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<\/figure>\n\n<\/p>\n
\nSo, in the midst of an old, old
\nmyth trying to explain why different peoples spoke different
\nlanguages, the Ancient Israelite’s also managed to sneak in some
\npropaganda against their neighbors. \u00a0So, that’s why a tower, and
\nsince those towers were parts of other faith traditions, that’s why
\nGod was said to be jealous.<\/p>\n
\n<\/p>\n
\nI rather like this confusing
\nancient myth. \u00a0I appreciate the question, \u201cwhy can’t we communicate
\nwith each other\u201d and I even like the premise that if we could just
\ncommunicate well, we could do anything. \u00a0I find this to be a story I
\ngo back to, as I think of various things that confuse language or
\ncommunication, and I associate them with the Tower of Babel.<\/p>\n
\n<\/p>\n
\nTo some degree, I think the
\nstory claims that the Tower was a sign of arrogance, and arrogance
\nneeded to be tapped down. \u00a0More directly, it claims the people were
\ngetting too powerful, and God was jealous of their power, but that
\ndoesn’t sound like good theology to me.<\/p>\n
\n<\/p>\n
\nThe Tower of Babel story tries
\nto explain what separates us from each other, why we can’t work
\ntogether, perhaps even why we so easily perceive ourselves as groups
\nof \u201cus\u201d and \u201cthem.\u201d \u00a0These are some big, important questions!
\n I’d like answers too! \u00a0(I’d rather not blame God.)<\/p>\n
\n<\/p>\n
\nWhat keeps us from working
\ntowards the common good? \u00a0Why do we perceive others as \u201cothers,\u201d
\nand sometimes as enemies? \u00a0What keeps us from seeing that justice for
\nany moves us towards justice for all? \u00a0Why DO we throw each other
\nunder the bus?<\/p>\n
\n<\/p>\n
\nWhen we are clearly hardwired
\nfor connection, made by God for connection, why does it so often
\nfail?<\/p>\n
\n<\/p>\n
\nWhy are there wars? Why is there
\nhunger? \u00a0Why is there abuse? \u00a0Why is there violence?<\/p>\n
\n<\/p>\n
\nWhy can’t we just care for each
\nother, and use the abundant resources of the earth for good?<\/p>\n
\n<\/p>\n
\nIt is hard to consume the news
\nwithout landing on these questions. \u00a0Why is Russian invading Ukraine?
\n Is it about power? \u00a0Money? \u00a0Prestige? \u00a0Why are there so many mass
\nshootings? \u00a0What has happened in the lives of the shooters to lead
\nthem to their actions? \u00a0\n<\/p>\n
\n<\/p>\n
\nWe don’t even need the news. \u00a0We
\ncan just look around. \u00a0Why is there a need for a free community
\nbreakfast in one of the wealthiest countries in the world \u2013 why do
\nwe have a society that allows people to go hungry when it doesn’t
\nhave to? \u00a0Why are beloved children of God homeless, when it would be
\nLESS expensive to house people than it is not to? \u00a0\n<\/p>\n
\n<\/p>\n
\nRelatedly, why is mental health
\ncare hard to access when so many people need it? \u00a0Why are so many
\npeople self-medicating with drugs that lead to addiction \u2013 what is
\naching in them, and how could things be different so it wouldn’t
\nache?<\/p>\n
\n<\/p>\n
\nAs a note, I believe that the
\nanswer to a lot of the questions I’ve asked is actually \u201ctrauma\u201d
\nand the extent to which we can become informed about trauma and
\nresponsive to people in their midst of their trauma MAY WELL be the
\nextent to which we are useful at changing the world towards the
\nkindom.<\/p>\n
\n<\/p>\n
\nThere are smaller, and still
\nimportant, pieces of separation too. The ones we all experience.
\nFriendships that fall apart. \u00a0Distance from family members.
\nDisagreements in groups we’re part of, sometimes ones that create too
\nmuch conflict to keep the group together. \u00a0Violations of core values,
\nthat can’t be overcome. \u00a0Experiences of God as distant. \u00a0And those
\nhurt too. \u00a0And those matter too.<\/p>\n
\n<\/p>\n
\nThe Tower of Babel story invites
\nus into these questions, it invites us into the heartbreak under
\nthese questions. \u00a0Because it isn’t an intellectual exercise to say
\n\u201cwhy is there war?\u201d \u00a0Even from afar, it is heartbreaking to know
\nwhat is happening to human beings because there is a war. \u00a0It isn’t
\nan intellectual exercise to say, \u201cwhy do families fall apart?\u201d
\nIt is heartbreaking to see families fall apart, and the stories I
\nhear tell me the pain can last for generations.<\/p>\n
\n<\/p>\n
\nThere are so many ways to
\ndistract ourselves from these questions, and from the pain under
\nthem, but I don’t think we do ourselves any good with avoidance. \u00a0I
\nthink we have to face the heartbreak, and sit with it, to hear it out
\nand letting God move us to healing.\n<\/p>\n
\n<\/p>\n
\nAnd, being me, that’s what I
\nhear in Pentecost. \u00a0It is, I hope, easy to see that the story of
\nPentecost is an undoing of the story of the Tower of Babel. \u00a0People
\nfrom many different places can suddenly understand each other.
\nCommunication is restored. \u00a0The preaching of Peter suggests God is
\nactive with the people, all the people, erasing divisions between
\nthem. \u00a0Peter says even nature will take note of the difference! \u00a0\n<\/p>\n
\n<\/p>\n
\nAnd where does it end? \u00a0With
\nhealing. \u00a0\u201cThen everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be
\nsaved.\u201d \u00a0For some of us (me) the word \u201csaved\u201d has been laden
\nwith layers of problematic meaning. \u00a0I have to be intentional in not
\nrunning away from the word, and in reminding myself what it means to
\nthe Bible. \u00a0\n<\/p>\n
\n<\/p>\n
\nPeter wasn’t talking about
\nheaven and hell. \u00a0Peter was talking about a wonderful combination of
\nimportant things: \u00a0healing the sort of healing that goes right down
\nthe core of a person’s soul as well as their body, and also to their
\nRELATIONSHIPS and connections to community; along side something we
\nmight call freedom, but is so much more \u2013 freedom from fear,
\nfreedom from oppression and freedom from oppressing, freedom from
\ncontinued cycles of abuse and violence and brokenness. \u00a0Peter was
\ntalking about life with God, at the very best it can be.<\/p>\n
\n<\/p>\n
\nPeter is talking about life in
\nthe kindom of God, and how it changes everything. \u00a0The \u201csaving\u201d
\nhe is talking about is the undoing of all the things we’ve been
\ntaking about with the Tower of Babel and SEPARATION.<\/p>\n
\n<\/p>\n
\nSaving, here, is connection,
\nrelationship, full and abundant LIFE. \u00a0\n<\/p>\n
\n<\/p>\n
\nThese stories, held together,
\noffer us space to reflection on disconnection and connection,
\nmiscommunication and good communication, brokenness and healing.
\nAnd, I hope, they invite us, again, into the kindom. \u00a0To live with
\nconnection, communication, and healing. \u00a0To pay attention to what
\nbrings full and abundant life, including the need to sometimes sit
\nwith our heartbreak until it releases us, and then to seek, once
\nagain, full hearts, by the grace of God. \u00a0May God help us. \u00a0Amen <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Rev. Sara E. Baron <\/p>\n June 5, 2022<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
First United Methodist Church of Schenectady
603 State St. Schenectady, NY 12305
Pronouns: she\/her\/hers
http:\/\/fumcschenectady.org\/<\/a>
https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/FUMCSchenectady<\/a><\/p>\n