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Sermon November 28, 2021
The Rev. Rebecca S. Myers, MSW
The Church of the Nativity and St. Stephen’s
First Sunday of Advent, Year C
http://lectionarypage.net/YearC_RCL/Advent/CAdv1_RCL.html
Audio: /documents/Eucharist__November_28__2021
Video: https://youtu.be/0jqxxpDyU24
Jesus said, “Now when these things begin to take place, stand up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” Luke 21:28
Please be seated.
At the beginning of the year I was able to watch a wonderful movie online. A Night in Miami is a fictional account of an actual meeting that took place on February 25, 1964, between Boxer Muhammad Ali, then known as Cassius Clay; Football star Jim Brown; Singer Sam Cooke, and Malcolm X. Ali had just beaten Sonny Liston to become the Heavyweight boxing champion.
The movie takes place in Ali’s hotel room. At the time, the Hampton Inn was one of the only places Black people could stay in Miami. As the night goes on, the men discuss what is happening in the country regarding civil rights.
Sam Cooke is challenged to become more active in what is happening. Cooke was one of the first successful crossover artists, being popular with both Black and White audiences. It was definitely challenging. Often he could not even stay at the places where he performed because he was Black.
Being turned away from a hotel in Louisiana right around the time as the meeting in Miami, occasioned him to write the song, Change Gonna Come. The song is mournful and hopeful at the same time. The words detail many slights Cooke and most Black people experienced for nothing more than the color of their skin. Yet, the refrain after each verse, is one of hope and assurance. It goes like this:
It's been a long
A long time coming
But I know a change gonna come
Oh, yes it will
In our Gospel reading today, Jesus talks about change coming. Jesus’ description is scary and hopeful at the same time. Change is gonna come, Jesus says. It won’t be easy. The world will be in distress. People will be afraid. Yet, Jesus promises that change brings redemption. Change will save us. The world Jesus encourages us to make, where love reigns and all are cherished will save us. And its coming will not be easy. Our Gospel is both mournful regarding the state of the world and hopeful, because the world that comes will save us…will be a better one.
We just finished Thanksgiving and most of us have so much to be thankful for, don’t we? Yet, at the same time, we know the world is not perfect.
We mourn for the senseless acts of violence that kill too many. We mourn for lives lost in this pandemic that seems to linger on, changing the way we live our lives. We mourn for the ideological divisions that tear us apart. We mourn that people still live in poverty without basic necessities of food, clothing and shelter. We mourn for the racism and oppression that cause suffering and harm. We mourn for injustice that seems intractable.
And midst all of this suffering and even as we are in despair, we are hopeful. Change gonna come. We know. That’s what Advent is all about. We know Christ is coming. We know change is possible. We do all in our power to make it happen.
There are families struggling and our church with 80 people is making sure that over 50 children get what they need and some of what they want for Christmas.
There are people who are hungry and we collect items for the food bank and for a right-now food bank across the street.
There are people who are cold and we collect offerings so Join Hands can assist them with heat.
There are agencies providing so much to so many and each year, we support them thanks to income we receive from Trusts created by former members.
People are sick and in need of healing and we pray for them every week.
Sometimes when I come to the church, people are reading the signs out front. I always invite them in to see our beautiful space. People love the beauty and they also let me know how welcomed they feel when they see our welcome signs out front. They are glad we are here. They are glad this worship space is here.
Jesus said, “Now, when these things begin to take place, stand up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”
Change gonna come. May we continue to bring it on.
Amen
Music Video: https://youtu.be/AaA6cIr7U_Y
https://www.clevelandbrowns.com/video/jim-brown-reflects-on-unforgettable-night-in-miami-64
