Becoming Like Bishop Budde

Some may say I’m a bit late to the party in reflecting on the sermon by Bishop Budde at the inaugural prayer service and its impact today, but I think there’s a place for taking time to pray and reflect on an event and not move forward from it too quickly. At this point, I’m feeling that hers is a clear case of faithfully being prepared, centered, and listening for the invitation from God to speak up when the opportunity presents itself.

For those of you who might have missed the sermon, you can find it here—and it’s worth listening to it all, not just the three-minute excerpt found elsewhere. For one thing, it seemed that she paused to pray, to check in with the Spirit before speaking her prophetic words. In fact, I would imagine that a lifetime of prayer, of listening for God’s guidance, had prepared her for this moment.

And yes, her words were prophetic. As others have noted, she spoke God’s truth to power. She spoke in terms straight from the Hebrew Bible, focusing on mercy and unity, kindness and care. She did so with a calm, pastoral stance—unlike the raging and fulmination found in so many conservative and MAGA responses to her words. She spoke simply, powerfully, and directly to one of the pledges in our Episcopal baptismal covenant: to respect the dignity of every human being.

This, I think, is part of what riled so many who follow the president. They seemingly cannot imagine a world where all people have value, where all are equal. Yet Jesus clearly taught us to love one another “as I have loved you” and love our neighbors as ourselves.

Returning to Bishop Budde, I think of my comments back in November, after the election. I noted that our job in that time was to faithfully practice grounding ourselves in God, preparing ourselves for “times in the future when we need to stand up for the powerless—including ourselves.”

I’m guessing Bishop Budde did that. Consequently, she was ready when she had an opportunity to stand up and speak up. Like so many of the prophets, she spoke an unpopular message, and she is being harassed and threatened because of it. But that’s not the only response. I heard at least one story about a couple who showed up at an Episcopal church the following Sunday because of the bishop’s message. People who might have thought all Christians were supporting the president are realizing that’s not the case. As a result of Bishop Budde’s sermon, we also have an opportunity to speak up.

This is the invitation I want to leave with you today. Chances are quite low that you will have the opportunity to say a prophetic word about mercy and unity to the president. However, chances are much higher that you will have the chance to say something to one of his followers. I’m reminded of two passages from the biblical letters written to early Christians, whose faith was a persecuted minority (as progressive Christianity seems to be these days).

The first is this, traditionally ascribed to Peter: “Always be ready to make your defense to anyone who demands from you an accounting for the hope that is in you.”

The second is from a letter to Timothy: “Proclaim the message; be persistent whether the time is favorable or unfavorable; convince, rebuke, and encourage with the utmost patience in teaching.”

So, I ask you: How prepared are you to “proclaim the message” and “make your defense…for the hope that is in you”?