Today's Scripture Reading
Isaiah 54: 1-10 (NRSV)
Luke 7: 24-30 (NRSV)
Blog Reflection
I am writing this blog post after having literally been shot in the heart by some news I have just read. The local Catholic Archbishop has published a prayer to be used at Masses and other parish church functions that the Holy Spirit will help Minnesota pass a constitutional amendment to ban marriage equality for LGBT people on November 6, 2012. The betrayal that I am experiencing is very deep as a result of the use of public prayer as a means of promoting religious and spiritually based violence on myself and others who seek to have our relationships recognized by the civil Government.
In my anger and sadness, I decided it was time to write my blog today. So, I turned to the Lectionary for Thursday in the Third Week of Advent and I find this Gospel about Jesus praising the person and work of John the Baptist. The reading from the Hebrew Scriptures from Isaiah also had something positive to say to me in the midst of my emotional response to the spiritual malpractice and doctrinal abuse of the Catholic Archbishop's prayer.
John the Baptist was not what we would call the usual and typical guy. He lived outside of what was considered to be "normal". He wore the clothing of camel's hair and ate bugs and honey. He probably was not a very clean man. Yet, the words of this unusual man and his call to repentance of a people who were experiencing political, social and religious oppression was so great that many people went to him to be Baptized.
Jesus is challenging those who are listening to him to look at their motives when going to see this John the Baptist that was so different. They did not find someone who could both talk eloquently and look like the drop dead gorgeous guy that looks clean and wears a $300.00 suit and a $95.00 tie. Perhaps they were looking for someone to say "your religious and political leaders are doing such noble and holy work. Trust in God and be polite to them. Everything will work out just fine." But, that is not what they found.
Instead they found someone who was preparing the way for God to come to them, by calling everyone from the person in the highest political and religious position to those looking for a reason to hold on another day, to repent of their sins and recreate a place where everyone can find hope in God. Not only in their communities, but in their hearts.
Jesus said: "I tell you, among those born of women no one is greater than John; yet the least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.’ Jesus recognized the power of God in one who was so different, and the greatness of God's work through someone who was so rejected.
I think that Jesus would say the same about women and men who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning and/or queer (LGBTQ) today.
The LGBT people who served in secret in the United States Military while Don't Ask, Don't Tell was the law, and now can serve openly since the law's repeal are the greatest among those rejected. It was assumed that if they are open about their sexuality that they were not qualified to serve and defend our freedoms. Because they and other LGBT and allied Americans would not accept that answer, we worked together to repeal the law. And thank God for all our women and men in uniform, including our LGBT soldiers. Even with Rick Perry's shameful ad suggesting that there is something wrong in America with gays being allowed to serve openly, while falsely stating that children in school cannot pray or celebrate Christmas. Please see my blog post with Bishop Gene Robinson's articulate response to Rick Perry from this past Monday. It is a response that is both just and holy.
Many of us LGBT people often feel like we are among those that God abandoned for a brief time like in Isaiah 54: 7, because of religious based bigotry and oppression. Regardless of what religious tradition we come from, or even if we are not religious at all. It can seem like Christianists and arch-conservative Catholics/Episcopalians/Anglicans/Orthodox/Lutherans etc are given God's authority to continue pastoral and religious based violence towards LGBT people. No wonder so many LGBT people just can't be part of any kind of organized religion. Many good hearted LGBT people prefer to be considered as spiritual, but not religious. Many say they are Christian, but just won't attend a church service or listen to a preacher for fear of what they might hear or experience. They may say like Bishop Robinson only with different words. If this is Christianity count me out.
Let us confront two major problems in light of the person of Jesus and John the Baptist.
For Christians, we feel that the verses in Isaiah 53 have something to say about the suffering and death of Jesus. "He was despised and rejected by others; a man of suffering and acquainted with infirmity; and as one from whom others hid their faces...." (Isaiah 53:3). Jesus was a man who experience rejection. The rejection came from those who held religious authority & political authority in his time. Yet, his rejection and even his horrible death on the Cross brought about the redemption of those who respond to God through the Christian message of salvation.
Just as John the Baptist, Jesus is an example of someone who was rejected, yet was the greatest among people. Rather than accept his rejection, but use it to feel sorry for himself and just isolated and inactive in the lives of others who were rejected, Jesus chose to do just the opposite. Jesus identified with others who were marginalized and rejected. Jesus healed the sick, saw the beauty and holiness of the eunuchs (the gay men of his time) and affirmed God's creative and redemptive possibilities for everyone. Jesus even put a face on the dead and gave them new hope for eternal life.
