The Holy Cross: God's Outstretched Arms to Love Everyone

John 12:31-36a (NRSV)

Jesus said, "Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be driven out. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself." He said this to indicate the kind of death he was to die. The crowd answered him, "We have heard from the law that the Messiah remains forever. How can you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?" Jesus said to them, "The light is with you for a little longer. Walk while you have the light, so that the darkness may not overtake you. If you walk in the darkness, you do not know where you are going. While you have the light, believe in the light, so that you may become children of light."

What woman or man does not love a good hug every now and then?   Whether the occasion is happy or sad, when the arms of someone who cares about us open wide and welcome us into their embrace, a hug that is a sentiment of love is so powerful.  A hug can relieve the feeling of celebrating or crying alone.  A hug can help us cry better when we have lost someone dear to us, or are feeling the weight of the world.  When someone has won a championship game, or received a degree after years of hard work, a hug helps us celebrate our victory.

God knows that human beings respond to things with our senses. What we taste, smell, touch, feel, hear greatly affects our response to help us decide whether something is good or bad for us.  God also knows that we being human beings are not limited to what is spiritual, but we need something physical to help us know what is real.  That is why God gave us the Sacraments (i.e. Baptism, Eucharist).  "The Sacraments are outward and visible signs of in ward and spiritual grace, given by Christ as sure and certain means by which we receive that grace." (Book of Common Prayer, page 857).

The Holy Cross which we celebrate today is the means and symbol by which God through Jesus Christ "stretched out" God's "arms of love on the hard wood of the cross that everyone might come within reach of" God's "saving embrace."  (Prayer for Mission, BCP, page 101).  The love of God for all of God's people including those marginalized by society and the Church are welcomed and empowered to find their way to God's extravagant and all-inclusive love, is shown as Jesus is lifted up from the earth on the cross.  


Every Friday in our Daily Office we pray: "Almighty God, whose most dear Son went not up to joy but first suffered pain, and entered not into glory before he was crucified: Mercifully grand that we, walking in the way of the cross, may find it none other than the way of life and peace; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord. Amen." (BCP. page 99).


The cross is our hope that all that we experience and suffer is something that God through Christ identifies with.  Abandoned by our closest friends at the point of our need. Total isolation in our moment of pain and anguish.  Loss of everything as if we have reached our limit with no other place to go.  Having to forgive those who have hurt us so deeply.  Feeling like we have been ganged up on, with our personal welfare not being anyone's concern.  Ever felt like you gave and gave and gave, and when it was time for others to give to you, all you got was pain and death in return?   The cross is where God experienced what all of us know.  The cross is also not the end of all things, but the turning point from which we can always begin again.  


Today I want to talk about one group of teenagers who felt like they got to the end with nowhere to go.  They knew that something about them was different at a very early age.  But they heard their friends making jokes about people who were gay or lesbian.  They heard their Dad's or Mom's making jokes about Ricky Martin or Rosie O' Donnell.  They may have gone to their local Church of Christ, or Baptist Church, or Church of the Nazarene and heard that those who are "homosexual offenders, will not enter the kingdom of God." (1 Corinthians 6:9 New International Version).  This is why I strongly discourage the use of the New International Version.  It's texts are very poorly translated.  These teenagers are questioning about their sexual orientation and/or gender identity/expression.  A recent study finds that 9 out of 10 LGBTQ teens are bullied in schools or churches. Several teenagers in Minnesota and now at least one in Indiana have committed suicide because the bullying was so bad, that they just couldn't find any other way out.  The organization called Focus on the Family in their heinous attempt to "cure the gay" is opposing anti-LGBTQ bullying policies in America's schools. 

The cross of Jesus Christ does not give Christians a monopoly on the truth.  The cross on which Jesus Christ is not an excuse for scapegoating or condoning cruel violence if the most vicious kind on any group of people. On the contrary the cross is our reason to have compassion towards all people.  The cross is why we should be praying for the grace to embrace and love everyone, even those who are different than ourselves.  The cross is our symbol of how our Almighty God looked evil in the face and said, this is where it stops.  The cross is where all prejudice and reasons for violence must meet the God of unconditional love and find themselves powerless.  The cross is where "No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends." (John 15: 13).   Even when to lay down our lives for LGBTQ teens seems like such a crazy and foolish thing to do, to those who want to condone bullying for LGBTQ people.  

When Christ was lifted from the earth,
His arms stretched out above
Though every culture, every birth,
To draw un-answering love.

Still east and west his love extends
And always, near or far,
He calls and claims us as his friends
And loves us as we are.

Where generation, class, or race
Divide us to our shame,
He sees not labels but a face,
A person, and a name.

Thus freely loved, though freely known,
May I in Christ be free,
To welcome and accept his own,
As Christ accepted me.
(Hymnal 1982, Hymn # 603).

May the cross of Christ help the Church, our world and us to accept each other better today, than we did yesterday.  Amen.

Almighty God, whose Son our Savior Jesus Christ was lifted high upon the cross that he might draw the whole world to himself: Mercifully grant that we, who glory in the mystery of our redemption, may have grace to take up our cross and follow him; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen. (Collect for the Holy Cross, Book of Common Prayer, page 244).

O God, you made us in your own image and redeemed us through Jesus your Son: Look with compassion on the whole human family; take away the arrogance and hatred which infect our hearts; break down the walls that separate us; unite us in bonds of love; and work through our struggle and confusion to accomplish your purposes on earth; that, in your good time, all nations and races may serve you in harmony around your heavenly throne; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (Prayer for the Human Family, Book of Common Prayer, page 815).

O Blessed Lord, you ministered to all who came to you: Look with compassion upon all who through addiction have lost their health and freedom. Restore to them the assurance of your unfailing mercy; remove from them the fears that beset them; strengthen them in the work of their recovery; and to those who care for them, give patient understanding and persevering love. Amen. (Prayer for Victims of Addiction, Book of Common Prayer, page 831).