First Lutheran Church
September 13, 2020 + The Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost
Genesis 50:15-21 15Realizing that their father was dead, Joseph’s brothers said, “What if Joseph still bears a grudge against us and pays us back in full for all the wrong that we did to him?” 16So they approached Joseph, saying, “Your father gave this instruction before he died, 17‘Say to Joseph: I beg you, forgive the crime of your brothers and the wrong they did in harming you.’ Now therefore please forgive the crime of the servants of the God of your father.” Joseph wept when they spoke to him. 18Then his brothers also wept, fell down before him, and said, “We are here as your slaves.” 19But Joseph said to them, “Do not be afraid! Am I in the place of God? 20Even though you intended to do harm to me, God intended it for good, in order to preserve a numerous people, as he is doing today. 21So have no fear; I myself will provide for you and your little ones.” In this way he reassured them, speaking kindly to them.
“The Pain Ends Here”
Pr. Jasmine Waring
Batman, Superman, Spiderman...these are all superhero we have grown to love. Whenever a villain wreaks havoc over the city, there is chaos and destruction, where our hero is the only hope. From a tragic origin story, we see our heroes seek justice through epic, violent battles with unbelievable collateral damage (who cleans up after these events, anyway?) Order is restored once again when the villain is killed or captured. We see this pattern in many other superhero and action movies. We have become so accustomed to this narrative, that we don’t even notice the subtle message being taught to our society: the myth of redemptive violence. It tells us that violence brings order and peace, violence heals us, violence is the answer to our world’s biggest threats.
The bible is no exception to this myth. The Old Testament has many violent stories about how God’s people went to war to seek revenge, conquered land and settled personal scores with one another. It can be difficult to read these stories, and theologians still discuss violence in the bible and still don’t agree on a simple answer. There are, however, tiny glimpses of peaceful non-violence in the Old Testament. Our reading today has a surprising ending compared to other stories in the Bible.
Joseph’s brothers faked his death and sold him into slavery when he was a young man. Over many years of hardship, disappointment, peeks and valleys, Joseph found himself in the second highest political position in Egypt during a great famine. As fate would have it, Joseph’s estranged family found their way to Egypt in search for grain. When Joseph reveals his identity to his brothers, they were afraid for their lives! His brothers were aware of his political power and had the authority to imprison or even execute them...and according to the myth of redemptive violence, this would be the just or right thing to do. Instead, Joseph disrupts the cycle of redemptive violence by offering mercy and forgiveness. This is surprising moment of grace in the midst of a world which seeks a violent payback.
When I think of redemptive violence, I think about the game Hot Potato. When we experience pain, betrayal, and grief, it is like it is burning in our hands. If we hold onto it tightly, it will burn through us. We react to the pain by throwing or projecting it onto someone else. The recipient is harmed in the process and either throws it back or passes it off to someone else. This painful cycle continues to no end. There may be temporary satisfaction or relief when you pass it off to someone else, but it is only a matter of time until the pain returns to you. The only way to disrupt this cycle is to lay down the hot potato of pain, and find healing together.
On his sermon on the mount, Jesus famously taught, “You have heard it said, ‘Eye for eye, tooth for tooth’. But I tell you, do not resist an evil person”. Or “You have heard it said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy’. But I tell you love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matt 5:38-39, 43-44). Jesus taught us how to disrupt the cycle of redemptive violence and modeled it in his own life. When Jesus was betrayed and arrested, he did not fight back. In fact, when one of his disciples came to his defense and cut off someone’s ear, Jesus rebuked him and said, “Put your sword back into its place; for all who take the sword will perish by the sword” (Matt 26:52). Our brother, Jesus took on violence and refused to pass it on in vengeance, even when it was within his power to do so. He asked God to forgive them, and with his outstretched arms on the cross he declares that the pain ends here. With this ending, Jesus let the pain die with him and transformed it into new life through his resurrection.
Father Richard Rohr has said that, “If we do not transform our pain, we will most assuredly transmit it”. Disrupting the cycle of redemptive violence does not mean that we allow ourselves to be abused, or taken advantage of. Laying down our revenge and creating space between those who harm us allows us to find healing. Then we can transform the pain through peaceful means of justice with community. We resist the urge to fight fire with fire and instead with water. We transform the pain by healing the root of the pain. Sometimes this means we need to take time to mourn the loss we have experienced. Whether it is a loss of trust, a loss of connection, or a loss of security. We bounce around the stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance until we are ready to forgive and move on. Letting go of our pain and forgiving others releases yourself from the pain of dealing judgement that was never yours to give in the first place. Like Joseph and Jesus, we can see the bigger picture and find meaning in our pain and transform it for the greater good.
So, when violence surrounds you and tells you it is the only way to achieve peace, may you declare that the Prince of Peace has already won. When you have been offended or wronged, may you resist the urge to hurl it back or let it burn through your hands. May you grieve over your pain and let others be a comforting witness to it as it is transformed into new life. And may the resurrected Christ comfort, strengthen and be your peace now more than ever. Amen.