Pastor’s Perspective
By Rev. Mark A. Ward
The Season of the Church
The first Sunday of June is Holy Trinity Sunday, a day when we add special emphasis to our celebration of God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
We, of course, honor our Triune God every Sunday, but on Holy Trinity we reflect on God’s various “facets”: The One who created all things, redeems us from our sins, and teaches and sustains us in our daily lives.
Holy Trinity is also the first Sunday of the season of Pentecost, sometimes called the “time of the Church”. During this season we de-emphasize – just a little bit – God’s role in the world, and add extra emphasis on our own: exploring what it means to be God’s people in the present age.
As has been the case throughout history, being God’s representatives in the world presents challenges. For the first Christians the challenge was articulating the message of Jesus Christ to a world that was largely pagan: hostile to Jesus’ teaching of love, peace, forgiveness, and mutual respect.
In contrast, the Roman system came, perhaps, as close as any in history to the ideal of “the survival of the fittest” – though the concept would not be expressed in that way for many generations. Even so, the Romans adhered firmly to the idea that only the strong can and should survive.
The weak, were weak because of their fundamental unfitness or else because they were being punished “by the gods” for their despicable behavior.
The Romans were predators, having no need apologize for their actions. In their view, the “victor” by definition was the one most suited for survival.
It was simply “the way things were”.
Jesus’ concepts of compassion, justice, and concern for the helpless and the outcast were just “crazy talk” to the Romans, and many of Jesus’ followers were martyred simply for trying to live out his ideals.
In some respects the challenges for believers in our age is not so different. Roman arenas and gladiatorial “games” may no longer exist, but across the world Christians are persecuted daily for practicing their faith. Throughout much of the Middle East simply possessing a Bible is illegal.
After a brief period of “tolerance”, China is once again suppressing the spread of Christianity there. The Chinese communist government simply cannot tolerate independent thinking: any critique of its actions or any concept of “good and evil” outside the communist party “line”.
In 2020, world governments have had to relearn the dangers of a global “pandemic” – especially as exacerbated by the ideals of globalization and open borders.
The season of Pentecost challenges us to consider the role of the Church under such circumstances. How do we balance our calling to welcome the poor and outcast, while at the same time protecting those most susceptible to the threat of COVID-19?
At a time when many in our nation are out of work due to quarantines, how can we best assist those beyond our borders?
How does the Gospel of Jesus Christ call us to respond during the present crises?
This is the continual calling of the Church and the special emphasis of the season of Pentecost.
Obviously, there are no easy answers. Neither is it the calling of the Church or its leaders to dictate how such challenges are met.
Instead, it is our duty to seek compassionate and workable solutions in community – in conversation within the Church and in conversation with those we would seek to help.
The Romans imposed their ideas on others without apology. That is not the way of Jesus Christ.
Following Jesus’ example, we do not seek to impose our will on anyone, but instead in Jesus’ name, we seek to help others as best we are able as an expression of God’s love for all – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
