll sing Thanksgiving hymns and then prepare food for the free community meal at the Brighton Allston UCC church the 26th.
We are doing what we can, as we can, for those we can. Keeping faith, sharing prayer, and acting decently come what may. Or I could say, acting Christian. Which is a blessed thing, and I celebrate that it is who we are at NHCC: dedicated Christians. In a historic moment when some use that term to describe the opposite of what we are.
So, even as God’s world is in the midst of a great deal of sadness (from the Middle East, Africa, Jamaica, Chicago, Texas, and a swath of Boston within five miles of our church), we strive to offer gladness. Not as denial, but because it is our joy and our call. It’s not confusing to see that this is what God calls us to do and to be. So, we’re on the right track.
Sometimes it worries me when we ask each other to tend to so many needs on a regular basis: food for those who’ve lost food stamps, blankets and hygiene kits for those after a hurricane, and so on and so forth. It can be hard to keep hearing about these needs since we have needs of our own. But — again, that is the joy of our faith. To take care of ourselves, our neighbors, and God’s creation. To encounter bad news and respond with Good News. If that sounds old-fashioned, it is. It’s also vision for the future, so thank you for all that you do, day in and day out.
Peace,
