Isaiah
32:1-5, 16-18 Psalm 85.7-13
Colossians
3:12-17 John 15.12-17
In
the 1860s, just about the time when Hannah Grier Coome and her new
husband Horace were married and living in England, the winds of
political change were blowing back in Canada. At that time there
were three colonies in British North America – Nova Scotia, New
Brunswick, and Canada (which in turn was made up of an eastern
division – what is now Ontario – and a western division – what
is now Quebec). They were feeling vulnerable, as the British
government seemed less than enthusiastic about defending its three
north American colonies, and the U.S. was becoming more agressive.
There was fear of annexation, and when the U.S. purchased Alaska that
fear seemed justified.
There
had been talks for years about joining the North American British
colonies into one, and through a patient and peaceful process of
political negotiation the three colonies were able to agree on a new
structure. On July 1, 1867 confederation was declared through the
British North America Act, and the three colonies became four
provinces of the Dominion of Canada (the Province of Canada having
been divided into Ontario and Quebec).
The
British North American Act of 1867 was a masterpiece of diplomacy,
but it was just one landmark in a longer process – it would be some
years before Newfoundland and PEI, as well as the western provinces
and the territories would join. It was not perfect by any means.
The ongoing issues about a separate Quebec and the botch job that we
made of relations with the aboriginal peoples of Canada and native
land claims are evidence of this. But it meant that everyone north
of the U.S. border except those in Alaska would eventually be joined
under one federal government, with certain powers allocated to the
provinces.
It
was a peaceful process. Unlike the birth of many countries of the
world it did not take place in the cauldron of war. And I think that
is partly what has helped make Canada a model of ethnic and cultural
cooperation. The advances that we have made in new relationships
with the aboriginal peoples of our country, and which we celebrated a
week or so, is a sign that we can recognize our imperfections and try
to keep birthing this land of hope.
Today
we celebrate the 147th
anniversary of confederation, and the federal government is already
making plans for the 150th
anniversary in 2017. Having grown up in the U.S. I find myself
becoming emotional at the thought of being accepted as a Canadian. I
love this country. I love the way we came to independence from
Britain, through peaceful civil conversation. I deeply respect our
political processes and our human rights record even with all their
imperfections because Canadians are humble enough to realize we
really don’t have it altogether. And that means there is room for
growth.
And
that room for growth is what we are offered in the scripture readings
today. They remind me of Advent, of our sense of longing for the
coming Messiah and the promised reign of peace. The images in the
reading from Isaiah tug at my heart strings. When the promised ruler
comes, it will be like finding a shelter from the storm, like streams
of water in the desert, like a great rock that provides shade. When
God’s reign comes, “then justice will dwell in the wilderness,
and righteousness abide in the fruitful field. . . . God’s people
will abide in a peaceful habitation, in secure dwellings, and in
quiet resting places.”
We
continue to long for that reign of peace, and the psalm today
expresses our prayer and our hope: “You speak, O God and I will
listen, for your words are peace to your faithful people and to those
who turn their hearts to you. Truly, your salvation is very near to
those who fear you, that your glory may dwell in our land.”
But
as Christians our land is bigger than Canada. We are citizens of the
world. And if we put the birth of our nation into context, we see
that many other countries around the world are in such dire birth
pains that they sound more like the rattle of death. We cannot just
rest in the self-satisfaction of being Canadian, of living among a
mostly peaceful people. Our role as disciples of the Messiah of
Peace is to share the peace of Christ in whatever way we can. And
the other two readings today show us how to do that.
In
Paul’s letter to the Colossians he brings it right home: “As
God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with
compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. Bear with
one another and if anyone has a complaint against another, forgive
each other; just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must
forgive. Above all, clothe yourselves wtih love, which binds
everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ
rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one
body.”
That
is what we are called here for, this Sisterhood, or any other body of
Christians. Not for ourselves, but for others. We are called know
Christ’s peace – and then to share it.
And
in John’s gospel, Jesus’ words are even stronger. “This is my
commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. No one
has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s
friends. I do not call you servants any longer . . . but I have
called you friends. . . . You did not choose me but I chose you. And
I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last.”
Whew
– that is pretty clear, isn’t it? We have been chosen. We have
been appointed. And what have we been chosen and appointed for? To
bear fruit that will last, so that what we ask of God we may receive,
so that we may love one another, so that we may share the fruit of
that love.
So
on this Canada Day, as we rejoice in our freedoms, let us remember
that we have been chosen and appointed to bear the fruit of peace for
others. It begins at home for everyone. But it doesn’t end there.
If the flapping of a butterfly’s wings in Toronto can change the
weather on the other side of the world, then our practice of peace
with each other, and our prayer for peace, may just create a tiny
breeze that will change something in someone’s heart over in Russia
or Ukraine or Iraq or Egypt or Nigeria – some heart change that
will affect someone else’s heart that will affect someone else’s
heart. And just as surely as the Serbian bullet that killed the
Archduke of Austria 100 years ago was the catalyst for the first
world war, so our prayer, our practice of peace with each other, may
be the catalyst that will give people in other parts of the world an
opportunity to live with the degree of peace that we do in Canada.
 |
| Sister Constance Joanna |
Thank
God for our country, and thank God that we are chosen to go and bear
fruit that will last. Amen.
Some
Dates to Note:
July
1, 1867: The British North America Act (today known as the
Constitution Act, 1867) is proclaimed and creates Canada.
June
20, 1868: The Governor General, Lord Monck, signs a proclamation that
requests all Her Majesty’s subjects across Canada to celebrate July
1.
1879:
A federal law makes July 1 a statutory holiday as the “anniversary
of Confederation,” which is later called “Dominion Day.”
October
27, 1982: July 1, “Dominion Day” officially becomes Canada Day.
2014:
Canadian Heritage organizes the 147th Canada Day celebrations. As we
approach Canada’s 150th anniversary in 2017, the government has
given the Department the mandate to organize Canada Day festivities
in the capital.
