Passion/Palm Sunday: A Story of Passion and Liberation

Holy Week and the events surrounding the passion, death and resurrection of Christ are in their own way a parallel story about life. Each part of the passion narrative presents something we can all identify with. Like all stories in the Bible the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem to prepare for the events that will lead to his death and resurrection, have a lot to say to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered people.

As I think of the story of Jesus entering Jerusalem with all of the people shouting to his welcome, I cannot help but be drawn to the reality that many of these same people shouted "Crucify him! Crucify him!" at his trial. What originally began as a wonderful reception, ended with betrayal and character assassination. The very essence of who Jesus was, was ridiculed and ordered to be put to death. This can mirror the experience of many LGBT people who attempt to come to the church seeking a sense of understanding of themselves. The very people that should welcome LGBT people and help them to seek out God's will as they are, sometimes play welcome only to try to change their sexual orientation and/or gender identity/expression. This is the experience of many LGBT people who might have mistakenly approached a Catholic and/or Protestant Evangelical experience. Those who give a warm welcome, do so with hidden motives that are destructive to someone who is LGBT.

The entire passion narrative in Luke chapters 22 and 23 have many important overtones in it. Out in Scripture for Passion/Palm Sunday offers some insights.

Chapters 22-23 of Luke comprise the gospel's passion narrative. The word "passion" comes from the Latin word meaning suffering. The story catalogues Jesus' suffering as the consequences for being faithful to his identity as God's agent. Jesus embodies a God-given commission that manifests David's rule in the midst of imperial power (Luke 1:32) and transforms societal structures and norms (Luke 4:18-19 and Isaiah 61). Compare these verses with Psalm 72 for an outline of a ruler's responsibilities to provide justice and resources for the poor and needy.

The Jerusalem elite, allies of Rome in exercising power to defend — not change — the status quo, want to kill this messenger, Jesus, with a different social vision (Luke 22:2, 52-54). Various followers abandon him and the struggle for a different world (22:3-6, 21, 24-27, 31-34, 47-50, 54-62). Jesus is beaten and verbally abused (22:63-71). The Roman governor sides with his Jerusalem allies and crucifies him (23:1-25).

This passion narrative holds within it the rich kernels of the revolutionary struggles of the colonized Jews against the powers of oppression exerted by Rome and their Jewish upper-class collaborators. The hopes of the marginalized for liberation get dashed not only in the lynching of the leader of the revolution but also in the telling of the story. The liberating and revolutionary story has been all too often reduced to an inner religious struggle devoid of its political overtones.

Out in Scripture offers a few reflective questions that we might apply to the commentary they provided.

When do our own struggles for liberation against oppressive policies and doctrines which crush people along lines of race, gender, sexuality, class, nationality, age and the like get perverted? When have we lost sight of the struggles by fighting each other and letting our stories be diverted into escapist religion highlighting "dreams" and ignoring the risky demands for justice?

Among the ideas that the above commentary offers is the idea that Jesus was crucified because of his faithfulness to his mission as Savior and Deliverer. The One who seeks to do justice faces the greatest oppression. Jesus is committed to justice for the marginalized of society. His love for the stigmatized will ultimately cost him his life. Yet, Jesus kept true to his work.

Sometimes in our work for LGBT equality it can be very difficult to keep a good focus on our work. The prejudice that LGBT people are subject to, can weaken us as we speak up for equal rights. Because working for LGBT equality is the right thing to do, we must keep to our task. Seeking justice for those of us who are looked upon as second class citizens is undeniably the right thing to do. Even if churches and political groups think we are wrong. Not seeking equal rights protection in the public policies in society and our churches is wrong.

I know I am very much in danger of contradicting myself from yesterday's blog when I said that the church should stay out of the civil struggle for marriage equality. The goal is to achieve the full inclusion of LGBT people within Society and the Church. We do that by incorporating justice and equality in every area of our lives.

Liturgical worship's aim is to show that what and how we worship integrates itself with every day life. Jesus brought the message of God's inclusive and extravagant love into all the world through his compassionate work for justice. Those of us who are LGBT and follow Jesus, need to follow his example. We may suffer much for being faithfulness, but in the end it is the right thing to do.

Almighty and ever living God, in your tender love for the human race you sent your Son our Savior Jesus Christ to take upon him our nature, and to suffer death upon the cross, giving us an example of his great humility: Mercifully grant that we may walk in the way of his suffering, and also share in his resurrection; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. (Collect for Sunday of the Passion: Palm Sunday, BCP, 219).