God's love for EVERYONE

John 3: 1 – 17

A few days ago I was driving back from a meeting and was listening to radio 4. The story I listened to was so captivating that I stayed in my car even though I reached my destination just so I could here all of it.  It was the story of what links the people of Wales, with one of the worst atrocities of the American Civil Rights movement of the 1960’s.

Today we hear frequently, America leading the international community for in the fight for democracy and freedom but in the sixties it was a very different story. Racial Segregation was legal, where African Americans and Whites were required to eat separately, use separate public toilets, sit on separate park benches, travel in race specific rail carriages and even attend separate theatres and schools.

This period saw terrible racially motivated attacks and on 15^th September, 1963, members of the racist Klu Klux Klan movement blew up the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham Alabama. It was targeted as it had been used as a meeting place for the Civil rights leaders such as Martin Luther King.

 The bomb, apparently planted under the church steps the night before, detonated at 10:19 a.m. as the children were assembling for closing prayers following Sunday school classes. The four girls Denise McNair (11), Addie Mae Collins (14), Carol Robertson (14) and Cynthia Wesley (14). were in the church basement when the blast occurred and their bodies were found underneath the rubble. Some 400 people, including 80 children, were at the church at the time, and many were injured by flying glass as the blast blew out the building's windows. The murder of children marked another low in the violent resistance to civil rights.

News of the bombing was broadcast worldwide. Listening to the news report on the radio was the Welsh sculptor John Petts. He was so upset he wanted to do something to help. He contacted a local newspaper and a campaign was launched to raise money to help rebuild the devastated Church. No one was allowed to give more than half a crown - to ensure that no rich benefactor could take credit for the money raised. There were reports of children, black and white, queuing up in Cardiff to donate their pocket money.

Tens of thousands of people contributed to the fund. With the money that was raised, Petts made a new stained glass window for the Church. Grand in scale, it depicted a black man, arms out stretched, reminiscent of the crucifixion. Petts drew on his experiences as a medic in the second world war to create his image of the 'damaged male body'. He was also inspired by the Sharpeville Massacre in South Africa, which had happened only a few years before. The window showing a black man suffering on the cross has  the hands spread reaching upwards. The right hands palm pushing outward to push out hatred and injustice The Left hand palm facing upward – open for forgiveness and love.

The figure is meant to represent any one of us under assault. At the time a black Christ would have been considered almost  blasphemous.  It spoke volumes to the Black community.  The window isn’t saying that Christ’s was an African American.  The window powerfully illustrates that Christ identifies with the African American community. The window reminds those who look at it that Christ is crucified again and again when people persecute someone who doesn’t look like then.

Kathleen Bunton, a member of the church said at the time that she was surprised that the people of Wales cared about blacks because what she had encountered as a black woman in Alabama, was as if nobody cared. She knew for certain that God loves us all and cares for each one of us but she found it very moving to think that people could respond so generously.

The window is located in the sanctuary, this church has become one of the most famous pieces of art to come out of the darkness of the civil rights period. At its foot a message; 'Given by The People of Wales'. At the bottom of the window beneath the crucified figure is a simple statement “You do it to me”

That act of love by the people of Wales, when hated and prejudice was at its peak in America, brought the love and light of Christ into a place of darkness and despair.

In our gospel today we hear one of the most well known quote from the bible:

“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life”

And that is really what struck me about the gospel today and the tragedy in Alabama. That God so loved the world, the whole of humanity, that he gave his only Son so that Everyone – Everyone may have eternal life. This is the highest expression of love of which we can conceive. Jesus being lifted up on the cross was the ultimate act of love for rich, poor, male, female, black or white, young or old. All belong to God and Jesus love is inclusive. The Cross is not simply about individuals; it is something that embraces the human race. 

God’s love is a persistent theme throughout the Old and New testament. On almost every page of scripture we see divine goodness, tender mercy, loving kindness, patience and grace. God’s love is beyond all reasoning. That despite being flawed and imperfect we are all loved unconditionally and that love is for all. As the Civil rights activist Martin Luther King reminds us “Every one is somebody because he or she is a child of god”

The cross is the revelation of God’s love which surpasses all understanding. The gospel message is a message of a world- transforming love which upholds the weak, the poor, the outcast.  When we talk of God’s kingdom on earth we are talking of establishing a kingdom which is based on love. A place where we can accept each other unconditionally. The love of God makes itself known in the acceptance of human beings by each other in the dismantling of prejudices and social barriers in both the sharing of sadness and joy. But this love includes the demand for justice, a passionate commitment for justice for everyone. Love becomes the answer for justice and freedom throughout the world.

As Christians, God wants us to be concerned and invested in the world around us. The heart of the Gospel message moves us to have compassion for the hungry, weak and oppressed and concern for the sick and suffering. At whatever level, be it on a local scale, where perhaps we might support our neighbour, to a global scale where we might respond to the needs of others in far off lands.

Each Lent we are invited to examine our conscience. God sees us as we are but do we see ourselves as we are? As broken people, we often tuck away our sins and failings in a place where we don’t have to see them for what they are. Sometimes we don't see how our little sins become habit and affect those around us. Taking a closer look at that place, will hopefully help us to see what separates us from God. And as we take that close look let us remind ourselves that as instruments of Christ’s love, we can make a difference in our world. Just as the people of Wales individually and collectively responded in love to the terrible tragedy in Alabama, so we can respond to the call to live lives where the light of Christ’s love shines out in the darkness. I would like to end by reading a piece written by St Teresa of Avila. This reminds us so powerfully of our calling as Christians and that we who are to be instruments of Christ’s love.

Christ has no body now on earth but ours,

No hands but ours ,  no feet but ours,

Ours are the eyes with which he looks with compassion to the world

Ours are the feet with which he is to go about doing  good

Ours are the hands, with which he is now to bless

 Amen