Today Alison will draw a bit on the gospel writer John. For the moment, suffice it to say that when John portrays the world as in the power of Satan, dwelling in a darkness in which people stumble (John 11:10) and in which they tend to lynch in obedience to their father who was a murderer from the beginning, it is to the same understanding of which he gives evidence: human beings are constituted in a distorted reciprocity leading to victimization. The sheep - those who imitate without stumbling - hear Jesus' voice and follow him without being scandalized, even though the shepherd will be killed. They are no scandalized by that death, because they know that the shepherd gave himself freely to being killed and can take up his life again: that is what permits them to overcome the scandal of his death (John 10). The image of lynching is vital here. In lynching, a victim is chosen - a scapegoat -an outsider -the different one - the other. We lynch so as to think we can remove from among us the 'bad stuff' of our life. It is that one - who we lynch - that is the cause of any and all of our heart-breaks. That lynching is the 'murder from the beginning.' It is the Cain and Abel event that shows humanities need for control and someone to blame. Jesus is that one who is lynched - he is the one upon which blame is cast - he is the scapegoat - he is the one from whom we are taught (by society) to run and find another life. And yet, the sheep - the followers of Jesus - see the freedom of Jesus' life-giving action and we are drawn to it. We are drawn to that which is not taken away. We are drawn to life given and shed - freely. That is the shape of life to come. Lynching is not a part of our reality for it denies the personhood of the other. Instead, on behalf of the other we will face a lynching - crucifixion - because we know the story of life that rises new. The old need not rule us even if it has ruled the world from the beginning. Connection: I really do hope you catch me in the act of lynching others. I know I do it. You may also. We may not call it that - since it is an old word with a very nasty image to it that shows the depths of our human depravity and fear. But lynching here means anything and everything that rips the life out of another for my own benefit - even if it really does not benefit me at all. The only road out of lynching is to say 'no more' - 'stop it' - 'here, lynch me.' That is not at all easy - but it is necessary. O God of life, help us respect the other and honor the other and give ourselves over for the well-being of the other. It is there that you make us a people - a holy people. Amen. |
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