Luke 12:49-56 (NRSV)
Jesus said, "I came to bring fire to the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! I have a baptism with which to be baptized, and what stress I am under until it is completed! Do you think that I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division! From now on five in one household will be divided, three against two and two against three; they will be divided:father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law."
He also said to the crowds, "When you see a cloud rising in the west, you immediately say, `It is going to rain'; and so it happens. And when you see the south wind blowing, you say, `There will be scorching heat'; and it happens. You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky, but why do you not know how to interpret the present time?"
Aside from maybe the story of Jesus and the Canaanite Woman, this is one place where Jesus appears to be a total contradiction from how we are suppose to think of him. Didn't the Prophet Isaiah say that the Messiah would be the "Prince of Peace" (Isaiah 9:6)? Yet, here is Jesus saying he did not come to bring peace. Is Jesus really being a jerk here? Or are we just not understanding what kind of peace Jesus actually does bring?
Out in Scripture by the Human Rights Campaign reminds us that the peace Jesus did bring for all humankind is "a peace with God." That peace with God does not come without it's consequences to our relationships with others. Where ever our individual peace with God may be, we have to admit God is really not the issue, it is the people that we share our life with. Ghandi was quoted as saying: "I love your Jesus, I don't like your Christians."
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered, questioning and queer people know first hand the difficulty of being at peace with ourselves and others around us. The issue of our sexual orientation and/or gender identity/expression has been known to cause a problem in one way or another with our parents, friends, families, church communities, etc. Look at all that the LGBTQ communities are going through to achieve marriage equality, the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell, and DOMA, or get an inclusive Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) passed. Transgendered folks have so much trouble just convincing the rest of the LGBQ communities that Transgendered issues and people should be accurately discussed and referred to. Our biggest adversaries are among people who call themselves followers of Jesus Christ. The relationship between the LGBTQ communities and conservative Christians is anything but peaceful. That very tension is found between family members who are part of conservative Christian churches, verses members of the family that are LGBTQ. Bible verses are thrown around like missiles. Social insults and put downs all in the name of a religious and political position. I know of one guy who has a sister who cannot understand why her brother and mom and dad just cannot get over the fact that they have a difference of opinion over what being gay is all about for her brother. What she does not understand is the anti-gay rhetoric coming from her mother and father towards their gay son is so personally violating, that forming a safe relationship between her mother, father and her brother just cannot happen under the present circumstances. It is much more than just a matter of opinions, it is a matter of respect to the point where this woman's brother can feel safe in a conversation with his mom and dad, without the fear of being spiritually, religiously and personally abused, and those "opinions" being justified for such violence.
For LGBTQ people that "peace with God" risks not being at peace with many people because we are open and honest about our sexual orientation and/or gender identity/expression. Even though the "signs of the times" have been changing to a much more acceptable environment for being LGBTQ, there are still many families, communities, churches that will not make room for people whose sexual orientation is anything except heterosexual. And there are lots of families, communities and churches that the idea of a transgendered individual just violates for them the meaning of being male or female. And because of heterosexism and gender issues, people cannot see beyond the sexual orientation and/or the gender identity/expression and see a woman or man created in the image and likeness of the Holy Trinity, and loved to the point of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ to redeem them so that they can live happy and holy lives, as LGBTQ people and nothing other than for those who are LGBTQ.
There is another kind of peace that LGBTQ people do not enjoy, and that is peace within the LGBTQ communities, for being people of faith. On one hand this is understandable, because of the spiritual and religious abuses that LGBTQ people experience from people associated with religion. I can imagine many LGBTQ people who might like to be part of the Episcopal Church, were just crushed by the Pentecost Letter written by Archbishop Rowan Williams, along with the actions that have been taken against members of the Episcopal Church on behalf of the Anglican Communion. However, what people do need to know is that the Archbishop of Canterbury may have the power to lower the Episcopal Church on the tier of the Anglican Communion, and even then he cannot do it by his own decision. The Archbishop of Canterbury has no jurisdiction over the Episcopal Church, only the General Convention has that power. Even still, there are lots of people who are LGBTQ who are part of very vibrant and wonderful religious and Christian communities including the Episcopal Church that welcome us warmly and are on our side. This business that LGBTQ people should not be involved in religion let alone share the news with people is foolish. LGBTQ people can be Christian and who they are. The religious discrimination that LGBTQ people experience from the LGBTQ communities is just as bad as what the LGBTQ communities experience from conservative Christians.
Out in Scripture offers some further thoughts about today's readings.
Our readings for this day remind us that there are some things worth dividing over. Indeed, Jesus reminds us in Luke 12:49-53 that a part of his mission is one of judgment and division. In the passage, Jesus borrows the image of fire (verse 49), itself a symbol of judgment, to make this point. This division can even enter into families where members will turn against each other. In a related passage, Jesus uses even stronger imagery.
“Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword” (Matthew 10:34). It is important to note that despite the strong imagery of these passages, Jesus never resorted to violence against others and he never encouraged his followers to resort to violence.
But this passage begs the question of why Jesus would want to use such violent imagery when he was peaceable. One reason is to remind us that a life as a follower of Christ will inevitably lead to conflict. Jesus is certainly the “Prince of Peace,” but that is far different from peace at any cost. The peace that Jesus sought to bring is first and foremost a peace with God. Such a peace will lead to peace among humanity, but we must remember the direction in which godly peace flows. It flows first from a life lived in communion and obedience to God and then outward to the world around us. What Jesus is reminding us is that such a peace is not always welcome and is often met with violent resistance. Jesus’ words are cautionary for those who take a life of discipleship too lightly.
To get a vivid picture of this we can look at Hebrews 11:29-12:2. The writer runs through a list of ancestors in faith. It should be noted that this is a difficult passage because some of the references are to incidents of violence and destruction. Even so, we also see in the list those who were tortured, imprisoned and killed for their faithfulness. Others “went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, persecuted, tormented.” The “world was not worthy” of these saints (verse 37). It is often difficult for us to relate to passages such as this because of the relative religious freedom we enjoy.
Even we in the LGBT community have remarkable freedom to worship as we see fit despite being cut off from larger faith communities. It is important for us to recognize that despite our difficulties, we have the ability to live our lives with a level of openness and security that many LGBT people in other parts of the world can’t even imagine. Even when denied many of the same rights our fellow citizens enjoy, there are LGBT people around the world who would accept the level of freedom we have without complaint.
The point is not to accept what we have, but to recognize that as we advocate for our equality we should not be surprised when we meet resistance. Our encounter with God affirms our full humanity and it is from that place that we must speak out. As we speak from this place, we will meet resistance from those unwilling to hear God’s voice as it relates to us. We also must not be so concerned with our own rights that we neglect to advocate for others around the world who live in fear and oppression. “Give justice to the weak and the orphan; maintain the right of the lowly and the destitute. Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked” (Psalm 82:3-4).
Almighty God, you have given your only Son to be for us a sacrifice for sin, and also an example of godly life: Give us grace to receive thankfully the fruits of his redeeming work, and to follow daily in the blessed steps of his most holy life; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. (Proper 15, Book of Common Prayer, Page 232).
God of justice,
we have communed with you
and heard the word of love:
We are known and accepted.
Empower us to live out our charge
to spread that word unashamedly and fearlessly.
Give us strength when we confront the reality
that spreading the word of your love and peace
does not always create a peaceable and loving reaction in those we speak to.
“Is not my word like fire, says God,
and like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces?” (Jeremiah 23:29).
Let us then
“lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely”
to run the path that Jesus and
our ancestors in faith have blazed before us.
So be it! Amen. (Prayerfully Out in Scripture).
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