Permanence and impermanence

 We come today to a classic interpretational issue which has been debated in both Jewish and Christian scripture, God's response to Moses "I am / I shall be what / that I am / shall be" (Ex. 3:14) What does God's response in terms of name mean? It is not really one that can be answered, I suspect, in any form of certainty as all responses have a validity when it comes to God. However, we can make our own interpretive guesses both as theologians and as ordinary people, depending on our interest and education. In the midrashes there are a number of interesting points that can be raised both psychological and spiritual that have an effect on the ongoing interpretation of the Exodus story. Perhaps the most important, at least of equal importance to other interpretations, is the underlying understanding of permanence that is created in the translation of the Hebrew words at this point.

It is important for us to remember that translation and interpretation are not one and the same. It is also important to note that this initial setting comes at the start of the dialogue that frames Moses ongoing relationship with God as a person who is seemingly resistant to God's offers. Whilst there is a understanding of permanence to God's presence it is also an understanding that is based on trial and not just peace. It is the constancy of God's presence in the face of an ongoing presence of slavery and imprisonment, disaster and exclusion implicit in the wording and the request. This is the burden we bear (Matt. 16:24) as it is often our own selves which burden us in these times. Our self doubts prevent us from discovering God in the midst of adversity much like the Israelites and Moses. In taking up the cross we take up Christ's burden for the other and we look not at ourselves but at the other in community. In doing so we begin to feel God's presence with us easing the burdens that we have or are laying down. This enables us to do what Paul asks his recipients to do in the letter to the Romans (12:9-21).

In the impermanence of  life we see seeds of the permanence of love

The practicality of our ministry to others in times of adversity is often something we struggle with in our lives. We are assailed by our own uncertainties which cause us to enable the destruction of our communities through bias, hatred and our own prejudices of those who are different to our self understanding. Paul at the start of the Romans' passage (12:10b) states the obvious but necessary way forward. The norm for society is to suggest that we are better than the other and to look down upon those who do not subscribe to our own pet desires and understandings. Whether we are a Wellington killer or a regional farmer we each believe that we are better in our lives than those around us. The culture we live in brings us to this belief through our normal jokes, sly remarks and disparaging of those from outside the community. We need to remind ourselves that each person is created in the image of God. speaking in terms of the legacy of formalised prejudice the "Arch" (Archbishop Tutu) suggests that in accepting someone for something they can do nothing about, being a woman whilst at the same time not accepting someone for the same reason, skin colour, then we are extreme hypocrites. If we cannot accept the other from outside the community than how can we accept the other because they have lived in the community. We love each person for who they are even in the worst of circumstances with respect and gratitude. 

Impermanence is often a constant in today's world as we are constantly evolving and changing but in our understanding of God we see the permanence of the presence of love. We draw alongside those who are in difficulty and struggle just as God drew alongside the people of Israel in the midst of slavery and exile. This is not a temporary measure, something that is given away once they are free from their struggle, but a permanent understanding much as God's presence is permanent to in our continued struggles. Too many times in recent years and months the Church has offered God's love with one hand but then turned its back on those that are in fear and suffering in the long term. If we are to mirror God's presence then we as a faith community in the impermanence of today's society must remain consistent and permanent in the lives of our communities just as God is permanent and consistent in the life of the faith community. 

Intimate connections of life

 Currently it appears that the Church can be seen to be redundant in a world that is solely interconnected through electronic life. Those that follow a faith journey are on the outside and in exile as it were from the normality of life. The life of faith appears to offer little to relieve the disaster of COVID 19 and unlike previous pandemics (see for example the story of Eyam) seem to disintegrate into the background with little to say or offer. Yet the beginning of the Exodus story (Ex.1:8-2:10) tells a different narrative as do the other readings for today (Rom. 12:1-8; Matt. 16:13-20). However, it is narrative that we can only grasp if we recognise its presence in our lives and grasp the opportunity that God creates with imagination and faith.

