To those of you who have been missing my blog writing this week, I have been attending Creating Change 2011 with the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force. Together at this conference with people of all faith backgrounds, including atheists, political and cultural activists for change we have been working on a theme of Practice Spirit, Do Justice. We have been talking a great deal about how we frame our messaging to create movements for change. It has been an exciting and refreshing journey for me to be on.
During the coming days and weeks you will be noticing some changes to this blog that will reflect much of what I have been learning this week. I hope that as these changes happen the message to work for the full inclusion of LGBT people in the Church and society will become even more focused on working for justice and framed in such a way that others will be inspired to join the movement for this work. Thank you all for coming back to read. I hope we can continue to pray, work and journey together.
We all know what it is like to be making a recipe for something good to eat and suddenly finding out that it is without flavor. It is bland, uninspiring and not really worth eating without something to draw our senses to it. Salt is added to bring out the flavor of what we are eating even more. So that we can not only eat to nourish our bodies, but also give pleasure to the experience. We we give pleasure to ourselves and others around us when we are able to enjoy what we are consuming. When we see our next friend or co-worker or some one we enjoy talking with after we have enjoyed a good meal that is well seasoned, we enjoy talking about it with others that they may share in our joy.
Seasoning and light are so important in our personal as well as our spiritual lives. Seasoning (salt) and light (illumination) also enables us to work even harder on something we feel passionate about. I want to now present the Scriptural basis of this blog entry for the Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany and talk about how seasoning and illumination is so important to our quest for justice and equality for all who are marginalized, including lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning and queer people.
Scriptural Basis
Blog Reflection on Seasoning and Light for Creating Change
If I told you that there was no other kind of salt except iodized table salt what would you do? It might be easier to answer that question if we have not been advancing the seasonings that are available to us. What if you are someone who because of how your particular nutritional and digestive needs are could not use iodized salt and there was no sea salt? You would be someone who doesn't use salt and you would find another seasoning that you can enjoy. Is that okay? Of course it is. We all have tastes and nutritional differences that make us who the special unique person that we are, even if others do not share our tastes. We don't tell someone "there is only one kind of salt (seasoning) and if you are not using it then you are not a good and loving, well fed person." Why then is it proper for Christians who are against justice and equality for LGBTQ people to say we must be heterosexual or single gender minded or we are somehow useless people to God and the Church?
A very kind and wonderful lesbian Pastor, who is so passionately committed to the Gospel was asked this weekend "what kind of Pastor are you?" She answered: "I am a lesbian Pastor of the United Church of Christ." What was the questioner's response? "You can only be one or the other. You cannot be both." In other words, unless this pastor was a straight female with the same biases against LGBT people as the inquiring individual, she was considered a failure at being a faithful shepherd of God's people.
The fact of the matter is that in this Gospel lesson of Jesus saying that "You are the salt of the earth" and "light of the world," is that Jesus did was not using the word "you" as a singular, but as a plural. The "you" is any follower of Jesus Christ regardless of what color their skin is. Jesus said: "You are the salt of the earth" in what ever capacity God has created and redeemed you in Jesus Christ to be for this often "bland" world of injustice and inequality. In a Church that claims to be the "Voice and representative of Christ on earth" there must be voices of every kind of flavor and every shade of light if the Gospel is to be proclaimed and lived by all of the diverse followers of the God who is unconditional and all inclusive love. There is no "Light of privilege" for some in God's spice cabinet, while others are considered stale and useless. All individuals with their unique "spice" in their race, color, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, religion, economic status, language, immigration status, and so on, are God's loved and delicious flavor in the Church and the world. Every individual has the most beautiful shade of color to add a light of welcome and affection for all people who still live in the darkness of prejudice, oppression and exclusion. Every person that God has made no matter who they are, how they love, who they love, adds some new dimension to this world that no one else can offer.
All of us can glorify God in the good work that we do by being the salt of the earth and the light of the world. LGBTQ people seeking to create change are not only concerned with achieving our equal rights. As LGBTQ people of faith and good will we are also seeking to collaborate with other marginalized people so that we can all work together to bring racial justice and equality, immigration reform so that all can have the opportunity to work towards equality, for women, the challenged and the number one problem facing America today: poverty. We too are the salt of the earth and the light of the world that together with all religions, races, cultures, genders and so forth can create opportunities for everyone to be relieved of political and social oppression. That is why we support the work of today's greatest revolution of our time. The Egyptian movement for liberation. When one part of humanity is oppressed, all humanity is oppressed. When we all take an interest in helping to liberate those living with oppression, all of us will find freedom from being oppressed.
As the salt of the earth and light of the world, we are agents for creating change. We are the Epiphany for those wanting to know how those marginalized by society and the Church today can look to a new tomorrow of hope and opportunity. We can be the new flavor and shade of illumination that will wake up those who insist on not noticing what they have been missing,and inspire them to love doing things that help others see a new light at the end of their tunnel of bitterness and darkness.
May we learn from today's Gospel to appreciate all of the different seasonings and lights that God is calling to service in God's Name. May we all participate with each other in the work of justice, equality and inclusion for all. Amen.
