Episcopal Feast Day of Absalom Jones

Today is the Feast Day of Absalom Jones.  

Episcopal News Service covered the Presiding bishop’s visit to Absalom Jones' spiritual home at Philadelphia’s historic Church of St. Thomas this past Sunday.

“Absalom Jones was born into slavery in 1746 and released from bondage in 1784 in the wake of the American Revolution. He is listed on the Episcopal calendar of saints and remembered liturgically on the date of his death, Feb. 13. He died in 1818 at the age of 71.” 

The readings for the Feast Day of Absalom Jones includes Isaiah 42:5-9

These lines struck a cord in me:

See, the former things have come to pass,

   and new things I now declare;

before they spring forth,

   I tell you of them.

How often I look back at history at “former things” and feel a sense of guilt and shame that I (or my ancestors) failed to notice the damage that was being done in the moment.  When it is in hindsight that we see what was done as injustice, the call is to live with what was done, make amends for the past, and seek to do better in the present and future.

This is why the text’s greater focus is that Isaiah is also declaring the new things that are a coming reality, things that will “spring forward” and the opportunity to get with the arc of God’s justice before they come to pass.  

Here is the challenge in our times for Christians: be doers of justice, mercy, empathy, honesty, and humility, and bring in those who have previously failed in these things when they now see what has come to pass.  Rather then choosing to dwell in guilt and shame, it is time to now transcend our previous failings and do our part in caring for the vulnerable in the name of our Lord Jesus.