Start:Stop - I wash my hands in innocence

Raw Material Washing Hands by Bruce Nauman, 1996

Hello and welcome to our weekly reflection from St Stephen Walbrook. You can listen to an audio version of this text here. 

“I pray that those of us who are white Christians repent of our own prejudices, and do the urgent work of becoming better allies to our brothers and sisters of colour."

"For those of us who are white Christians, I pray that we reflect and pray deeply and honestly on what it means to follow the teaching of Jesus to “love your neighbour as yourself””

Tweets by the Archbishop of Canterbury last week which were met with support but also criticism by some white Christians who claimed to be innocent of the charge; and had no need to repent for prejudice.

“I wash my hands in innocence” cries the psalmist. I wonder how many of us can say the same with integrity?

  

Bible Reading - Psalm 26

Plea for Justice and Declaration of Righteousness

Of David.

Vindicate me, O Lord,

   for I have walked in my integrity,

   and I have trusted in the Lord without wavering. 

Prove me, O Lord, and try me;

   test my heart and mind. 

For your steadfast love is before my eyes,

   and I walk in faithfulness to you. 

I do not sit with the worthless,

   nor do I consort with hypocrites; 

I hate the company of evildoers,

   and will not sit with the wicked. 

I wash my hands in innocence,

   and go around your altar, O Lord, 

singing aloud a song of thanksgiving,

   and telling all your wondrous deeds. 

O Lord, I love the house in which you dwell,

   and the place where your glory abides. 

Do not sweep me away with sinners,

   nor my life with the bloodthirsty, 

those in whose hands are evil devices,

   and whose right hands are full of bribes. 

But as for me, I walk in my integrity;

   redeem me, and be gracious to me. 

My foot stands on level ground;

   in the great congregation I will bless the Lord.

Reflection 

During the lockdown I have been reading “Songs for Suffering - Praying the Psalms in Times of Trouble” by Simon Stocks. Praying using these ancient texts can help us to take a good look at ourselves - and to do so deeply and honestly, as the Archbishop has encouraged.

Many of the psalms speak of extreme suffering, with prayers that cry out to God in despair. Others express joy and thanksgiving for the glory of God. Psalm 26 doesn’t really fit into either of those categories. Details of the setting in which this prayer would have originally been said or sung have been lost in the course of history, so scholars can only speculate as to its origin, using the words of the prayer itself. The superscription - the text written above the psalm - tells us that this prayer is a “plea for justice and declaration of righteousness.” While the psalm is ascribed to King David, many believe this prayer uses Hebrew words that are more likely to have been spoken by an ordinary person, someone protesting their innocence, perhaps in a temple court.   

At first reading, the psalmist seems to claim to have led an almost unbelievably unblemished life. They've walked in their “integrity”, trusted the Lord “without wavering”, they hate all that is evil and wicked and will have nothing to do with “hypocrites”. They love the house in which the Lord dwells and go around his altar singing praises and telling all of his wondrous deeds.

Is this the sort of person we are? Maybe this is the sort of person we tell ourselves we are? But can any of us really be that good?

In his book, Simon Stocks says we can - he reminds us that being a person of integrity doesn’t mean being blameless. Integrity is not equal to moral perfection but is a "state in which faults are acknowledged and forgiveness sought." The opposite of integrity is hypocrisy - a word we find in this psalm from the Greek translation. Its meaning derives from the wearing of masks in Greek theatre - an outward appearance that disguises one's true nature. The innocence in which the psalmist washes their hands arises from a state of personal integrity, in which their devotion to God is wholehearted and not hypocritical. 

We are all doing a lot of hand washing at the moment. But can we claim, with integrity, that we wash our hands in innocence?

Or do we wash our hands in ignorance? Unaware of the injustice and inequality in society; blind to the benefits we enjoy from the historic wealth, status and splendour we see all around us in this city, including that which has been financed by exploitation?

Do we wash our hands in indifference? Perhaps we are all too aware but simply don’t care that educational opportunities and health outcomes are not equal for all?

Do we wash our hands in intolerance? Did we condemn the mass gatherings for Black Lives Matter with less vigour than the Cheltenham Gold Cup or the VE Day street parties, just a few weeks ago? 

Do we wash our hands in indignation? Content with groups toppling statues because the slave traders they represent killed far more than the corona virus?

Walking in “my integrity", means being honest with ourselves about our answers to questions such as these, as we follow the psalmist in faith towards the steadfast loving gaze of God. We need to be honest with ourselves so we can acknowledge and seek forgiveness for our faults - and because, like the psalmist, we know that God already knows all about us - He knows we are not perfect; but does not treat us as our sins deserve.

The psalmist speaks of walking in "my integrity" - implying that this may be different to yours or mine - a reminder of the abundant diversity of God's creation. Nobody is suggesting we should seek forgiveness for that. But amidst such glorious difference, which is the right path for us? Unlike the psalmist, we have the image of Christ to guide us - the perfect example of unconditional love for all, regardless of ethnicity, gender or social status. We can't do much about our ethnicity, the history or power we have or have not inherited. But, as the Archbishop reminds us, we can all acknowledge and seek forgiveness when we fail to put the inheritance of our faith into practice now and in the future. We can all, like the psalmist, walk with integrity, towards the loving gaze of God.

So, how will we wash our hands today? In ignorance? In indifference? In intolerance? In indignation? 

Or in innocence? 

Meditation 

A few moments of silence before we pray. 

Prayer

Loving and forgiving God, 

we celebrate the diversity of your creation. 

Each of us is made in your glorious image

but have been shaped by the forces of this broken world. 

Some have inherited power and wealth.

Some have inherited powerlessness and poverty.

None of us is perfect.

None of us can change the past.

But may we all seek to live our lives through the inheritance of our faith, 

To ensure that your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. 

We ask for forgiveness for the times we have failed to speak out against injustice and inequality;

for the times when we have abused our own positions of authority and power;

for the times that what we have said or done has caused division and not brought about reconciliation. 

Help us to act always with integrity.

and according to the likeness of Christ. 

Amen.

(Adapted from a prayer published by Bloomsbury Baptist Church). 

Thank you for listening to this weeks reflection. Please join us for our services online throughout the week; morning prayer by telephone conference call takes place every Wednesday at 9am. Details of how to join in are on our website. We’ll be back with another reflection next Tuesday. Until then, I hope you have a wonderful week.

Links

Songs for Suffering – Praying the Psalms in Times of Trouble by Simon Stocks
Because Black Lives Matter – A Prayer from Bloomsbury Baptist Church

Image : Raw Material Washing Hands by Bruce Nauman, 1996 From the National Galleries of Scotland website: “This stacked two-screen video installation shows the artist washing his hands with a vigour that goes beyond a daily cleaning ritual. The energy of the gesture and the distortive effect of the double screen evoke a sinister prior event and a sense panic or fear. Here Nauman continues his ongoing investigation into human psychology and feelings of discomfort. The sense of anxiety is heightened by the echoing sound of the water draining away for the fifty-five-minute duration of the double footage.”