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Homily preached
at Bradford Cathedral
Evensong 25th January 2009 Justice is for all - Isaiah 56:1-8 & Col 1:24 – 2:7 |
| This morning we welcomed members of
the judiciary and legal profession to the cathedral for the annual legal
service. It is more than a duty to pray for those at the sharp end of maintaining
social justice – it is a privilege and yes, a joy. Written into the
very fabric of human society is a sense of justice; most people want to
see fair play. The cry of a child: “It’s not fair” may be
expressed differently when the child becomes an adult, but it is still a
cry for justice. And in our first lesson this afternoon, the prophet Isaiah
makes this call. Chapter 56 vs. 1: “Thus says the Lord: Maintain justice, and do what is right, for soon my salvation will come, and my deliverance be revealed.” It as though, through the prophet, God is saying: “I am a God who brings justice, and as I created this world, justice is written into the fabric of the world. Salvation will come, deliverance (for the oppressed) will come, so bring your actions into line with mine, with what will one day be evident. Maintain justice and do what is right.” This is the responsibility of God’s people and the prophet is reminding them of it. And in case they are not sure what it means to maintain justice and do what is right he tells them. He speaks of the foreigner and the outcast. Those who may appear to be outside God’s favour are not; the outsider who acknowledges the sovereignty of God is drawn inside and included in His covenant promise. Vs 7: “these I will bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer;” and then, in a phrase which Jesus quotes 600 years later when he cleanses the Temple: “for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples.” Foreigners and outcasts will be drawn in to the centre – to the house of prayer. That is justice. And it was seen by the world this week. Appropriately, the day after Martin Luther King Jnr Day, Barak Obama was sworn in as the 44th President of the United States. And for millions of non-white Americans this was the day they came home, the day they were no longer outsiders. They had now been drawn in to the centre after generations of their ancestors had suffered slavery and injustice. One black American after another said “Now I feel like a true citizen.” A Black couple, Austin and Louise Rogers had travelled from N Carolina. Mr Rogers said: “Both my wife and I participated in the civil rights rallies in 1961 and 1962 and came to Washington before the famous MLK march… We are so overwhelmed by what is happening. Never did I think that this would happen in our lifetime.” And acknowledging the significance of his election, and sounding like a modern day Isaiah, Obama said: “What is required of us is a new era of responsibility, a recognition that we have duties… This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed… and is why a man whose father less than 60 years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath.” “Maintain justice, and do what is right, for soon my salvation will come, and my deliverance be revealed.” Let us pray…
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