On Sundays like today, two quotes come to mind when we delve into the essence of being a neighbor. The first, from the thirteenth-century poet Rumi, urges us to “Listen with ears of tolerance. See through eyes of compassion. Speak with the language of love." This resonates with our theme of understanding and compassion. The second quote from Death Cab for Cutie, “I want to live where soul meets body,” speaks to the depth of our relationships with our neighbors.
To love our neighbors, truly as they are, begins with deep listening. What is their story, the one they carry within them, and not the one we assume? Only when we listen to their lives can we truly know how to love them.
What would you say if I were to ask you which instruction is repeated the most in the Hebrew Bible? Over 35 times, the Torah instructs God’s people to care for the stranger. I heard that the Seder meal is when our Jewish siblings seek out strangers to make them friends. This idea is straight from the Bible. In Exodus 23:9, we read, “You shall not oppress a stranger, since you yourselves know the feelings of a stranger, for you also were strangers in the land of Egypt.” Leviticus 19:33 says, “When a stranger resides with you in your land, you shall not do him wrong. In Leviticus 19:34, we repeat this refrain, “The stranger who resides with you shall be to you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt; I am the Lord your God.”
Joe Shaler shared about the
Central Illinois Veteran Commission
in Lincoln, Illinois.
All of us in this room were once strangers to each other, whether at work, in this city, or maybe at school. We know the feeling of isolation, alienation, and discomfort of being new. It is easy to forget what that anguish feels like. We need little reminders. It is we who make people strange to us, estranged from us. And it is we who have the power to make strangers friends!
You may be wondering why we're discussing strangers when discussing what it means to be a good neighbor. The answer is simple: everyone around us - in front, beside, behind, above, and below us - is our neighbor! To be a good neighbor, we must accept our interdependence with all that surrounds us. We are closely connected to our fellow humans and our more-than-human kin. How we treat all forms of life reflects our true beliefs about God. And we become good neighbors when we're ready to go out of our way for others!
No one understood this better than Mister Rogers. A Presbyterian minister, Fred Rogers was a television icon whose show “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood’ ran from 1968 until 2001. Empathy, compassion, and love saturated every Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood episode. There are plenty of examples of these moments: Mister Rogers explains he is feeding the fish because he received a note from a girl born blind who was worried they were hungry. Did you know that in the first week Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood aired, Fred talked about the Vietnam War? In the land of Make Believe, King Friday the Thirteenth had built a wall to keep out the enemy, but his subjects breached it with messages of kindness and compassion, reminding his audience that it is better to connect than dehumanize. At the height of desegregation, he shared a cooling foot bath in a kiddie pool with Officer Clemmons, one of the first Black characters to be featured regularly on a children’s television program. Mister Rogers taught us that being neighborly means loving others without stopping to inquire if they are worthy of it.
In today's gospel, there is a line that I enjoy. At Passover in Jerusalem, a group of Greeks approached Philip and asked, "Sir, we wish to see Jesus." We don't know much about them, but their request is relatable. I have often said, "I wish to see Jesus." I understand the desire to have his presence, guidance, and companionship. I want to see Jesus as a teacher, preacher, healer, prophet, and peacemaker.
However, I am puzzled by Jesus' response to the request. He talks about his death and says, "Those who love their life lose it, and those who hate their life in this world will keep it for eternal life." While Jesus' response is not lost on me, I still need clarification. It appears he is saying, "If you want to see me, look for me in the suffering of others. Then, go and help them." We can hear the lesson Mister Rogers’ mother taught him when he was a boy, “When things get scary, look for the helpers.”
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| CindyAussieker and Marla Williams shared about their work with "Moms Who Care" in Lincoln and how they are caring for others in our neighborhood. |
God's people have always been committed to caring for strangers and immigrants because they were once strangers themselves. We are to do the same. Jesus’ love for the outcast and marginalized threatened the status quo and ultimately got him killed. Fred Rogers understood that if everyone knew someone cared about them, they may care for others. In Fred’s words, “You know, I think everybody longs to be loved and longs to know that he or she is lovable. And, consequently, the greatest thing that we can do is to help somebody know that they’re loved and capable of loving.”
To become neighborly means to love. Love boldly, extravagantly, and proudly. I love what Barbara Brown Taylor says,
“So love God. Love a neighbor. Be a neighbor, and let us not complicate things by arguing about specifics. You know what it means to do love because some time or another you have been on the receiving end of it, but remember that knowing the right answer does not change a thing. If you want the world to look different the next time you go outside, do some love. Do a little or do a lot, but do some, and do not forget some for yourself.”
The theme for our Lenten journey is becoming. It is inspired by the ancient Christ hymn from Philippians 2 that speaks of kenosis—to empty, to become nothing. We see this kenosis in Jesus' life, ministry, death, and resurrection. The John reading gets to this with the parable of the seed. The seed empties itself to bring forth fruit, new life. I wonder what in us must we empty ourselves of to become more neighborly? What prejudices need to die to see the stranger – in ‘real life’ or in media – as our neighbor? What’s one simple act I could commit to that will make my neighborhood resemble the Reign of God? How can we love our neighbor and ourselves so that it becomes reparative, healing, transformative, and liberating?
As we ponder these questions, I leave you with this quote from Mister Rogers.
“You don’t ever have to do anything sensational for people to love you. When I say ‘it’s you I like,’ I’m talking about that part of you that knows that life is far more than anything you can ever see or hear or touch…that deep part of you that allows you to stand for those things without which humankind cannot survive: love that conquers hate, peace that rises triumphant over war, and justice that proves more powerful than greed. So in all that you do, in all of your life, I wish you the strength and the grace to make those choices which will allow you and your neighbor to become the best of whoever you are.”
May his wisdom and commitment to being the best neighbor inspire us to do the same. May we believe what Jesus taught and Mister Rogers echoed—that we all are deeply cherished and loved. May we begin to live this love in such a way that everyone we meet, all our neighbors, because remember, no one is a stranger to God, feels seen and loved.
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