Scriptural Basis
Matthew 25:14-30 (NRSV)
Blog Reflection
The Gospel for today has an either/or feeling to it for me. Either I am very happy for those who were successful with the ten or five talents, or I am feeling very sorry for the the poor guy who had only the one and was punished. The tendency to interpret God as a psychopath from this parable is not a difficult place to arrive. The master who is suppose to represent God sounds like the mighty investor on Wall Street who fires the one who did not invest.
Canon Richard Norman, Jr who preached at St. Mark's Episcopal Cathedral today, pointed out an important word change from the Revised Standard Version to the New Revised Standard Version of this particular Parable. The word for "trustworthy" in the NRSV use to be the word "faithful" in the RSV. I would have to add to that with my concern over the word "slave" in the NRSV vs the word "servant" in the RSV. These word clarifications may just be words to some, but to me they say something about what we are reading vs what we are interpreting.
If we understand the slave to be such as was well known in the culture of the time that these texts would have been written. The ownership of slaves was very common. However, in our own culture when we understand the slave as a servant it suggests that those given something so that they could do something with it have a responsibility out of love for their master. In a way, we can understand the fear of the slave with the one talent in the NRSV better than the fear of the servant with the one talent in the RSV. But, when we think of those who have been given something from their masters so that they may be faithful with their talents, it does put a bit of a different meaning to what they were suppose to do. We can easily look at the word trustworthy as being related to actual money. Where as to be faithful is related to doing the right thing out of concern for not only oneself, but for the master and those who will be helped by the master with our faithfulness in what the master has asked of us.
The point of this parable is that God gives all of us something to put to use for the benefit of others so as to bring glory and honor to God. We get what we have from God. We do not always get what we want. What we do get from God is a gift and must be used for the purpose for which it was given. Whatever that gift may be, God calls on us to use it for what it is and to make the best of it for the sake of those who can benefit most from it. This does not mean that we will be given gifts that others will be able to appreciate and respect them as they are, and not suspect otherwise. In fact, it does mean that if we don't put what we have as it is out there and use it, it will only be returned without having done anything meaningful with the gift God gives us.
The point I have been making is why I must protest without apology to the idea of ex-gay and/or reparative or conversion therapy for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning and/or queer people. Sexual orientation and/or gender identity/expression are given to such individuals by God to use them as they are for the benefit of those they love, and to work for justice, equality and inclusion. Diversity in all the various forms and shapes it takes is given to the individuals and the communities, to invest and enrich our cultures and communities with wonderful, holy and God ordained accomplishments. The efforts of anti-gay groups to cause devoted women and men to change what is most essential and authentic with in them, can only serve to be egregiously destructive not only to LGBTQ people ourselves, but also to the communities that we live and serve.
To work for efforts to ban marriage equality through constitutional amendments such as what has taken place in 30 States, and now campaign efforts underway in Minnesota, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina is to attempt to throw the beauty of diverse sexual orientations and/or gender identities/expressions in the face of God. All with disastrous results on individuals, families, children and whole communities.
The efforts of many individuals to create laws that target Muslims and immigrants to be profiled and in prisoned for offenses that are prejudicial entrapment at best does not serve to better society in any way.
The movement that allows the wealthiest among us to oppress and suppress the 99% with laws, taxes. the loss of important benefits, employment and the necessities of life is an injustice towards humanity. Such is why I support the Occupy movements all over the world.
Yesterday, the Diocese of Washington, DC got a new Bishop Mariann Budde. She was consecrated and ordained yesterday and seated at the National Cathedral today. In one of two Washington Post articles, Bishop Budde said the following.
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning and queer people are given the great gift of our diversity. Our sexual love for our partners, the way we love other people emotionally and even platonically are all part of God's great talented gift to us and the world. It is right that we use them to call for justice, equality and inclusion. We are totally blessed with opportunities to speak up against injustice and oppression. We are also blessed with our own unique stories by which we can help other people understand why the inclusion of LGBTQ people and others marginalized by the Church and society must be allowed to advance toward equality. If we do not use the only gift we have, as it is, to invest in a brighter future for LGBTQ people and many others still oppressed, we will have no one to blame for the failures, but ourselves. Anti-equality groups can spout all the false information they want. Let them bear the false witness. The responsibility for that is theirs. Our responsibility is to make the best of what we have and to be faithful to the One who made us as we are, so that young women and men can come out and become part of the efforts to help change the world for the better.
May God find all of us to be faithful with what God has given us, because we made the best of it.
Prayers
Matthew 25:14-30 (NRSV)
Jesus said, "For it is as if a man, going on a journey, summoned his slaves and entrusted his property to them; to one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. The one who had received the five talents went off at once and traded with them, and made five more talents. In the same way, the one who had the two talents made two more talents. But the one who had received the one talent went off and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money. After a long time the master of those slaves came and settled accounts with them. Then the one who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five more talents, saying, `Master, you handed over to me five talents; see, I have made five more talents.' His master said to him, `Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.' And the one with the two talents also came forward, saying, `Master, you handed over to me two talents; see, I have made two more talents.' His master said to him, `Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.' Then the one who had received the one talent also came forward, saying, `Master, I knew that you were a harsh man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not scatter seed; so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.' But his master replied, `You wicked and lazy slave! You knew, did you, that I reap where I did not sow, and gather where I did not scatter? Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and on my return I would have received what was my own with interest. So take the talent from him, and give it to the one with the ten talents. For to all those who have, more will be given, and they will have an abundance; but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away. As for this worthless slave, throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.' "
Blog Reflection
The Gospel for today has an either/or feeling to it for me. Either I am very happy for those who were successful with the ten or five talents, or I am feeling very sorry for the the poor guy who had only the one and was punished. The tendency to interpret God as a psychopath from this parable is not a difficult place to arrive. The master who is suppose to represent God sounds like the mighty investor on Wall Street who fires the one who did not invest.
