SermonforSunday,July15“Ihavecomethatyoumaylife,lifeabundantly”IbelievethatwhatdescribesthisabundanceisrootedintheeconomyofGod,ratherthantheeconomiesofourworld,thatarealltoooftenrootedin“notenough”or“toomuch.”Ibelievethatitisanabundancewhereallarebenefitted,it’sawin-winscenarioasopposedtoawin-lose.Itisimportanttorecognizethatthesebeautiful,hopeful,inspiringwordscomeinthecontextofthestoryinthegospelofJohn,ofthemanbornblind.Astoryofmanwho,throughnofaultofhisown,waslivingwithinasystemicframeworkthatdisadvantagedhim,isolatedandmarginalizedhimbecausehehappenedtobebornblind.Therewerethosewhowantedtomaintainthestatusquo,tobenefitfromsystemsthatclearlyidentifiedthosewhowereinandthosewhowereout,andthemanbornblindwasout.WinnersandLosers.Inthishealingstory,thesymbolismof“understandingandnotunderstanding”isemployedregardingwhattheworkofJesusisabout.Themanbornblindismadetoseeagain.Heisrescuedfromthehumansystemsofprejudice,ignorance,intendedtokeephimapartanddependent.Dependenton“charity”andrelegatedtoalifeofbeggingratherthantowhatGodintends,wholenessandwell-being.“Ihavecomethatyoumayhavelife,lifeabundantly”Andthegoodnewsisthatyougettobepartofit.IbelievethisideaofabundantlifethatJesusspeaksofisconnectedtotheLord’sprayerininwhichJesusinvitesustopray“yourwillbedoneonearthasitisinheaven”AnglicanBishopN.T.Wrightoncesaid,“ThewholepointofJesus’sworkwastobringheaventoearthandjointhemtogetherforever,tobringGod’sfutureintothepresentandmakeitstickthere.”TheeconomyofGodistobeestablishedonearthasitisinheaven.WhenwepraytheLord’sprayer,ifwereallymeanit,weareinfactaskingtobecollaboratorsinthismissionfortheworld,aworldwhereallcanflourish.SomehaveapproachedthistextfromaninterpretativelensthatsimplyspiritualizesJesus’useofthewordofabundantlifeasmeaningeternallife.However,rootedintheveryphysicalstoryofthemanbornblind,onecannotignorewhatabundantlifeinthisworldmeantforhim!Jesus’ministryinthisworldalwaysbrought‘fleshandbone’consequencesofbringingheavenandearthtogether.“Ihavecomethatyoumayhavelife,lifeabundantly”Andthegoodnewsisthatyougettobepartit.TheeconomyofGodstandsinstarkcontrasttotheeconomyofthisworld,ortoborrowfromDr.WalterBrueggemann’sphrasing,Pharaoh’seconomy-aneconomywheretheworthofahumanbeingisdefinedintermsoftheirabilitytomakebricks.We’renotheretolivebythose

rules.We’renotheretoacceptoppression,injustice,andinequalityasbeing“justthewaythingsare”.No.WeareheretobeparticipantsinGod’seconomy.“Ihavecomethatyoumayhavelife,lifeabundantly.”Andthegoodnewsisthatyougettobepartofit.God’sabundanceisnotdeterminedby“toomuch/notenough”or“win-lose”butbydignity,respect,meaningandpurposeinlife,connectionwithothersandtheearth,healthandsecurity.Thesearetheconditionsforpeopletoflourishinandexperienceabundance.AneconomythatisfundamentallyrootedintheseconditionsreflectGod’svisionofshalomfortheworld-forpeople,forallofcreation.Itisawin-winworld.Andthegoodnewsisthatyougettobepartofit,butitwillalsobreakyourheart.Jesusreferencedthe“thiefcomesonlytostealandkillanddestroy.”I’mgoingtoleanalittlemoreintowhatthislookslikeforourtime.Systemsandpersonswhodiminishlifeforothers,forthepurposesofincreasinglifeforthemselves.Aneconomythatisbasedoncorporateprofitprinciples,“Pharaoh’seconomy”,doesnottakeintoconsiderationwhatmakesforhumanflourishingandwell-being.Thesadrealityisthatcorporateprofitprinciplestendtowardexploitativemeasurestoincreasemaximumprofit.Itisawin-losescenario-aTrumpianworldview.

