Today's Scripture Reading
Matthew 10:16-22 (NRSV)
Blog Reflection
Among the many things I appreciate about Jesus is that he does not side step the reality of life. Here Jesus is being very honest with his followers that there are dangers in this world. Those dangers are linked to the need many people have of maintaining their false sense of security in the things and relationships in this world. Because humankind is full of broken relationships. Those broken relationships exist within the Church as much as anywhere else.
The Episcopal Church today commemorates Thomas Becket who was Archbishop of Canterbury during the reign of King Henry II. Originally Thomas who was thought to be more of a politician was very friendly with King Henry II. After Becket became Archbishop of Canterbury, King Henry II became so infuriated with him that after a temporary successful banishment; when Becket returned not long after; Henry II had him murdered in his Cathedral. See Holy Women, Holy Men, Celebrating the Saints, page 144 for the rest of the story.
Thomas A. Becket was the 40th Archbishop of Canterbury from 1162 to 1170. King Henry VIII did not rise to the throne until the year 1509. During King Henry VIII's lifetime there were four different Archbishop's of Canterbury. So the whole episode of Henry VIII's declaring himself the head of the Church of England did not happen for another 360+ years. As we can see from the short biography about Archbishop Becket in Holy Women, Holy Men the strains between Church and State were lively to say the very least.
Today is also the 5th day of Christmas. In the famous Christmas song The Twelve Days of Christmas said that my true love gave to me five golden rings. So much for golden riches.
Why though might we pause on this 5th day of Christmas to think on Archbishop Becket, and the sheep among wolves?
I have been staying with the issue of broken relationships as a central theme of Christmas, because our good Presiding Bishop said as much in her Christmas message. But, I have another reason. Inequality in relationships in this human world are always broken due to sin. Before other progressives like myself start clocking to look at other pages as soon as I say the word sin, let us be realistic about what sin does to relationships.
Relationships in our world are broken. They are unequal.
In the year 2011 we saw more relationships that are broken because of inequality, cruelty and degradation than we can count.
In 2011 we saw an unprecedented attack on workers beginning in Wisconsin and Ohio and spreading to New Jersey, Maine, Michigan and so on.
During this past year we witnessed a huge assault on a woman's reproductive health care.
The middle class lost more battles during 2011 because of a do-nothing Congress.
In other States like North Carolina, Minnesota and Pennsylvania we have constitutional amendments banning marriage equality on the ballots for 2012.
Christianist organizations made relentlessly violent comments towards LGBT people, Muslims and other minority groups during 2011.
When New York passed marriage equality in 2011, the Liberty Council, the National Organization for Marriage and other anti-equality groups became the voice of mockery and denigration.
The inequality between the wealthy and the middle class became so great in 2011 that we saw the birth of the Occupy movement here and all over the world. Before the rise of the Occupy movement, we saw major demonstrations against dictatorial powers in Egypt, Libya, Syria and in many other places.
Between the Church and society there remains the income inequality between the have's and the have not's.
Many are paying attention and are concerned. Others remain part of the problem.
The world that the Christ-Child was born and raised in was a time of severe economic and social oppression. The Roman Empire controlled Palestine and did so with the iron fist. There was King Herod who kept that distance between his wealthy self and the poor so great. He could not even let a poor, helpless child who was the Messiah come into the world peacefully. Jesus Christ was born in the midst of our relationships broken by sin and social illness. Jesus can tell his twelve that he is sending them out as sheep among wolves. Jesus is both the Shepherd and one who came as a sheep just like you and me. Jesus faces the wolves just like we all do.
Our lives and our work for equality, justice and inclusion of marginalized persons; including, but not limited to LGBT people is a work of sheep among wolves.
In humility we are faced with having to accept where we are and make the best of it. We are continually denigrated by Christianist groups and radical right wing groups that want nothing to do with helping us gain equality. Yet, in that same humility we serve them by continuing to be a voice and a body that works for equality and faces the religious and spiritual violence of the wolves that would tear us to pieces with their sharp teeth. Many of us find those wolves in our own families. We experience the betrayal of friends who say: "Yes, I accept you as a good gay or lesbian person, but I have to vote in favor of an anti-equality marriage amendment, because our pastor told us to." Whether it's legal for them to say it or not. Even if we know in our hearts that what they are doing is abusive and wrong. But, we should never give up. We have to keep talking and showing people that LGBT people are good people right in front of their faces.
Our transgender members continue to face the wolves in the Church and society and in some cases within our own LGB communities. Comments made by LGB people about a transgender person and how bad they think they look after their gender reassignment surgery. How is that different from someone who is both anti-gay, lesbian and/or bisexual who says to someone in secret: "She still looks like a man"? Is that really any better than a fundamentalist accusing a transgender person of "body mutilation?"
Jesus achieves greatness because of his coming as God's perfect revelation to serve all humanity in the utmost humility.
May 2012 be the year that with the help of God's Incarnation that relationships be healed.
Prayers
Matthew 10:16-22 (NRSV)
Jesus told the twelve disciples, "See, I am sending you out like sheep into the midst of wolves; so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. Beware of them, for they will hand you over to councils and flog you in their synagogues; and you will be dragged before governors and kings because of me, as a testimony to them and the Gentiles. When they hand you over, do not worry about how you are to speak or what you are to say; for what you are to say will be given to you at that time; for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death; and you will be hated by all because of my name. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. "
Blog Reflection
Among the many things I appreciate about Jesus is that he does not side step the reality of life. Here Jesus is being very honest with his followers that there are dangers in this world. Those dangers are linked to the need many people have of maintaining their false sense of security in the things and relationships in this world. Because humankind is full of broken relationships. Those broken relationships exist within the Church as much as anywhere else.