Canon Richard Norman, Jr who preached at St. Mark's Episcopal Cathedral today, pointed out an important word change from the Revised Standard Version to the New Revised Standard Version of this particular Parable. The word for "trustworthy" in the NRSV use to be the word "faithful" in the RSV. I would have to add to that with my concern over the word "slave" in the NRSV vs the word "servant" in the RSV. These word clarifications may just be words to some, but to me they say something about what we are reading vs what we are interpreting.
If we understand the slave to be such as was well known in the culture of the time that these texts would have been written. The ownership of slaves was very common. However, in our own culture when we understand the slave as a servant it suggests that those given something so that they could do something with it have a responsibility out of love for their master. In a way, we can understand the fear of the slave with the one talent in the NRSV better than the fear of the servant with the one talent in the RSV. But, when we think of those who have been given something from their masters so that they may be faithful with their talents, it does put a bit of a different meaning to what they were suppose to do. We can easily look at the word trustworthy as being related to actual money. Where as to be faithful is related to doing the right thing out of concern for not only oneself, but for the master and those who will be helped by the master with our faithfulness in what the master has asked of us.
The point of this parable is that God gives all of us something to put to use for the benefit of others so as to bring glory and honor to God. We get what we have from God. We do not always get what we want. What we do get from God is a gift and must be used for the purpose for which it was given. Whatever that gift may be, God calls on us to use it for what it is and to make the best of it for the sake of those who can benefit most from it. This does not mean that we will be given gifts that others will be able to appreciate and respect them as they are, and not suspect otherwise. In fact, it does mean that if we don't put what we have as it is out there and use it, it will only be returned without having done anything meaningful with the gift God gives us.
The point I have been making is why I must protest without apology to the idea of ex-gay and/or reparative or conversion therapy for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning and/or queer people. Sexual orientation and/or gender identity/expression are given to such individuals by God to use them as they are for the benefit of those they love, and to work for justice, equality and inclusion. Diversity in all the various forms and shapes it takes is given to the individuals and the communities, to invest and enrich our cultures and communities with wonderful, holy and God ordained accomplishments. The efforts of anti-gay groups to cause devoted women and men to change what is most essential and authentic with in them, can only serve to be egregiously destructive not only to LGBTQ people ourselves, but also to the communities that we live and serve.
To work for efforts to ban marriage equality through constitutional amendments such as what has taken place in 30 States, and now campaign efforts underway in Minnesota, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina is to attempt to throw the beauty of diverse sexual orientations and/or gender identities/expressions in the face of God. All with disastrous results on individuals, families, children and whole communities.
The efforts of many individuals to create laws that target Muslims and immigrants to be profiled and in prisoned for offenses that are prejudicial entrapment at best does not serve to better society in any way.
The movement that allows the wealthiest among us to oppress and suppress the 99% with laws, taxes. the loss of important benefits, employment and the necessities of life is an injustice towards humanity. Such is why I support the Occupy movements all over the world.
Yesterday, the Diocese of Washington, DC got a new Bishop Mariann Budde. She was consecrated and ordained yesterday and seated at the National Cathedral today. In one of two Washington Post articles, Bishop Budde said the following.
“I want to build up the liberal church again so we can be a legitimate conversation partner in the public arena, because right now it’s dominated by . . . what many would call the Christian right,” Budde said this week at the diocese’s offices. “It’s legitimate for them to be there, but they’re drowning us out. They’re better at organizing churches than we are, and I’m going to change that!”" (The Lead).
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning and queer people are given the great gift of our diversity. Our sexual love for our partners, the way we love other people emotionally and even platonically are all part of God's great talented gift to us and the world. It is right that we use them to call for justice, equality and inclusion. We are totally blessed with opportunities to speak up against injustice and oppression. We are also blessed with our own unique stories by which we can help other people understand why the inclusion of LGBTQ people and others marginalized by the Church and society must be allowed to advance toward equality. If we do not use the only gift we have, as it is, to invest in a brighter future for LGBTQ people and many others still oppressed, we will have no one to blame for the failures, but ourselves. Anti-equality groups can spout all the false information they want. Let them bear the false witness. The responsibility for that is theirs. Our responsibility is to make the best of what we have and to be faithful to the One who made us as we are, so that young women and men can come out and become part of the efforts to help change the world for the better.
May God find all of us to be faithful with what God has given us, because we made the best of it.
Prayers
Blessed Lord, who caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning: Grant us so to hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life, which you have given us in our Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. (Book of Common Prayer, page 236).
Look with pity, O heavenly Father, upon the people in this land who live with injustice, terror, disease, and death as their constant companions. Have mercy upon us. Help us to eliminate our cruelty to these our neighbors. Strengthen those who spend their lives establishing equal protection of the law and equal opportunities for all. And grant that every one of us may enjoy a fair portion of the riches of this land; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (Book of Common Prayer, page 8226).
Lord, make us instruments of your peace. Where there is hatred, let us sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is discord, union; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy. Grant that we may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen. (Book of Common Prayer, page 833).
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