After this I looked, and there was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing
before the throne and before the Lamb, robed in white, with palm branches
in their hands.
--Revelation 7:9
Las Meninas by Diego Velaquez is one of the most famous paintings of all time. Velasquez changes the dynamic between subject and painter, revealing an entirely new perspective. The king and queen, Velasquez’s powerful patrons, are not the focus of this scene; instead, Velasquez foregrounds the servants (Las Meninas refers to the ladies-in-waiting who tended to the ladies of the court) as they busily prepare the children of the royal family for the portrait, subtly subverting the traditional hierarchy by implying the dependence of the powerful upon the ministrations of a subservient and oppressed class of people. This subtle reversal challenges the viewer to reconsider their own perspective; and implicitly asks those in power to look more closely at who and what are valued in society and why certain people and perspectives are privileged over others.
In first century Palestine, Jesus sought to do the same thing in his teaching by focusing his ministry on the most vulnerable rather than the wealthy and powerful. From his own humble origins to his inclusive, egalitarian ministry, Jesus reminds us that all people, regardless of their social position, are of equal importance in the eyes of God. He challenged the status quo, his humble birth brought Kings to their knees, and he taught that respect and dignity are the birthright of all human beings.
Last weekend, I attended a rally in Southborough on the edge of St. Mark’s campus, organized by the Chinese Society of Southborough. Hundreds gathered, mostly from the AAPI community, to show support and solidarity against the rising hatred in our country, especially after the shooting in Atlanta. This gathering challenged me to see the world from the perspective of Asians, Asian-Americans, and Pacific Islanders who held signs that read “Stop AAPI Hate” or “Love not Hate.” A three-year-old boy and his five-year-old sister held up homemade signs, chanting “Hate is a Virus.” That moment, their tiny voices joining the impassioned chorus chanting their message of love to the passing cars to stop hate, will be embedded in my memory.
What new perspectives have you gained in this challenging year? How can these new perspectives help shape a world where every human being is treated with dignity, justice, and equality, a world in which “all tribes and peoples and languages” will gather as one in God’s kingdom?
--The Rev. Katie Solter
Spread the word!
Do you know someone in the St. Mark’s community who would enjoy these reflections?