The narrative of Exodus begins with a bestial legacy, brought out in the Jewish scriptures, which interpret the increase in the population as having "swarmed" (Ex. 1:7); an image that brings to mind a large population of insects. This imagery relates to the seeming loss of identity of the population and the loss of knowledge of  the pharaoh that goes with it. Pharaoh's edict is one of death for the Israelites, which is rejected in the first verbal interaction in Exodus, between the midwives and pharaoh, as the midwifes see life not death in response to pharaoh's edict of death. In their utterance of words against the edict of pharaoh they put forward an alternative world view to a complete nourishing of life itself rather than the edict of death. This dangerous view is continued as Moses is reclaimed from death by pharaoh's daughter with a dialogue over the nurturance of life, especially a young one, with arrangements being made that continue the subversiveness as Moses is placed back within the birth family (Ex. 2:9).

Have we lost our identity in God and now follow the ways of the swarm?

In many ways we could almost consider ourselves in a similar situation with COVID and the ever "swarming" online population that influences our lives by focusing on a death culture rather than a culture and a view that is based on life. The stories that define our culture are ones that are based on death not life, on disaster not creation while we squander our lives on things that depress us. Paul speaking to the Romans appeals to them saying "Conform no longer to the pattern of this present world, but be transformed by the renewal of your minds" (Rom. 12:2). A transformation that begins to see life and not death and to challenge the narrative of death within the world. We bury our gifts beneath our guilt and angst in the current world not challenging the narratives of our lives but bowing down as a worker bee scurrying here and there at the behest of the queen and colony (read swarm). Our transformation begins when we put our varied gifts to the service of life as a sacrifice in rebellion against the forces of death.

In Christ we see new life just as Peter proclaims (Matt. 16:16) and it is upon this assertion of life that the church should be built (Matt. 16:18). Yet, in our indifference and apathy created by the swarm we turn away from the burgeoning new growth that is found in the midst of disaster. We are unable to listen to any narrative that is different to the one we are fed and so lose hope fearing the loss of faith in our time. Yet, in the midst of the indifference of the swarm we can name hope and challenge death with life in the same manner as the midwives of the Israelites. We recognise God's love in the presence of Christ and name Christ for who he / she is in wisdom and understanding that Christ nurtures our faith so that we may grow strong in love and bring community to life once more. A community that is God centred  brimming with life and rejecting the edict of death that our present culture manifests in our daily lives.

Strange love

 It is not often that we are accepting of others within our midst. Unfortunately our innate wariness of things that are different prevent us from seeing the good in others. Often the attitudes of those around us in society are the attitudes that we portray to others. In the Gospel passage today even Christ appears to succumb to the attitudes of the day (Matt 15:23-26), most particularly the reference to "dogs" (Matt:15:26). Each community determines the boundaries that it is willing to accept within itself and those boundaries and prejudices are in built into the society in which we live. Generations of people have passed down their own understanding of who is in and who is out, which leads to our present day issues around the other who is different.

Matthew's Christ eventually comes to the inclusive understanding of community which we need to follow today. His thinking is not so much different from any in society and yet acknowledges that faith can be found outside the accepted boundaries that we the people have put in place. And yes it is we people. Irrespective of when, people have been responsible for the institution of our dogma and our own prejudices determine our reaction to those who are external to us. We can see this in the recent Black lives matter demonstrations and other movements throughout the world. Today the world is about a people who have been grafted one onto the other through the numerous interconnections that we all share. Paul was only concerned with those who were grafted on to a single root (Rom. 11:17), today we are considering multiple grafts on multiple roots. Our inter-connectedness in the world is greater now then it has ever been in the past.

