In one of his speeches, a year to the day before he was assassinated in Memphis, Martin Luther King, Jr. said, “True compassion is more than flinging a coin to a beggar; it comes to see that an edifice which produces beggars needs restructuring.” These words are not only applicable to the systemic racism that must be faced and addressed in our present culture, they also deeply connect to what we read in Matthew’s gospel on this day.
Today, as we meet up with Jesus, we hear of his emerging ministry and we hear his announcement that the kingdom of heaven has come near. The phrase “kingdom of heaven,” which we find frequently in Matthew’s Gospel, does not refer to a place called “heaven,” where God’s people will go after death. It refers to the rule of heaven, that is, of God, being brought to bear in this present world. Jesus’ contemporaries knew and trusted that the creator God intended to bring justice, peace, healing, and liberation to this present world. The question simply was, how, when and through whom? And, as Jesus began his ministry, the disciples began to realize he was the promised one through whom this would take place.
So, what does this announcement about the kingdom of heaven mean as we meet up with Jesus in today’s gospel reading? One of the first things we discover is that it has something to do with compassion. The Greek word translated as compassion (esplagchnistheÌ) is the word used to describe the main motivation for Jesus’ ministry of healing and teaching. In today’s reading, we hear the first of five times the writer of Matthew’s gospel uses the Greek word we find translated as compassion. And, the meaning of the Greek word is not what we might understand as empathy or sympathy. No, the Greek word has a meaning that is essentially connected to what one feels inwardly in the lower part of the body, particularly in one’s “bowels” or “guts.” So, when we find this word used in in today’s reading, Jesus’ compassion is deeply felt and embodied, rising out of his very “bowels” or “guts.”
We also find that each time the language of compassion appears in the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus is the one who experiences it after he has observed the state of those around him. He has compassion for people who suffer, both physically and socially. He is moved by what he sees, moved to take concrete action as a response to the needs of the people. This compassionate response of Jesus is so critical because each time it leads to action as he makes concrete improvements to remedy people’s affliction. Jesus acts. Jesus has compassion for the people, proclaims the kingdom of heaven has come near, and he is moved to act. He goes about curing every disease and sickness as he addresses the social structure of the day and brings healing and liberation to the people. Yes, “True compassion is more than flinging a coin to a beggar; it comes to see that an edifice which produces beggars needs restructuring.”
In today’s gospel reading, Jesus is moved by those who live on the edges of society because of illness, disability, ostracism, and social convention, all of which render people "harassed and helpless." And, we find it is compassion working in him that is always propelling God’s mission of redemption for the world’s brokenness. In today’s reading we also discover there is an overwhelming amount of work to get done. So, Jesus tells his disciples to pray and ask for help, to ask for additional laborers. Ironically, when Jesus tells the disciples to pray that the Lord will send out laborers into the harvest to help, the disciples themselves then become the answer to their own prayer. They are the ones they are praying for! This should be a reminder for each one of us that we may be the answer to our very own prayers. And, we should also recall what we pray for when we say the words, “Thy kingdom come, they will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” When we pray those words, we are called into Christ’s mission in this world!
Anyway, Jesus summons twelve of the disciples and gives them authority to do the work he calls them to do. He recruits them and commissions them as apostles, a word that means “sent out.” Commissioned by the Compassionate One, they are sent out to do service in the world. And, Jesus empowers them and equips them for mission, for the work that must be done. The authority these disciples are given is the authority of Jesus, himself. Through them, Jesus is the one meeting the needs of the people.
So, what is the overall mission? It appears to be wrapped up in the message that the kingdom of heaven has come near, and that kingdom is made manifest through the work of curing the sick, raising the dead, cleansing lepers, and casting out demons. Jesus calls the disciples to a risky mission because of his compassion on needy people. You see, when the proclamation is made that the kingdom of heaven has come near, words alone are insufficient. This mission must have visible signs because the message about the coming of God’s rule must be rendered believable through concrete demonstrations of God’s caring. Yes, “True compassion is more than flinging a coin to a beggar; it comes to see that an edifice which produces beggars needs restructuring.”
Friends, the church is now celebrating the season of Pentecost. This is a season of recognizing we have been empowered to see the world around us, particularly the people in the world often overlooked and ignored, and to act on their behalf in ways that address the circumstances that endanger their lives and communities. Compassion and action are so needed in our country and our world today. There is so much brokenness and pain. Today’s reading reminds us that Jesus' compassion for people is always sparked by a single observation, which is that "others" are "harassed and helpless" and something must be done to address it. What authenticates Christian compassion is the action that accompanies the one feeling it, not the emotion alone. Living in solidarity with the larger pain of the world is what it means to be a Christian, and that also means working to change systems and structures so healing and liberation take place.
As Martin Luther King, Jr., said, “True compassion is more than flinging a coin to a beggar; it comes to see that an edifice which produces beggars needs restructuring.” And, as we look at the present pain in our world, Christ’s mission calls us to name the sins of white supremacy and systemic racism, work to dismantle both, and work for restructuring of systems and structures. Christ’s mission in this world also means that we must take an honest look at ourselves. In response to the events taking place in our country, the ELCA Council of Bishops has issued this statement:
As the Conference of Bishops, we condemn the white supremacy that has led to the deaths of so many unarmed Black, Indigenous, and Persons of Color in our country. We grieve with, pray for and stand in solidarity with the families and friends of all whose loved ones have been and continue to be victims of injustices run amok, racist violence and the insidious venom of white supremacy.
The ELCA has also designated this coming Wednesday, June 17, as a day of commemoration as we remember the martyrdom of the Emanuel 9 – the nine people shot and killed on June 17, 2015, during a Bible Study at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, S.C. As we remember the Emanuel 9 and live into Christ’s mission in this world, the
ELCA church body has made the following statement:
“As persons called to love one another as God has loved us, we therefore proclaim our commitment to speak with one voice against racism and white supremacy. We stand with those who are targets of racist ideologies and actions.” As church, together we must work to condemn white supremacy in all forms and recommit ourselves to confront and exorcize the sins of injustice, racism and white supremacy in church and society and within ourselves as individuals and households.
Yes, “True compassion is more than flinging a coin to a beggar; it comes to see that an edifice which produces beggars needs restructuring.” Friends, the kingdom of heaven has come near, and Christ’s compassion is on the move! What is Christ’s compassion calling you to do?