Prayers
During the coming days and weeks you will be noticing some changes to this blog that will reflect much of what I have been learning this week. I hope that as these changes happen the message to work for the full inclusion of LGBT people in the Church and society will become even more focused on working for justice and framed in such a way that others will be inspired to join the movement for this work. Thank you all for coming back to read. I hope we can continue to pray, work and journey together.
We all know what it is like to be making a recipe for something good to eat and suddenly finding out that it is without flavor. It is bland, uninspiring and not really worth eating without something to draw our senses to it. Salt is added to bring out the flavor of what we are eating even more. So that we can not only eat to nourish our bodies, but also give pleasure to the experience. We we give pleasure to ourselves and others around us when we are able to enjoy what we are consuming. When we see our next friend or co-worker or some one we enjoy talking with after we have enjoyed a good meal that is well seasoned, we enjoy talking about it with others that they may share in our joy.
Seasoning and light are so important in our personal as well as our spiritual lives. Seasoning (salt) and light (illumination) also enables us to work even harder on something we feel passionate about. I want to now present the Scriptural basis of this blog entry for the Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany and talk about how seasoning and illumination is so important to our quest for justice and equality for all who are marginalized, including lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning and queer people.
Scriptural Basis
Matthew 5:13-20 (NRSV)
Jesus said, "You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how can its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything, but is thrown out and trampled under foot.
"You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid. No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.
"Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets; I have come not to abolish but to fulfill. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not one letter, not one stroke of a letter, will pass from the law until all is accomplished. Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, will be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven."
Blog Reflection on Seasoning and Light for Creating Change
If I told you that there was no other kind of salt except iodized table salt what would you do? It might be easier to answer that question if we have not been advancing the seasonings that are available to us. What if you are someone who because of how your particular nutritional and digestive needs are could not use iodized salt and there was no sea salt? You would be someone who doesn't use salt and you would find another seasoning that you can enjoy. Is that okay? Of course it is. We all have tastes and nutritional differences that make us who the special unique person that we are, even if others do not share our tastes. We don't tell someone "there is only one kind of salt (seasoning) and if you are not using it then you are not a good and loving, well fed person." Why then is it proper for Christians who are against justice and equality for LGBTQ people to say we must be heterosexual or single gender minded or we are somehow useless people to God and the Church?
A very kind and wonderful lesbian Pastor, who is so passionately committed to the Gospel was asked this weekend "what kind of Pastor are you?" She answered: "I am a lesbian Pastor of the United Church of Christ." What was the questioner's response? "You can only be one or the other. You cannot be both." In other words, unless this pastor was a straight female with the same biases against LGBT people as the inquiring individual, she was considered a failure at being a faithful shepherd of God's people.
The fact of the matter is that in this Gospel lesson of Jesus saying that "You are the salt of the earth" and "light of the world," is that Jesus did was not using the word "you" as a singular, but as a plural. The "you" is any follower of Jesus Christ regardless of what color their skin is. Jesus said: "You are the salt of the earth" in what ever capacity God has created and redeemed you in Jesus Christ to be for this often "bland" world of injustice and inequality. In a Church that claims to be the "Voice and representative of Christ on earth" there must be voices of every kind of flavor and every shade of light if the Gospel is to be proclaimed and lived by all of the diverse followers of the God who is unconditional and all inclusive love. There is no "Light of privilege" for some in God's spice cabinet, while others are considered stale and useless. All individuals with their unique "spice" in their race, color, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, religion, economic status, language, immigration status, and so on, are God's loved and delicious flavor in the Church and the world. Every individual has the most beautiful shade of color to add a light of welcome and affection for all people who still live in the darkness of prejudice, oppression and exclusion. Every person that God has made no matter who they are, how they love, who they love, adds some new dimension to this world that no one else can offer.
All of us can glorify God in the good work that we do by being the salt of the earth and the light of the world. LGBTQ people seeking to create change are not only concerned with achieving our equal rights. As LGBTQ people of faith and good will we are also seeking to collaborate with other marginalized people so that we can all work together to bring racial justice and equality, immigration reform so that all can have the opportunity to work towards equality, for women, the challenged and the number one problem facing America today: poverty. We too are the salt of the earth and the light of the world that together with all religions, races, cultures, genders and so forth can create opportunities for everyone to be relieved of political and social oppression. That is why we support the work of today's greatest revolution of our time. The Egyptian movement for liberation. When one part of humanity is oppressed, all humanity is oppressed. When we all take an interest in helping to liberate those living with oppression, all of us will find freedom from being oppressed.
As the salt of the earth and light of the world, we are agents for creating change. We are the Epiphany for those wanting to know how those marginalized by society and the Church today can look to a new tomorrow of hope and opportunity. We can be the new flavor and shade of illumination that will wake up those who insist on not noticing what they have been missing,and inspire them to love doing things that help others see a new light at the end of their tunnel of bitterness and darkness.
May we learn from today's Gospel to appreciate all of the different seasonings and lights that God is calling to service in God's Name. May we all participate with each other in the work of justice, equality and inclusion for all. Amen.
Prayers
Set us free, O God, from the bondage of our sins, and give us the liberty of that abundant life which you have made known to us in your Son our Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. (Collect for the Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany, Book of Common Prayer, page 216).
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. (Prayer Attributed to St. Francis of Assisi, Book of Common Prayer, page 833).
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