Til Our Work Is Done

"Exodus" by Marc Chagall

This weekend we will be honoring our lost ones that were taken from us in the Holocaust. We will be doing this in a variety of ways in worship.

Among them is by examining a beloved passage from the prophet Micah that focuses around three keys words: mishpat (מִשְׁפָּט), chesed (חֶ֔סֶד), and tsana (צנַע). They are the definition of what is tov (טוֹב) in God's eyes.

Mishpat is one of the Hebrew words for justice. In this case, it is not the same as the word for equity or fairness, but rather the word meaning tangible acts of justice that repair the world and protect the vulnerable. It may also change social regulations. Therefore to "do justice" is not just seeking equity but actively enacting God's restoration.

Tsana is a rare word in the Hebrew scriptures, appearing only twice, and only once in the form it takes in Micah. It means intentionally choosing the position of a servant before God and everyone else. It is heartfelt, not mere lips-ervice - quite the precursor to Jesus's own words that will arrive in the gospels.

And the middle of the trio is very heart of God. Chesed is used over 245 times in the Hebrew scriptures, only twice in a negative context. More intererstingly, when studying the fruits of the Spirit a few years ago, I learned that five of the nine fruit found their cognate in this one word. This one little word has so many things tied up within it: love, compassion, mercy, kindness, faithfulness, support, steadfast loyalty, profound commitment, and, as Walter Brueggemann used to say, tenacious solidarity with all who need it.

These are the marks of what it means to be good, pleasing, life-giving (the definition of tov) in God's eyes. This is what God requires of us. What God has always wanted from us, long before Christ physically showed up on the scene and long since.

As we give thanks for all the lives of our Jewish siblings and remember the over twelve million lives lost in the Holocaust that included Jewish, Romani, Soviet, Disabled, Queer, Black, Dissadent, Polish, and so many other forgotten children of God, may we never forget that our work on this planet is not finished until our final breath.

Blessings,

Rev. Janie