Reflections...

A sermon preached at Kowloon Union Church on Sunday 15th March 2009 by the Rev. Phyllis Wong. The scripture readings that day were Proverb 31:8-9; Psalm 12:5; and Matthew 5:3-10.


Opening Prayer

God of Justice, we pray for your holy presence and guidance. May your Word of love touch our hearts and your Truth reveal to us through the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Introduction

I would like to start by sharing with you some life stories.

There was a young man of 20 who fled to Hong Kong to escape from political persecution in his home country in Africa. After 5 years he is still awaiting for his application for refugee status. While living in Hong Kong, he is not allowed to work by law and thus have no choice but to depend on government’s support. Recently he lost sleep again for thinking too much of his future. This young man is only the tip of the iceberg. There are around 3000 asylum seekers in Hong Kong and thousands upon thousands in the world are looking for a safe place to settle and begin a new and secured live.

A Filipino domestic helper named Ester, she worked in Hong Kong to take care of a family with two children. Ester’s own children were left at home in the Philippines. The children were cared for by her mother. In a car accident, her youngest daughter was killed and her husband divorced her. Ester was under great sorrow, pains and guilt. Domestic helpers who left their home to work overseas to bring a better life for their families have bored great cost. Some of them are even exploited and abused by employers.

There are groups of Burmese students doing Master or PhD programs in different Seminaries of Hong Kong. Some of them shared that they were upset with their home country for serious poverty problem and lack of freedom under the junta rule. It is a matter of fact that there are many people in different countries who live in absolute poverty, human right abuses and children are deprived of basic food supplies that led to malnutrition.

Donald works in a bank. In the current economic downturn, he is under immense pressure. Everyday, he lives under great fear: whether he will be the next one to be fired. Many people now live in constant threat of losing their jobs. From statistic we all know that increasing number of people become unemployed.

When we face such a broken and fearful world, where so many people are poor and in need in different ways, how would our God respond? How are we going to encounter it?

Social Ministry in KUC

When I first join KUC’s ministry, one of my major areas of work is to develop the social ministry. As we have a group of asylum seekers attending our church, I began to talk to them and started to have more understanding of their life situations. In one of our congregation forums, we had heard some of brothers sharing their life struggles and needs when they are seeking asylum in Hong Kong. Life is difficult for them, how can they make a better life out of it? Our church has been caring and supporting asylum seekers all along. That is very good. Their needs are always in my mind and I keep on asking how the church can do more to serve this group of friends. Given the Christian faith of Jesus coming to the world to bring life, a life in full, an abundant life to his beloved people, what can we do for our brothers and the wider community through our participation.

Given my social work training background, I tried the empowerment approach by articulating our African brothers God given gifts in singing, drumming and dancing, and invite them to use the gifts to serve others. Drumming and dancing classes were organized for several times. Through their service to the church and people in the community, I am happy to see more joy on the faced of our brothers, more life and dynamics in our congregation, and increasing connection between the African brothers and the local community.

When the African brothers begin to sing in our worship once a month, the worship is very much uplifted by their voice of praise. Now the brothers are not only singing in our church, they sing and praise to God in other local churches as they are invited more often now. Eight brothers have also participated in an outreach peace making program. Sometimes we use the name ‘a world without strangers’ as the theme of the program. Besides singing and dancing, some of them will share with students and young working adults on topics like understanding asylum seekers and their life struggles, racial discrimination, church life in Hong Kong and lives in Africa, in particular Cameroon. Through the sharing, it is amazing to see how people from the local community understand more of and concern more about asylum seekers and refugee issues. The sharing about African culture, political and economic situation etc have also expanded the scope of knowledge and vision of local students. In every sharing of the outreach peace making program, I was touched by the inclusive and friendly atmosphere. Our brothers act like God’s ambassadors to share the gospel of love, peace and justice with the local community in particular the young people. They have sown the very important seeds to build up a harmonious and loving society in HK. It is also very amazing to see the singing, drumming and dancing that our African brothers shared could bring people closely together. The African drumming is a very powerful means to create a warm atmosphere that people are able to break the ice and enhance mutual sharing and friendship. We had a fantastic fellowship every time. I will never forget the smiling faces and joyful atmosphere our brothers have brought to the young people as well as the sincere sharing amongst them.

