CONTENTS

A Call to Unity

By The Rt. Rev. Gregory O. Brewer D o you recall the parable Jesus told about the wedding guest who didn’t show up in the appropriate clothes (Matt. 22:1-14)? Remember, the guest was thrown out of the party because he did not wear a “wedding garment.” As Christ followers, we have made the commitment, God being our helper, to live life on the terms Jesus defines for us. Every single biblical commandment for Christians comes out of a call to To Jesus’ hearers, an invitation from the king to attend a royal thankfulness for being included and wedding is an invitation one does not refuse. Just to receive such the willingness to sacrifice whatever an invitation is a profound honor that comes with the social is necessary to live according to the Bishop Greg Brewer obligation to accept, no matter what needs to be rescheduled to commandments of the King. The wedding make attendance possible. One does not say “I’m sorry, I cannot garment represents a readiness to live by the King’s rules, not our own. come” to the king. And we are happy to do it out of sheer gratitude at being included in this That makes the way people mistreated the messengers wedding party called the kingdom of heaven! who delivered the invitation shocking. I can hear members of Jesus’ audience gasp out loud as he says these royal messengers were “beaten.” When the guests do finally arrive for the wedding, It is critically important that Christians exhibit gratitude and In the midst of this time when so much of our conversation is around the general election in November, it is critically important that Christians, above all, exhibit these twin characteristics of gratitude and sacrifice. one of them shows up in the first- century sacrifice. We engage the political process but do not do so at equivalent of a T-shirt and cut-off shorts without the expense of these basic Christian commitments. the prerequisite “wedding garment.” Again, It is these Christian commitments to gratitude and the audience would find such presumption sacrifice that protect us from the alarmist rhetoric that incredible. says if you don’t support a particular candidate, you are Then and now, this guest’s actions reveal an attitude not a good Christian. that is shockingly self-centered. What is on display is a While we should have clear political positions, we should determination, regardless of the occasion or the company, also be gracious in our engagement with others no matter to do what? Be who he wants to be. Social graces do not matter. their political persuasion. We should avoid conferring messiahship There is no thoughtfulness or courtesy, no honoring of one’s host on either candidate and resist conspiracy theories that demonize or the wedding party. Instead, there is only arrogance: I want to either political party. As Christians, we hold up the values of the live life on my own terms and nobody else’s. kingdom whether they fit in a party platform or not. Such arrogance is tragically joyless. What the reader sees in this So the call to live with gratitude and sacrifice could not be more guest’s determination to live life on his terms is the absence of any urgent. We cannot contribute to the walls of political division. sense of gratitude for the gift of the invitation. There is no attempt Neither Donald Trump nor Joe Biden is our country’s savior. Most to join in the gladness of the occasion. In fact, all the guest wants is of us know enough about Christianly and about politics to know that to do things “his way,” which ultimately leads to him being kicked both candidates and both platforms are deeply flawed. So we back out of the wedding celebration. away from any sort of idolatry and do our best to serve well, vote our But this parable is more than just a reprimand against selfishness or even a lesson in courtesy. This is a parable that describes conscience and care for our fellow citizens, and especially for our fellow church members, even if they sit on the other side of the aisle. an aspect of the kingdom of heaven. For those who are invited into the kingdom of heaven by the King of all kings, the only Grace to You, appropriate response is a combination of gratitude and a willingness to live according to the King’s way, not our way. What the parable teaches us is this: Attempting to live as a member of the kingdom without giving up our rights to live life on our terms is nothing short of blasphemy. Bishop Gregory O. Brewer