The readings for this weekend are a call for all of us to consider carefully the seriousness of our answer to be honestly who we are, respect everyone else and be willing to follow Jesus Christ in all that we say and do. As diverse as the LGBT Community is there are two parts of our Community that are consistently at conflict with each other. Our lives as LGBT people and our faith and morals as Christians. The religious right does not want us to mix being LGBT with being a Christian, while many in the LGBT Community have a lot of trouble with those who still want to be Christian. There are tensions among those who want to live a more promiscuous lifestyle or even a polygamous style and those who want to be more monogamous and committed to one relationship. Within the LGBT Community and those who chose to be part of any Christian Community is the struggle to be part of a predominantly LGBT church group like the Metropolitan Community Church . Then there are others who want to be more integrated with others such as being part of the United Church of Christ, the Episcopal Church or the Evangelical Lutheran Church of American to name a few. Within the last few years groups like the Gay Christian Network (GCN) and The Evangelical Network (TEN) have been creating some community for those who want a more Evangelistic style of worship and spirituality, but still be LGBT. There are also Pentecostal LGBT churches now. There are churches that make room for LGBT people of color and/or other cultures and languages. Last but not least, there are those who are part of very unwelcoming Christian Communities, but keep themselves very secretive. Such individuals do not like a lot of the theology or teaching promoted by many pro-LGBT churches, so they simply go to their respective churches and choose to ignore the anti-gay rhetoric of their communities and just smile and keep to themselves. Yet for all of us who are LGBT and Christian or if you prefer Christian and LGBT there are friends around us that will literally give us hell for being LGBT and part of the Christian Faith.
As LGBT Christians what is the price we are willing to pay to be who we are and practice what we believe? How do we define ourselves as LGBT Christians? What is our interior call to being people of faith, while being diverse individuals who are LGBT?
I want to begin by taking a look at both our first Reading and the Gospel, and then I will tie it in with the second Reading to see if I can provoke some thought..
The Old Testament reading from 1 Kings 19:15-16, 19-21 and Luke 9:51 to 62 we are confronted with people being called to follow God either through the work of Elijah as in 1 Kings or Jesus as in Luke, but have some very important decisions to make. It should be mentioned that the people Jesus was calling to follow him, were the Samaritans that were rejected by the religious authorities of Jesus' time. There was a great deal of prejudice towards the Samaritans to the point that the Jewish people were discouraged from associating with them. In both 1 Kings and Luke the people being called to serve are asking if they can simply follow the culturally right thing to do, before they follow the one calling them. I will start by answering the easiest question first. In both situations it is not that taking care of one's folks is not important or a wise thing to do. What is more important is the urgency of the invitation and are they ready and willing to follow this path that will lead to a new way of life in which there are much more important things to take care of. How might this related to LGBT people or even Pride?
Way too many people have some very legitimate reasons for staying in the closet. Their families. Sick or unwell relatives. Careers that can really be ruined because someone announced or acted as if they are LGBT. Many individuals like myself who are out, can find it difficult to be patient with those who are playing straight for the benefit of their own situation. How quickly many of us forget what it was like for us to walk around scared should someone find out who we really are. The decision to disappoint a family member who really thinks we are wonderful, but makes anti-gay jokes all the time is a difficult decision to make. Yet many of us have reached that point where we just cannot hide who we are any longer. The more we stay tucked away, the more difficult it is. For many of us the easy way "out" is to stay "in". Or to live a life sort of like don't ask, don't tell. Yet the more we do that, the more unhealthy many of us can become. Contrary to what many religious right folks might think, the longer we stay tucked in our closets safe from "all of that confessing by which we become healthy people" (See Dr. Mel White in For the Bible Tells Me So), the less we are truly following Jesus and allowing him to touch and speak through our lives.
But then, once we do come out and should we make develop as healthy and proud LGBT people, but be people who follow Jesus Christ, now we find ourselves in conflict with others who are LGBT. If you are like myself, looking to date or be in a relationship with someone who is LGBT and Christian is no easy task. Yet, once we've found that someone, so many pieces of our lives fall into place. Yet, with that decision to be LGBT and Christian it means that we might very well be outcasts again in one fashion or another. The road that Jesus is calling his followers to take in Luke 9:51 to 62 is a way that will lead Jesus and all of his disciples to the Cross. The Cross is where we sacrifice all that is so precious to us and accept God's will, even when it hurts or even kills us. We may loose the respect of religious authorities or even our best friends. Yet, because we are following Jesus Christ who is God's perfect revelation, we believe and know that it is only through the Cross that we can experience the resurrection and find new life in God's amazing love and grace.
