Rooting Ourselves in a Lineage of ResistanCe
The book of Esther ends with wild celebration, feasting and giving of gifts. It’s a call to remember loudly, passionately, how God turns sorrow into joy, mourning into triumph, AND the people who served and led faithfully to realize this victory.
Mordecai recorded these events, and he sent letters to all the Jews throughout the provinces of King Xerxes, near and far, to have them celebrate annually the fourteenth and fifteenth days of the month of Adar as the time when the Jews got relief from their enemies, and as the month when their sorrow was turned into joy and their mourning into a day of celebration. He wrote them to observe the days as days of feasting and joy and giving presents of food to one another and gifts to the poor.... So Queen Esther, daughter of Abihail, along with Mordecai the Jew, wrote with full authority to confirm this second letter concerning Purim.- Esther 9:20-22, 29
Theologian Kat Armas, author of Abuelita Faith, writes on a similar theme, encouraging us to connect to the stories of our ancestors and their struggles for liberation and justice:
Today I’m thinking about the ancestors. Those who bore the weight of empire and still dared to dream beyond it—the prophets, the freedom fighters, the ones who risked everything with the unshakable conviction that this world is not the end of our story. They did not wait for empire’s permission to dream… And when we remember them, it is not just a gesture of nostalgia. It is an act of rooting ourselves in a lineage of resistance that empire cannot touch. - Kat Armas
What stories do you find yourself returning to for encouragement when the world seems overwhelming and empire seems too strong? Whose example reminds you that the work is worth it and God is faithful? Perhaps larger-than-life figures like Esther and Mordecai, MLK Jr. and Rosa Parks come to mind… Or perhaps you think of lesser-known heroes, like the eunuchs we talked about in church on Sunday, who supported Esther all through her story - perhaps you gratefully remember friends, family, community members who persistently give of their heart, mind and strength without expecting recognition.
Talk with Jesus about how you can root yourself in this kind of encouragement this week. Maybe you’d like to watch a movie about the civil rights era and its champions. Or perhaps you want to write someone a note of appreciation, to let them know you see and celebrate their efforts. If you have other ideas, let us know so we can share them with others!
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Thank you for coming along on this journey through Esther. Our co-pastor Brenna Rubio begins a 10 week sabbatical next week, and besides resting, her chosen creative task during that time will be developing this sermon series into a book! If you’d like to follow along and support that work, you can follow her on Instagram, Facebook and Substack (where she’ll be blogging bits of her book and the writing process).