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Sermon January 29, 2023
The Rev. Rebecca S. Myers, MSW
The Church of the Nativity and St. Stephen’s
The Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany
https://lectionarypage.net/YearA_RCL/Epiphany/AEpi4_RCL.html
Audio: /documents/Eucharist__January_29__2023
Video: https://youtu.be/I2jzxTSTwIQ
But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong…. 1 Corinthians 1:27
Do you remember the movie about Gandhi? It was released in 1982 and is considered an historically accurate telling of the life of the great leader who led the nonviolent resistance movement in India. His efforts led to independence from Britain. His work in nonviolent resistance was also studied and emulated by The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in our Civil Rights movement.
I vividly remember one part of the movie that profoundly portrayed the tenets of nonviolent resistance. In the 1930s, the salt trade in India was controlled by the British. One of Gandhi’s campaigns was to take back the salt trade in India from Britain. One campaign involved hundreds of Indian people going to Dharsana Salt Works. Men in rows of six marched towards the gates of the salt works. When they got to the front gate, they were brutally beaten by British men on horses. Women came and dragged the bleeding men away and tended to their wounds while the next row of men approached the gate and were beaten. Row after row and beating after beating. The Indian people at the march did not respond to the violence with violence. They just kept coming peacefully.
An American journalist had been following these events and reported, "Whatever moral ascendance the West held was lost today. India is free — she has taken all that steel and cruelty can give, and she has neither cringed nor retreated." It was a turning point in the quest for Indian independence.
Today we heard from Paul’s letter to the church in Corinth. He states a paradox of sorts, “God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong.”
Following God and Jesus Christ doesn’t always make sense to the ways most of the world operates. What we often see is how we are supposed to make all of the money we can and keep it for ourselves. We are to garner as much power over others as we can. Judgements are made about who is worthy of the basic necessities of life. Judgments are made about whether people can be forgiven or transformed.
God says and Jesus reiterates that we are to love our neighbor as ourselves. Jesus taught us to pray to God as our parent, in an intimate relationship with our creator. In that prayer, Jesus reminds us to ask for forgiveness of the harm we have done. We are reminded to forgive those who have harmed us, rather than to seek revenge against them.
We are encouraged to be just and fair, as well as to work to ensure justice and fairness for others.
To others we may seem foolish in our actions and living, but we know that relying upon God, following the teachings of Jesus Christ and being guided by the Spirit make us wise. To others, it may look like we are weak and we know that relying upon God, following the teachings of Jesus Christ and being guided by the Spirit make us strong.
We have a great example of that wisdom and strength by a family here in Newport. Many of you know Cheryl and Rick Miller of the Espresso Yourself restaurant. In the summer of 2018, their 35-year-old daughter, Leotie, was tragically killed in a car crash in Connecticut. She was with friends who had been on a camping trip. They were returning home to Central Pennsylvania.
Traffic on Interstate 95 near Waterford, Connecticut, was stopped, but Daniel Brockway had looked down for just a second and did not see the stopped traffic. He ran into the car where Leotie was a passenger in the back seat. He was traveling at the normal speed for that part of the highway.
Needless to say, Cheryl and Rick and their family have been deeply grieved by the death of their daughter.
The trial of Mr. Brockway was delayed because of Covid. He pled no-contest to second degree manslaughter; however, his sentencing hearing was held at the beginning of January.
Rick and Cheryl asked the judge to give Mr. Brockway community service, rather than jail time. It was reported in the local Connecticut newspaper that Ric expressed “quiet empathy” for Mr. Brockway.
"I've done many things like that myself," Rick said. "I could've killed somebody's daughter."
Rick advocated for a “creative sentence” that would allow Mr. Brockway to continue to work to support his family.
Cheryl testified via video from home. She told Mr. Brockway, “My daughter gave up her life for your life lesson. Please Mr. Brockway, make this a lesson you will never forget."
And Leotie’s sister, Hannah, told Mr. Brockway that “carrying on Leotie's legacy means loving his own family like her sister loved hers, and doing good for others.”
"(You are) obligated to live your best life," she said, calling for meaningful community service. "There are many struggling people who use art as an outlet. Help them shine."
Mr. Brockway was facing four years in prison, which was the prosecutor’s recommendation. However, in the end, the judge gave him a 10-year prison sentence, to be suspended after six months, so only six months in jail. He also gave Mr. Brockway five years of probation with 100 hours of community service each year to benefit a nonprofit organization concerned with the arts or autism.
This grief-stricken family could have asked for the maximum sentence. They could have sought revenge. Yet, even in their grief and loss, they put themselves in the shoes of Mr. Brockway. They had compassion for him and for his family.
To some they may seem foolish, but we see them as wise. To some they may look weak, but we see the strength it required to be compassionate.
May we follow their example.
Amen
https://news.yahoo.com/one-split-second-waterford-man-045900378.html