I have written before and will continue to write that if Jesus had harsh words for anyone, it was said to those who felt that God owed them something. Just because they were in a place of high prestige and were so deserving of God's graciousness for being so damned wonderful. Jesus' harsh reminder of who they were not, was probably what got him in so much trouble. But, that did not stop Jesus from doing God's will in bringing the hope of salvation to all who sought God's grace through him.
The message of the Christian Faith and the Gospel is not meant to be the weapon of mass destruction in a prayer by Archbishop Neinstedt or a political attack ad by Gov. Rick Perry. They do not speak for all Christians, nor do their words and behaviors represent the best of what Christianity is or is to be.
The Christianity that I chose to be part of asks of people being to be Baptized: "Will you seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving your neighbor as yourself ?" They also ask: "Will you strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every human being ?" To both questions, the response is: "I will, with God's help." Not only does the Episcopal Church ask that of those preparing for Baptism, but also those who are already Baptized to recommit ourselves to those vows.
The response of Bishop Brian Prior of the Episcopal Church of Minnesota is as follows:
The Statement by the Episcopal Church of Minnesota concerning the Minnesota Marriage Amendment vote is as follows:
I believe that the Sacred Heart of Jesus that was wounded by our sins, is even more grieved when someone who claims to represent Jesus in an authoritative position misuses his place to promote spiritual and pastoral violence towards LGBT people who would like the opportunity to be married in the State of Minnesota.
In our anger and grief, God in Jesus by the Holy Spirit draws ever closer to us to console us. (See 2 Corinthians 1: 3-7). God tells us that we have every right and cause to be angry, feel sadness and rejection. and to mourn what we feel. God comes to help us to tell God how angry and sad we are. But God comes like a mother in the Holy Spirit to say that God does not reject us because we are LGBT. God comes as our Savior in Jesus to identify with our experience of rejection, to offer healing and inspire us to be part of sharing the inclusive and loving message the God rejects no one.
Then we can say with the Psalmist: "I will exalt you, O Lord, because you have lifted me up and have not let my enemies triumph over me. O Lord my God, I cried to you, and you restored me to health." (Psalm 30, Book of Common Prayer, page 621).
May we know that God finds the greatest among those who have been rejected.
Prayers
Isaiah 54: 1-10 (NRSV)
Sing, O barren one who did not bear;
burst into song and shout,
you who have not been in labour!
For the children of the desolate woman will be more
than the children of her that is married, says the Lord.
Enlarge the site of your tent,
and let the curtains of your habitations be stretched out;
do not hold back; lengthen your cords
and strengthen your stakes.
For you will spread out to the right and to the left,
and your descendants will possess the nations
and will settle the desolate towns.
Do not fear, for you will not be ashamed;
do not be discouraged, for you will not suffer disgrace;
for you will forget the shame of your youth,
and the disgrace of your widowhood you will remember no more.
For your Maker is your husband,
the Lord of hosts is his name;
the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer,
the God of the whole earth he is called.
For the Lord has called you
like a wife forsaken and grieved in spirit,
like the wife of a man’s youth when she is cast off,
says your God.
For a brief moment I abandoned you,
but with great compassion I will gather you.
In overflowing wrath for a moment
I hid my face from you,
but with everlasting love I will have compassion on you,
says the Lord, your Redeemer.
This is like the days of Noah to me:
Just as I swore that the waters of Noah
would never again go over the earth,
so I have sworn that I will not be angry with you
and will not rebuke you.
For the mountains may depart
and the hills be removed,
but my steadfast love shall not depart from you,
and my covenant of peace shall not be removed,
says the Lord, who has compassion on you.
Luke 7: 24-30 (NRSV)
When John’s messengers had gone, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: ‘What did you go out into the wilderness to look at? A reed shaken by the wind? What then did you go out to see? Someone dressed in soft robes? Look, those who put on fine clothing and live in luxury are in royal palaces. What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is the one about whom it is written,
“See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you,
who will prepare your way before you.”
I tell you, among those born of women no one is greater than John; yet the least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.’ (And all the people who heard this, including the tax-collectors, acknowledged the justice of God, because they had been baptized with John’s baptism. But by refusing to be baptized by him, the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected God’s purpose for themselves.)
