Today's Scripture Readings
Romans 12: 6-13 (NRSV)
Mark 10: 42-45 (NRSV)
Blog Reflection
It's Monday. The day after The First Sunday after the Epiphany: The Baptism of Our Lord Jesus Christ.
I wasn't planning to write a blog post today. I was not sure I would have anything valuable to contribute today.
My anger and disappointment began today with the news that the Bishop of Rome has said that "Gay marriage threatens humanity."
No, Your Holiness. The loving marriage between two people of the same sex does not threaten humanity. Heterosexism based on ignorance that gives life to homophobia and keeping LGBT people as second class citizens because of religious based bigotry threatens humanity.
I was further outraged when I read that the Archbishop of New York who has been selected to wear a red hat and become a Cardinal has bashed church rape victims. It seems to me that cruelty and degradation are being rewarded with an honorary title.
After I read that the Catholic League wrote that the molestation victims are "cry babies", I decided that I could not not write a blog post today.
As I was thinking about these events and whether or not I should write a blog post today I was reflecting on John 12: 35. "Walk while you have the light, so that the darkness may not overtake you." This verse is used at the end of the third paragraph to the Prologue in the Rule of St. Benedict. It is the paragraph that talks about getting up from sleep and learning about God's love for us by paying attention to what the Holy Spirit is saying to us. St. Benedict reminds us "not harden our hearts" which we pray from Psalm 95 every morning in the Daily Office.
Then I am brought to today's commemoration of Julia Chester Emery. A woman who devoted herself to the missionary work of the Episcopal Church who helped begin the United Thank Offering. The work of Julia Chester Emery was to bring the good news of God's mercy and love to the wider hurting world and call upon the Episcopal Church to become actively involved in that missionary work.
Jesus tells us not to lord ourselves over people, but to be in a constant attitude of the willingness to serve others. Jesus is the greatest example of humility as he gives of himself and all that God is in him in service by giving himself as a ransom for many. Jesus is telling the disciples that if they want to be anyone of greatness, they have to be willing to help heal the wounds brought about by the misuse of authoritative power and wealth.
Through today's news we are seeing the misuse of church authority. When religious power is used to over lord bigotry the results are destructive.
St. Paul today encourages us to "Let love be genuine" by "contributing to the needs of the saints; extend hospitality to the strangers."
Love is genuine when people like Julia Chester Emery a woman in an age when women are no where near as accepted as they are today is patient in her suffering, but persistent in prayer; works to alleviate the suffering of others all over the world. Her work continues to bear fruit as year after year Episcopalians all over contribute to the United Thank Offering to continue Emery's work of alleviating the poor and others in need.
As LGBT individuals we are angered and wounded by what we are hearing in the news these days. We would do well to use our outrage and the cuts we feel to become part of the solution. Just because the religious minded individuals who have said and written the news we are hearing today choose to "follow the advice of the wicked" (see Psalm 1) does not mean we should follow their example. We should do the good things the Christian Faith calls humankind to do. Let us make our love genuine and serve the needs of others. May we outdo one another in showing mutual affection, rejoicing in hope and being patient in suffering. May we follow the example of Julia Chester Emery in proclaiming God's mercy and love and not make friends with oppression.
May we take the lesson and canticle in Philippians 2: 5-11 from the Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus and make it our prayer and desire.
Prayers
Romans 12: 6-13 (NRSV)
We have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us: prophecy, in proportion to faith; ministry, in ministering; the teacher, in teaching; the exhorter, in exhortation; the giver, in generosity; the leader, in diligence; the compassionate, in cheerfulness.
Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honor. Do not lag in zeal, be ardent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints; extend hospitality to strangers.
Mark 10: 42-45 (NRSV)
Jesus called his disciples and said to them, "You know that among the Gentiles those whom they recognize as their rulers lord it over them, and their great ones are tyrants over them. But it is not so among you; but whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you must be slave of all. For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many."
Blog Reflection
It's Monday. The day after The First Sunday after the Epiphany: The Baptism of Our Lord Jesus Christ.