LastweekIwenttotheDominicanRepublicandHaitiaspartofmyworkwithCanadianJesuitsInternationalwithagroupfromacrossCanadaaspartofalearningTour.TogetherwevisitedMDindustriesinHaiti,agarmentfactorywhichdoescontractworkforcompaniessuchasHaines,CalvinKlein,andUnderArmor,tonameafew.Theguidewashonestenoughtostate,

“it’saboutmakingprofit”.Thatisthemaingridthroughwhichdecisionsaremade.TheadvantageofHaitiisthatthereisalabourforcethatcanbeengagedthatisdesperateforworkatwhatevercost.Theyarepaidabout80centsanhourfor10hoursaday.Theybringhomeaweeklypaycheckinthepallparkofjustover$40.00aweek.MDindustriesissituatedina“freetrade”zoneindustrialpark.Itdoesn’thavetopaytaxesintothelocaleconomy,butoffersinsteadchildcarefor“employeesingoodstanding”andbasichealthcarecoverage.Theyhavetheappearanceofcorporatesocialresponsibility,however,inthelargerschemeofthingstheyaresituatedtomaximizeprofitbytakingadvantageoflocal,national,andinternationalsystemsthatencouragelabourexploitationforthepurposesofprofitratherthanforhumanflourishing.TheresultisacitylikeOuaneminthe,wherethisfreetradezoneislocated,lackssafedrinkingwater,inconsistentelectricityservice,nogarbagepick-up,inferioreducation,wide-spreadunemployment,insufficientandsub-standardhousing,andgrowingslumconditionsasmoreandmorepeoplemovetoOuanemintheinthehopesofsecuringajobwithCodevi.Thisisa‘Pharaoheconomy’systemthatallowswealthiercountriestobuycheapunderwearandsportswearandincreaseprofitsharesforshareholders,attheexpenseofoursistersandbrothersintheglobalsouth.WealsolearnedonourtourabouttheimpactofCanadianMiningendeavors,suchasBarrickGold,UniGold,andGoldQuest.Weheardfrompeoplewhotoldustheirstoriesregardingthenegativeimpactthatminingishavingupontheircommunitiessuchastoxinsaffectingtheirhealthviadust,andwater,whichinturnimpactagriculture,watersupplies,andthepeople’s

health.Herearepresentativefromthecommunityisshowingusabeforeandafterpictureoftheircacaoproduction.Hisrighthandisholdingahealthycacaopod,whattheyusedtoabletogrow,whilewhatisinhislefthandrevealsthecurrentreality.Thecommunityisnolongersustainableandafter6yearsofresistingtheyarenowaskingtoberelocated,becausewhattheyhave,doesnotallowforlife,letaloneabundantlife.Theserepresentcurrentlythosesystemsandpeople“whocometosteal,destroyandkilllife.”Jesussays,“Ihavecomethatyoumayhavelife,abundantlife.”Andthegoodnewsisthatyougettoparticipateinit.God’seconomy,unlikePharaoh’seconomy,looksmorelikethemannainthewilderness:therewasenoughforeveryone,butitcamewithrules.Therewasnohungerandnopoverty,butthecorollarytothatwasthattherewasalsonohoardingandnogreed.Pharaoh’seconomysaysthatit’sallaboutgettingabundanceforyourself,whiletheabundanceJesusreferencesisrootedinavisionofenoughforall.LastweekIalsogottowitnesspeoplewhoparticipateinJesus’visionofabundance.IwitnessedFatherMarioandhisshareholdersofthisvision,worktogetvulnerableHaitianstreetchildrenintosafehousing.Itstartedinsmallways,inwhichMarioencounteredHaitianchildrenlivingandsleepinginthestreetsandinthelocalpark.Hetalkedtothem.Helistenedtothem.Hetreatedthemaspeople,notasasourceofannoyanceorsomethingtofear.Hebeganbybuyingthemsomethingtoeat,andthenmovedthemintotheChurchgroundstosleep,untiltheparishionersstartedtocomplain,hemobilizedpeoplewhocaredandeventuallygotthisplace,wherethekidsvoluntarilycomeandreceivesafeshelter,foodandhumanconnection.

ThevisionofGod’sabundancewasalsowitnessedinFatherEduardowhocomfortedthisyoungchild,(inashelterforchildren),whofellasleepinhisarmsfeelingsafeandsecure.

WewitnessedthisvisionofabundancethroughvisitingtheFeyAlegria/FoietjoieschoolsbegunbyJesuitsinboththeDRandHaiti.TheirmottoisthatFeyAlegriastartswherethepavementends.Itservesthepoorestandmarginalizedcommunitieswithqualityeducation,itisrootedinapublicvisionofeducationandnotaprivatemodel.

WevisitedaBananaPlantationthatoperatesaccordingtoFairTradeandOrganiccertifications.Theystrivetoensurethattheirworkersaretreatedfairly,paidfairly,andhaveopportunitiesforbetterhousingthroughaffordableloanarrangementsandworker’sassociations.

