The other day I was scanning the This Day in History section of the newspaper and found listed the Boston Tea Party. Strangely enough, my first thought was that it must have been awfully cold in Boston on December 16, 1773, and that these must have been some brave souls who battled the elements to protest Britain's taxation without representation.
At the soup kitchen earlier this week, one of the attendees told me about an all night camp out at city hall to protest the city's treatment of the homeless. I asked the fellow if he was going to attend. He hesitated for a moment and then said he might. But I could see it in his eyes. He was going to make every effort to be indoors during the middle of the night this first week of winter--as was I.
Would it kill these people to schedule their protests in the summer months when the weather is more accommodating? I'm all for dissent. I'm all for political agitation, but really, I'm from California, and we have certain weather requirements for protests.
Like most folks, I suppose, I want to be comfortable, and so sometimes the easiest road to take is one of compliance. Sure, there may be laws on the books we would like to see changed. There are politicians in office we would like to see replaced. But usually we don't raise much of a fuss. We'll send in our ballot at election time. Beyond that, we'll usually go along to get along. Taking it into the streets even during nice weather is a little too zealous, which is just not fashionable.
So, most of us are like Joseph and Mary. The government says jump, and they say how high? The Roman emperor calls for a census to be taken for the purpose of taxation, according to Luke, and Mary and Joseph dutifully go to their place of birth, Bethlehem.
It is into this scenario where ordinary people are doing as they are told that God's miracle of accompaniment with humanity takes place. And it is into this scenario where Rome's version of reality--that the emperor was the "savior"--was assumed that an alternative version of reality was brought forth--"unto you this day is born in the city of David a savior who is Christ the Lord." This was nothing short of treason. The shepherds who received the announcement knew it, but they were just shepherds and had nothing to lose. Herod knew it, which is why, according to Matthew, he tried to kill the child Jesus. Luke knew it, which is why he wrote it. Those first readers of Luke's gospel knew it all too well, since they were more than likely being persecuted for their belief in this unsanctioned version of reality.
Whose version of reality are we assuming is truth this week, the most holy week in the year?
Although some would like to separate politics from religion I will pass on a factoid that I first heard on NPR & checked with Wikipedia. As I have been commenting on the political connection between Luke and the Roman rulers, I thought I should continue.
ReplyDeleteThe current conservative “tea baggers,” as do liberals, when the politics suits them, are editing the Boston Tea Party to suit there message. The more complete history would be another example of history repeating itself.
Rather than the simplistic, “taxation without representation,” the greed of the banks and all who helped them, including most of us, is evident in the present crisis as in our Colonial period. England of the 1770's gave a license to the British East India Company (BEIC) in order to earn money for the crown. By giving that tea company governmental help through laws, etc. to prevent competition from the Dutch, BEIC's profits were maximized, thereby giving the crown the vain hope to have greater receipts.
If we connect both tea & Luke by the common issue of taxes, I'll tortuously bring my scree back to theology. As my quoting of Father Rohr in a previous comment indicates, I think the Christmas materialism is a bother. Whether Rome, colonial England, or one the present governments falls short of what God intended, each Christmas reminds us that we have the hope that in God's time the Peace of Christ will reign.
Through my readings, Luke 2 does not mention anything about Herod killing the children. While in Matthew there is a detailed story that appears to be very close to story of Moses, even to the part
ReplyDeletewhere Matthew sends Joseph, Mary, and Jesus to Egypt as requested by an angel, also saying “ Out of Egypt I have called my son.” It seems like there is another version of Matthew's agenda. It appears that Matthew's Christmas story is a parallel Moses' deliverance of the Israelites with Jesus' deliverance of his people.
According to Luke's version of the Christmas story, he had something different to tell his faith community about Jesus' birth. One of the reasons Luke used shepherds is that he wanted to emphasize David's pre-kingship occupation. And also Jesus' mission to bring the "good new" to the poor.
Which side are you on? Society is always asking us that question. Are you on the side of 'good' as the powers that be see it? Or are you on the side of God? You might remember that Jesus asked, “Why do you call me good?” No matter if we are a community of faith, the powers constantly try to make us take sides. The Mary and Joseph in Bethlehem for the census, to me, are a representation of people who do not make waves. They do what they are told to survive, like we all do. To resist the commands of the powers or to protest would make life harder or possibly be life ending. There are very few people like Jesus, Paul, or the writers of the gospels, who publicly go against the system and pay for it with their lives. Do we as a people of faith have the courage to publicly go against the powers? The Holy Spirit helps us in this struggle. One way is through discernment. The other is giving one a call to protest against injustice when we see it.
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