And how do we tie in the reading from Paul's letter to the Galatians 5:1, 13-25? This is that famous reading where Paul talks about the "flesh" and the "Spirit" being against each other, and that huge list of things that if we do them, we will not enter the kingdom of God. This can serve as a great clobber passage when used by those who read the Bible literally. Today's Out in Scripture offers terrific insight for a different point of view.
Galatians 5:1, 13-25 brings memories of both treasures and traumas. Paul begins (and ends) with this wonderful proclamation of grace. Yet, as soon as many people hear the word "flesh" (verse 16), they default into a legalistic and punitive theology. We are reminded that "flesh" was Paul's shorthand for the lower, carnal mind — a life driven by fear rather than love. Galatians 5:14 clearly reminds us that the fulfillment of the law is to love your neighbor as yourself. When all else is hung on this anchor, we hear it more responsibly both for ourselves and for others. It is not freedom just to follow every sexual urge, or to fly off the handle at every offense or to be controlled by strong drink or drugs. That does not mean that we should ignore every offense, or deny our sexuality or never have a drink. Free, embodied people consult deeply with their bodies as they relate to other bodies, with the God who is embodied in Christ.
So how are some good ways to blend everything together as we celebrate Pride Sunday? As LGBT Christians we are not just creating and following a Gospel that we have tweaked to say what we want it to say. We are looking to follow Jesus Christ as LGBT people, because we recognize that left to our own devices we might forget that our human soul still needs a companion to help us along the way in life. We are fully capable of failing to live our holy LGBT lives in a morally good way. We can still drink too much, engage in sexual activity that is not life-giving or healthy and we can fail to be prudent in our decisions. Although our sexual orientation is not sinful, how we use it can be. Homosexual activity between people who honestly love each other and intend to love each other is good and holy. Homosexual activity that seeks to use someone for selfish reasons is destructive. When a bisexual person is open and honest with the people in their relationships so that everyone sincerely struggles, accepts or rejects what is or is not their thing is a good thing, and can lead to constructive relationships. When husbands and wives keep their sexual orientation a secret and sleep around behind their spouses backs, because they cannot have an honest conversation can be very destructive. Open and honest communication with respect for each other is good and holy. Conversation that is designed to cheat, lie and keep things hidden is disastrous. When we sin, we need to confess and be forgiven. Needing to be forgiven and asking for God's mercy is the right thing to do. Not going to God with all that we may have done wrong and trying to do it all ourselves, is already a hell. It is a hell that a good confession can get us out of, but it is up to us to take that step and ask for God's mercy.
LGBT Pride celebrates God's love for everyone. We are all called to participate in the person and mission of the Gospel by loving God and our neighbor by the gift of our sexual orientation and/or gender identity/expression. Like all gifts we still need some guidance so that we can use our gifted abilities to make wise and holy decisions, so that we are seeking the common good of other people. The call to follow Jesus to the Cross is difficult. That call means we will have to make hard choices about how we can serve God in what ever capacity we are at. No two people will make their decisions the same way. But there is no situation that God cannot and will not be with us in, unless we choose to keep God out of our lives. As LGBT Christians may all of us today decide that we will follow Jesus and love God, our neighbors, our partners, significant others, families and friends in good and holy ways. May we continue to work for a Church and society of inclusion, equal justice and lively diversity so as to recognize God in all the ways in which God reveals God's Self through us.
Almighty God, you have built your Church upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone: Grant us so to be joined together in unity of spirit by their teaching, that we may be a holy temple acceptable to you; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. (Proper 8, Book of Common Prayer, Page 230).
Loving God, bless us as we gather to celebrate LGBT Pride. We are, each of us, created in your own image lesbian, gay, straight, bisexual and transgendered, alike. Hasten the coming of your kingdom when all are welcome and all are equal. Anoint us with the balm of hope and send us your healing Spirit, that we may be known as a just and unified community. We ask this in your Name, through Jesus Christ, our Redeemer, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. (Collect for Pride Sunday as used at St. Mark's Episcopal Cathedral in Minneapolis, Minnesota.)
For some other thoughts on Pride please check out the article "The Spiritual Significance of Pride" in the Episcopal Cafe Lead.
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