Mary, Martha and Lazarus were three of Jesus' closest friends. While we do not exactly know when or how that friendship started, we do know that it was a friendship that was based on a lot of trust, love and interest in how each could best serve the other. Based on another Gospel account of Mary and Martha Luke 10: 38- 42 which we heard not two Sunday's ago, hospitality and contemplative prayer were hallmarks of the relationship that existed.
There are several observations we can make to incorporate this commemoration into our own spiritual journey's and the work of LGBTQ people towards full inclusion in society and the Church. It is apparent from the Gospel accounts of the relationship between Jesus, Mary, Martha and Lazarus that friendship is a necessity. Friendships that are based on mutual hospitality, genuine love, affection and an openness to each person with in the friendship are very important to our lives of faith and work for equal justice.
One of the texts for today's commemoration is one that appeared in the Daily Office only last week. Romans 12: 9-13.
Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honor. Do not lag in zeal, be ardent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints; extend hospitality to strangers.
The connection of the message of the Gospel to radical hospitality cannot be overstated. If the Church is to be genuine then hospitality to receiving everyone must be at the core of our mission. Receiving one another in hospitality does not include receiving people into the worship and active lives of our church communities only if they comply with our understanding of who and what they should be. This includes those communities that attempt to welcome lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered, questioning/queer individuals and families on the condition that they either change their sexual orientation and/or gender expression/identity, or they break up a loving committed relationship, and/or agree to attend an ex-gay ministry. There are many church communities to this day that will require that of the new incoming church organist or religious education director. There are some that will require something like that of someone who wishes to be on the Parish finance council or education board. This is not being hospitable, it is not even a Christian manner of behavior. Asking someone to suddenly lie about who they are, who they love and how they love other people is wrong. Notice in the hospitality between Jesus, Mary, Martha and Lazarus, Jesus did not require the women to suddenly be like men or Lazarus to be alive in order to be raised from death. Jesus changed their lives by accepting who they were and being friends with who they were, he did not require them to change, only to love as they were.
If friendship among Christians is to be authentic (ie. genuine) then we do need to understand that in many cultures there is a difference between a friendship and an acquaintance. In the British/English culture to call someone you just met a "friend" as we do here in the United States is actually an insult. An acquaintance is someone you might get together with for a cup of coffee and/or a periodic study hall, but that does not make her or him necessarily a friend. A friend on the other hand is more than an acquaintance. We may get together with a friend on an acquaintance like basis, but usually it is to share something much deeper than the cup of coffee. It is to engage in a relationship that knows a trusting confidence and a mutual sense of respect and acceptance that cannot be matched by a mere acquaintance. When Jesus in the Gospel of John refers to his followers as his "friends" it is because they know him as more than an acquaintance. The followers of Jesus know that there is such an acceptance of us by God that there is no separation, and no situation where God will not be available to God's followers. And because God has made friendship with us through Christ, we follow the commandments of God not because we have to, to avoid hell, but because we would not want to damage that friendship with God that has been established with us through the Person of Jesus Christ. What is the basics of the commandments of God? Loving God, our neighbors and ourselves. The friendship that existed between Martha, Mary, Lazarus and Jesus was one that fulfilled the commandments of God in their relationship to God and each other.
If one of those commandments which is to love our neighbor than all of this bearing false witness to the LGBTQ communities must be understood for what it is, an unacceptable amount of spiritual violence. Saying that LGBTQ people can not and should not seek marriage equality, full sacramental equality, freedom from violence and political, social and religious oppression within the Church because of erroneous interpretations of Leviticus 20:13, Romans 1: 26 and 27, 1 Corinthians 6:9 and 1 Timothy 1: 10 must be understood as bearing false witness against LGBTQ people. Love is not genuine when seeking to destroy a group of people because of our own prejudices based on false information. Such was the case when a so called follower of Christ called Judy Shepard a liar at a public meeting and/or book signing for saying that her son was killed because he was gay.
Genuine Christian friendship is based on radical hospitality and an appreciation and acceptance of diversity, and a personal commitment to working toward reconciliation and healing. It is such a terrible thing that our conservative Christian sisters and brothers spend so much energy on the destruction of LGBT people, because those of us who are more progressive and liberal need the fiery devotion to the true message of Scripture that conservatives claim to cling to. The Bible really is not a weapon of mass destruction. I know all about Paul's letter to the Ephesians chapter 6 vs 17 where Paul talks about the "sword of the Spirit which is the word of God." That "sword of the Spirit" assumes that we use the Bible first and foremost to promote the love of God, neighbor and self. Conservative Christians often use the Bible as a destructive weapon at the expense of a faith guide to building relationships of love for God, others and self. That sword of the Spirit is suppose to lead to a healing and reconciling love, not the sword that does destruction to all kinds of people that are based on a criteria that does not exist. The "sword of the Spirit" is not suppose to be used to massacre women, minorities, LGBTQ, Native American Indians and so forth. The "sword of the Spirit" is to "Let love be genuine, hate what is evil and cling to what is good." Racism, sexism, heterosexism (that leads to homophobia), class discrimination and the physical, political and spiritual violence done to such people are evil. Those are things that Christians should be working together to eliminate. Clinging to what is good includes loving, committed same sex relationships that seek the common good of the people in the relationship as they share the wonder of their love with the world through their devotion to each other. That kind of love is life-giving and it creates a healthy community of love.
The friendship between Jesus, Martha, Mary and Lazarus is an inspiration to all of us to seek friendship through hospitality and an appreciation for the diversity that makes each person who they are. God made all of us social beings for a very good reason. We need each other to help make the world a better place for the reign of God. How are our relationships and friendships performing their roles of making the Church and the world a more loving existence for God's reign?
Generous God, whose Son Jesus Christ enjoyed the friendship and hospitality of Mary, Martha and Lazarus of Bethany: Open our hearts to love you, our ears to hear you, and our hands to welcome and serve you in others, through Jesus Christ our risen Lord; who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. (Collect for Mary, Martha, [and Lazarus] of Bethany, Holy Women, Holy Men, Celebrating the Saints, Page 493).
O God, the protector of all who trust in you, without whom nothing is strong, nothing is holy: Increase and multiply upon us your mercy; that, with you as our ruler and guide, we may so pass through things temporal, that we lose not the things eternal; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. (Proper 12, Book of Common Prayer, Page 231).
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