As we continue through the Month of November we continue to remember with fondness those whom we loved who went before us. My partner Jason and I enjoyed a wonderful celebration of the Faithful Departed this past Monday as we attended the Requiem Mass at St. Mark's Episcopal Cathedral. The news of someone's passing is always bad news. There is nothing that really prepares for us to hear that news and it often causes us pain and grief.
In today's Gospel story of the death of John the Baptist we see another story of bad news. King Herod gives over to the wishes of Herodias' daughter to have John the Baptist beheaded after she did her death dance on the occasion of his birthday. Herod was caught in self-entrapment for the promise he had made, and it was his reputation that was at stake if he did not follow through with his promise. Once again the evil of political corruption takes the life of someone who had done the will of God.
During this time of remembering all souls, perhaps we can pray for the soldiers who died in wars that took place because of industrial and political greed. We can also pray for all of the innocent civilian people who every day in Pakistan pay the price for those who cannot act fast enough to resolve their differences. We can and should remember the LGBT individuals in middle-eastern and Arabic nations who are hung just because they were in love with someone of the same sex. If the unjust law of Uganda is made, we will have to pray for many more souls that will pay the price of their lives due to their same-sex love.
There are lots of people in our world dying for having done the right thing. People in poor nations where there is not enough food, water, medicine. Right here in our own United States it is estimated that over 40,000 American's will die because they do not have medical coverage to take care of their medical needs. Yet, we as people do not grieve over the injustices that take place in our land. We accept these activities and sit back while injustices are allowed to take place, often through the use of our tax dollars.
For every people who die due to injustice, those who rise and work to do something about the issues that caused people to die give honor to those who died. Judy Shepard made sure that her son's death was not in vain by working all of those years to the date when President Obama signed the hate crimes bill into law. Judy Shepard continues to work hard on behalf of LGBT individuals calling societies to justice and equality for all. Out of her grief and because of her courage others will know the justice that her son did not experience.
John the Baptist through his work of preparing for the coming of the Messiah made the world a better place. Jesus honored him by saying that there was no man born of woman greater than John the Baptist. Jesus recognized in John his desire to do the will of God. While the events that led to his death can never be justified, Jesus still recognized the energy that John the Baptist brought to the cause of calling people to recognize their rejection of God, through the rejection of those marginalized by society.
One person who's life and death I think is truly heroic is Harvey Milk. He dedicated his entire life to giving hope to LGBT individuals where no one would. Even in the face of the injustices of Anita Bryant, Harvey Milk still did not give in, but sought to do all he could to give hope to people who were hopeless. His inspiration can still be seen in activists like Cleve Jones who was one of the co-chairs for the Equality March in Washington, DC on October 11th of this year. When the work of a slain individual is carried on by others, that means the spirit of the individual is living and active, and their death is not in vain.
Who can we remember today as someone who has passed on who inspires us? How can we carry on the causes of those who have died? In what ways can we keep their memory alive?
Eternal rest grand unto them, O Lord. Let perpetual light shine upon them. May all the souls of the faithful departed rest in peace. Amen.
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