The other day I watched the movie “Sinners” directed by Ryan Coogler, starring Michael B. Jordan. Disclaimer: this movie is not for kids. “Sinners” is a mix of Jim Crow South period drama, celebration of blues and Black music generally, and it’s also a vampire movie. The protagonist is a young Black blues musician who finds himself in a cosmic war against the devil who is a white Ku Klux Klans member and a vampire who also plays bluegrass. The blues musician befriends two Black entrepreneurs wanting to open Club Juke, a house of blues and whiskey bar, catering to a Black audience, who had few places to gather. This takes place in Clarksdale, Mississippi, in the heart of the Jim Crow era. African Americans were meant to enjoy freedom following the end of slavery and the Civil War, but that never fully materialized. White Southerners kept the Klan going and planned to destroy any attempts at Black families making a livelihood and live a peaceable life. The end of slavery cost white Southerners to lose much of their wealth now having to pay Black people for their labour. As a result of racist bitterness, many white folks were not prepared to embrace Black freedom. “Sinners” sets out this clash between free Black folks and racist white folks in a showdown that takes place over one evening. The opening night of Club Juke is also its last night. The club becomes beset by trouble when Satan shows up as a banjo playing vampire, asking to be invited inside. Vampires cannot enter a home or establishment without being invited inside. And Satan brings other vampires with him who play beautiful bluegrass out in the grass outside the club, claiming they just want to share peace and friendship. But the club owners are suspicious. I don’t want to give away too many spoilers, but suffice it to say the vampires didn’t show up just to share peace and friendship. Instead an epic clash ensues between Satan, the vampires, and those inside Club Juke. It’s not unlike clashes drawn along racial lines that continues to this day both in the US and Canada to some extent, given our history with the KKK.
Thinking of Jesus’ words in today’s gospel reading from Luke, he prophecies that his ministry will bring fire and divide families. Commentator Jared Elcantara reminds us that these words, while harsh to our ears, are not unfamiliar to the audience of Luke in which Joh the Baptist is prophesied as bringing fire and doesn’t mince words around judging a society for it’s lack of faithfulness. The fire and division Jesus speaks of are not results he desires, but rather are the effect of him bringing a message of love and peace. In “Sinners” the devil lies about that he is the one bringing love and peace, but ultimately brings death and destruction. The historical reality of the US South is one in which “love and peace” between white and Black peoples has largely been a false façade. It has been a history of white domination of Black bodies and labour. And when finally Black people won their freedom after the Civil War, fire and division ensued. Many white people could not stand seeing Black success. In the Tulsa Riots in 1921, a white mob burned down Black businesses and homes in Tulsa, Oklahoma within the span of 24 hours. 35 city blocks of Black equity were burned to the ground and no police or officials stopped the violence.
Not until the Civil Rights Act of 1964, did real change begin to happen, ending racial segregation. Fast forward to today and we’re hearing about boots on the ground, masked men threatening US cities with Black an marginalized populations, including Washington DC which has a Black mayor. The seeds of what is happening today have been there from the beginning. Not much has changed and Jesus’ words still ring true. There will always be powerful voices who proclaim they are bringing peace and safety, when just the opposite is true. Jesus came to point to himself as the way, the truth, and the love. And he knew the consequences of bringing his message of love and peace would result in fire and division from political leaders who cannot stomach true love and peace.
These days I run into a lot of people asking where we find hope in the midst of challenging times. We’re thinking about wildfires on the island and across Canada. We’re thinking about heightened political tensions in the US and wars that are challenging to end. We worry about affordability of everyday life for ourselves, our kids, and our grandkids. We worry about the health of loved ones, friends and family who are dying, and those who have recently died. In the midst of all this, Jesus’ words and ministry bring us hope. Let’s dive a little deeper into this challenging gospel reading.
First, Jesus is expanding the understanding of family to include those beyond bloodlines. Many of us enjoy good relationships with our biological families, which is wonderful. For many people relationships with family can be strained. Recently I heard about a family visit in which it was after visiting with a close friend that the person really felt heard. With biological families there are often other dynamics at play, not by intention, that complicate things. Our connection as the body of Christ transcends biological family. We gather together as churches and ecumenical relationships here between Anglican and Lutherans, united by Christ. We find family among one another, which can become deep and meaningful. At we some family dinner tables the two topics you shouldn’t discuss are religion and politics, out of fear of division, echoing Jesus’ words in the gospel. At church, we are united by a common religious bond. As followers of Jesus, we find common ground in a life directed toward love of neighbour.
