The Gospel readings for recent Sundays have focused on the dangers of wealth and greed – it is, after all, that time of year when religious institutions start nagging people about money. We politely call it “stewardship”, but really, it often comes across as begging. The reality of the non-profit world is that the only thing we get for free is the generosity of people who help keep our congregation moving forward, and we have a bunch at my church. Otherwise, we pay for everything else. This process of asking people to give financially is tedious for us and a turn-off for many. But Jesus spoke about money more than any other topic, which makes it necessary, but challenging. The concept of not being able to serve two masters shows up in Matthew 6 as part of a sermon about how to live your life. Jesus said, “”No one can serve two masters; for a slave will either hate the one and love the other or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.”
As I pondered this passage, I began to think about Christian Nationalism, and why it is so bothersome to me. I realized that we Americans have been raised to do the exact opposite of what Jesus said – we have been raised to serve and love two masters – God and Country – equally. And while many have removed them, most congregations still have an American flag on one side of the altar and a Christian flag on the other. In many public meetings, prayer and the pledge are spoken one after another. Put that concept on steroids, and you have home-grown terrorists plundering the Capitol building, American flag in one hand and a cross in the other. We have lived this way for so long that we can’t imagine one without the other. Because of this, too many people define America as a Christian Nation when we are anything but that.
This struggle has been one of the drivers of our deep division. We see people of other religions and nationalities and languages achieving the American dream, and it makes a lot of people afraid. We have seen our churches close – mostly due to lack of interest among members – and we blame it on these changes. We have served two masters so well for so long, and we don’t understand why this is happening. We don’t understand why we are “losing.” Maybe it’s because some of what we believe as Americans doesn’t jibe with the teachings of Jesus. Maybe, like Jesus warned, we have grown to love one and hate the other, but we can’t admit it. Maybe we don’t understand either Democracy or Faith very well. For me, the only way they can work together is if we realize that Democracy is mandatory and Faith is a choice, not the other way around. For Democracy to work, Equality is necessary, and Faith must be a personal decision, just like the Founders planned for it to be. Only then can I be a good Christian and a patriotic American. If we do the opposite, we become a Theocracy, something God abhors, and Democracy crumbles. None of us can serve two masters.
Prayer – Holy God, thank You for giving us choices. Now, give us the courage to allow others the same. Amen.