Hermily for 12.4.25

wait, has she hermed this before?

I’ll tell you what, half way through delivering this hermily I thought, wait… have I already done this? It’s possible that I have, even though I work hard not to repeat or reuse herms I’ve given before. But this theme is one that people keep sharing with me, this feeling of being required to watch every news update, despite the harm it can wreak on our souls. I guess that even if the hermily theme is a repeat, the feelings are evergreen, so here we go (also, I may not have even preached this before. I’ve written and spoken and taught and podcasted about the Gospels so much in my career that things do blend together. If you ever wonder what’s going through a preacher’s head while preaching, it’s possible they’re thinking about this kind of stuff.)

Anywho, the readings are here.

Sometimes I get weary.

I struggle in these times to know whether it’s important for me to keep track of the news, my duty as a citizen, or whether it’s more important to hold on to peace in my heart, and my mental health, by not paying attention.

I am the daughter of parents who were children during WWII, who were old enough to understand what was happening and to be horrified, to grieve, and to be determined never to let such things happen again. They taught us well; we watched documentaries and movies from that time, we had the entire World War Two Time Life Book Set in our living room, and my parents shared their memories with us, and their feelings. And all that became engrained in us; we came to know right from wrong.

I still watch documentaries about history, and maybe it’s because I’ve lived a little by now, I can see more and more clearly that famous arc in history. Good vs Evil, peace vs war, joy vs sorrow, care for others vs individualism. But although that long arc famously bends toward justice, the battle never ends. Throughout history there has always been this tension between the two ends of this spectrum, a fight for which way the world will be.

In religious terms, we could call it shalom vs. empire.

Both of these words, empire and shalom, describe systems of being, centered around one supreme leader. But in the system of empire, the leader is at the top, using their power to put down those below, while in shalom, the leader is in the center, using their power to lift everyone. That’s the system we hear Jesus talk about today, a system centered around and reflective of the God who is with us, Emmanuel.

The words of all today’s readings describe shalom as the goal and the promise; we hear about cities and nations and everyone seeking a way of life with justice, but also mercy. A system of wholeness, harmony, and peace.

The words of the prophet Isaiah describe this system where things are put right, where nations who trust in God’s protection live in shalom while those who consider themselves lofty and important are brought down and shalom is restored.

The psalmist says The Lord hears the cry of the poor and draws near.

And Jesus echoes this, reminding his disciples that it’s not those who claim that they have the right to heaven who will receive it, but those who trust in God, do God’s will, and live shalom with their neighbors.

I worry about this seemingly never ending battle between these possibilities. I want to live in a world where peace, wholeness, harmony and justice are the norm, where shalom is the system. But when I tune in to the news I see a world of empire, and it makes me weary.

But I think it’s important for me to both be aware of what’s happening and to care for my soul. And although I don’t have the power to shift the world’s story to one where shalom wins over empire, I can trust in God’s goodness, listen to the words of Jesus and do the will of His Father.

God invites us to live in in this tension today, to make this and every day of our lives a life of shalom even while empires rage around us. And the promise we receive is eternal life where the only system there is, is shalom. The words of our Church today remind us that the best way to care for our own souls is to work for shalom.

Let’s take a moment now to ask God to guide us toward shalom, through the Eucharist to strengthen us against empire, and to do God’s will right now and every day until we are together in God’s promised system of wholeness, harmony, and peace.