“So What Now?”
Karen Sloan 25/10/2020
Readings - Micah 6:6-8, James 2:1-4, Luke 4:16-19
So, how do I finish this series on women, there are so many more to talk about. I could have looked at Deborah, one of the judges from Israel or Miriam, the sister of Moses and Aron, or of course Ruth, who leaves her people to follow Naomi, from the Hebrew Scriptures.
Or from the New Testament we could have explored Elizabeth, the cousin of Mary, mother of Jesus or Martha of Bethany or Phoebe, a leader alongside Lydia in the early church. I could even have looked at Eve, a totally denigrated figure if ever there was one.
Maybe I should finish with one of them , but no, instead I am going to finish with a fictional person who represents all women both inside and outside the church. And is the reason why the purple balloons are still here.
The research on Lydia last week, lead me down another path, to another woman, who represents so many African American women throughout history. And to a movie.
The movie is called the Colour Purple and I know many of you will have seen it, maybe many times. And the women is called Celie.
Perhaps it was the purple but I had an urge to watch it again and so I did. Funnily enough Kelvin reminded me of the film last week, not knowing that it might feature this week!
It’s been 33 years since “The Colour Purple”was made, hard to believe really. Based on Alice Walker’s Pulitzer Prize-winning 1982 novel of the same name, the film introduced us to a young Whoopi Goldberg, who portrays Celie Johnson. And Oprah Winfrey as Sophia. And yes Oprah really can act.
For those who don’t know it, it follows the life of Celie, who goes from an abusive father, to whom she has 2 children who are taken away, to an abusive husband, Albert, during the 1920s in the American South. All the while missing her sister Nettie, who she is separated from. He forces her to take care of his children, work in the field, cook, clean, and take his beatings all the while fulfilling his sexual needs. It was more than physical abuse, it was also verbal and psychological abuse that takes all her self-confidence away. Nettie ends up in Africa, continuing to write letters to her sister, but Celie never receives them as they’re stolen by Albert. So she is alone. She seems utterly alone.
Yet throughout the telling there are strong women who come into Celie’s life, that in the end save her. It takes Shug, a women accused of loose morals by the conservative southern Christian church, to open Celie’s eyes to who she is, a worthy, beautiful child of God, a God found in all things everywhere. It takes Sophia, Celie’s step daughter in law, a feisty black women, who does not accept this discrimination, and who tries to show Celie another way. Unfortunately she ends up in jail after offending the white mayor’s wife and punching the mayor. I loved Sophia, who seems broken in the end, lifeless and dejected, until Celie finally finds her voice, finally realises she has to take back her own life, and puts a stop to the abuse that has surrounded her for so many years. Sophia sees Celie stand up and take back her life, and suddenly she regains her own.
I would love to show you that clip from the movie, but I don’t have time. But this section finished with Celie in the back of Shug’s car, yelling to Albert…
"I'M POOR, BLACK, I MAY EVEN BE UGLY, BUT DEAR GOD, I’M HERE! I’M HERE!". As they drive away.
Interesting the patriarchal leadership of the church allowed Celie to be repressed, and subjected to terrible abuse, by ignoring what was going on. It was only the leadership and friendship of women, both inside and outside the church who did not fit the bill that led her to a God of inclusion and love. To see the gift she was.
I had forgotten what a moving and ultimately uplifting movie this is. I recommend you go and revisit it. For even Albert is redeemed to some extent, by the love and strength and courage of the women.
So where does that leave us today.
I feel the movie says so much about the journey of women, in a patriarchal society, and a patriarchal church, and the role other women have to help them see the God in them is the same as the God in each one of us. Whether we be black or white, male or female, rich or poor.
Today we need more Shugs, we need more Sophias, we need more Lydias, we need more Marys, and we need more Esthers to break us from our stupor. To rise up like Celie and walk out that door to a better life and world. A more inclusive loving world. For they teach us where the spirit of life and love is to be found.
And it is not in violence, discrimination and abuse. But in you and me who can change things by the way we live our lives. Sometimes what people do in church and what they do outside doesn’t seem to have much connection. Celia leaves behind the hypocritical message, the abuse and sets her sights on a God for everyone. That’s what we must do. A God and a Jesus that tells the world, all are worthy of being loved.
I am going to end this series of sermons with the final song from the musical “The Colour Purple”, which was made a few years ago. Called “I’m here” it will make you want to stand up and head out. And do something! There are clips of Oprah because it was sung at her honours night at the Kennedy centre. Whatever you think of Oprah she has had to overcome incredible discrimination herself. The words are on the sheet, because while the performance is amazing and I wanted to use this clip in particular the words may not be clear. (or just get the words from google if you need them).