In Honor of Absalom Jones - 2022

 

Epiphany 6C – Feb. 13, 2022 – St. Mark’s Charleston  Sermon on the Feast Day of the Rev. Absalom Jones. (1746-1818)

A video version of this sermon may be found HERE.  Sermon begins at 16:00

           If I had to think about a single verse that speaks to my heart about Brother Absalom, it would be this one from our Old Testament reading this morning.  “Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord. (Jer. 17.7)

          Today we celebrate and give thanks for continuing legacy of the Rev. Absalom Jones, whose feast – whose birthday into heaven - February 13-  we mark today.  He heard these same words we did from our gospel reading – the Beatitudes, and I believe, was both comforted and challenged by them. In them - he glimpsed the God and Father who could be trusted to care for the “Oppressed and Distressed”, and as the Lord Jesus tells us – this is either good news or bad news depending upon where you stand.

 Jesus said:  Blessed are the poor, blessed are you who are hungry now, blessed are those who weep now, blessed are you when people hate you, exclude you, revile you...rejoice for great is your reward in heaven.

         Hold those words in your heart as we  take a little time this morning to share some of the story of  The Rev. Absalom Jones  - first black Episcopal priest in this country–...

          Born  in 1746 into slavery on a Delaware plantation, his owner recognized that he was bright , took him out of the fields, and brought him to the house where, as a child, he begged anyone who could read to teach him.  He saved his pennies and bought books including a basic reading primer and a copy of the New Testament.  He was , during this time, able to gain very rudimentary skill in reading. 

          In time, the owner of the plantation died, leaving it to his oldest son who decided he did not want to run a planation but that he wanted to be a merchant in the booming town of Philadelphia – at that time, the largest city in American colonies.         So, the owner sold the farm along with Absalom’s mother, sister, and brothers.  Taking Absalom, (and perhaps others) he relocated to  Philadelphia in 1762.  Absalom was 16 yr old and went to work in his owner’s new store  which ...” sold the fruits of slavery: rum, molasses, coffee, chocolate, pepper, and more. .[1]

          At the time of Absalom’s arrival, of the approximately fifteen hundred Black Philadelphians, all but about 100 were enslaved [persons].[2]   He was given permission to go to a night school run by the Quakers for enslaved persons and continued his education – mostly in math.  Attending St. Peter’s, then Anglican, later Episcopal, Church with his owner during that time,  he met a lovely young lady– also enslaved-   by the name of Mary.

          In 1770, at the age of 24, he married his beloved Mary, and with the help of loans and gifts from sympathetic Quaker friends, he and Mary’s father were able to purchase her freedom.      This was critical because had she borne their  children while enslaved, the children, under Philadelphia law at that time, would have been enslaved until they were 28 yrs of age.         Absalom was extremely anxious to gain his own freedom and, repeatedly but unsuccessfully, offered to buy it – because if he owned property, it could easily be taken by his owner. He and Mary, through their hard work, had saved enough to be able to purchase  his freedom but when denied  - they took that money and bought a lot and a small house which he put in Mary’s name.

          When Brother Absalom was finally granted his freedom in 1784 at the age of 38 , he continue to work at the store but now was paid what he described as a “good wage.”  He left St. Peter’s and began worshipping at the St. George’s Methodist Episcopal Church with  Richard Allen who would become his life-long friend. 

          At that time, the Methodist Episcopal denomination was just beginning, and  St. George’s was a mixed congregation.  Absalom Jones and Richard Allen, became lay preachers and lay ministers to the black members of the St. George’s congregation which, under their care, began to grow. 

