The Scripture readings for this time of the year become very dark. They are full of apocalyptic language. The readings start speaking of the end times. They speak of a world falling apart and destruction of what we've always known. The readings can be very frightening. For this reason, we need to be very attentive to what Jesus is saying to us, but be very careful about not taking what is said in the Scriptures too literally.
Ever since I became interested in the Christian religion, I have noticed how there is always some preacher who gives a fear driven sermon about the end times and how people better get themselves right with God. When I was a student at Eastern Nazarene College we had two yearly weeks of revival meetings. Each of those weeks always seem to end with one fire, hell and brimstone sermon about the end times. The young students would come to the prayer altar in record numbers crying for their life for all the guilt that had been poured into their hearts. I do not believe that this is the apocalyptic message that Jesus Christ wants his follower to absorb. It again is the Bible very poorly translated and used as a weapon in inappropriate ways.
Given all that is happening in the world with the wars in Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, the rise of nuclear weapons in Iran, the massive shooting at Fort Hood, Texas and the awful debate over health care our planet is a very scary place. Things sound exactly like what Jesus is talking about in today's Gospel of Mark 13:1-8. We can become discouraged by what we are seeing around us. My partner Jason and I just participated in an equality march for LGBT rights in Minneapolis today. And as we were marching down Washington Ave a man in a car pulled over and waived his Bible at us. The attitude that came from the man was one of condemnation and discrimination.
Among the things I think we need to do while we are facing such difficulties in our day in age is to never take our eyes and minds off of Jesus Christ. The old hymn "Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus" with it's wonderful refrain says so beautifully: "Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look into his wonderful face. And the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of God's glory and grace." This hymn tells us to look away from the things on earth and see the face of Jesus in every person, in every situation and through every difficulty and tragedy we experience. Turning our eyes upon Jesus is not just for some act of Spiritual comfort though that is good, but to help us see how Jesus is calling us to a conversion of heart and action. In the light of God's grace we can learn to see people of different religions, races, nationalities, sexual orientations and/or gender expressions/identities, challenges as people whom God has created and loves. Even that situation that feels like the world is just falling apart in our face is a situation that God can reach into with God's grace and power in the Holy Spirit and help us to find peace.
All too often the apocalyptic Scriptures have been used to converthomosexuals. Preachers love to use such opportunities to tell lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered people that our sexual and romantic lives are dirty, an abomination and outside of God's grace. The campaign against Marriage Equality in the great State of Maine just used the apocalyptic Scriptures to scare entire groups of people into taking away the civil rights of LGBT people to legally marry. The campaign of fear and ignorance gained momentum and the real campaign of equality, freedom and the Gospel of Jesus Christ took the back seat. Just this past week the Catholic Archdiocese of Washington DC bullied the City Council into saying that they are going to discontinue services to the poor and homeless if the City passes their same-sex marriage law. Using the Scriptures and the morals of certain Religious organizations to bully and manipulate is just not what the Gospel of Jesus Christ is about.
As the Church year comes to it's close, I think we have to ask ourselves about our relationship with God. I also think we have to ask ourselves about our relationships with all of God's people. If we are content with allowing ourselves to marginalize and stigmatize any person or group of people and leave them outside of the doors of the Church either in ministry, leadership or just in need of help, then I think we have to ask ourselves, what are we in fact doing as Christians? When we hear of Christian fathers chastising their gay children with what the Bible says, we need to ask what are Christians learning in their churches anyway? Are they really learning charity, faith and belief in a God of unconditional love?
When the Church and the world seeks to destroy our own peace through violence, destructive and abusive spirituality, weapons of mass destruction we need to come back to Jesus and spend some time asking him to embrace us with his unconditional and all encompassing love. Jesus invites us to embrace ourselves and others so that we may find peace in the midst of a world that is just looking to destroy our peace. God's peace is offered to everyone and anyone. It is not limited by the attitudes of preachers, Bishops or politicians. God's love and peace is there no matter who might try to take it from us.
Eternal God, in whose perfect kingdom no sword is drawn but the sword of righteousness, no strength known but the strength of love: So mightily spread abroad your Spirit, that all peoples may be gathered under the banner of the Prince of Peace, as children of one God; to whom be dominion and glory, now and forever. Amen. (Book of Common Prayer, #4 For Peace, Page 815).War
No comments:
Post a Comment