This week’s reading from James speaks clearly of the indiscriminate generosity of God (Adult & All Age p.10). God’s generosity is a powerful driver for a positive change from favouritism to welcome; from discrimination towards love and equality. The unfolding of the Paralympic Games is proving to be a tangible witness to the words of our prophets, apostles and indeed, of Christ himself.

Context

An exploration of our readings today warns us against ‘showing favouritism’: indeed for James it could reflect a lack of belief in Jesus (James2.1-7). The psalmist powerfully points towards a God who does not show favour, choosing instead to liberate and watch over those whom society chooses to exclude. Ours is a God who exercises justice for the oppressed and forgotten (Psalm 146.7-8). Internet articles, news reports and personal witness inform us that throughout history, disabled people have experienced social and religious injustice, oppression and exclusion. For many, ‘disability’ has come to be viewed as a negative term which denies people the potential and gift for their lives. Negative attitudes and a general dislike of difference, sit at the core of the widespread acts of discrimination and breaches of human rights that mark the lives of many people labelled ‘disabled’. Jesus, himself was discriminated against because he ministered differently (Mark 7.1-6).The gospels see him warning us powerfully against paying lip service to his teaching of love and respect for our neighbour ( Mark 7.6-8). Jesus very powerfully says that what comes from a human heart has the potential to ‘defile a person’ (Mark 7.14-15). Discrimination defiles and disables people.

 

This week's news

The staging of the Paralympic Games seems tangibly to bring this week’s reading from James to life. Those who watch, support and participate are challenged to re-think their understandings of disability (James 2.8-9) and to recognise the abilities of people over and above what they may not be able to do. Many people write of the transformation they have experienced and of how the games have given new hope for a better society.

Sermons this weekend should encourage people to engage in the powerful message that is being given by the Games and their ‘vibrant tangible passion for life’ inviting all to consign ‘disability’ to the past and look with faith to the future. Faith without action, James warns, is ‘dead’ (James 7.14-17). the ‘living legacy’ from our scripture, the witness of our athletes and spectators must lead us to explore how welcoming and accessible our communities are. On this Paralympic Sunday for Christians, sermons and church activities could suggest how we can be communities that ‘favour access over exclusion, moving deliberately from a culture of ‘them and us’ to one where there is only ‘an us’.

 

Reflection

Favouring love
Isaiah powerfully proclaims that God’s salvation is transformative and liberating. For James, faith is shown in action, mercy and love of our neighbours. Mark shows Jesus taking on the leaders and the wise within the Jewish faith of his time, accusing them of observing the traditions of the elders (Mark 7.3-5) but not translating them into heartfelt action. The psalm praises a God who liberates all. What actions and traditions, in our society and faith communities disable and discriminate? How can the liberating love of God be evident within our communities?

How do you think the images and human stories of the Paralympians reflect the liberating love of God? The coverage and support given to the Paralympic Games is unprecedented. Many have begun to look at disabled people in a new and positive light. Why do you feel that it has taken the Games to change our perceptions when the Gospel of Jesus so clearly calls us to love others as we do ourselves?

Do we give ‘lip service’ to our Christian doctrine of human dignity and equality? Are people who seem different included as an act of tokenism or do all people truly feel they belong, no matter their ability or life experience? Can we truly say that we favour love and welcome of all?

How does the Christian community compare with the witness of the Paralympic Games where stories human amazement, ability and commitment have so powerfully transformed hearts?

How can a legacy of ‘faith in action’ be translated into communities of belonging, where the touching stories and camaraderie, so evident in our Games, can inspire the way we live as believers in Jesus Christ? How can we consign the word ‘disability’ to the past?

 

Prayer

This prayer might be used at the start or the end of a service. It could be proclaimed by all present and could signed.

Loving Father,
as we come to the end of the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games,
we thank you for the witness of the athletes
and for the moments of human amazement.
May we live as people of hope
who translate your love into our love for one another,
irrespective of the diversity of our abilities.
We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ your Son.
Amen.

 
Questions

• Using Channel 4 Catch Up TV, watch a session of Paralympic sport. As you watch the athletes consider what Christian message you think is reflected?
• What opportunity do you feel the Games have given Christian communities to show how they ‘truly believe in the liberating love of God (Isaiah 34.5) and our glorious Jesus Christ’? (James 2.1). Read the story of the Kings feast (Luke 14) why do you think Jesus told this story?

Action

Both in secular and religious communities, the 2012 Games have sought to inspire a nation and leave a legacy for future generations. Here is a legacy that will allow faith to move to action and positive change. Gather a group of volunteers within your community and reflect on the positive and unifying messages that have been evident throughout the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Make a list of the services that you provide and explore how they may welcome or disable people of all abilities. Where practices disable, plan to make changes. Where they welcome, make sure that they are celebrated in a way that proclaims how all people belong.

 

Young people

Gather as an all abilities group and share a meal. You should bring three boxes to the meal.
Collect images and stories of Paralympians and Olympians practising sport. Place these images in Box 1. In Box 2 place a collection of words and symbols that represent the principles that you feel sport encourages. You may like to choose words like commitment, hope, teamwork, spirituality, focus...
 
In the same way, place words/symbols that represent Christian values and principles in Box 3: love, fellowship, respect and so forth.

After your meal is finished invite people to pick an image, a word/symbol from Box 2 and one from Box 3. Try to connect the words to your image and talk about the ways that the words and images can be linked. Make a poster from your sharing and show it at your next church service. End your meal with the prayer above.

 

Cristina Gangemi is co- director of the Kairos Forum and a national advisor to the Catholic bishops of England and Wales.

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