Today's Scripture Readings
Daniel 9: 3-10 (NRSV)
Luke 6: 27-38 (NRSV)
Blog Reflection
I think all of us knows the feeling. Just when we think we have let go of the hurt us and pain we experienced from our relationship with someone else, suddenly we see their face and it all comes back to us. Things we thought were said and done, return like arthritis on what you thought was a healed limb as soon as it rains. The anger, resentment and just the emotions of "will you just leave me alone" come back.
There is a reason why God gave us commandments. They were not given as a "you better not or else" as the Old Testament appears to suggest. Rather, they are there to remind us of a purpose that is beyond what is on the surface. Things happen in life. Whenever there are more than two people in any given situation, conflicts and misunderstandings will occur. They are unavoidable. All of us have "ourselves" some where in the mix.
This Gospel reading which is Luke's version of what we read this past Saturday from Matthew, feels like another slap in the proverbial face. "Doesn't God understand how we LGBT people are being treated by people claiming to be Christians?" "Why should we forgive or be merciful, when they aren't very merciful to us?" I have asked and faced these questions too. I have my days when I am so angry with what is in the news with regards to women, LGBT, people of different races, political opinions that are different than mine. I just find it so difficult to swallow my bad pride and walk on.
I do not think that Jesus here is asking us to give our enemies a completely free ride, as to not acknowledging the wrong they do. I also do not think that Jesus is necessarily suggesting that we be "nice folks" while they all do as they please. What I think Jesus is saying here is, let's not let them win by lowering ourselves to their level.
Over these past few months I have found myself in an interesting place of contention with some folks in our own LGBT communities. I really do not think that glitter bombing or doing things to humiliate folks like Rick Santorum, Michelle Bachmann, or Mitt Romney are helping us with the cause of equality. I think such responses give them way too much ammunition to keep hurling inaccurate information about LGBT people, using activities that they are seeing out in the open. I tend to see glitter bombing and acts designed to humiliate our opponents as returning violence for the violence from the anti-LGBT individuals. I think it is counter-productive.
As LGBT and progressive Christians, we need to respond in non-violent and responsible ways. Ways that suggest that we are more in control of ourselves, even when we are experiencing great pains and anguish at the hands of our opponents. One demonstration that did this in the most effective way was a huge silent protest in Virginia last month. As members of the legislature walked in, they passed a line of hundreds of silent protestors looking at them in the eye, with a sincere eye stare of "how could you do this?" Even if they pass the destructive legislation in the end, as awful as that would be, those who stood there in silence on that remarkable day, did more to help their cause than any act of humiliation could possibly do.
What Jesus is asking us to do, is nothing that he himself did not do as he faced his own trial, humiliation, passion and death. Jesus whens falsely accused, stood there in silence, answering only the question he was asked, by which he could provide an honest response. When he was struck in the face, he never returned, but stood there out of love for those who hated him so dreadfully. Later, as Jesus hung on the cross by way of the violence of the sins of all of us that put him there, he did not act with vengeance. Instead, he cried out: "Father, forgive them, they do not know what they are doing" (Luke 23: 34).
What kinds of things cause us to react in a vengeful way towards those who have hurt us?
Do we harbor grudges to the point that we allow our enemies to win, just by how much they drag us down with them?
How can we find ways of responding to those who hate us, so that we follow the Gospel instead of letting us be weighed down with hate and contempt that only feeds more violence?
As we continue through this Lent, we are trying to spend some time with God in the deserts of our hearts. To invite God into those spaces where we need to experience God's healing mercy and gentle grace. We want to allow God to transform us from the inside out. So that the God we worship and pray to, becomes the Way in which we live out the Gospel in our lives and relationships with others.
Where we fail miserably or find ourselves unable to cope or improve, God is there to lead us to the cross where Jesus gave his life, Body and Blood so that we might know God's mercy and forgiveness. There we can find the grace to receive God's help to grow in our relationships with God, others and ourselves.
Prayers
Daniel 9: 3-10 (NRSV)
Then I turned to the Lord God, to seek an answer by prayer and supplication with fasting and sackcloth and ashes. I prayed to the Lord my God and made confession, saying,
‘Ah, Lord, great and awesome God, keeping covenant and steadfast love with those who love you and keep your commandments, we have sinned and done wrong, acted wickedly and rebelled, turning aside from your commandments and ordinances. We have not listened to your servants the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, our princes, and our ancestors, and to all the people of the land.
‘Righteousness is on your side, O Lord, but open shame, as at this day, falls on us, the people of Judah, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and all Israel, those who are near and those who are far away, in all the lands to which you have driven them, because of the treachery that they have committed against you. Open shame, O Lord, falls on us, our kings, our officials, and our ancestors, because we have sinned against you. To the Lord our God belong mercy and forgiveness, for we have rebelled against him, and have not obeyed the voice of the Lord our God by following his laws, which he set before us by his servants the prophets.
Luke 6: 27-38 (NRSV)
‘But I say to you that listen, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. If anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also; and from anyone who takes away your coat do not withhold even your shirt. Give to everyone who begs from you; and if anyone takes away your goods, do not ask for them again. Do to others as you would have them do to you.
