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Sermon June 14, 2020
The Rev. Rebecca S. Myers,
The Church of the Nativity and St. Stephen’s
Second Sunday After Pentecost, Proper 6, Year A, Track 2
http://lectionarypage.net/YearA_RCL/Pentecost/AProp6_RCL.html
The Lord appeared to Abraham by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat at the entrance of his tent in the heat of the day. He looked up and saw three men standing near him. When he saw them, he ran from the tent entrance to meet them, and bowed down to the ground. He said, ‘My lord, if I find favor with you, do not pass by your servant. Let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree. Let me bring a little bread, that you may refresh yourselves, and after that you may pass on—since you have come to your servant.’ Genesis 18:1-5
During this time, especially in the early days of our shutdown, where did you find information about what was happening? There were daily briefings from the federal government. I know plenty of people watched the briefings by Governor Cuomo in New York. We also had our own daily briefings here in Pennsylvania, which continue.
On every Commonwealth of Pennsylvania briefing, we heard from Dr. Rachel Levine, The Secretary of Health. The Department of Health was formed in 1905. While its mission has shifted over time, its primary purpose is public health. The current mission is to promote healthy behaviors, prevent injury and disease, and to assure the safe delivery of quality health care for all people in Pennsylvania.
Its vision is “A healthy Pennsylvania for all.”
Dr. Levine is charged with carrying out the mission and vision of the Department. As you would expect, she is well educated and accomplished. Her delivery and interactions at the daily press briefings were characterized, I think, by a calm and realistic detail of the known information about Covid-19. She seemed unflappable during such a stressful time.
And day after day for the past nearly 3 months, she ends her presentation with her daily reminders to wash your hands, use hand sanitizer, cover coughs and sneezes with your elbow, don’t touch your face, clean surfaces often and wear a mask. She gives information about calling your health care and mental health care providers if experiencing physical and emotional difficulties. She emphasizes that these actions allow us to get through this time together. She ends with stay calm, stay home and stay safe.
Now we may differ in our opinions about how government has handled this pandemic and hopefully we will learn from this time and keep doing better. And I have appreciated Dr. Levine’s calm, realistic manner and presentation.
Yet, Dr. Levine has faced some awful criticism and denigration because she is transgender. People who have disagreed with the policies she and the governor have enacted, have additionally attacked her for her gender identify in mean and cruel ways.
I find it so puzzling, because why do we really care how people identify themselves and choose to live their lives and to present themselves? How does it harm us or hurt us?
Yet, on Friday, for instance, The New York Times reported that a federal regulation was finalized that: “…will erase protections for transgender patients against discrimination by doctors, hospitals and health insurance companies, a move announced on the four-year anniversary of the massacre at a gay nightclub in Orlando and in the middle of Pride Month.
The rule, which does not differ much from a proposed version released last year, is part of a broad Trump administration effort across multiple areas of policy — including education, housing, and employment, as well as health care — to narrow the legal definition of sex discrimination so that it does not include protections for transgender people.”
www.nytimes.com/2020/06/12/us/politics/trump-transgender-rights.html?searchResultPosition=1
Why do we continue to insist on harming people who are only trying to live their best lives…to live fully and joyfully into their God-created selves?
The story in Genesis that we heard this morning is one of my favorites. When I visited the Holy Land, we went to the spot said to be the Oaks of Mamre. Unfortunately, those oaks aren’t there any longer. It seemed like an empty, barren spot.
Nonetheless, we get such a vivid picture of this scene between Abraham, Sarah and the visitors, don’t we? It is the heat of the day, which we all know what that’s like. Abraham is taking a rest. Then he sees three men nearby or approaching. Does he just hope they’ll pass by? Does he scurry into his tent to hide and hope they don’t know he’s there? No, he rushes to greet them.
Not only does he greet them, but he implores them to stay awhile. To rest by washing their feet. To eat something. These men are total strangers, but he’s offering the best he has to them.
When I visited Israel, I constantly heard about the importance of hospitality, especially in a place that could sometimes be inhospitable, like the desert. A place where strangers on the road were welcomed, because to do otherwise, could mean that those strangers could die.
Imagine, Abraham knew nothing about these three men, except that they were traveling on the road. He was eager to provide an oasis for them as they traveled.
Today as we observe LBGTQIA Pride month, are we willing to be an oasis for people who are rejected because of how they choose to live their lives? People who are LGBTQIA still face difficult times just being who they are. Ask Dr. Levine or look at the comments about her.
Let us run to greet our friends traveling the dusty road of acceptance. Let us prepare a banquet for them of the finest we have to offer. Let us be a place of generous hospitality to all whom God has created! Amen
