Matthew 28:16-20
Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age."
Blog Reflection
While many people are celebrating St. Patrick's Day eating their corned beef and cabbage, drinking beer and marching, there are others who do not share this day with such enjoyment. LGBT people are still not allowed to march in the largest St. Patrick's Day parade in the country. New York City.
Rev. Irene Monroe wrote the blog piece "Like Black Church: St. Patrick's Day Parades Are Anti-Gay."
Irish and African-American lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) communities share a lot in common when it comes to being excluded from iconic institutions in their communities.
For LGBTQ African-Americans, it's the black church, and for LGBTQ Irish, it's the St. Patrick's Day Parade.
St. Patrick's Day has rolled around again, and like previous March 17th celebrations nationwide, its LGBTQ communities are not invited. As a contentious and protracted argument for now over two decades, parade officials have a difficult time grasping the notion that being Irish and gay is also part of their heritage.
Unlike the black church, however, that has and continues to throw the Bible at its LGBTQ community to justify their exclusionary practices, the St. Patrick's Day parade committee uses the First Amendment, debating that they are constitutionally guaranteed freedoms of religion, speech and association, and the tenet separating church and state.
Among the matters that I find very interesting is that each culture that experiences some kind of discrimination upon coming to America, winds up discriminating against another in succession. The English Anglo-Saxons who stole and destroyed the values and property of the Native Americans, also for many years oppressed the Irish immigrants in places like Boston, Massachusetts and New York City. When the English Anglo-Saxons were confronted about why they were oppressing the Irish Catholic immigrants they responded with: "They have come to take our communities, jobs, homes and values and leave no room for us."
Then many years later after many of the Irish people gained quite a bit of their freedoms, what did many of those same people complain about when the Hispanics, African Americans, Asians, South Americans, and other groups came to America? "They have come to take our communities, jobs, homes and values and leave no room for us."
Likewise what is the argument anti-LGBT people use to deny marriage equality rights? "They are going to change the definition of marriage and therefore destroy marriage for heterosexuals."
Not to be out done, the LGBT community also has it's share of racial, class and body type minoritizing. I really find it very ironic that we have to have LGBT Pride, and Black Pride in many locations as two separate events. That kind of thing shows that there is racism and white supremacy within the LGBT Communities. There are many Caucasian LGBT people who have been known to sneer at the idea of an inter-racial relationship. Between the bear community and other body types is the complaint about those who are feminine vs those who are butch. Recently Jason and I were at a bear event in which an individual told a drag queen that bears do not like the attitudes of drag queens. We have the stereotypical "twinks" (I really hate that word) vs the bears, chubs and so on. I know, I call myself and Jason as two gay bears. Physically okay, that is what we are in the gay community. But, my personal preference is that we (yes, I am writing to my own hypocritical behaviors and attitudes too) LGBT people learn to see other LGBT people as individuals seeking justice, inclusion, equality and to be able to uphold our dignity.
LGBT people and LGBT people of faith have an interesting dynamic. There are many who are LGBT who sneer at those members of the LGBT community who practice some kind of faith. It is as if LGBT people of faith are accused of "sleeping with the enemy." Yet, LGBT people of faith experience the same discrimination from conservative Christians. If we aren't getting it from LGBT people who think we should not be involved with any church or religious tradition, we are getttin git from Christianists and arch-conservative Catholics because our sexual orientation and/or gender expression/identity means we are not the kind of Christian they think we should be.
The LGB members of our communities also need to work on our prejudices towards our transgender friends. Such is the case with the story of what has happened at Equality Maryland.
To understand what this St. Patrick's Day might mean to LGBT people, people of faith and/or just people of good will, I think our Gospel has some important things to remind us of.
Jesus did not tell his disciples: "Go out and baptized all nations, but not those queers, Irish, African Americans, Native Americans, Muslims etc...." Jesus said: "Go out and baptize all nations in the Name of the One, Holy and Undivided Trinity."
Now, I know Muslims and many do not share our common Christian Faith. And my intention here is not to state the Christianity has some monopoly on the truth. Because it doesn't. And there is no justification of violence in either speech or action towards those who do not share the Christian Faith with us. That also is wrong.
However, for those of us who are Christians, as well as people of good will religious minded or not, we can easily assert that the Christian religion is about justice, equality and inclusion and we would be correct on every level.
Rev. Irene Monroe concludes the piece from The Bilerico Project with the following:
So I ask, what would St. Patrick do in this situation?
He would unquestionably welcome Irish LGBTQ, especially in a parade named after him.
St. Patrick was a man who used his experience of struggle to effect change.
As a 5th century English missionary to Ireland, St. Patrick was born in 387 and died on March 17, 461 AD. He was taken prisoner by a group of Irish raiders attacking his family's estate that transported him to Ireland where he spent six years in captivity.
After six years as a prisoner, St. Patrick escaped, but returned to Ireland as a missionary to convert the Irish to Christianity. As a priest, he incorporated traditional Irish rituals rather than eradicating their native beliefs. St. Patrick used bonfires to celebrate Easter since the Irish honored their gods with fire, and he superimposed a sun, a powerful Irish symbol, onto the Christian cross to create what we now know as the Celtic cross.
While many parade officials may think they are honoring the St. Patrick's Day tradition by excluding its LGBTQ communities, but like the black church, they will only be dishonoring themselves.
And, truth be told, no one knows how to throw a party or put on a parade like the LGBTQ community.
Christians and people of all faiths and political and social positions need to work on ways of avoiding reasons to exclude each other, and find ways to welcome each other. In all the struggles of our time, the one thing we learn over and over again, the more we exclude others, the likelihood of us excluding ourselves becomes ever more true.
On this St. Patrick's Day as we celebrate and remember, let us work towards ways of making our lives, communities, churches and such as inclusive as possible.
Prayers
Almighty God, in your providence you chose your servant Patrick to be the apostle of the Irish people, to bring those who were wandering in darkness and error to the true light and knowledge of you: Grant us so to walk in that light that we may come at last to the light of everlasting life; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. (Collect for St. Patrick, Holy Women, Holy Men, Celebrating the Saints, page 273).
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 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).
May the strength of God pilot us.
May the power of God preserve us.
May the wisdom of God instruct us.
May the hand of God protect us.
May the way of God direct us.
May the shield of God defend us.
May the host of God guard us
Against the snares of the evil one
And the temptations of the world.
May Christ be with us
Christ above us
Christ in us
Christ before us.
May thy salvation, O Lord,
Be always ours
This day and for evermore.
Amen.
A prayer attributed to St. Patrick, quoted in Pocket Celtic Prayers compiled by Martin Wallace (London: Church House Publishing, 1999). (Speaking to the Soul, the Episcopal Cafe).
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