‘If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. If you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive as much again. But love your enemies, do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return. Your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High; for he is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.
‘Do not judge, and you will not be judged; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven; give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap; for the measure you give will be the measure you get back.’
Blog Reflection
I think all of us knows the feeling. Just when we think we have let go of the hurt us and pain we experienced from our relationship with someone else, suddenly we see their face and it all comes back to us. Things we thought were said and done, return like arthritis on what you thought was a healed limb as soon as it rains. The anger, resentment and just the emotions of "will you just leave me alone" come back.
There is a reason why God gave us commandments. They were not given as a "you better not or else" as the Old Testament appears to suggest. Rather, they are there to remind us of a purpose that is beyond what is on the surface. Things happen in life. Whenever there are more than two people in any given situation, conflicts and misunderstandings will occur. They are unavoidable. All of us have "ourselves" some where in the mix.
This Gospel reading which is Luke's version of what we read this past Saturday from Matthew, feels like another slap in the proverbial face. "Doesn't God understand how we LGBT people are being treated by people claiming to be Christians?" "Why should we forgive or be merciful, when they aren't very merciful to us?" I have asked and faced these questions too. I have my days when I am so angry with what is in the news with regards to women, LGBT, people of different races, political opinions that are different than mine. I just find it so difficult to swallow my bad pride and walk on.
I do not think that Jesus here is asking us to give our enemies a completely free ride, as to not acknowledging the wrong they do. I also do not think that Jesus is necessarily suggesting that we be "nice folks" while they all do as they please. What I think Jesus is saying here is, let's not let them win by lowering ourselves to their level.
Over these past few months I have found myself in an interesting place of contention with some folks in our own LGBT communities. I really do not think that glitter bombing or doing things to humiliate folks like Rick Santorum, Michelle Bachmann, or Mitt Romney are helping us with the cause of equality. I think such responses give them way too much ammunition to keep hurling inaccurate information about LGBT people, using activities that they are seeing out in the open. I tend to see glitter bombing and acts designed to humiliate our opponents as returning violence for the violence from the anti-LGBT individuals. I think it is counter-productive.
As LGBT and progressive Christians, we need to respond in non-violent and responsible ways. Ways that suggest that we are more in control of ourselves, even when we are experiencing great pains and anguish at the hands of our opponents. One demonstration that did this in the most effective way was a huge silent protest in Virginia last month. As members of the legislature walked in, they passed a line of hundreds of silent protestors looking at them in the eye, with a sincere eye stare of "how could you do this?" Even if they pass the destructive legislation in the end, as awful as that would be, those who stood there in silence on that remarkable day, did more to help their cause than any act of humiliation could possibly do.
What Jesus is asking us to do, is nothing that he himself did not do as he faced his own trial, humiliation, passion and death. Jesus whens falsely accused, stood there in silence, answering only the question he was asked, by which he could provide an honest response. When he was struck in the face, he never returned, but stood there out of love for those who hated him so dreadfully. Later, as Jesus hung on the cross by way of the violence of the sins of all of us that put him there, he did not act with vengeance. Instead, he cried out: "Father, forgive them, they do not know what they are doing" (Luke 23: 34).
What kinds of things cause us to react in a vengeful way towards those who have hurt us?
Do we harbor grudges to the point that we allow our enemies to win, just by how much they drag us down with them?
How can we find ways of responding to those who hate us, so that we follow the Gospel instead of letting us be weighed down with hate and contempt that only feeds more violence?
As we continue through this Lent, we are trying to spend some time with God in the deserts of our hearts. To invite God into those spaces where we need to experience God's healing mercy and gentle grace. We want to allow God to transform us from the inside out. So that the God we worship and pray to, becomes the Way in which we live out the Gospel in our lives and relationships with others.
Where we fail miserably or find ourselves unable to cope or improve, God is there to lead us to the cross where Jesus gave his life, Body and Blood so that we might know God's mercy and forgiveness. There we can find the grace to receive God's help to grow in our relationships with God, others and ourselves.
Prayers
Let your Spirit, O Lord, come into the midst of us to wash us with the pure water of repentance, and prepare us to be always a living sacrifice to you; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. (Collect for Monday in the Second Week of Lent. Holy Women, Holy Men, Celebrating the Saints, p. 42).
O God, whose glory it is always to have mercy: Be gracious
to all who have gone astray from your ways, and bring them
again with penitent hearts and steadfast faith to embrace and
hold fast the unchangeable truth of your Word, Jesus Christ
your Son; who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen. (Collect for Second Sunday in Lent, Book of Common Prayer, p. 218).
Eternal God, in whose perfect kingdom no sword is drawn
but the sword of righteousness, no strength known but the
strength of love: So mightily spread abroad your Spirit, that
all peoples may be gathered under the banner of the Prince of
Peace, as children of one Father; to whom be dominion and
glory, now and for ever. Amen. (Prayer for Peace, Book of Common Prayer, p. 815).
O God, the Father of all, whose Son commanded us to love
our enemies: Lead them and us from prejudice to truth:
deliver them and us from hatred, cruelty, and revenge; and in
your good time enable us all to stand reconciled before you,
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (Prayer for Our Enemies, Book of Common Prayer, p. 816).
No comments:
Post a Comment