Sunday, 14 June 2020

Splagthnizomai


I’m sure many of us are pretty familiar with this passage, you’ve probably heard it preached on before, or maybe the similar passage from Luke or Mark. I’m not going to talk about what The harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few means for us today, because that’s not what I’ve found interesting as I’ve mulled over this passage over the last few days.

I absolute love it when I read a passage of scripture which I’ve read dozens of times before but in that moment something different than before grips me, as if I’m reading it for the first time. That happened when I read He had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless.

Now I’m going to get a bit anatomical this morning – that’s a fair warning for those of you who don’t enjoy talk of bodily things.

Compassion is a wonderful word, and an even more wonderful component of our humanity. I think it’s a massive part of what it means for us to be made in god’s image. But it’s actually a bit of a “nice” or weedy translation of what the original Greek word used by the gospel writer means.

Their word was far more visceral – literally. I have a writer called Charles Erlandson to thank for this translation, and my Greek isn’t great, but the word splagthnizomai, comes from the word for inward parts or entrails and so means to be moved with “bowels of mercy” or to have a visceral, physical, reaction of compassion.

For me this translation completely transforms Jesus’ reaction to the crowd. I was trying to think of a modern comparison that might make the reaction relatable for us and one which came to mind was the collective response to watching Michael Buerk’s 1984 news report on the famine in Ethiopia. The report caused that visceral, gut-churning experience of compassion which then forced a reaction in us- in that instance a world-wide drive of action and aid.

It’s also really interesting to look at the translation of the word which has driven Jesus’ splagthnizomai. The Greek word used for the helpless crowd is, according to Church Times writer Angus Ritchie eskylmenoi - translated as “harassed”, but more accurately “mangled” or “torn asunder”. Another translation is feeling “flayed alive”. It’s another very visceral word, and these very physical words are a reminder that we have a God who has lived our human life with our human body and human emotions.

We’ve seen a lot of crowds on our screens recently but I don’t know if your own reaction has been one of compassion, or fear or anger. Now I don’t think that those protestors I’ve seen standing in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement have necessarily been fearful or leaderless, so this is in no way a direct comparison with our gospel story, but I think it may give us some degree of insight into how and why people have been driven to demonstrate even when it may be putting their own safety or the safety of others at risk in the middle of a worldwide pandemic.

I think protestors probably fall into two camps- the first are those who have felt harassed and helpless, mangled and torn asunder. People from black and minority ethnic groups who have experienced abuse, hate, racism, discrimination and “othering” from individuals, groups and institutions, or have witnessed it in others.

A world-wide coming together of circumstances has triggered a collective snap, and these protestors feel they can no longer live without much needed systemic change.

The second group of protestors I believe are those who have experienced the gut-wrenching physical compassion of witnessing the harassment and helplessness of others and have been moved into action, standing beside the harassed and helpless, and maybe even recognising their own part in the systems which have allowed discrimination to continue. 

Now I don’t know if the protests are right or wrong, I believe our right to protest is a fundamental one, but we are still in the grip of this awful virus, yet I do believe those who have chosen to protest are acting upon conscience and compassion.

It was incredibly moving on Monday evening to attend the Diocese online event Prayer and Protest where our own Cathedral Dean, Rogers, spoke of his experiences of racism and life in South Africa under apartheid. Archdeacon Karen talked about her inability of knowing whether to go out and protest or not- preparing to leave the house three times before finally staying home.

These are, as we are constantly reminded, unprecedented times and it’s so hard to know how to react and respond even when we feel that gut-wrenching compassion for the suffering others have experienced and continue to experience.

Jesus’ response to what he witnesses is in part to recognise that he alone is not enough. In this context I don’t think the harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few is about going and making new recruits for the church. I said I wasn’t going to talk about that didn’t I? I guess it couldn’t be avoided but I read this as meaning there’s an awful lot of people out there who are in need of help and healing, and not enough of us willing to do the helping and facilitate the healing.

It’s also interesting to look at what Jesus’ form of help looks like; Recognising he needs help he instructs the 12. This is the first place they’re called Apostles, meaning sent, and he gives them their mission; cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. It’s practical and physical, it’s acts of healing and love, it’s making God’s love visible in the world. The foundation our church is built upon.

If our compassion drives us to want to act, how can we make God’s love visible in the world? How can we offer healing and practical help – and how can we do this in the middle of a global pandemic?

The most important thing we can do is educate ourselves. The General Commission on Race and Religion have made some suggestions. 

We can read articles or books or watch films and documentaries by people from other cultures and backgrounds. There's a lot of things we can view online right now- the documentary 13th and the film Belle are a good start. I've seen historian David Olusoga interviewed a lot recently and his book Black and British is on many of the recommended lists.

We can follow the social media of people or organisations which represent BAME groups.

We can visit online museums and cultural centres.

We can listen to friends who identify as belonging to another culture.

And we can learn about our own history and how that history has affected others.

Educating ourselves is the most important step but there's action we can take too- signing petitions on parliament.uk to bring about official response, writing to your MP about issues of racial justice, donate if you're able. There's a whole variety of causes you may wish to support financially, including a bereavement fund helping with memorial and funeral costs for BAME families who we know are disproportionately affected by covid-19.

A spokesperson for Hackney Stand Up To Racism said: “Our best way of fighting racism is in unity. Anti-racists are the vast majority and our strength is in solidarity and organisation and a refusal to concede a millimetre to the racists.”

If our role as a church is to be a visible sign of God's love in the world than I believe it's our duty to be actively anti-racist.

We’re the body of Christ and as we read in 1 Corinthians “if one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honoured, every part rejoices with it.” Amen. 

To follow up on this morning's sermon here is a resource list. These a just a few suggestions and is the tiniest tip of the iceberg:

LISTEN

Witness Black History' by BBC World Service https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p01h9dl0/episodes/downloads

READ

'Black, Listed: Black British Culture Explored' by Jeffrey Boakye

‘Black and British: A Forgotten History’ by David Olusoga https://www.amazon.co.uk/Black-British-Forgotten-David-Olusoga/dp/1447299760 

‘Brit(ish): On Race, Identity and Belonging’ by Afua Hirsch https://www.waterstones.com/book/brit-ish/afua-hirsch/9781784705039 

WATCH





SIGN


WRITE

Write to your MP https://www.writetothem.com/ 

Email Gavin Williamson, Secretary of State for Education, to support The Black Curriculum’s campaign to address the lack of black history taught in UK schools. https://www.theblackcurriculum.com/action 

DONATE

Black Lives Matter UK (BLMUK) https://www.gofundme.com/f/ukblm-fund



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