I hear a lot of people looking for a church home these days because it reaches beyond the connections of biological families, beyond the partisan political differences, and people at work or school. At churches we come into contact with people of different generations, different backgrounds, different understandings of the world. Church is weird and confusing, something that some people struggle to understand, especially in BC. How can we as an improbable group of people gather together in unity? What do we share in common? We point toward Jesus, who comes to bring peace and love, knowing it won’t be easy. Because we all tired of endless division in the world and seek genuine love. Jesus reminds us again and again that we are loved. That grace is for us. Whereas some leaders tell us we are enemies or should fear our neighbours who are different, the Spirit unites that which is divided.
On a related note, several of us plan to attend CLAY this coming week, an Anglican and Lutheran youth gathering that takes place every three years. This year we gather in Saskatoon. For many youth it’s an opportunity to build community among young Christians across Canada. It’s another expression of building a different kind of family. Often we are limited to smaller gatherings of youth in our own congregations, but collectively we recognize just how connected we are at gatherings like CLAY. The gathering theme is “Rooted and Rising” with the crest of a rising sun above a prairie landscape. I look forward to attending CLAY for the first time and sharing stories. I’ll be posting on the Church of the Cross social media and perhaps St. Luke’s folks will also be sharing updates, so stay tuned.
Second, Jesus speaks about fire, knowing he will pass through it in place of us. Jesus’ journey to the cross is one of self-sacrifice – a kind of walking through fire. And he continues toward the path knowing it will cost him his life, out of love for us. This brings up another metaphor of family, that of a parent willing to sacrifice themselves for the safety of their child. And that can be a biological child or an adopted child including a neighbour, a student, someone whose wellbeing you deeply care for. The sense of grabbing someone about to step in front of an oncoming vehicle. In such moments often we risk our lives in order to save the life of another. But Jesus pursues this march toward the cross as the Son of God on behalf of us all. No one else can walk through the fire in the way Jesus does, leading to salvation. The march toward the cross leads to death but also to resurrection. With God something horrible and demonic can be transformed into life. This isn’t unlike how for God, system so racial injustice can be transformed into a dominion of new possibilities, communities rooted in love.
So when people ask where we find hope as Christians in challenging times, the hope comes from following Jesus who passes through fire, and brings new life. As Christians we can face the harsh realities of climate change, of political uncertainty, racial injustice, war, and the everyday struggles of life, trusting that God’s love for us in unceasing. There is nothing that can separate us from the love of God. Jesus who walked through fire for our salvation. In faithful response, we too follow paths that are courageous because we know that Christ walks with us today. Consider what is something that Jesus’ love is giving you strength with this day? Keep that in mind this coming week.
I will share one example of hope in a recent death and resurrection story. Many of you are familiar with health issues and how debilitating they can be. It’s hard to focus on other things when you are in pain. This past week I was booked for the completion of a root canal, a standard procedure. However, I started having intense tooth pain and was confused because that tooth had already been initially treated. The endodonist completed the procedure, which went smoothly, but upon further inspection discovered I need an emergency root canal on a different tooth. Thankfully they had a cancellation the next day and I could get in right away. However the pain was so bad even after the root canal that I was given a prescription pain reliever that controlled the pain and swelling immediately. I had nothing but gratitude for that pain to be relieved and begin a path toward healing. Truly it felt like death and resurrection that I went from moaning and pacing the house to meeting friends for dinner the same night, so dramatic was the change.
While I was still in the throes of pain, it was hard to sleep, which gave me time to watch the movie “Sinners” which is over two hours long. I’m not sure my spouse thought I had chosen a restful film to watch when feeling ill, but sometimes a movie that matches the terror around us, while lifting up the beauty of Black culture, music, and hope for the future, is its own elixir. Much like today’s gospel reading, “Sinners” is filled with fire, prophesy, threat of violence, but also a deep commitment to building a better world. There is a sense that a world of peace and love truly is possible, even if it doesn’t come easy.
Wrapping up, I invite you to consider what is bringing you hope this day, in the midst of fire and division. Consider the two themes from the gospel reading: first, that Jesus invites us into families beyond our biological families, united in Christ. Second, Jesus passes through fire for us, inviting us into a life of death and resurrection. Into a world in which peace and love are possible in God’s dominion. Remember we all are loved as members of Jesus’ family, united in the one body. Amen.