I wasn't planning to write a blog post today. I was not sure I would have anything valuable to contribute today.
My anger and disappointment began today with the news that the Bishop of Rome has said that "Gay marriage threatens humanity."
No, Your Holiness. The loving marriage between two people of the same sex does not threaten humanity. Heterosexism based on ignorance that gives life to homophobia and keeping LGBT people as second class citizens because of religious based bigotry threatens humanity.
I was further outraged when I read that the Archbishop of New York who has been selected to wear a red hat and become a Cardinal has bashed church rape victims. It seems to me that cruelty and degradation are being rewarded with an honorary title.
After I read that the Catholic League wrote that the molestation victims are "cry babies", I decided that I could not not write a blog post today.
As I was thinking about these events and whether or not I should write a blog post today I was reflecting on John 12: 35. "Walk while you have the light, so that the darkness may not overtake you." This verse is used at the end of the third paragraph to the Prologue in the Rule of St. Benedict. It is the paragraph that talks about getting up from sleep and learning about God's love for us by paying attention to what the Holy Spirit is saying to us. St. Benedict reminds us "not harden our hearts" which we pray from Psalm 95 every morning in the Daily Office.
Then I am brought to today's commemoration of Julia Chester Emery. A woman who devoted herself to the missionary work of the Episcopal Church who helped begin the United Thank Offering. The work of Julia Chester Emery was to bring the good news of God's mercy and love to the wider hurting world and call upon the Episcopal Church to become actively involved in that missionary work.
Jesus tells us not to lord ourselves over people, but to be in a constant attitude of the willingness to serve others. Jesus is the greatest example of humility as he gives of himself and all that God is in him in service by giving himself as a ransom for many. Jesus is telling the disciples that if they want to be anyone of greatness, they have to be willing to help heal the wounds brought about by the misuse of authoritative power and wealth.
Through today's news we are seeing the misuse of church authority. When religious power is used to over lord bigotry the results are destructive.
St. Paul today encourages us to "Let love be genuine" by "contributing to the needs of the saints; extend hospitality to the strangers."
Love is genuine when people like Julia Chester Emery a woman in an age when women are no where near as accepted as they are today is patient in her suffering, but persistent in prayer; works to alleviate the suffering of others all over the world. Her work continues to bear fruit as year after year Episcopalians all over contribute to the United Thank Offering to continue Emery's work of alleviating the poor and others in need.
As LGBT individuals we are angered and wounded by what we are hearing in the news these days. We would do well to use our outrage and the cuts we feel to become part of the solution. Just because the religious minded individuals who have said and written the news we are hearing today choose to "follow the advice of the wicked" (see Psalm 1) does not mean we should follow their example. We should do the good things the Christian Faith calls humankind to do. Let us make our love genuine and serve the needs of others. May we outdo one another in showing mutual affection, rejoicing in hope and being patient in suffering. May we follow the example of Julia Chester Emery in proclaiming God's mercy and love and not make friends with oppression.
May we take the lesson and canticle in Philippians 2: 5-11 from the Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus and make it our prayer and desire.
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.
Prayers
God of all creation, you call us in Christ to make disciples of all nations and to proclaim your mercy and love: Grant that we, after the example of your servant Julia Chester Emery, may have vision and courage in proclaiming the Gospel to the ends of the earth; through Jesus Christ our light and our salvation, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. (Holy Women, Holy Men, Celebrating the Saints, page 163).
Father in heaven, who at the baptism of Jesus in the River
Jordan proclaimed him your beloved Son and anointed him
with the Holy Spirit: Grant that all who are baptized into his
Name may keep the covenant they have made, and boldly
confess him as Lord and Savior; who with you and the Holy
Spirit lives and reigns, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen. (Book of Common Prayer, page 214).
Eternal Father, you gave to your incarnate Son the holy name
of Jesus to be the sign of our salvation: Plant in every heart,
we pray, the love of him who is the Savior of the world, our
Lord Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy
Spirit, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen. (Book of Common Prayer, page 213).
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. (Book of Common Prayer, page 815).
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