I will sprinkle clean water upon you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. A new heart I will give you, and a new spirit I will put within you; and I will remove from your body the heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. I will put my spirit within you, and make you follow my statutes and be careful to observe my ordinances.
Here we are the day before Pentecost. There is a messy oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico with corporations and governments pointing fingers at each other as to who is to blame or who will take responsibility. A gay couple in Malawi has been put in prison with hard labor for 14 years because they announced that they are engaged. Kentucky Republican Senate Candidate Rand Paul has been dodging questions about whether or not he opposes the Civil Rights Act and might be interested in repealing some of that. Those who practice Biblical literalism are continuing to wage their war against the equal rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered people. The State of Arizona continues to exercise the sin of Sodom and Gomorrah by not showing hospitality to immigrants and allowing racial profiling. This world is in need of the Holy Spirit to come and give us all new hearts of compassion and understanding for our neighbors and those in need.
While he was saying these things to them, suddenly a leader of the synagogue came in and knelt before him, saying, "My daughter has just died; but come and lay your hand on her, and she will live." And Jesus got up and followed him, with his disciples. Then suddenly a woman who had been suffering from hemorrhages for twelve years came up behind him and touched the fringe of his cloak, for she said to herself, "If I only touch his cloak, I will be made well." Jesus turned, and seeing her he said, "Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well." And instantly the woman was made well. When Jesus came to the leader's house and saw the flute players and the crowd making a commotion, he said, "Go away; for the girl is not dead but sleeping." And they laughed at him. But when the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took her by the hand, and the girl got up. And the report of this spread throughout that district. (Matthew 9: 18-26)
In the Gospel reading for today, Jesus shows us a different heart. A heart that is literally infused with love for God and neighbor. Notice who comes and asks Jesus to lay his hand on his daughter. A leader from the local synagogue. Jesus could have responded "no", after all it was mostly the religious establishment of his time that was rejecting him. Jesus does not do that, he goes to raise his daughter from the dead. In the process a woman comes forward just to touch his garment, and because of her faith, she was made well. These events show what happens when we allow the Holy Spirit to move in our hearts and go beyond the social status quo and become a voice and a helping hand for those who are marginalized. When we are willing to allow the Holy Spirit to change our hearts, healing between social classes can happen and others can experience the redeeming power of Jesus Christ in their lives.
Today we are celebrating for the first time the birthday of the gay civil rights leader Harvey Milk. He was an individual who was marginalized by society because he was gay, and he saw other LGBT people like himself experiencing discrimination. However, unlike most of us who sit around waiting for someone else to do something, Harvey Milk decided to be that someone who would make a difference. He became a symbol of hope for so many other LGBT people in ways that are still being experienced today. Sometimes the Holy Spirit implants new hearts into our lives, by someone else's hard work. All it takes is one person stepping forward who begins a movement and suddenly others are becoming part of the work of liberation.
That change of society and the Church needs to keep going. Now we are seeing hetero-sexism and horrible homophobia in Africa and many other places, partially transported there by fundamentalists here in the United States. I want to invite those who read my blog to sign the Uganda Declaration. This declaration speaks out against the couple that has been put in prison in Malawi as well as Uganda's "Kill the Gays" bill. There has been mixed news about the Uganda bill. Some say it has been stopped, others say it is going to be going in to the HIV transmission legislation. Basically it would give the Government the power to put in prison or execute someone who transmits HIV through homosexuality. In many African countries, Lesbian women are raped as a way to try to "change" them into heterosexual women. These rapes are considered allowable by many governments. Clearly our world, our society and the Church needs a new Spirit, with a message of compassion and inclusion.
Holy Spirit, please come and change the hearts and minds of our world and Church to better reflect the love, mercy and inclusive love of God in Jesus Christ. Amen.
O God, the King of glory, you have exalted your only Son Jesus Christ with great triumph to your kingdom in heaven: Do not leave us comfortless, but send us your Holy Spirit to strengthen us, and exalt us to that place where our Savior Christ has gone before; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen. (Collect for the Seventh Sunday of Easter; The Sunday after Ascension Day, Book of Common Prayer, Page 226)
O God, you made us in your own image and redeemed us through Jesus your Son: Look with compassion on the whole human family; take away the arrogance and hatred which infect our hearts; break down the walls that separate us; unite us in bonds of love; and work through our struggle and confusion to accomplish your purposes on earth; that, in your good time, all nations and races may serve you in harmony around your heavenly throne; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (Prayer for the Human Family, Book of Common Prayer, Page 815).
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