WealsowitnessedpeoplewhobelieveinthisvisionofGod’seconomyspeakoutandsharetheirstories.Theyspokeoutandentrustedtheirstoriestous,believingthatwetoowillhonourtheirstoriesconsideringJesus’words,“Ihavecomethatyoumaylife,abundantlife.”Theybelievethegoodnewsthatwetooarepartofthisandhaveaparttoplay.

MysiblingsinChrist,whicheconomydoyouseektoinhabit?EverydaywearefacedwiththisquestionastowhetherwefollowPharaoh’seconomyorthatofGod’s.Everydaywemakerelationalandpurchasingdecisionsthatrevealwhicheconomyweoperatefrom.Onepersononourdelegationsaid,“Thishaschangedmylife.Ididn’tknowaboutthis!Whydon’ttheytellusaboutthis?”Inmanyways,theywereundergoingatransformativeexperience,aconversion.Itwasasiftheireyeswerebeingopenedforthefirsttime,understandingwassinkingin.ThatspaceofconversioniswherewecanhearthewordsofJesus“Ihavecomethatyoumayhavelifeandhaveitabundantly”andreceiveitasgoodnews-thatwetoogettoparticipate.ThereareresourcestohelpustomakedecisionaroundwhatwepurchasethatreflectmoretheeconomyofGod,thanthatofPharaoh.Youcanreferencehttps://cleanclothes.orgwhichworkstoamplifythevoicesofworkersintheglobalgarmentindustry.YoucanraiseawarenessandholdCanadianextractioncompaniesaccountablethroughhttps://miningwatch.ca.“MiningWatchCanadaisapan-Canadianinitiativesupportedbyenvironmental,socialjustice,

Indigenousandlabourorganisationsfromacrossthecountry.Itaddressestheurgentneedforaco-ordinatedpublicinterestresponsetothethreatstopublichealth,waterandairquality,fishandwildlifehabitat,andcommunityinterestsposedbyirresponsiblemineralpoliciesandpracticesinCanadaandaroundtheworld.”Youcanalsoreferencehttp://fairtrade.caandalignyourpurchasingpoweraccordingtoprinciplesofjusticeandpeace.Jesussaid,“Ihavecome…”“Ihavecomethatyoumayhavelife…”“Ihavecomethatyoumayhavelife,andhavelifeabundantly.”Andthegoodnewsisthatyougettoparticipate.Jesusistheliberatorofourinabilitytoseewhatmakesforlife.JamesH.Conesaid,“Heistheliberatorparexcellence,whorevealsnotonlywhoGodisandwhat(God)isdoing,butalsowhoweareandwhatwearecalledtodoabouthumandegradationandoppression.We’renotheretoconformtoPharaoh’seconomybuttoGod’seconomy.We’reheretoproclaimthatintheeconomyofGod

• thereisabundancenotscarcity• thereishumandignityandwell-beingandnotjustbricksatwhatevercost• thereisbelongingandsolidaritynotmarginalizationandisolation• thereishopeandnotdespair

WeproclaimthatinGodthereislifeandlifeabundantly,andthegoodnewsisthatwegettoparticipatethislife,togetherweprayGod’swillbedoneonearthasitisinheaven.One:LetusprayAll:God,oureternalparent,bothmotherandfather,teacherandfriend.Whosekingdomofheavenremindsusthatthefirstwillbelastandthelastwillbefirst.Hallowedbethyname.One:Maythereverencewegiveyournamepullusoutofthenarcissism,selfishness,andparanoiathatpreventsusfromseeingthepainofourneighbour.All:Yourkingdomcome,yourwillbedone.

One:Helpustobeco-creatorsofaworldofyourabundance,movedbeyondourownneedsandhurts,wherewewilldojustice,lovetenderly,andwalkhumblywithyouandeachotheronearthasitisinheaven.All:GiveusthisdayourdailybreadOne:sothateachpersonintheworldmayhaveenoughfood,enoughcleanwater,enoughcleanair,adequatehealthcare,andsufficientaccesstoeducationsoastohavethesustenanceforahealthylife.Teachustogivefromoursustenanceandnotjustfromoursurplus. All:Andforgiveusourtrespassesasweforgivethosewhotrespassagainstus.One:Forgiveusourblindnesstowardsourneighbour,ourobsessiveself-preoccupation,ourracism,oursexism,andourincurablepropensitytoworryonlyaboutourselvesandourown.All:AnddonotputustothetestOne:butgiveus,instead,moredaystomendourways,ourselfishness,andoursystems.All:ButdeliverusfromevilOne:thatis,fromtheblindnessthatletsuscontinuetoparticipateinanonymoussystemswithinwhichweneednotseewhogetslessaswegetmore.All:Foryoursisthekingdom,thepowerandtheglory,foreverandeveramen.InspiredfromaversionoftheLord’sprayerbyRonRolheiser