1 Timothy 6:6-10, 17-19; Luke 16:19-31
I have been watching two news stories over the past couple of weeks that have intrigued me and moved me and challenged me.
The first story has been the death and funeral of Queen Elizabeth II. While we all knew that at 96 years of age, her time on this earth was limited, her death caught even her family members by surprise. Just the day before, she had appeared on TV, formally recognizing the new Prime Minister. And then, suddenly she was gone. And there began days of mourning in England and around the world. We grieved for this woman who had given her life to the service of her country.
I got up at 5:30 on Monday morning in order to watch the funeral service on TV. I chose BBC America and found their coverage to be respectful and solemn. I was incredibly moved by the many references to her deep faith in Jesus Christ and how that had shaped the way that she lived and worked as Queen.
During the funeral at Westminster Cathedral, the Archbishop of Canterbury included in his remarks these words: Her Late Majesty famously declared on a twenty-first birthday broadcast that her whole life would be dedicated to serving the Nation and the Commonwealth. Rarely has such a promise been so well kept! Few leaders receive the outpouring of love that we have seen. Jesus – who in our reading does not tell his disciples how to follow, but who to follow – said: ‘I am the way, the truth and the life.’ Her Late Majesty’s example was not set through her position or her ambition, but through whom she followed. In 1953 the Queen began her Coronation with silent prayer, just there at the High Altar. Her allegiance to God was given before any person gave allegiance to her. Her service to so many people in this nation, the Commonwealth and the world, had its foundation in her following Christ – God himself – who said that he ‘came not to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.’ People of loving service are rare in any walk of life. Leaders of loving service are still rarer. But in all cases, those who serve will be loved and remembered when those who cling to power and privileges are long forgotten. Her Late Majesty’s broadcast during COVID lockdown ended with: ‘We will meet again,’ words of hope from a song of Vera Lynn. Christian hope means certain expectation of something not yet seen. Christ rose from the dead and offers life to all, abundant life now and life with God in eternity. We will all face the merciful judgment of God; we can all share the Queen’s hope which in life and death inspired her servant leadership. Service in life, hope in death. All who follow the Queen’s example, and inspiration of trust and faith in God, can with her say: ‘We will meet again.’”
I hope that these words gave comfort to the Queen’s family members. I hope that it gave comfort to all of those watching. And I hope that it called people who have no faith to consider the faith of Queen Elizabeth and seek a relationship with Jesus Christ for themselves. Her life was recognized and praised as a life of service, not only to her people and her country, but first and foremost service to her God.
The second story that I have followed with great interest was the story about the group of immigrants, nearly fifty of them in all, who were loaded onto an airplane in Texas and flown to Martha’s Vineyard. These immigrants had entered our country illegally. The governor of Florida arranged for them to be transported out of Texas, with the full knowledge and cooperation of the governor of Texas. These poor people were given brochures that made misleading promises about what they could expect when they arrived, in Boston, not in Martha’s Vineyard. The brochures listed many services, including cash, housing assistance, clothing, transportation to job interviews, job training, and assistance in registering children for school. Most immigrants, however, are not eligible for the assistance that was listed.
The Florida governor was supposedly trying to call attention to the crisis at the border. The Texas governor had already bussed thousands of immigrants to New York and Washington, D.C., as a means of criticizing the President’s immigration policies. They were willing to use people as pawns in their political careers.
A Texas sheriff has opened an investigation into the moving of the immigrants to Martha’s Vineyard. He said that the people were lured under false premises into agreeing to go to Martha’s Vineyard. A recruiter named Perla told them they were going to Boston and would be given three months’ work and free housing. She also provided them with food. But the sheriff said that the immigrants, asylum-seekers from Venezuela, were taken to Martha’s Vineyard “for little more than a photo op or a video op, and they were unceremoniously stranded...” Domingo Garcia, President of the League of United Latin American Citizens, said, “It’s one of the most cruel political stunts I’ve seen in my lifetime.” A Massachusetts State Representative, Dylan Fernandes, commented, “It is an incredibly inhumane and depraved thing to do.”
But the people of Martha’s Vineyard stepped up to meet the challenge with hospitality and mercy. The immigrants were taken to a church shelter, while local authorities and nonprofit organizations tried to figure out what would happen next. They provided food, beds, clothing, blankets and sheets. Spanish-speaking high school students came and acted as interpreters. Even though local officials had no warning that the Venezuelans were coming, the community mobilized to support them and the Venezuelans said they felt welcomed.
