God's "cri de coeur."
It comes from love.
4th Sunday after Epiphany RCL-A. Micah 6:1-8, 1 Cor. 1:18-31, Matthew 5:1-12
“How many times have I told you?” . . . the parental cri de coeur. It is full of alarm, heartache, exasperation and self-reproach. The first reading from Micah is God’s version.
Some may recognize language in “The Reproaches,” a liturgical text which, in Catholic and some Protestant churches, was chanted on Good Friday.1 The liturgical reproaches took some verses from Micah and made-up others so that it sounded like Jesus blamed the Jewish people for the crucifixion. He didn’t. Nor should anyone else. The liturgical reproaches were a lie.
In Micah, God cries out to all of God’s people: “I have given you everything you needed and told you what is good. Why haven’t you listened?”
Those words came from love. Sometimes love weeps, grieves with heartache, exasperation and the anger of not knowing what else to do. We feel those things as we grieve the murders of Renee Good and Alex Pretti and rage at the lies being told about them.2
As we grieve, rage and prepare ourselves for the day ICE comes to our neighborhood, we might also consider that the way forward will only appear when we acknowledge that these things have happened, in part, because for way too long, we were not listening.
That is cause for repentance, but not for despair.
After the cri de coeur, a parent will try again to help the child listen and understand, because the cry of the heart is grounded in love.
There is a lot about God’s love that I don’t understand, but I believe it is even stronger than a parent’s, always ready to forgive and mercifully, inexhaustible.
Peace.
The Roman Catholic church dropped the Reproaches after Vatican II. Attempts were made to revise them so that they did not accuse Jews of Jesus’ death. Revised versions are sometimes used today, and the old versions may find their way into Holy Week services as musical performances. The liturgical reproaches are not in the Good Friday liturgy of the BCP and the Episcopal Church’s Standing Committee on Liturgy and Music (2024) recommended that they not be used.
Civil rights lawyer, professor and activist Sherrilyn Ifill reminds us that lies have been told about victims for a long time — especially black victims. “Amadou Diallo had a gun (it was his wallet). Terence Crutcher was a “bad dude.” Walter Scott “grabbed my taser” (he didn’t). Laquan McDonald was coming toward us with a knife (he was walking away from the officers). Samuel DuBose was dragging the officer with his car (he wasn't). The 12-year-old child Tamir Rice – and the 10-year-old child Clifford Glover, forty years earlier – “had a gun” (neither did).” From Ifill’s substack post, ICE Force Meets an Immovable Object and Shoots to Kill, January 26, 2026. She could have written a much longer list.
I have an opportunity to preach next week so I will miss a week of SermonStarts. The next post will be Friday, 2/13 for the Last Sunday in Epiphany. Stay warm and safe!
Anytime you feel moved to let your Senator and Representatives know your feelings, the 5 Calls app makes it easy to do.
“There is a lot about God’s love that I don’t understand, but I believe it is even stronger than a parent’s, always ready to forgive and mercifully, inexhaustible.” Words of hope, Lily! Thank youz,
Enjoy next week’s preaching!