          It was during this time, in 1787, that they formed what was known as the Free African Society “a mutual aid benevolent organization that was the first of its kind organized by and for black people. Members of the Society paid monthly dues for the benefit of those in need.”[3]

          The St. George Church leaders decided that the building needed to be expanded to accommodate the growing congregation.   Jones and Allen led the fundraising effort (and later the building effort) among the black congregants which resulted in the financing and construction of a handsome gallery.  Upon its completion, and without notifying them “The church leadership decided to segregate the black worshippers in the gallery. “[4]   Richard Allen left a detailed record of what happened next,

“A number of us usually sat on seats placed around the wall- and on Sabbath in the morning we went to church, and the sexton stood at the door and told us to go in the gallery. He told us to go and we would see where to sit. We expected to take the seats we formerly occupied below not knowing any better. We took those seats. Meeting had begun and they were nearly done singing and, just as we got to the seats, the elder said, “Let us pray.” We had not been long on our knees before I heard considerable scuffling and loud talking. I raised my head up and saw one of the trustees, H.  having hold of the Rev. Absalom Jones pulling him  off his knees  and saying, “You must get up; you must  not  kneel  here.”  Mr.  Jones  replied,  “Wait  until prayer  is  over.”  Mr.  H.  M.  said,  “No, you  must  get  up now,  or  I  will  call  for  aid  and  force  you  away  ”  Mr.  Jones said,  “Wait  until  prayer  is  over,  and  I  will  get  up  and trouble you no more.”   With that he [the trustee] beckoned to one of the other trustees, Mr. L. S. to come to his assistance. He  came  and  went  to  William  White  to  pull  him  up.  By  this  time, prayer  was  over and  we  all  went  out  of  the church  in  a  body  and  they  were  no  more'  plagued  by  us  in the church. Notwithstanding we had subscribed largely towards furnishing St. George’s Church, in building the gallery, and laying new floors and just as the house, was made comfortable, we were turned out from enjoying the comforts of worshipping therein.”

History of the Afro-American Group of the Episcopal Church. by George F. Bragg, DD. 1922. p.47-48

          So, they rented a room and began meeting.  Later, they  bought property and built a church.  They struggled over whether or not to form as an all black congregation within the Methodist Episcopal Church or to affiliate with the Episcopal Church – many of whose members had offered financial and moral support as they were starting what would later become St. Thomas’s African Church..

          According to Richard Allen’s account, the Methodist Episcopal Church leaders  were not well pleased and stated they would never recognize their new  Church and that, if they persisted,  they would be disowned from the Methodist Church.          So, it was settled that St. Thomas African Episcopal Church came into being on April 12, 1787.  Richard Allen went on to become the founding bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Church in 1816.

          The leaders of St. Thomas  did something interesting  in their negotiations with the Episcopal Bishop – they would only join the Episcopal Diocese under three conditions:   that they be recognized as a body, already organized,; that they should have guaranteed to them local independence and self control of their affairs, forever, and lastly, that one of their number should be licensed as Lay Reader, and if found fit, ordained as their minister. (p.59- TAAG).  That Lay Reader, of course, was Absalom Jones whom they knew, respected, trusted, and loved because of his tireless efforts among them . He was ordained as a deacon the following year- taking  charge of the Church when he was 49 yrs of age.  It is important to remember that “Absalom spent the first 38 years of his life as a slave, before it was possible for him to become the Episcopal church’s first black priest.” [5]

          He is  described in the  Pennsylvania Diocesan record in this way, “ though deficient in literary qualifications for the ministry [meaning, he was not conversant in Latin and Greek], he was a man of good report and Godly conversation...held in great reverence and esteem among the [black] persons in the city. “Zealous for the prosperity of the Church, and unwearied in doing good, he was especially beloved in consequence of his devotion to the sick and dying at the time of the prevalence of that awful scourge, the yellow fever. “  He had remained in the city and persuaded his church members to do the same to help with a relief effort, while other clergy and many citizens  had fled  - trying to get away from the pandemic which claimed somewhere between four and five-thousand residents of Philadelphia alone. About one out every ten residents of that city.

          Deacon Absalom continued studying for the priesthood and, during that time, he began a day school at the Church – the first of several.  He was finally ordained as a priest – seven years later- in 1802 at the age of 56. He continued to serve St. Thomas in the following years until his death in 1818 at the age of 71. 

