We see two images of dancing in this Sunday’s readings. One, King David and the whole household of Israel dancing with all their might in celebration of God’s presence in the Ark of God - Ark of the Covenant, coming to the city of David - Jerusalem. And David offers sacrifices and distributes food among all the people, a feast of bread and meat and cake! A dance of joy and thanksgiving to God.
And as we just heard, a second image in the Gospel of Mark. At Herod’s Birthday feast for himself, his daughter’s dance so seduces Herod that he offers her anything, up to half his wealth and power. Her mother seizes the opportunity to act on her hatred for John the Baptist who Herod imprisoned and tells her daughter to ask for John’s head. And Herod, in fear and weakness, orders John beheaded. A dance for evil and death.
What parallels do these stories have in our time and how do Jesus and his disciples and how do we respond to them in service of God’s mission of love for the world?
A few more details about these stories. David’s ecstatic leaping and dancing is seen by Michal, Saul’s daughter and David’s wife, and “she despises David in her heart.” We don’t know all the reasons for her strong reaction, but we know that all is not simply good in the household of the king and his dancing. And that David himself will soon fall to adultery and murder, despite God’s favour and blessing. Reminding us, this is often the way of power and human desire and weakness.
This is the desire and weakness that is suggested and realized in the story of Herod. As the disciples are sent by Jesus in the commissioning we heard in the reading last Sunday, Jesus becomes known, including by Herod. And people speculate about who Jesus is, John the Baptist raised from the dead, Elijah, or a prophet like those before. But Herod concludes Jesus is John raised. And inserted between the sending of Jesus’ disciples and their return, we have this elaborate story of Herod and John’s tragic and unjust death. Herod’s wife’s hatred of John the Baptist is because of John’s fearless condemning of their marriage as adulterous, because she was Herod’s brother’s wife. But Herod is fascinated with and fears John. All this the context for Herod’s Birthday with his political, military, and business friends, the rich and powerful, and the weakness and fear behind a dance and drunken oath that leads to death for John. To quote commentator, Ched Myers, in Binding the Strong Man, “Mark’s account of the death of John is scarcely apolitical! A more sarcastic social caricature could not have been spun by the most bitter Galilean peasant! Yet it stands well within the Biblical tradition that pits arrogant kings against truth-telling prophets.” (2008,Orbis, Page 216)
Parallels to the wealthy and powerful ruling elite in our or any time are not lost on us. Those who can and are willing to sacrifice the lives of others, especially those who are more vulnerable, Indigenous people, other racial minorities and Queer siblings, those economically marginalized, women, children and elders, for greed or power, out of fear and weakness, to save themselves or just save face. And the courage of some to speak the truth to those in power even at risk to themselves for justice and greater good. Innocent lives continue to be sacrificed by those with power for their own sake and the sake of their or their friends’ interests and greed. How do any of us, how do we stand, stand up, stand against, stand together, for God’s greater purpose and truth, for justice and righteousness, for love and peace, in our time like John and Jesus before us?
Famous Black activist Rev. Dr. William Barber II, said in a tweet on November 8, 2017, “Preachers don’t get to opt out of politics; we can be chaplains of Empire or prophets of God.” And in a further commentary in “Sundays and Season’s”, “The same goes for all people of God. While often conflated with partisanship, politics is simply the negotiating of life together in society, and the gospel of Christ makes great political demands of those who strive to live by it. What features of oppressive empire are prevalent in the greater community? How can we be encouraged to carry God’s prophetic word into specific situations of injustice rather than tacitly support the status quo? How can this witness be emphasized in worship through preaching and prayer” to inspire and give strength and hope to us together following John, following Jesus.
A critical parallel in this story of John’s death, a prophet like those of old, some said he was Elijah, who spoke God’s truth to rulers who wonder about and fear him, and hold life and death in their hands is, as John before Herod, so Jesus before Pilate. And these rulers’ weakness and willingness to take the life of another to save their own, or just to save face. And the bodies of those killed taken away by their disciples and laid in a tomb. While the ones who killed them hear rumours that they have been raised. What is told and speculated about for John, foreshadows what will be true and fulfilled in Jesus for John and all humanity. That our lives by grace could courageously parallel John’s and Jesus’ for God’s love of this world.
In the Affirmation of Baptism that we join in this morning with those becoming members of this community, we will share a profession of faith that begins with the ancient practise of renunciation. Do you renounce the devil and all the forces that defy God? I renounce them. Do you renounce the powers of this world that rebel against God? I renounce them. Do you renounce the ways of sin that draw you from God? I renounce them. And then in parallel, Do you believe in God the Creator?... Do you believe in Jesus Christ the beloved of God?... Do you believe in God the Holy Spirit?... We renounce evil and brokenness that takes the lives of others and all creation to save our own, and profess our faith and trust in God to save this world and us through Jesus’ death and resurrection and by God’s Spirit as members of the community of Christ to live and follow Jesus in the risen life for God’s love of the world that together our lives would parallel Jesus’ disciples before us.
This story about John’s death sandwiched between Jesus’ sending of the disciples and their return and reporting of all that happened in forgiveness and healing in Jesus’ Spirit, suggests the primary purpose of this story. To remember as Jesus’ followers, that the mission of God for which Jesus sends us, is to renounce evil and all its powers for death and destruction, and to profess Jesus crucified and risen for God’s forgiveness and healing of the world. And that this is a dangerous calling, that asks everything of all of us by God’s grace! And! holds the promise of healing the world and dancing and feasting in joy and thanksgiving together.
Some of you may have heard that a week ago last Friday, words of hate were left posted on the door of the Multifaith Centre at UVic against the Muslim community threatening their Friday prayers. Their prayers were cancelled by the University and the Centre closed for the day. This last Friday, at the request of the Muslim spiritual care provider, others of us from Multifaith and the community were asked to show up and stand in solidarity with our Muslim neighbours so they could pray together without fear. Pastor Lyndon was present with others and quoted in the paper yesterday. Another of those present was Rabbi Harry Breckner, of Congregation Emanu-El. What a courageous act of solidarity by Rabbi Harry given all the tensions and divisions being experienced between Jews and Muslims in this world and our community, and by everyone else who was there to support our neighbours in the face of evil, hatred and violence, standing up, standing together, for good, for God and one another.
This past week I shared a farewell/retirement email with someone from Congregation Emanu-El whom we have gotten to know through our shared sponsorship of a Syrian refugee family who we are hoping and praying and making preparation for their finally arriving this fall. Together we expressed mutual thanks and appreciation for getting to know each other and sharing in this important work as two faith communities and the hope of seeing each other again. And he said, “I will never forget our dancing together at the synagogue for the refugee fundraiser.” It was a dance of joy and thanksgiving, a dance of solidarity and hope, a dance mercy and love, together. Let all our lives of mission and dancing together, be so. In all our relations. Amen.