Recognise the connection through the root stock that is God

Our predispositions to hatred and ostracisation need to be re-evaluated in light of our connections not only with other people but also with our environment. Joseph was sold into slavery and found a way forward but still held a dislike of his brothers which is played out in the story of his trickery and deception when they come to Egypt for relief. This is overcome not through his own immediate insight but rather as a result of his interaction with his brother, Judah. Like most of us Joseph needs proof of the brothers' credibility and honesty after his betrayal; can he trust these men who are his brothers? If he can then he can reveal himself and his connection to them and their family. Just prior to the passage that has been read today we hear Judah's impassioned speech, which for the midrash descriptions, is a re-description of himself which influences Joseph's understanding and thus eventual breakdown before the brothers. Joseph moves away from the need to seek proof towards an acceptance of who they are and their inter-connectedness with with each other. Prior to this he was unable to believe their words, not accepting (ma'en) as opposed to accepting (amen).

It is this moment of change that we need to achieve within us in our own interconnected world. It is an understanding that overcomes the awkwardness of our conditioned response to the other and an acceptance of our own inter-connectedness. We need to be able to say amen rather than our normal ma'en to those that surround us. Christ has a moment of denial before he too can admit the amen and need to establish God's community with those who are exterior to the community. It is only when we become one recognising that the divisions we uphold our of our own making, whether they are a result of selfishness or tribal preservation, are little more than tactics to preserve our individuality as opposed to our acceptance of God in the life of others. We do not have to control everything but rather we need to overcome our reluctance to accept God's presence even if we have no proof of God's presence. Our ideas of self have overcome our ideas of knowing even without grounds, so that we can say "Amen" to God in our lives. In doing so we overcome our reluctance to see beyond the graft and discover the root in others is their connectivity to God.

Suffering from self assurance

In our youth, and maybe not only then, we are often prone to being overly self assured about what life will bring for us. Our plans are laid out and this is the way our lives will travel, dreams of riches, dreams of comfort and rest. We are almost prideful in our self assuredness and painfully so sometimes. This is perhaps what we can perceive in Joseph in his interactions with his brothers the end of which we see in the passage today (Gen. 37:12-28). All of which is true but if we are not careful we will miss the same attitude in his father at the start of the passage (Gen. 37:1) and perhaps there is even a smidgen in Peter as he walks on the water (Matt. 14:29). Whether we are as bad as Joseph or it is in the background lurking, perhaps like Peter, we need to remind ourselves that such an attitude eventually leads to some form of calamity either for ourselves or for the community.

At some point in our lives we have been self assured about something, this is not a bad thing. Occasionally, if we think back, I am fairly certain there will be times that we can say we were a little more than self assured and bordered on reckless. Joseph was not so much reckless in his self assuredness but rather naive. His approach to his brothers was overly based on his ability of interpreting the dreams he had and those of others. I can well imagine how peeved (that's a nice way of putting it) is brothers really were feeling after all his wilful pride-fullness. So it is not really surprising that they decided to deal with it by putting him in his place. The problem to this whole story is, according to the midrash, that it is his father who has become self assured with regards to the promises made to him and his fore bearers regarding the covenant and the land. The first verse in this chapter indicates that Jacob believes that the covenant is fulfilled with all the pain and suffering that he and his fore bearers had gone through. In not allowing the working of God's promises and seeking to live his late years in peace, whilst a dream worth having for anyone, is not the reason to finish pursuing God's call.

We can all walk on water if we are not filled with our own hubris

In our own way, as a part of God's people, we are just as guilty of this type of being self assured in the presence of God. In our longing for God's presence and will we often come to the erroneous conclusion, just like Jacob, that we have done our part. The result is that we can retire and live of the laurels of our work for God. In falling into this trap we fail to live up to God's promises and our own closeness to God. I am certain that in our well meaning understanding of what has gone before we like Jacob miss God's constant call upon our lives. I can think of at least one parish were I was constantly reminded of the  fact that the Sunday school was such a wonderful thing and why don't we do that again. Yet, if we think closely about it if it was so wonderful where are the people who attended, why are they not part of the church community any more or is it because we did not actually achieve what God set us to achieve and we sat back on in our self assured pride thinking only in terms of our success and not what God required of us? Peter's lesson came quickly, Jacob took a life time to learn it. Peter's realisation of his dependence on God was life or death. Unfortunately we are not in that position but rather in Jacob's. Only when we are humble and allow God to lead us into newness of life will we be sure that we come to the rest that is promised.