 

          The fruit of his tireless labors continues....“Because no state-supported education was available for blacks in Pennsylvania, Jones began schools of his own. He also petitioned the state legislature and Congress for the immediate abolition of slavery. In 1808, Jones published a sermon on the abolition of the slave trade. and, in 1808, Congress banned the importation of slaves.   As the number of free blacks in the North increased, interest in transporting free blacks out of the country also grew. Many whites who opposed slavery also opposed a racially mixed society. In 1817, Jones helped organize a massive convention to denounce the plan to transport free blacks to Africa,” [6] to the country we now know as Liberia.

          One bit of context, I haven’t touched on yet but want to because it can help us understand some of the larger framework in which he was struggling to bring about change.

          When he came to Philadelphia in 1762 as a 16 yr old, the American Revolution was waiting in the wings.   The First Continental Congress met in Philadelphia in 1774 when he was twenty-eight .  Hostilities began the next year.  All the while,  he is starting life as married man, being a lay minister in the Methodist Episcopal Church, working in his owner’s store and saving money.  The Quakers were agitating hard for abolition, and, in Virginia, the British governor had offered freedom to any slave who would cross over to the British side.  Four years later, the British occupied Philadelphia for ten months in 1778 ..

He finally was given his freedom in early 1784. The year after the Treaty of Paris was signed – ending the American Revolution. 

          What a tumultuous and anxious time – and yet he pressed on....

          Historians Arthur K. Sudler and William Carl Bolivar, Director   Historical Society & Archives at the African Episcopal Church of St. Thomas, describe him this way.....

          “Jones was an earnest preacher.  He denounced slavery, and warned the oppressors to “clean their hands of slaves.”  To him, God was the Father, who always acted on “behalf of the oppressed and distressed.”  But it was his constant visiting and mild manner that made him beloved by his congregation and by the community.  St Thomas Church grew to over 500 members during its first year..... Known as “the Black Bishop of the Episcopal Church,” Jones was an example of persistent faith in God and in the Church as God’s instrument. “[7]

          He pressed on – despite suffering slavery, despite being surrounded by hostility from so many quarters...

He understood so many of the issues we continue to deal with today – the critical importance of education , home ownership as a key to building stability and wealth,  the absolute necessity to keep pressing for freedom for all of God’s people...to keep challenging that which robs human beings of their God-given dignity... he understood these things- Do we?

          He pressed on and  proclaimed trust in the Lord Jesus Christ and trust in  the never-ending comfort and hope of the words of Jesus in the Beatitudes which  “... could miraculously still be heard beneath the din.”. of hostility, slavery, and white supremacy....., conferring dignity to those who had ears to hear.

“Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you will be filled. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh. Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude you, revile you, and defame you on account of the Son of Man.” Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, for surely your reward is great in heaven.”

Two final thoughts...

How might we celebrate him?  What part of his work speaks to you?  What will you pick up and make your own?

And, above all,  let us  be encouraged and inspired his example and give thanks to God for the life of this  persistent, courageous and faithful pastor, advocate for education, and ardent abolitionist, Absalom Jones, priest and brother.  Amen.

---

[1] Slavery, St. Peter’s, Absalom Jones, and the Journey To Freedom - St. Peter's Church (stpetersphila.org)

[2] Slavery, St. Peter’s, Absalom Jones, and the Journey To Freedom - St. Peter's Church (stpetersphila.org)

[3] A New Biography of Absalom Jones - House of Deputies

[4] Ibid

[5] Slavery, St. Peter’s, Absalom Jones, and the Journey To Freedom - St. Peter's Church (stpetersphila.org)

[6] Jones, Absalom | Encyclopedia.com

[7] A New Biography of Absalom Jones - House of Deputies  - Arthur K. Sudler and William Carl Bolivar Director Historical Society & Archives - African Episcopal Church of St. Thomas

Ash Wednesday - Invitation to the Desert

 

Ash Wednesday – Feb. 22, 2023 – St. Mark’s and Church of the Holy Communion

 

From our psalm:  The Lord is full of compassion and mercy, long-suffering and of great goodness.  (Ps. 103.8)

 Today is Ash Wednesday.  This is the day  we turn a corner in our yearly pilgrimage as people of God traveling the way together and, if we look far ahead,  in the distance is the Cross.  His Cross. And, in between, a desert.

