"Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the road is easy that leads to destruction, and there are many who take it. For the gate is narrow and the road is hard that leads to life, and there are few who find it. "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thorns, or figs from thistles? In the same way, every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will know them by their fruits. "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven."
A few years ago I worked at a place where there were a few Protestant Evangelical pastors employed there. The car I was driving at the time was well decorated with my rainbow bumper stickers. So it was no surprise that although they were not hired by the employer to preach, they were known to proselytize on the job. Given that I was at least one known gay employee they spared no expense to throw Biblical thoughts my way. One preacher asked me how life was, and I replied, life was just fine. And the preacher responded to me: "Always stay on the STRAIGHT and NARROW." It was then that I realized when right wing Christians use the phrase "STRAIGHTEN OUT and FLY RIGHT" they literally mean just that.
The call of Jesus in the Gospel can be interpreted to mean that only those who choose the narrow way of being straight, and right wing conservative have any chance of being saved. However, I think the last verse of this Gospel clearly warns that not everyone who calls Jesus, "Lord" will enter the kingdom of God. That being said, this Gospel is not so much about the narrow way, as it is about reminding us that we are known by the fruit that we bear. If we bear the fruit of exclusion, by failing to love then the fruit we bear will be known for what we did or did not do. Just because we have been Baptized and attend Sunday Eucharist does not mean it is all said and done. The Christian life is one of active living, compassion and understanding for those who are on the margins of society and the Church.
The battle over immigration reform and equal rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered people continues. It is very interesting to me that an alliance known as the Tea Party has been formed of ultra-conservative Christians who are determined to make and remake this country into a nation of white, straight, conservative Christian people. The same Tea Party encourages violence, intimidation, discrimination and hate rhetoric of every kind all for the purpose of trying to take God's ground (as in the United States of America) back to a "Christian" way of existence. I could name the large number of Christian denominations that support this kind of thing, but in reality that really is not a worth while effort. I do find it appalling that people who call themselves Christians thinks that a political agenda that includes violence, intimidation, discrimination and hate rhetoric of every kind would even be considered "blessed" by our God who is about unconditional and all inclusive love. If the tree is known by it's fruit, then the Tea Party's leaves are full of poison and they need to be called out for what they are doing.
On the complete opposite side of the spectrum today is an opportunity to talk about the positive fruit that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered people offer society and the Church. We are people who love in a wonderful and unique way. We love people of the same sex, or both sexes and we cherish the idea that gender identity/expression can be very diverse and still be just amazingly wonderful. We embrace all love as good love. We absolutely love the idea that heterosexual people get married and have children. We have the utmost respect for everyone, even if that respect is not always returned. Those of us who have been fortunate to find love in our lives, care so much about the person we want to spend the rest of our lives with, that we want you to help us achieve marriage equality. We love our Country so much we want you to help us repeal the law that says the we cannot serve openly in the military. We want to work so much that we want your help to pass the inclusive Employment Non-Discrimination Act. By inclusive we mean the rights should extend to transgendered people and that they are not looking to use public restrooms so that they can commit crimes of sexual assault. They just want to be recognized as individuals with the equal rights to earn a living, get public assistance, get financial services and all the same things everyone else enjoys without blatant discrimination standing in their way. We love our families so much, we want those who have families in other countries to be included in immigration reform so that they can enjoy their lives together.
If LGBT people can be known by their fruits, let them be known for their determination to be included in society and the Church because all we really want is to love and be loved just like anyone else. We have already walked through the narrow gates of years of discrimination and pain. We have endured the difficulties of religious, political and social oppression, yet we still desire to be part of the human family. LGBT people are known by the fruits of endurance, fortitude, faith, hope and love. Some LGBT people know the love of God in Jesus Christ as any straight devoted Christian does. Others, because of constant religious oppression have chosen atheism, Unitarian/Universalist or other faiths. They are still good holy people.
I think it is past time that Christians stop using LGBT people as their scape goats to justify violence and deep seated inexcusable prejudice. Christians need to take a good look at themselves and be very careful about assuming that they are saved just because they prayed the sinner's prayer and have joined the "stamp out the gays" movement. Ex-gay ministries and organizations like Focus on the Family do not make themselves better because they earn millions of dollars for condemning gay people and working to put anti-gay leaders into the government. Fred Phelps and the Westboro Baptist Church do not make themselves look like better Christians for stating the Matthew Shepard is in hell and staging protests at soldiers funerals. Countries like Uganda do not make themselves more Christian by writing "kill the gays bill" and shame on the Anglican Bishop of Uganda for encouraging and helping to write such a bill.
If Christians are to be known by their fruits, then let all Christians be known for being examples of the unconditional and all inclusive love of God that was shown through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Almighty God, whom truly to know is everlasting life: Grant us so perfectly to know your Son Jesus Christ to be the way, the truth, and the life, that we may steadfastly follow his steps in the way that leads to eternal life; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. (Collect for Fifth Sunday of Easter, Book of Common Prayer, Page 225).
No comments:
Post a Comment