Blog Reflection
I am writing this blog post after having literally been shot in the heart by some news I have just read. The local Catholic Archbishop has published a prayer to be used at Masses and other parish church functions that the Holy Spirit will help Minnesota pass a constitutional amendment to ban marriage equality for LGBT people on November 6, 2012. The betrayal that I am experiencing is very deep as a result of the use of public prayer as a means of promoting religious and spiritually based violence on myself and others who seek to have our relationships recognized by the civil Government.
In my anger and sadness, I decided it was time to write my blog today. So, I turned to the Lectionary for Thursday in the Third Week of Advent and I find this Gospel about Jesus praising the person and work of John the Baptist. The reading from the Hebrew Scriptures from Isaiah also had something positive to say to me in the midst of my emotional response to the spiritual malpractice and doctrinal abuse of the Catholic Archbishop's prayer.
John the Baptist was not what we would call the usual and typical guy. He lived outside of what was considered to be "normal". He wore the clothing of camel's hair and ate bugs and honey. He probably was not a very clean man. Yet, the words of this unusual man and his call to repentance of a people who were experiencing political, social and religious oppression was so great that many people went to him to be Baptized.
Jesus is challenging those who are listening to him to look at their motives when going to see this John the Baptist that was so different. They did not find someone who could both talk eloquently and look like the drop dead gorgeous guy that looks clean and wears a $300.00 suit and a $95.00 tie. Perhaps they were looking for someone to say "your religious and political leaders are doing such noble and holy work. Trust in God and be polite to them. Everything will work out just fine." But, that is not what they found.
Instead they found someone who was preparing the way for God to come to them, by calling everyone from the person in the highest political and religious position to those looking for a reason to hold on another day, to repent of their sins and recreate a place where everyone can find hope in God. Not only in their communities, but in their hearts.
Jesus said: "I tell you, among those born of women no one is greater than John; yet the least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.’ Jesus recognized the power of God in one who was so different, and the greatness of God's work through someone who was so rejected.
I think that Jesus would say the same about women and men who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning and/or queer (LGBTQ) today.
The LGBT people who served in secret in the United States Military while Don't Ask, Don't Tell was the law, and now can serve openly since the law's repeal are the greatest among those rejected. It was assumed that if they are open about their sexuality that they were not qualified to serve and defend our freedoms. Because they and other LGBT and allied Americans would not accept that answer, we worked together to repeal the law. And thank God for all our women and men in uniform, including our LGBT soldiers. Even with Rick Perry's shameful ad suggesting that there is something wrong in America with gays being allowed to serve openly, while falsely stating that children in school cannot pray or celebrate Christmas. Please see my blog post with Bishop Gene Robinson's articulate response to Rick Perry from this past Monday. It is a response that is both just and holy.
Many of us LGBT people often feel like we are among those that God abandoned for a brief time like in Isaiah 54: 7, because of religious based bigotry and oppression. Regardless of what religious tradition we come from, or even if we are not religious at all. It can seem like Christianists and arch-conservative Catholics/Episcopalians/Anglicans/Orthodox/Lutherans etc are given God's authority to continue pastoral and religious based violence towards LGBT people. No wonder so many LGBT people just can't be part of any kind of organized religion. Many good hearted LGBT people prefer to be considered as spiritual, but not religious. Many say they are Christian, but just won't attend a church service or listen to a preacher for fear of what they might hear or experience. They may say like Bishop Robinson only with different words. If this is Christianity count me out.
Let us confront two major problems in light of the person of Jesus and John the Baptist.
For Christians, we feel that the verses in Isaiah 53 have something to say about the suffering and death of Jesus. "He was despised and rejected by others; a man of suffering and acquainted with infirmity; and as one from whom others hid their faces...." (Isaiah 53:3). Jesus was a man who experience rejection. The rejection came from those who held religious authority & political authority in his time. Yet, his rejection and even his horrible death on the Cross brought about the redemption of those who respond to God through the Christian message of salvation.
Just as John the Baptist, Jesus is an example of someone who was rejected, yet was the greatest among people. Rather than accept his rejection, but use it to feel sorry for himself and just isolated and inactive in the lives of others who were rejected, Jesus chose to do just the opposite. Jesus identified with others who were marginalized and rejected. Jesus healed the sick, saw the beauty and holiness of the eunuchs (the gay men of his time) and affirmed God's creative and redemptive possibilities for everyone. Jesus even put a face on the dead and gave them new hope for eternal life.
I have written before and will continue to write that if Jesus had harsh words for anyone, it was said to those who felt that God owed them something. Just because they were in a place of high prestige and were so deserving of God's graciousness for being so damned wonderful. Jesus' harsh reminder of who they were not, was probably what got him in so much trouble. But, that did not stop Jesus from doing God's will in bringing the hope of salvation to all who sought God's grace through him.
