That is why I believe that this final Sunday after Pentecost as The Reign of Christ or more traditionally known as Christ the King is an important one even in the Twenty-First Century. It is a reminder to all of us that there is some one, some where, much more powerful and authoritative than any person big or small that has the final word. That someone is not our President, Judge, Governor, Congress, Pope, Archbishop of Canterbury, Bishop, Priest, Deacon, Vestry, Church board etc. Though such people have a degree of authority (whether or not it is a good thing they have it to begin with) that impacts us in the here and now, there is still a Higher Power that is beyond them and/or even ourselves. All hope is certainly not lost.
The God that I believe in is merciful, understanding, compassionate, inclusive, forgiving, almighty yet graceful, powerful yet gentle, and is nothing like what most Christianists, arch-conservative Catholics and extreme religious right folks make God out to be. The Christ who is King, who's Reign we celebrate today is a shepherd who seeks to gather and reconcile all people to God's Self through God's Church and/or those who truly seek to follow God with open hearts and minds.
The Reading from the Prophet Jeremiah 23: 1-6 is an opportunity for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning and queer (LGBTQ) individuals to call the shepherds who continue to promote exclusion and violence towards our communities. Yesterday, November 20th was the International Transgender Day of Remembrance at which we recall the countless violence that has cost the lives of so many transgender people world wide. The prejudice that has resulted in cruel violence of so many transgender people over the years is the extended result of misinformation and misunderstandings of the roles of gender. The lack of good perceptions have been promoted by preachers (ie. shepherds) who have misused the power of their pulpits. The reading from Jeremiah is a warning to shepherds who use their authority to "scatter the sheep" of God's pasture. Innocent youths who have heats longing to follow God with great devotion have been otherwise scandalized and stigmatized by the bias towards sexual orientation that is not heterosexual and gender identity/expression that is not single-gender minded. True shepherds of God who want to see the Reign of Christ on earth work to unite different "sheep" together, not scatter the flock because of prejudice. The LGBTQ communities have needed good shepherds to rise up and help gather the "scattered sheep" that is in the LGBTQ communities.
That is why I will be forever grateful to Bishop Gene Robinson of New Hampshire who has announced his retirement as Bishop of New Hampshire effective in 2013. He is a man of incredible integrity, courage and fortitude. Bishop Robinson has literally stuck his neck out on behalf of LGBTQ people to be a symbol of how LGBTQ people are good, holy and as Rev. Irene Monroe so eloquently states in "For the Bible Tells Me So" that "Bishop Robinson is the embodiment of the love of God." If Bishop Robinson can embody the love of God, any LGBTQ person can too. Like Jesus Christ the true shepherd and King, Bishop Robinson is an example of an inviting God who seeks to help those marginalized by society and the Church to find an advocate who will help the Church find room for those who are LGBTQ.
Other great shepherds of our time would have to include someone like Rev. Irene Monroe who helps African American, LGBTQ and people of faith find room to become more inclusive of each other. Dr. Rev. Mel White who started Soul Force. Wayne Besen founder of Truth Wins Out. Brent Childers and Steve Hilderbrand of Faith in America. Mary Lou Wallner founder of TEACH Ministries. PFLAG is full of shepherds who step out to better understand and help others to make room in society by making room in families for LGBTQ people. Daniel Karslake who produced For the Bible Tells Me So and the entire cast of individuals who stepped forward to tell their stories. As of late Jamie Nabozny who stepped out and sued his school district and then through the efforts of the Southern Poverty Law Center produced Bullied to bring hope to any student who is experiencing harassment for any reason. Rev. Susan Russell who reaches out to LGBTQ individuals nation wide through her blog word and as Associate Rector of All Saints Episcopal Church in Pasadena, California. Suffragan Bishop Mary Glasspool and now the Very Rev. Jane Allison Shaw a the Eighth Dean of Grace Cathedral in San Francisco, California. These and many more individuals that I cannot name are examples of shepherds who have been working to gather and bring reconciliation between Jesus Christ and LGBTQ people. Such individuals and others like them help LGBTQ people to discover what Psalm 46 reads: "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble."
