This is part of the Gospel lesson for Sunday, July 4 2021. While I relate to & appreciate the entire passage, this part stuck out to me:
"And they took offense at him. Then Jesus said
to them, “Prophets are not without honor, except in their hometown, and among their own kin,
and in their own house.”
Living through a pandemic has changed all of us. But for me, what Pandemic Life , 2020-21 has shown me is with whom and where is " home"
I have not been to the place where I grew up in over two years, due to the spouse's cancer & The Pandemic. Oddly enough, I do not miss the Rust Belt. Brian and I only had enough money for one summer trip-- either to my parents' rented house on Beech Mountain, North Carolina or a trip to Greater Pittsburgh.
I chose North Carolina. As much as I love my friends and family in Greater Pittsburgh-- two years away from The Rust Belt, a pandemic , and political insanity made me re-think about who I am and what sort of legacy I wish to leave to my niece & nephew. My last trip to where I grew up was not necessarily a good nor happy one, I'd felt like a stranger in what used to be my place of comfort & safety. While I cherish the memories I have with many of the wonderful people there-- I am not the Sarah they knew. I am stronger-- secure in my personal walk with God & thriving in a community who challenges me to grow in ways that change me.
The past four years have been times of growth -- growth that came from a lot of sorrow. Especially these past two years-- with Brian's cancer diagnosis & treatment in 2019 , Year 2020 brought the death of two in-laws, a worldwide pandemic , and the ugliest election season I can recall, and my beloved grandmother's death at age 90. Year 2021 looked promising, but on the 6th of January a group of American citizens stormed the Capitol and tried to take over our democracy.
I've changed so much over the past four years, and people's responses to both Pandemic Life and The Election taught me much about what I cannot tolerate . Life is too damn short.
Back in October , 2018-- my bishop, as he prayed over me at my Reaffirmation of Baptismal Vows, referred to me as " a prophet". At the time I was stunned and confused by his words-- but the past 24 months have shown me what he saw.
2020 forced me to lay out all my ' cards on the table'. My work towards full equality for all God's people has probably ruffled a few feathers. A Pandemic, the murder of George Floyd, election ugliness, and then the attempted coup shook my faith in people. However, all this chaos did not deter me from my work of "tikkun olen " or repairing the world. As a Christian of Jewish descent , and the daughter of two hippies-- I take the commandment to love and serve others very seriously.
I am grateful to be in a community that does serve others. Another lesson I've learned over the last four years is that it can be costly to choose to stand up for a principle & to demand change from our civic leaders. Peaceful protests and strongly-worded editorials are effective yet costly, as are participating in phone /text banks.
Direct action has a cost. Challenging the status quo is scary.
"Home" is where one is celebrated and where one's gifts are put to use .
Pensacola is home to me.
Amen.
Sarah McCarren
6 July 2021
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