 We begin this day with a stark reminder --- Dust thou art  unto dust shalt thou return…

 Here is a story from very early on in ministry.  I was serving as an assistant at a parish, and it was Ash Wednesday… my husband  came to church and brought our then young son to the service  – He was maybe two- and, at that point, our only child .  When it was time for the imposition of ashes, they happened to come to my side of the rail.  I approached them. John was holding our son in his arms. I signed the ashes on my husband’s forehead and began to sign them on our son’s forehead.  At that point, I could not get the words out – dust thou art and to dust thou shalt return…I was overwhelmed in that moment with anguish at the thought of their mortality and it became almost unbearable.  I  did not want to think about the deaths of my beloveds.  And yet, then and now, this is the time we are called to remember that we are dust – and to dust we shall return… and to be mindful as the prayerbook puts it of the shortness and uncertainty of life.

During Lent, we are invited to not only recall our mortality but to draw closer to our Lord and to look at those places in our lives where we have missed the mark – the literal meaning of the Greek word sin – h’amartia –like an arrow missing the target.  And, we are called to look at those times and  places where we have fallen short. St. Paul reminds us that all have sinned and fallen short.  Too, we are invited to contemplate that in us which is broken and in need of healing as well as our own participation in systemic evil and the pain of the world.

And it is hard to get honest about our  own failures of character, our lack of love for our neighbors, our brokenness and all that is in us in desperate need of the healing touch of the one who heals us by his wounds.

Yes, It takes courage to look ourselves in the mirror and, truly, the only way we can do this  - so that it does not become a exercise in unhelpful self-flagellation  - is to approach God knowing that  as we do, he is already holding us in the arms of his mercy, and to form a Lenten intention- offering it to him-  of drawing closer and as we do that, we can trust that our living  God through the Holy Spirit will be at work within us to open our eyes and hearts more deeply to how he is already present with us.  Indeed, closer than a breath.

 The only difficultly is that usually the closer we draw to God, the more clearly we see our own sin.

  I believe that Julian  of Norwich observed this in her Divine revelations of Love - That the closer we draw to the source of a bright  light, the darker and sharper our shadow appears to be. 

 It is only through the never failing compassion and mercy of the Lord – seen so clearly in the face of Jesus - that we can have the confidence to accept the invitation of the Forty Days of Lent…

Think with me about the Forty days and  notice something.. something that can make a difference if we can get it down into our bones.

Noah and his family, stewards of creation, were sheltered in the ark by the mercy of God – while the rains fell and the flood waters swept around them as they floated over a ruined civilization on a desert of water.  And, when they landed, a new age began – the sign of which was a rainbow placed by God.

 Moses, fleeing after he murdered an Egyptian, spent forty years as a shepherd for his father in law Jethro before he encountered the Burning Bush and his call to return to Egypt to lead God’s people out of captivity.  Moses was hidden by the mercy of God from the wrath of the Egyptians and found a new life in the desert..

 The Children of Israel – wandering in the desert for forty years, learned how to become a people and to follow God’s guidance – cloud by day, fire by night. At every turn, and even in radical idolatry, they were  sustained by the mercy of God..  manna in the wilderness and water from the rock – given the Ten Commandments, entered in Covenant, and finally brought  Home.

 And, Elijah fasted for 40 days as he traveled to the cave on Mt. Horeb – fleeing from King Ahab and Queen Jezebel after he, Elijah, had slain the prophets of Baal on Mt. Carmel.   And God, in his mercy, met Elijah in that cave on Mt. Horeb—and spoke to him in a small still voice and then sent him to Damascus and into a new chapter…

 And, our Lord Jesus, after his baptism in the River Jordan was led – some accounts say – driven by the Holy Spirit – into the desert where he struggled with the temptations that beset us all and was sustained in that desert and at the end angels came and ministered to him, and he emerged from that desert with clarity of calling and then launched his mission to reclaim and reconcile God’s people.

