When Jesus came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, he went to the synagogue on the sabbath day, as was his custom. He stood up to read, 17and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written: 18“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, 19to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” 20And he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. 21Then he began to say to them, “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”So how is the Church doing with the words of Jesus' inauguration address? This Gospel reading is often used at Confirmations, Receptions of New Members and the Renewal of Baptismal Vows. It is chosen for those services as a reminder to the candidates and those who are witnessing at this Liturgy that to be a Christian is to see our role in the ministry of Christ and the Church as beginning with this inaugural address in Luke's Gospel.
Our problem with this Gospel reading is that it challenges our comfort zones. All of us really enjoy the coziness of our Pandoras Boxes. When we only surround ourselves with those who make us comfortable then we do not have to step outside of what is familiar and face our insecurities. As the Church struggles with how to be more inclusive of women, LGBTQ, people of other races, cultures, abilities, religions, languages and abilities etc, all of us struggle with our "need" to make policies to keep those who make us uncomfortable from participating in the ministry of the Church. At the heart of Parish and sometimes Diocesan wide policy is a lame ass excuse for prejudice and scapegoating.
Yesterday we in the Twin Cities Metro area heard the news of the local Catholic Archdiocese telling a local Catholic School to ban pro-gay editorials from their school newspaper. One of the editorials claimed that the information in the Archbishop's DVD against marriage equality was "unsubstantiated." The other was an opinion piece entitled: "The Life of a Gay Teenager". Michael Bayle in his blog post "The Wild Reed" quotes Nick Coleman:
But the saddest part 0f this situation is that school officials also censored a personal op-ed called “Life as a Gay Teenager” written by a BSM student who recently came out as gay — all the while giving lip service, so to speak, to Catholic doctrine that says “Men and women with homosexual tendencies must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity.”
Yeah, respect and compassion! Except for that kid in the corner who tried to write a personal essay about his own struggle with suicidal thoughts in the on-going effort to be honest about his identity in a hostile environment of rejection and repression (here’s a link to the censored op-ed). Un-effing believable. The church continues to shoot itself in the foot. But it’s the kids who end up wounded.
I would add that the saddest part of this is how an Archbishop claims to represent Jesus Christ makes use of his authority to place LGBT people into the captivity and oppression of spiritual malpractice and doctrinal abuse. As such the witness to the goodness and mercy of God is lost, because of one individual who just cannot let go of his own prejudices so that others can experience the freedom that comes with being a follower of Jesus Christ. Instead of using his office to bring justice and inclusion, Archbishop Nienstedt imposes shame, exclusion and fear. What truth might we refer to from the Bible to help us understand why this is such an injustice?
1 John 4: 18-21 (NRSV)
There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear; for fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not reached perfection in love. 19We love* because he first loved us. 20Those who say, ‘I love God’, and hate their brothers or sisters,* are liars; for those who do not love a brother or sister* whom they have seen, cannot love God whom they have not seen. 21The commandment we have from him is this: those who love God must love their brothers and sisters* also.
We commemorate today Margaret, Queen of Scotland. James Kiefer writes:
Margaret (born c. 1045) was the grand-daughter of Edmmund Ironside, King of the English, but was probably born in exile in Hungary, and brought to England in 1057. After the Norman Conquest in 1066, she sought refuge in Scotland, where about 1070 she married the King, Malcolm III. She and her husband rebuilt the monastery of Iona and founded the Benedictine Abbey at Dunfermline. Margaret undertook to impose on the Scottish the ecclesiastical customs she had been accustomed to in England, customs that were also prevalent in France and Italy. But Margaret was not concerned only with ceremonial considerations. She encouraged the founding of schools, hospitals, and orphanages. She argued in favor of the practice of receiving the Holy Communion frequently. She was less successful in preventing feuding among Highland Clans, and when her husband was treacherously killed in 1093, she herself died a few days later (of grief, it is said).I am impressed with the work of Margaret of Scotland, though we can see that she like all of the Saints we commemorate, she struggled with her own humanity. So all of us in the Church regardless of what walk of life we come from or are going to, must acknowledge that we need God and the help of others to live holy lives. Likewise if we want to be reaching for holiness, we need to be willing to lend a helping hand to those who live in captivity and oppression.
How can we fulfill the call of Christ's inaugural address in spite of all that is imperfect about us? How might we be missionaries to bring about justice and equality for those who are still second class citizens in the Church and society? How can LGBT people help bring about freedom for the many captive young people who are oppressed by religious systems that continue to silence them when they tell their stories?
Each one of us has been called to God's Holy Spirit to bring freedom from captivity and oppression, to give sight to those who cannot see the injustice of their attitudes and behaviors. We will face opposition from those who want to silence the messengers. Just because we speak a message people do not care to hear, does not mean we should stop speaking and acting.
Blessed Lord, who caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning: Grant us so to hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life, which you have given us in our Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. (Proper 28, Book of Common Prayer, page 236).
O God, who called your servant Margaret to an earthly throne That she might advance your heavenly kingdom, and gave her zeal for your church and love for your prople: Mercifully grant that we who commemorate her this day may be fruitful in good works, and attain to the glorious crown of your saints; though Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. (Collect for Margaret, Queen of Scotland. Holy Women, Holy Men, Celebrating the Saints, page 683).
Look with pity, O heavenly Father, upon the people in this land who live with injustice, terror, disease, and death as their constant companions. Have mercy upon us. Help us to eliminate our cruelty to these our neighbors. Strengthen those who spend their lives establishing equal protection of the law and equal opportunities for all. And grant that every one of us may enjoy a fair portion of the riches of this land; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (Prayer for the Oppressed, Book of Common Prayer, page 826)
Anyone looking to purchase the books mentioned in this blog can also order them from the Cathedral Book Shop of St.Mark's Episcopal Cathedral in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Email Susan at Bookshop@ourcathedral.org.
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