Our brothers are God’s wonderful peace makers. They have played a very unique and an important role in the local community, by educating local people, Christians included, to be more receptive to people of different colors and socio-economic status.

Although life is still tough and struggles are part of life, our brothers still try their best. Not only for mere survival, but they also share their gifts to praise God and engage in God’s mission. I am thankful and grateful to their participation and contribution. I learnt a lot from them and am happy to have such a team to work together.

From my encounter with the African brothers, I discover that no matter how small we think of ourselves, how inadequate of our present life, how desperate our current life situation, God must have given us something to enjoy and lead an abundant life through our life of praise and service. We as God’s people, we deserve happiness and joy in life.

The Word of God

The word of God today helps us to reflect on God’s nature of justice. God identifies with the poor and the needy. God will rise up and act when the poor and the needy cried for help. God in particular care for those who are oppressed and unable to speak for themselves. In here, God teaches us that if the plights of the people are caused by injustice and evilness, we need to “speak out for those who cannot speak, for the rights of all the destitute. Speak out, judge righteously, defend the rights of the poor and the needy.” (Proverb 31”8-9)

When we are taking a stand and position to help and speak for those who cannot speak, we should be reminded however, we are not any superior to them. The choice for such a stand is out of love and mercy that is based simply on our faith to uphold human dignity and justice. It is also a wish to identify with the poor and the needy, just like what Jesus Christ our Lord has done. In my opinion, it could be even better and more effective if we can create opportunity for the voiceless to make their own voice heard directly in the community. It is good to make the invisible visible and recognized by the society.

In the Sermon of the Mount, it says “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who are hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy. Bless are the pure heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called the children of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.” (as recorded in Matthew 5:3-10)

In Matthew, the poor means those who are defenseless and oppressed. For the poor should never lose hope in God. When we lose hope, remember the promise of God, the Kingdom of God belongs to the poor. Remember and count the gifts and grace given by God.

Besides, whenever we suffer and turn to God for mourning, God will comfort us. God creates each one of us, and will take care of us. God will take the responsibility. But we also have to take our responsibility too. At least we are willing to turn to God.

As God’s precious creature, there must be a reason for God to create us. There also must be a reason for the situation that we are now in. God will definitely give us particular gifts and talents to live in this world, to fulfill God’s purpose and to glorify God’s name. In addition, God is with us and carry us to the Kingdom of heaven. God has promised to bless the people and bring them new possibilities and alternatives in life.

The new alternatives and imagination could be something radical as suggested in the Sermon of the Mount. We have to identify with the poor and have the courage to admit we are poor in spirit. We are inadequate somehow but we still deserve the dignity and rights to lead a good and abundant life. In the Sermon of the Mount, God has promised to give the poor and the needy the Kingdom of Heaven.

In a world that emphasizes competition and survival of the fittest, it is somehow difficult to admit that we have limitations. On the contrary, many people have to prove themselves that they are strong and capable. Quite ironic when people have to stand and pretend to be strong all the time, they are also very fragile and vulnerable inside their hearts.

A blessed life as suggested by Jesus in the Sermon of the Mount (Beatitude) is very different from our understanding in a capitalist society where we are living. Whom will be blessed and receive the Kingdom of Heaven? They are the poor, the meek, the merciful, and those who mourn, hunger and thirst for righteousness, pure in heart, and those being persecuted for the righteousness.

When we live in a difficult situation that we find it hard to bear, I invite you to move beyond of what you see right now, but to walk by faith, trusting and abiding in our Lord God.

God who identifies with the poor and the persecuted for his sake has given us hope and strength to keep our lives on.

Whenever I see the African brothers’ singing and praising God, sharing with people, I am touched by their courage to keep their live in God with joy and hope. They never give up. They never lose hope and faith in God. Although they are not rich and may be even inadequate in different ways, they serve God anyway with what they have. I find their power and richness in spirit. They are blessed by God. Besides, their presence reminds us God’s love to humankind and God treat every human being with dignity. Their presence in the church and society remind us to follow the commands of God to do justice for the poor and the needy.

With the hope that have been promised in the Beatitudes, I would like to end my sermon by inviting some of our African brothers to sing. While they are singing, let’s think and meditate on our God’s merciful love and justice, through Jesus Christ, he came to world to liberate the oppressed for freedom and heal the blind to see with new vision and hope.