Based on Matthew 12: 1-14.
Every one of us from the moment we are born are swept into a tradition. The traditions of our parents are imparted to us. The things that make our parents who they are become part of us in one fashion or another. As we develop into our adolescent stage of life, suddenly we develop into new traditions and that is often when the clash between parents and children start. No longer are children satisfied with the traditions they may have been given, now they want to develop into something and someone new. Parents reluctant to see the innocence of their children grow into adulthood will place even more obstacles in the way of their young people. The arguments that can come at a times like these can result in the child distancing themselves from their parents, who distance themselves from their child. All of this is confusing enough. The adolescent is scared, yet insistent on being their own person, but, they are not old enough to know what their parents know, while their parents are only familiar with their own history. As traditions change, so do people. As people are presented with the idea of change, they can become stubborn and resistant, insisting on how much better the old way was and how the new way is just not such a good idea.
Jesus was born into a tradition. It was a tradition that was also heavily governed by oppression. The people of Jesus' time had their laws handed down to them from Moses, interpreted and translated by the religious leaders of their age. They had all become very accustomed to those laws. Their entire week was centered around their sabbath, the day of worship. And so, to see this tradition appearing to be so disregarded for the Pharisees was too much of a scandal for them. They were so wound up in their tradition and not for the sole purpose of keeping it, but seeing how they could use it against Jesus and his followers. So, as Jesus responds to them, he is concerned with what is in their hearts and even though they are very much against him, Jesus being God's perfect revelation still chooses to love them.
And so the issue that is being brought to us, is not so much keeping our time for worship set aside, but what it is that we bring to God when we worship God. If our worship of God is for our sole purpose is not for the purpose of our soul, then why are we there? We come to God bringing our brokenness, our pain, our prayers and our needs. But what about the needs of others? The marginalized? Those left out by society and the church? What about others who are broken, poor, in need and feeling lonely or oppressed? Okay, we bring them to God in prayer which is absolutely wonderful. But, what about our heartfelt concern and a desire to be God's hands, feet and heart? What about our attitudes towards people of color, women, homosexuals, bisexuals and transgendered people? During the days since the election of our President Barack Obama there have even been preachers bringing to their churches worship, the prayer that he be killed. Is that really an appropriate thing to bring to the house of God?
I have been writing the past few days about this wonderful book I am reading by Bishop Gene Robinson. Because at last a Bishop in the Church is actually talking some common sense. He is a man who has experienced first hand prejudice from many leaders and individuals within the Anglican tradition. Yet, in 2003 at the General Convention of the Episcopal Church in Minneapolis, Gene Robinson was elected Bishop of New Hampshire. When the man was finally ordained, Gene Robinson had to wear a bullet proof vest because of the death threats against him. In the midst of unbelievable odds, Gene Robinson continues to be an inspiration and example of Christian love as he lives his life with his partner Mark, and as Bishop of New Hampshire. In his book: "In the Eye of the Storm: Swept to the Center by God" Gene Robinson remains unashamedly Christian, absolutely in love with Jesus Christ and the Church that he serves. Yet, despite his devotion and love, people email him death threats and requests for his resignation, saying that because he is not of their tradition, he is not worthy to be a Bishop.
In his book, Bishop Robinson writes: "Today, in the midst of a struggle between those who suggest that we change the "tradition" of a particular understanding of scripture and those who resist such a revision, it's instructive to note how many times within our two-thousand-year tradition--always with confusion and pain--the church has changed it's understandings." (Page 57).
"Marriage, for the first millennium, was seen as a legal arrangement, blessed by the church to provide for the proper, peaceful, and orderly transfer of property: of the woman (or sometimes, young girl) from one man, the father, to another, the husband; and of land and property to those who deserved them by virtue of marriage and legitimacy. Since such concerns were relevant only to those who owned any property to be transferred, marriage was regarded as unnecessary for ordinary people. That changed in the Middle Ages, and a fuller understanding of the sacrament of Matrimony developed; today marriage is understood as a sacrament open to and commended to all heterosexuals. And the notion of marriage-for-love is a concept that appeared only in modern times." (Page 57).
As we continue to work through the issue of marriage equality for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgendered people it is important to move our understanding of sex and love from being just about procreation, to also be about integration. The idea of sex, love and marriage being only about procreation, while it is noble and a very important vocation, is not the call for everyone. Furthermore, love between two people, whether heterosexual or homosexual in a committed monogamous relationship is about connecting our love for each other, with the unconditional love of God. It is about making ourselves vulnerable so that we can be loved, and have a glimpse of God's immense love for all of us. But because our understanding of love and sexuality is so broken due to sin, we can only understand love according to the shaping of traditions that have been handed down to us. The challenge of same-sex marriage in our time, is to move even heterosexual love out of the tradition of property and propriety and become what it is meant to be, the expression of love for all of us, by the Triune God who made God's self vulnerable in giving human kind free will, and coming to us in the perfect revelation of Jesus Christ. If we could only begin to understand that, then leaving our traditional understanding of homosexuality as well as sexuality as an entire subject, imagine what we would be bringing to God in our worship?
We would understand that the God we come to worship is not just about getting all we can get out of God, but actually coming in to contact with the Presence of God in the Eucharist. We would actually let the Presence of Christ in the Eucharist change our hearts and minds and open us up to the power of the Divine in our lives. We would integrate races, classes, women and men, heterosexual, homosexual, bisexual, transgendered, challenged and all kinds into our lives, homes, churches and political environments. The walls of prejudice would finally be breaking down, and whole societies would experience conversion. Imagine what our worship of God would be like in that kind of world.
"Almighty and eternal God, so draw our hearts to you, so guide our minds, so fill our imaginations, so control our wills, that we may be wholly yours, utterly dedicated to you; and then use us, we pray to you, as you will, and always to the glory and the welfare of your people; through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen." (Prayer of Self-Dedication, Book of Common Prayer, Page 833).
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