The Episcopal Church today commemorates Thomas Becket who was Archbishop of Canterbury during the reign of King Henry II. Originally Thomas who was thought to be more of a politician was very friendly with King Henry II. After Becket became Archbishop of Canterbury, King Henry II became so infuriated with him that after a temporary successful banishment; when Becket returned not long after; Henry II had him murdered in his Cathedral. See Holy Women, Holy Men, Celebrating the Saints, page 144 for the rest of the story.
Thomas A. Becket was the 40th Archbishop of Canterbury from 1162 to 1170. King Henry VIII did not rise to the throne until the year 1509. During King Henry VIII's lifetime there were four different Archbishop's of Canterbury. So the whole episode of Henry VIII's declaring himself the head of the Church of England did not happen for another 360+ years. As we can see from the short biography about Archbishop Becket in Holy Women, Holy Men the strains between Church and State were lively to say the very least.
Today is also the 5th day of Christmas. In the famous Christmas song The Twelve Days of Christmas said that my true love gave to me five golden rings. So much for golden riches.
Why though might we pause on this 5th day of Christmas to think on Archbishop Becket, and the sheep among wolves?
I have been staying with the issue of broken relationships as a central theme of Christmas, because our good Presiding Bishop said as much in her Christmas message. But, I have another reason. Inequality in relationships in this human world are always broken due to sin. Before other progressives like myself start clocking to look at other pages as soon as I say the word sin, let us be realistic about what sin does to relationships.
Relationships in our world are broken. They are unequal.
In the year 2011 we saw more relationships that are broken because of inequality, cruelty and degradation than we can count.
In 2011 we saw an unprecedented attack on workers beginning in Wisconsin and Ohio and spreading to New Jersey, Maine, Michigan and so on.
During this past year we witnessed a huge assault on a woman's reproductive health care.
The middle class lost more battles during 2011 because of a do-nothing Congress.
In other States like North Carolina, Minnesota and Pennsylvania we have constitutional amendments banning marriage equality on the ballots for 2012.
Christianist organizations made relentlessly violent comments towards LGBT people, Muslims and other minority groups during 2011.
When New York passed marriage equality in 2011, the Liberty Council, the National Organization for Marriage and other anti-equality groups became the voice of mockery and denigration.
The inequality between the wealthy and the middle class became so great in 2011 that we saw the birth of the Occupy movement here and all over the world. Before the rise of the Occupy movement, we saw major demonstrations against dictatorial powers in Egypt, Libya, Syria and in many other places.
Between the Church and society there remains the income inequality between the have's and the have not's.
Many are paying attention and are concerned. Others remain part of the problem.
The world that the Christ-Child was born and raised in was a time of severe economic and social oppression. The Roman Empire controlled Palestine and did so with the iron fist. There was King Herod who kept that distance between his wealthy self and the poor so great. He could not even let a poor, helpless child who was the Messiah come into the world peacefully. Jesus Christ was born in the midst of our relationships broken by sin and social illness. Jesus can tell his twelve that he is sending them out as sheep among wolves. Jesus is both the Shepherd and one who came as a sheep just like you and me. Jesus faces the wolves just like we all do.
Our lives and our work for equality, justice and inclusion of marginalized persons; including, but not limited to LGBT people is a work of sheep among wolves.
In humility we are faced with having to accept where we are and make the best of it. We are continually denigrated by Christianist groups and radical right wing groups that want nothing to do with helping us gain equality. Yet, in that same humility we serve them by continuing to be a voice and a body that works for equality and faces the religious and spiritual violence of the wolves that would tear us to pieces with their sharp teeth. Many of us find those wolves in our own families. We experience the betrayal of friends who say: "Yes, I accept you as a good gay or lesbian person, but I have to vote in favor of an anti-equality marriage amendment, because our pastor told us to." Whether it's legal for them to say it or not. Even if we know in our hearts that what they are doing is abusive and wrong. But, we should never give up. We have to keep talking and showing people that LGBT people are good people right in front of their faces.
Our transgender members continue to face the wolves in the Church and society and in some cases within our own LGB communities. Comments made by LGB people about a transgender person and how bad they think they look after their gender reassignment surgery. How is that different from someone who is both anti-gay, lesbian and/or bisexual who says to someone in secret: "She still looks like a man"? Is that really any better than a fundamentalist accusing a transgender person of "body mutilation?"
Jesus achieves greatness because of his coming as God's perfect revelation to serve all humanity in the utmost humility.
Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus,
who, though he was in the form of God,
did not regard equality with God
as something to be exploited,
but emptied himself,
taking the form of a slave,
being born in human likeness.
And being found in human form,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to the point of death—
even death on a cross.
Therefore God also highly exalted him
and gave him the name
that is above every name,
so that at the name of Jesus
every knee should bend,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue should confess
that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.(Philippians 2: 5-11).
May 2012 be the year that with the help of God's Incarnation that relationships be healed.
Prayers
O God, our strength and our salvation, you called your servant Thomas Becket to be a shepherd of your people and a defender of your Church: Keep your household from all evil and raise up among us faithful pastors and leaders who are wise in the ways of the Gospel; through Jesus Christ the shepherd of our souls, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. (HWHM page 145).
Almighty God, you have poured upon us the new light of
your incarnate Word: Grant that this light, enkindled in our
hearts, may shine forth in our lives; through Jesus Christ our
Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy
Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. (Book of Common Prayer, page 213).
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. (Book of Common Prayer, page 826).
No comments:
Post a Comment