 For each of these – the Forty days (or years) were both a time of very real trial and testing and also a significant turning point…  and in every instance and throughout the entire time, they were held in the merciful care of our God…

 Just as you, Church, are now…You are entering the desert of the Forty Days – it can be a turning point ..  both for us as individuals and collectively as the faith community, the people of God in this place.  In that desert – don’t be afraid to face into the sin and the brokenness of your life – and, as you do, know that at the same time  you are being held in the merciful, faithful, healing embrace  of our God who not only sustains us but who in Jesus Christ, is our companion every single step of the way.   The desert awaits, may we enter in with courage and hope.  Amen.

 

 

JTCO- 2/22/23

 

 

 

The Baptism of the Lord C -Jan. 9, 2022

 

                        The Baptism of the Lord  C– 2022- St. Mark’s- Charleston- JTCO

I have to confess…..I am finding it difficult to put away the Christmas tree this year.  It’s still up at my house.  I think this is probably because there is a light and warmth to it that I need right now as we make our way through the fog of yet another year of Covid and national disintegration.  Maybe you do too. Permission granted.

There are two parts to the sermon this morning.  The first is a little bit of teaching about the season of Epiphany, and the second part is a look at our Gospel reading to see how it might be speaking to us today.

We marked the beginning of the season on the Day of Epiphany – January 6th – this past week.  That day celebrates the arrival of the Magi, who following a pinpoint star light, finally arrived to worship the newborn king.  The Greek behind the English is epiphania – which means revelation. So, we have just entered a season in the Church of revelation in which each week we have the unfolding of the particular mystery of who that baby born at Bethlehem was and is for us.  And, we are invited to ponder what difference will Christmas make for us this year? What difference the incarnation of our Lord can make. What child is this?  

George Herbert – English priest and poet of the seventeenth century addresses that little one in his poem “Christmas” -He writes -  

  O Thou, whose glorious, yet contracted light,

          Wrapt in night's mantle, stole into a manger 

The Word of God – the Christ - came to us in an almost laser like beam – glorious yet very narrowly focused.  During the season of Epiphany, each week we will get a glimpse as that beam of light expands and gets wider and wider.  This week we see our Lord at his Baptism in which he is proclaimed as the Beloved as he identifies with us and his mission is inaugurated.   In the following weeks, as we walk the year, we see the miracle worker, the one in whom the prophecies are being fulfilled.  We encounter Jesus the teller of truth to the religious power of the day, and the caller of disciples – then and now, Jesus the teacher who discloses the way of true discipleship, and finally , on the Mount of Transfiguration – the one in whom the law and prophets are fulfilled and once again,  he is revealed to be the Beloved.  Each of these Sundays we walk  is a step along the path to be able to understand more deeply who this Jesus is for us and for the world. 

So, may the season of Epiphany this year – which takes us to the end of February when we enter Lent.- may this season be a time of revelation for each of you.  So that -  to paraphrase what St. Paul says in Ephesians -  (my paraphrase)   the eyes of your heart might be filled with the light of understanding – of revelation -  so that you might know deep down in your bones, the hope which is yours and to which you have been called. (Eph. 1.18) 

And now, to the gospel for today  in which Luke tells us about the Baptism of Jesus in the River Jordan.

      John the Baptist had been preaching and baptizing for a while in the region around the Jordan River and people really responded to him – wondering if he were the messiah.  He straightened them out pretty quickly – I baptize with water for repentance but, one is coming who will baptize with the Holy Sprit and fire… NO I am not the Messiah but he is close at hand…

John’s baptism was a baptism of cleansing and repentance and getting ready – he was cleaning house and none too gently.

Now, if you look at your readings leaflet, you will see that some verses have been left out.   These are an aside from Luke which  tell us about how John had publicly called out  King Herod for taking and marrying his brother’s wife – while the brother was still alive!  This was something that scandalized people then and probably still would.  Herod responded by arresting John and tossing him in prison.  Then, Luke brings us back to Jesus and tells us about a particular time when many people had been baptized, presumably by John,  and Jesus was also baptized.   Notice,  after his baptism, Jesus was praying – and three things happened.

First, the heavens were opened.  Secondly, the Holy Spirit descended upon him in a bodily form – something looking like a dove. And, third,  and a voice came from heaven which said   “You are my Son – the Beloved, with you I am well pleased.”

