Refugee Ministry: Serving the Descendants of Naboth, by The Rt. Rev. Andrew D. Smith
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Today’s homily is a follow-up on a sermon from the first Sunday in January. That one was about the possibility of our helping people who are refugees, families, who have fled across a border from their homeland because of the threat and fear of oppression and perhaps death.
There’s been lots of thinking and learning since January. And now, our possibility is at a probability, and it is at a critical point. So. Six months later, here’s sermon Part Two.
The purpose of today’s sermon is
- to bring us all up to date.
- to call and encourage every single one of us to play a part so we can g forward.
But first, let’s look at Scripture, which is filled with accounts of faithful people who in God responded to deliver persons in need beyond their control.
Last week’s reading was about deliverance from famine and death: how Elijah provided food for the widow in Zarapeth, and brought her son back to life. Remember the gospel story about deliverance from a birth condition: how Jesus gave sight to the man born blind. From illness: the healing of Jairus’ daughter. Deliverance from addiction to money: the conversion of Matthew the tax collector. From dead and being buried, the gospel from last week: the raising by Jesus of the widow of Nain’s son.
What about deliverance from our cruelty to each other, beyond our control? Today’s First Testament lesson tells such a story. Naboth’s farm was against the wall of the palace fortress in Samaria. Had wanted the farm for a palace garden. He sought to take it by eminent domain. When Naboth refused, Ahab offered money. Naboth replied, “It’s my family heritage; we belong here.” So they got him on trumped-up charges of religious incorrectness and blasphemy (“You have cursed God”) and on political treason (“and the king”).
Imagine what the killing of Naboth, and the loss of their ancestral heritage of land and farm, meant for the Naboth family. The head of the family, their father killed, his wife and family homeless, bereft and destined for poverty. Again, they were victims in need because of powers beyond their control. They did nothing to deserve it.
If we had been Naboth’s relatives or neighbors, what might we have done? Taken them in to our homes? Given them money? Divided our farm to give them a living?
There are other such stories, not just from the past. We know there are such stories today, and they are legion. And just as we could read of Naboth and go home, so we can read of and even see their stories in the news and just go back to our every-day lives. But as people of the Book, of the Spirit, disciples of Jesus who gave us so many examples and his new commandments, we can’t just turn away.
It’s in our baptism promises which we will claim again today: to proclaim by example the Good News of God in Christ, to seek and serve Christ in all persons, and love our neighbor as we love our selves, striving for justice. and peace. to respect the dignity of every human being. This is the life into which we baptize young Christopher and Grace Triano; it’s in our spiritual DNA to help.
So, from this parish community, since January a number people have met, have been working together. We can’t help Naboth’s family, but we can bring deliverance to at least some refugees who — like Naboth and his household, through no fault of their own, but because of powers and evil beyond their control, have not been able to stay on their ancestral land.
Many live today in temporary camps, with no work available, little food, tents for shelter, with nowhere to go, no promise for tomorrow — a definition of “purgatory” if every there was one.
Here’s our report. Core Committee seeking to provide for refugee co-sponsorship with Iris, Integrated Refugee and Immigrant Services, has formed, mainly within the membership of Trinity Church (Ask participants to stand).
Now there’s a second community who’ve joined the Trinity Sigourney Street core — student, staff and faculty members of Trinity Summit Street, Trinity College The Rev. Allison Read, Dean of Religious Life and Chaplain to the College, and Maryam Bitar, newly graduated from Trinity here today. (Four people stand)
But wait, aren’t there others we should be helping? Homeless veterans, People here living in poverty? Yes. Shouldn’t we be caring for them? Yes, such persons are in need and need care, and there are agencies working with them. For refugees, however, We Are the agents designated by our government to care for refugees; it’s the religious communities who are the means for resettlement;i it’s who we are, and it’s our work.
HEATHER’S KRAMER’S STATEMENT of her involvement (summary)
I do for others to get past doing only for myself.
We have such abundance in this country, where we can choose sixty kinds of cereal in the supermarket.
To provide an example for others.
My parents and I were immigrants, welcomed to Meriden in the 1960’s; such welcome is our country’s tradition.
Refugees are our neighbors who when they arrive here in the United States, arrive as the family of Naboth would: they have lost their homes, livelihoods, possessions, clothes, friends, extended and sometimes immediate family members, their future and heritage (even family graves are left behind), they have left their native food, their own language,often their sense of worth. They arrive here with nothing, no money: in fact, they arrive in debt for the airfare to come here.
Imagine: what if you had to build a new beginning for a family from scratch? From nothing? What would you have to provide? (DIALOGUE WITH CONGREGATION: housing, medical, education, etc. etc..)
We have begun to respond to what the Lord has laid before us. The task is large, but if the the members of the village take part, the task is easier by far.
When might a refugee family come to be resettled by us? First we have to satisfy Iris that we are up and ready to receive a family. Probably within a month or so from then, whenever we are ready.
How can you be part?
!. Among all the aspects of helping a family begin all over again in a strange land, for each of us to find some part we could play, a big part (helping secure housing) or a small part (donating a lamp, table or microwave).
2. Remember to pray for our new neighbors, and for all of us together.
3. Donate money. Our goal is to raise $7000., and our hope, is that every person within our parish will contribute something financially Some might give a thousand dollars, some might give one dollar. Or a child a quarter from an allowance.
When do we start? We have a sign-up sheet in Goodwin Hall to begin gathering names and helpers today. But Next Sunday, June 19, the day before Monday which is World Refugee Day, is when we want to begin to receive financial donations to provide the backing to move us forward.
Why? because as Saint Paul wrote in the Epistle to the Galatians,not because we are obligated, but because Christ lives in us. And because like the woman who bathed Jesus’ feet with her costly ointment, and like the women who provided for the disciples out of their resources, as Jesus said, as we do it for the least of these our sisters and brothers, we do it for Christ.
There it is: We’re at a critical point. Together, let’s move joyfully to Part Three.