The message of the Christian Faith and the Gospel is not meant to be the weapon of mass destruction in a prayer by Archbishop Neinstedt or a political attack ad by Gov. Rick Perry. They do not speak for all Christians, nor do their words and behaviors represent the best of what Christianity is or is to be.
The Christianity that I chose to be part of asks of people being to be Baptized: "Will you seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving your neighbor as yourself ?" They also ask: "Will you strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every human being ?" To both questions, the response is: "I will, with God's help." Not only does the Episcopal Church ask that of those preparing for Baptism, but also those who are already Baptized to recommit ourselves to those vows.
The response of Bishop Brian Prior of the Episcopal Church of Minnesota is as follows:
From its very origins, the Episcopal Church in Minnesota has always stood with the marginalized. Race, ethnicity, gender, gender orientation or immigrant we have embraced both the Gospel mandate of love of neighbor and the Baptismal Covenant imperative to respect the dignity of every human being. Any actions, whether sacred or secular — such as the proposed constitutional amendment to prohibit our LGBT brothers and sisters from the rights and privileges that the rest of Minnesotans enjoy - are considered to be marginalizing and contrary to the Gospel, the Baptismal Covenant and our history.
The Rt. Rev. Brian N. Prior
IX Bishop, Episcopal Church of Minnesota
The Statement by the Episcopal Church of Minnesota concerning the Minnesota Marriage Amendment vote is as follows:
Resolved, the Episcopal Church in Minnesota opposes the proposed amendment to the Constitution of the State of Minnesota banning same-sex marriage. Furthermore the Church will join other denominations and non-profit organizations in signing the “Resolution against the Constitutional Amendment to Ban Marriage for Same-Sex Couples” as prepared and presented by Minnesotans United for All Families:
‘We oppose the amendment to the Minnesota Constitution banning same-sex marriage. Minnesotans United for All Families may use my organization’s name in opposition to the constitutional amendment banning the legal recognition of same-sex couples.’
I believe that the Sacred Heart of Jesus that was wounded by our sins, is even more grieved when someone who claims to represent Jesus in an authoritative position misuses his place to promote spiritual and pastoral violence towards LGBT people who would like the opportunity to be married in the State of Minnesota.
In our anger and grief, God in Jesus by the Holy Spirit draws ever closer to us to console us. (See 2 Corinthians 1: 3-7). God tells us that we have every right and cause to be angry, feel sadness and rejection. and to mourn what we feel. God comes to help us to tell God how angry and sad we are. But God comes like a mother in the Holy Spirit to say that God does not reject us because we are LGBT. God comes as our Savior in Jesus to identify with our experience of rejection, to offer healing and inspire us to be part of sharing the inclusive and loving message the God rejects no one.
Then we can say with the Psalmist: "I will exalt you, O Lord, because you have lifted me up and have not let my enemies triumph over me. O Lord my God, I cried to you, and you restored me to health." (Psalm 30, Book of Common Prayer, page 621).
May we know that God finds the greatest among those who have been rejected.
Prayers
Stir up your power, O Lord, and with great might come
among us; and, because we are sorely hindered by our sins,
let your bountiful grace and mercy speedily help and deliver
us; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and
the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory, now and for ever. Amen.
(Book of Common Prayer, page 212).
Gracious Father, we pray for they holy Catholic Church. Fill it
with all truth, in all truth with all peace. Where it is corrupt,
purify it; where it is in error, direct it; where in any thing it is
amiss, reform it. Where it is right, strengthen it; where it is in
want, provide for it; where it is divided, reunite it; for the sake
of Jesus Christ thy Son our Savior. Amen.(Book of Common Prayer, page 816)
Almighty God, we commend to your gracious care and
keeping all the men and women of our armed forces at home
and abroad. Defend them day by day with your heavenly
grace; strengthen them in their trials and temptations; give
them courage to face the perils which beset them; and grant
them a sense of your abiding presence wherever they may be;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (BCP. Page 823).
" Jesus recognized the power of God in one who was so different, and the greatness of God's work through someone who was so rejected. " From your blog today...thanks much for your clarity , and strength in putting down on "paper" what was in your heart . I sensed you were writing about yourself...
ReplyDeleteThank you for your comment DallasLEMinister. I was not only speaking of myself, but others who are different and rejected. It is to remind all of us that whatever situation we are in, regardless of all that other people reject in and/or about us, God still makes good use of it to do awesome things.
ReplyDelete