While the elected officials of Florida and Texas leave a lot to be desired in terms of serving those in need, the people of Martha’s Vineyard certainly modeled service to others, servant leadership. In both the Old and New Testaments, those who believe in God are told to care for the aliens in their midst, to care for the poor and the strangers, to feed the hungry, give water to the thirsty, clothe the naked, and care for the needs of those who are sick or in prison. As Jesus said, what we do for the least of one of our fellow human beings, we do for him. And what we fail to do for one of the least of these, we fail to do for him.
The scripture passages I read a few moments ago speak to the issue of service and servanthood. Paul’s word to Timothy included the admonition that those who are rich should not be haughty or arrogant but should do good and be rich in good works. They should be generous and ready to share. Because, he reminded them, we brought nothing into this world and we can take nothing out of it when we leave. But if they live a life of serving others and doing good, they will take hold of the life that really is life.
That is how Queen Elizabeth II lived her life, it seems to me. She began serving others during World War II, when she worked as a mechanic in the army. And she continued to serve when she abruptly became Queen after the death of her father. She served with an attitude of grace and humility, never arrogance, and she put the needs of the people ahead of her own wishes or desires. When Princess Diana was killed, the Queen was at first criticized for her lack of response to the mourning of the people. That was most likely because she was told to follow what was protocol. But when she realized the depth of the feeling of the people, and in support of her grieving grandsons, she soon stepped out into the public and participated in the funeral for Diana. And the Queen showed that she was willing to abide by the same COVID protocols as the rest of the country was observing last year when her husband died. She sat alone – socially distanced and wearing a mask – in the church for the funeral of Prince Philip.
That is also how the citizens of Martha’s Vineyard were living their lives when they responded with compassion to the Venezuelan immigrants who were flown there with-out warning. They saw that these people had no idea where they were, or why they were there, and that they had been duped into agreeing to go there. And they stepped up with supplying the immediate needs of these strangers in their midst.
The parable that Jesus told about the rich man and Lazarus is a word of caution to all of us. While it would seem that the rich man had everything – fine clothing, an abundance of food, a gated house – in the story he is not even given a name. To Jesus, this man was not significant enough to have a name. And when the rich man died, he found himself in Hades in agony. And the reason for his suffering? The rich man failed to help Lazarus – or anyone else – while he was living.
Lazarus was not unknown to the rich man; he passed by him every day as he went in and out of the gate to his property. The rich man would have been aware of Lazarus’ miserable condition; he had nothing – no food, ragged clothing, and sores that were licked by dogs. But when he died, Lazarus found himself carried away by angels to be with Abraham in a place of comfort.
The rich man could see Lazarus there, and he began a conversation with him to try and get help in his own miserable condition. He begged Abraham to send Lazarus to him with water to sooth his thirst because he was in agony in the flames. This conversation reveals a lot about the rich man. According to Nancy Lynn Westfield, professor at Drew University Theological School, the rich man “still feels entitled to ask for service, care, and consideration from those of the lower class. Even in Hades, the rich man wants the labor of the poor to support his family … The rich man believes he, even from Hades, has more privilege than Lazarus, in heaven. The arrogance is astounding...”
Helen Mongomery Debevoise, Co-Pastor of Park Lake Presbyterian Church in Orlando, writes that this parable is not difficult to understand, but it is difficult to hear. The reason for that is we are being led to consider ourselves in the place of the rich man. And, as Westfield says, “[This] is a tale of caution and foreboding to those with wealth, societal privilege, and affluence. Equally, it is a tale of comfort for those who have been forsaken by their neighbors.” She adds, “God is on the side of the oppressed, poor, marginalized, and downtrodden. God judges those with means, wealth, privilege, and societal status who ignore the poor …" And she concludes, “The parable teaches that divine judgment is concerned with our use of resources, wealth, and finances in this life, as these have consequences for the next life. Our task is to use wealth for ministry – for relieving suffering and edifying the marginalized.”
The problem of illegal immigration is complex and cannot be easily solved. Thousands of people will continue to come to our border, out of desperation, fear, and hope for a better, safer life in the United States. Many of them are seeking asylum from violent enemies back home. Others are refugees who are fleeing poverty and oppression in their own countries. They are men and women, old people and children, daring to hope for something better than what they left behind. Perhaps this is their last chance to survive.
Will we tolerate elected officials using people as pawns in their political posturing? Will we show compassion to those who arrive on our doorstep, in need of food, clothing, and hope? How will we live our lives – will we be servants of others, or will we cling to our own security and remain distanced from those in need? It matters what kind of life we live. I would hope and pray that we all can get to the end of our lives and have a minister say over us, as the Archbishop said over the Queen, “The grief of this day – arises from her abundant life and loving service, now gone from us. She was joyful, present to so many, touching a multitude of lives.”
