Feb. 1 ~ The World Does Not Change Around Us; It Changes Because of Us

Micah 6:1-8

Psalm 15

1 Corinthians 1:18-31

Matthew 5:1-12  

Sermon by Joel Crouse

In 1999, I was two years into my first parish at Zion Lutheran Church, Pembroke. Reading that sentence again now makes me realize just how long ago that was. That was the year the first Matrix movie came out. I imagine many of you know that movie – it went on to become a big hit. I was a huge fan. And I believe that popular culture can be a powerful tool to shape our values, to build a sense of who we are, and to guide us toward the gospel.

And so, one Sunday, I preached a sermon about the religious symbolism in the movie – the way that Neo was cast as the Christ figure, and Morpheus as his John the Baptist, the power of belief and faith and love to restore their humanity. I was even interviewed by MacLean’s magazine. So of course, the quilters group at Zion decided to organize an outing to see The Matrix, without mentioning it to me. They all went to the movie, expecting to see a religious film. If you have seen The Matrix, you can imagine the interesting conversation I had with some of them when they returned.

This is perhaps a long-winded way to set up my sermon today. But we have another phenomenally popular culture moment happening right now – a story about love and kindness that Canada has delivered to the world, just when we could argue the world needs it most. I suspect many of you will know right away that I am talking about the television show Heated Rivalry. I am certainly hearing lines like “I’m coming to the cottage” and “stupid Canada wolf bird” from a huge fan in my house. Last weekend, I sat down and watched the show with Erin, and now I understand why it has become, as one relationship therapist put it, “like cuddling a soft teddy bear during these difficult times.”

But having learned my lesson from 1999, for those of you who have not seen it, I am attaching a warning: this is a show about two superstar hockey players who secretly fall in love, and it is very explicit. We can ponder whether it is really more explicit than the violent PG-13 action movies we watch with our teenagers, the movies that get PG-13 ratings, but that’s a different conversation. This is only to say, that Heated Rivalry beautifully explores themes central to our gospel this morning. But – just like The Matrix in 1999 – it comes with an ‘R’ rating.

And yet, this unexpected story offers, in a different context, the same eloquent blessings we find in our gospel today. Jesus makes a wide list of those who find themselves in need of help: the poor, the meek, those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, the merciful, the peacemakers, those who are persecuted. And to all of those, Jesus promises comfort and fulfillment and understanding and mercy and love.

In other words, Jesus says, in our times of trial, we will receive a blessing. Jesus does not say how that blessing will come to us, only that God will help us get through whatever we face. Perhaps someone in our midst will come to our aid. Maybe we will find the strength in ourselves to do what is right. Maybe the world will shift, and the sun will shine where it hasn’t before.

A prominent relationship therapist, Esther Perel, suggests that the reason why people are watching and re-watching Heated Rivalry is because it is a “corrective experience” – a counter message to all the harm and hate we see in the world right now. I didn’t quite understand what she meant until I watched it myself: in every episode, because this is TV, and also because this is how shows about the LGBTQ community usually go, you expect something bad to happen. These young lovers will get found out, and their careers will be over. The Canadian hockey player, Shane Hollander, will come out to his parents and be shamed by them. Ilya, the Russian hiding just as much of himself, will suffer more abuse at the hands of his terrible family.

But each time you expect something bad to happen, it doesn’t. As Ms. Perel herself noted, one character gets confused at a press conference, and he is rescued with a quick answer from someone else; another character drops a plate while serving at a fancy event, and isn’t fired; friends who might have abandoned them offer them support and understanding; when Shane finally does come out to his parents, they respond by asking for his forgiveness; when risks are taken, consent is carefully sought; when tears fall, comfort is offered; when love is confessed, it is effusively returned.

It is a show where every time you think someone will act badly, human beings step up to be their best selves, over and over again. And it is clear why people want to live in that kind of aspirational world; because, of course, it is how we all want to be treated in those same moments when we are meek, or poor in spirit, or feeling persecuted, or seeking justice. Watching that show made me feel proud to be a Canadian, to be a citizen of the country that created this show, at this time in the world’s history when the worst of humanity dominates the headlines.

But I wonder if we often miss this part in the Beatitudes, and even in the narrative of Heated Rivalry. We hear those blessings from Jesus, and we see ourselves as the ones needing them. We see parts of ourselves in Shane and Ilya. But take care: because we are also the friends, and the parents and the players around all the Shanes and Ilyas. And we are also called to be blessings for all those named by Jesus in our gospel.

Heated Rivalry reminds us that the world can be so much better than it is right now. But only, if we ourselves are better. And Jesus is promising blessings to those in need at the same time that the gospel is showing us how to be those blessings. The world does not change around us; it changes because of us. And if a show like Heated Rivalry can so unite us across cultures – where in China they are pirating it, and in Russia they are risking huge fines to watch it – then aren’t we also defining the world as we wish it to be?

The beatitudes are God’s promise of Grace. They tell us that things are never hopeless. But they also remind us that we are not helpless. How we walk in the world matters. Who we stand beside in the world matters. How we respond to those in need matters. Indeed, it matters, more than ever. And the more ways we are inspired to be people of the gospel, the better our chances.

In the end, we can return for clarity to that wonderful line in Micah, this line that speaks to the path of every hero and guides us in how to serve the vulnerable, and encapsulates the blessings that Jesus teaches us to offer to others.

“What does the Lord require of you, but to do justice and to love kindness

  and to walk humbly with your God?”

Do justice. Love Kindness. Walk Humbly with God.

Amen