The Reign of Christ is not just to take place at the end of time. The Reign of Christ as King happens when we become advocates and voices for justice and equality for all people. This past year we have been witnessing terrible hate rhetoric not just aimed at LGBTQ people, but also immigrants, people of different races, religions, abilities etc. Jesus Christ who "is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; for in him all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers-- all things have been created through him and for him" (Colossians 1: 15-16 NRSV). When we speak up in the Name of Christ on behalf of those marginalized by society and the Church, the Reign of Christ not only becomes better known, but receives a better Name and the Church truly becomes Christ's witnesses among all peoples. When we allow the Holy Spirit to rip open our Pandoras Boxes and we learn to accept others who are different than ourselves and make room for them in our hearts, lives and homes, the Reign of God on earth becomes real and life-giving. All baptized Christians have that potential. All people of good will whether they be Christians or not, also have that potential.
In the Gospel that is part of today's Liturgy Luke: 23:33-43 for the celebration of the Reign of Christ we see that even Jesus while hanging from the cross, takes the opportunity to welcome a sincere soul searching individual into his reign. The throne from which Jesus Christ rules is the cross from which he imparts not God's judgment, but God's everlasting love, forgiveness and mercy for any and every individual seeking friendship with God. It doesn't matter what it is that we may have done that has offended God or anyone else for that matter. When we come to Jesus at the throne of the cross, Jesus looks upon all of us as friends of God and imparts the unconditional and all inclusive grace and mercy of God. As we experience God's mercy and love, so we must be able to share that same mercy and love with one another. The more we remove the barriers of sexual and gender diversity so that such individuals can approach the throne of Christ at the cross, the more others will see how LGBTQ people are holy, good, merciful and able to help establish the Reign of Christ on earth, in society and the Church.
As we close out this Church Year may we reflect on the goodness and graciousness of God in Christ. As we prepare to begin a new Church Year with next Sunday as the First Sunday of Advent, let us consider carefully the lessons and messages we have heard through out this past year. God is not a vengeful, angry, unjust or heartless God. God is so madly in love with all humankind that God reveals God's Self in so many varied ways. It is possible for any person to have whatever relationship with God that they find that works for them. It is not up to us or any person to cast a judgment on any person's walk of faith. It is also not our place as Christians to create walls and barriers where even God has not placed them. May the new Church Year be one where we help many people learn just how wonderful the holy love of God is, because we took the time and made the effort to love others out of thanksgiving for how deeply God has loved each of us. And may all people of good will of any sexual orientation and/or gender identity/expression, faith walk, gender etc say Amen together. AMEN!
Almighty and everlasting God, whose will it is to restore all things in your well-beloved Son, the King of kings and Lord of lords: Mercifully grant that the peoples of the earth, divided and enslaved by sin, may be freed and brought together under his most gracious rule; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. (Proper 29 for the Reign of Christ, Book of Common Prayer, page 236).
O God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, our only Savior, the Prince of Peace: Give us grace seriously to lay to heart the great dangers we are in by our unhappy divisions; take away all hatred and prejudice, and whatever else may hinder us from godly union and concord; that, as there is but one Body and one Spirit, one hope of our calling, one Lord, one Faith, one Baptism, one God and Father of us all, so we may be all of one heart and of one soul, united in one holy bond of truth and peace, of faith and charity, and may with one mind and one mouth glorify you; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (Prayer for the Unity of the Church, Book of Common Prayer, page 818).
Grant, O God, that your holy and life-giving Spirit may so move every human heart, that barriers which divide us may crumble, suspicions disappear, and hatreds cease; that our divisions being healed, we may live in justice and peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (Prayer for Social Justice, Book of Common Prayer, page 822).
Lord, make us instruments of your peace. Where there is hatred, let us sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is discord, union; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy. Grant that we may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen. (A Prayer Attributed to St. Francis, Book of Common Prayer, page 833).
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