Often our difficulty is our own self perception of who and what we are. It is not  that we do not trust and have faith but rather that we believe more in our own abilities rather than those that come from God. Like Jacob we allow our own thoughts and our own minds to create the future that we want with little regard to God's call upon our lives. It is then in our own hubris we find that we have got ii wrong and that God is still demanding our presence to minister to God's people irrespective of age, gender and nationality. Only when we fully accept God's call are we able to step out in faith and walk upon the waters in God's presence.

Struggling to decide

I am not sure about you but when I make any major decision I struggle. I can spend a number of nights and days just coming to grips with the fact that a decision has to be made. In some respects I think we are all prone to this sort of struggle at least once in our lives. In a manner of speaking this is what is represented in the story of the night long wrestling match that results in the change of name from Jacob to Israel (Gen. 32:22-31). The decision from the various rabbinic sources is a decision with regards authenticity and authority rather than something more mundane. The change in name realises the change in Jacob's acceptance of who he is and his relationship to power and authority. This is not just a struggle that makes a decision but rather it is struggle that makes us change. In this understanding lies the challenge due to the fact that the result is a change to ourselves something that we fear that we will become injured and debilitated in the process.

Jacob sends his family and his household ahead of him across the river, like a good general he is leading from the rear by planning and trying to gauge the effects of his coming meeting with his brother. Also like any good leader he looks to rest from the distractions of leadership to have quiet time, like Christ (Matt. 14:13), to review the past and set up for the future. Yet, he is set upon and has to wrestle the night away. His wrestling is within himself, and is allegorically displayed by the "angel", perhaps Esau's guardian angel, as he struggles with his own doubts and fears of the life he is living and has lived. The decision to hold on to what has been or to move into a new life is a large one and is only made after we see the harm holding on does to us. The pain can become physically disabling not only for ourselves but also for the communities that we lead. Acceptance means that we begin to see ourselves in a new light and our ideas mature us towards the person that God wants us to be. In our own wrestling with our selves we begin to understand the needs of the people in the community around us. We place out needs behind us so that we can give to our community in such a manner that the gift becomes life giving. Where others may quail and step back we are able to step forward and find the solution that God has already prepared for us.

Leading from the front takes the pressure off but is a struggle

In many ways when we wrestle with our decisions we are wrestling with God as we are wrestling with a decision that will change our lives. If we are to grow in accordance with God's will then we struggle as our own thoughts and perceptions colour our decisions and deceive us away from what God would have us achieve. While we wrestle with God and our own way of doing things we will naturally change, even our names just as Jacob did. Even if we think we are not leaders or in positions of leadership we are indeed leaders as we portray God's way of love to the world and should be leading in this very thing. If we push people from behind, like Jacob, we will soon loose their interest and our own ability to lead them into new life. At some point we need to have courage to actually lead from the front with our convictions centred in God's presence. God inspired leadership takes us out of ourselves to see and lead with compassion from the front. The disciples come to Christ in a quandary about food even though Christ has been giving his all all day (Matt. 14:15). Instead of telling them to make the decision or moving of for quiet space, sympathy and compassion lead so that others may find comfort. In our own way we need to be able to do the same. We too often allow the attitude of Douglas Adams' SEP to come to the fore and not take the initiative. We often allow ourselves to make suggestions and let others do when often it is needful for us as Christ followers to lead our communities from the front. We then place God's love to the fore and become true disciples. This is where the struggle becomes part of our own being as we overcome and make things smoother for those behind.