Schadenfreude

Schadenfreude 1/15/2024 - by: Ray Medeiros - Starting With Scripture Share Rev. Ray Medeiros has served UCC churches in central and western Massachusetts. He is presently retired. Scripture: Mark 1:16-18 and Jonah 3:1-5, 10 (NRSVUE) Mark 1:16-18 As Jesus passed along the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the sea, for they were fishers. And Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of people.” And immediately they left their nets and followed him. Jonah 3:1-5, 10 The word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time, saying, 2 “Get up, go to Nineveh, that great city, and proclaim to it the message that I tell you.” 3 So Jonah set out and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the Lord. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly large city, a three days’ walk across. 4 Jonah began to go into the city, going a day’s walk. And he cried out, “Forty days more, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!” 5 And the people of Nineveh believed God; they proclaimed a fast, and everyone, great and small, put on sackcloth. 10 When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil ways, God changed his mind about the calamity that he had said he would bring upon them, and he did not do it. Reflection: Schadenfreude Walking along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, Jesus interrupted a pair of hard working fishermen with an odd invitation. “Follow me and I will make you fish for people.” Despite the peculiar nature of the request and without demanding more details about where Jesus was calling them to go and what they were expected to do when they got there, Simon and Andrew abandoned their nets, their boat and their livelihood, to accept this summons to discipleship. Maybe they sensed in Jesus a potentially world-changing presence and power. What they would soon discover was how utterly dependent Jesus’ world-transforming mission depended on his power to change them and others who would someday follow them. Particularly when it came to his generous attitude towards people like Samaritans and other groups whom they had been culturally conditioned to look upon as outsiders and enemies. Jonah’s calling to a prophetic mission came with a more detailed job description than what Jesus provided that first pair of disciples. Unlike those Galilean fishermen, Jonah was provided with a specific destination (Nineveh) and an unambiguous message (repent or perish) to proclaim to that city’s inhabitants. Although Jonah possessed neither love for the Ninevites nor an interest in rescuing them from God’s wrath, he dutifully set out for Nineveh armed with warnings about what awaited them if they did not repent. But if we back this story up a couple of chapters we discover that Jonah emphatically rejected God’s first attempt at recruiting Jonah for this purpose. Instead of going to Nineveh, Jonah boarded a ship heading in the opposite direction. The text notes that for every nautical mile that Jonah put between himself and Nineveh, Jonah was spiritually distancing himself from the presence and will of God. Schadenfreude is a German word for the secret or overt satisfaction that one might experience when bad things happen to bad people. It is the opposite of Jesus’ commandment to love others because it suppresses any impulse towards empathy and compassion. Schadenfreude is what motivated Jonah to book a berth on a boat that was Tarshish bound rather than going to Nineveh to warn its inhabitants to reform their ways and be spared the consequences of their actions. It was schadenfreude that prompted some of Jesus’ disciples to second guess Jesus’ compassion for scoundrels and sinners, even to the extent of suggesting that they call down fire from heaven to consume a Samaritan village that refused to offer them hospitality. Today is the day we remember and honor the life and work of Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. In his preaching and through personal example, MLK encouraged people to seek the defeat of evil systems while loving the people who were caught up in those systems. He taught that reacting to hate with hate only compounds the presence and reinforces the power of hate in the universe. His message echoed the teaching and example of Jesus, which is that the path to true victory over hatred and towards the realization of God’s Kingdom on earth as it is in heaven, is only achievable through confronting hate with a transformative non-violence and love. PRAYER Lord, when my weariness in the struggle for justice turns my heart towards an attitude of schadenfreude, restore my resolve with these prophetic words spoken by Martin Luther King, Jr.: "I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word in reality. This is why right, temporarily defeated, is stronger than evil triumphant." Amen. New Prayer Requests: We ask churches and church leaders to join us in the following prayers either by sharing them during worship, printing them in bulletins, or sharing them in some other way. To make a prayer request, please contact Marlene Gasdia-Cochrane at cochranem@sneucc.org. Prayers of Intercession: For the people of Ukraine and the Middle East whose lives continue to be shattered by war, as well as the many landscapes that are currently embroiled in conflicts . For those grieving or suffering due to the ~1,200 gun violence deaths that happened in the US since the start of the year. For those suffering from the recent snow, floods, and extraordinary winter weather. Prayers of Joy and Thanksgiving: For Faith Formation leaders. For those who observe Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and any day, with acts of civic work and community service. For those who confront hate with a transformative non-violence and love. For the ability to pray together. (You are invited to participate in Pause for Prayer, Wednesdays @ 12:30, Live on Facebook. Add your prayers through the chat feature, and recordings can be found on the SNEUCC Facebook page or our webpage.) This Week in History: January 15, 1929 (95 years ago): Martin Luther King Jr., a spiritual leader, powerful orator, and significant voice of the civil rights movement, was born. [History] “Study the past if you would define the future.” — Confucius raymedieros.jpg Ray Medeiros Reverend Ray Medeiros is recently retired after serving UCC churches in Bernardston and Westminster, Massachusetts. January 15, 2024