What can we make of Jesus’ baptism?  Why did he do it?  The sinless one did not need cleansing from sin and did not need to repent.  Luke doesn’t give us clues about his motivation which is probably good thing . It seems to me that if we want to try to get at this,  it might be fruitful to work backwards – that is, whatever the reason was– that action gave the Father great joy – “with you I am well pleased.” 

The act of being baptized also resulted in the pouring out of the Holy Spirit – in the form of something that looked like a dove.. Now recall- the witness of the Bible and the Church down through time is that the Holy Spirit is always given for a purpose, if you will, to empower a mission.  So, Jesus in his baptism – going down into  the waters of the Jordan River – embraced his mission to humankind-  indeed to the entire creation.  

The dove is a detail we don’t want to miss either- think about where else we have seen a dove – do you remember?  Noah’s ark which floated over the waters.   And, the signal that the new beginning was at hand was the dove which had been  sent out and returned with a olive twig in its beak. The dove represented a new beginning.. peace between God and humankind – and a new covenant with Noah that God would never again destroy the inhabitants of the earth.  So, don’t; miss the dove.

Continuing back – the heavens opened.  What did Jesus see?

The heavenly throne room? Angels and archangels?  Or, was it an outside-of-time glimpse of his role in bringing about shalom- his great mission of redemption and reconciliation .  This moment foreshadows what will happen on the Mount of Transfiguration.

I wonder if you’ve every had a glimpse like this.  Recently daughter Ana and I, on a little pre-Christmas trip,  visited a place in the mountains which had a very low lying cloud cover.  It was gray, drizzly, foggy and a little depressing… and then we took a train ride up the side of a mountain.  At one point, we emerged above the cloud cover and the fog  and sky was suddenly brilliant cobalt blue, the sun was shining, the colors were vivid and we all simultaneously said “ahhhhh.” Yes, life below was one reality but the true reality could be glimpsed with a higher perspective. Now we did have to come back down the mountain – back down in to the fog and rain – but somehow it was much more bearable because we had seen the  reality of what lay just above.  Perhaps, something like this was Jesus’ experience as well.

Now to his Baptism in the waters of the River Jordan…

 For ancient peoples (as well as for many contemporary folk), water represented  primordial chaos and death.   In dreams and art, it may represent the subconscious life we and all of creation live.  It was thought that its depths were inhabited by evil spirits, and it represented the very real possibility of death.   Remember in the creation account, we hear ”In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters.”  

Anyone who spends time on the water knows that it requires respect.  The Jordan is clear, it’s not just a shallow trickle.  In some places, it reaches a width of over sixty feet and a depth of nearly seventeen feet.  It is thought that Jesus was baptized near the place where the Jordan flows out from Bethany into the Sea of Galilee.  So, at that place,  it would have been quite deep with a very strong current.  

When Jesus went down into the water of Baptism, he was voluntarily, symbolically giving himself over to death in total identification with our human experience.  And instead of emerging cleansed from sin, the sinless one emerged carrying the full weight of the broken beauty of being human and estranged from God.

When you and I were baptized, we were joined to him in the fullness of his death and life. Remember,  St Paul says - in the 6th chapter of Romans -  “do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?  We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too, might walk in newness of life.  For, if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.” 

The baptismal call is to die to our former life and to no longer live as “casually connected consumers ” of the product called Church  or the product called Life  but rather that we might  become resilient disciples transformed by the grace and mercy of the cross -  so that whether we are in fog or above the clouds, we might know the truth of who Jesus Christ is and who we are.

and also, that we might live forever with him and living in him and he in us…  so that we might receive the same Holy Spirit  - both for guidance and for empowerment  to carry on God’s mighty mission and so that we too might realize -deeply- that each of us is God’s beloved – you are, you know- Beloved.  Try looking the mirror tonight and saying that to yourself- God loves me and I am his Beloved.  

In just a moment, we will affirm our Baptismal Covenant. Listen deeply as you do this and, when we finish, hear the word of the Lord to you today.  You are my Beloved… In you I am well pleased.  AMEN.