Today's Scripture Readings
Proverbs 9: 1-6 (NRSV)
Psalm 34 (BCP,. p.628)
Ephesians 5:15-20 (NRSV)
John 6:51-58 (NRSV)
Blog Reflection
There are those who would go so far as to suggest that Jesus was a transgender person. In Patrick S. Cheng's book: From Sin to Amazing Grace: Discovering the Queer Christ, he writes about the transgender theologian Justin Tanis.
This particular point is well taken, in light of our reading from Proverbs. The image is that of a woman setting the table and preparing a feast. Wisdom for Christians is in the Person of Jesus Christ. Jesus is the Wisdom of God made flesh. So, it is quite possible to think of Jesus as all male on the outside, but quite feminine on the inside. He would have transgressed many gender and cultural boundaries in his time. The idea of a male assuming the duties and work of a woman would have been a major cultural violation, that would result in rejection.
If we take this to heart and think more about the possibility that Jesus was the Queer Christ, that would explain a lot about why he often found himself among those marginalized. It would also explain why he was so good to help free the stigmatized, and call those doing the stigmatizing to repentance and conversion.
I really think that the bread of life discourses that we have been reading through the month of August, could give us some fresh insight into Jesus as Savior. Jesus is offering us the opportunity to feast on his flesh and drink of his blood. He said that he is the bread that came from heaven and that all who eat of his flesh and drink of his blood will be raised up on the last day. In this very discourse, Jesus the Son of God, is offering to feed us like a mother feeds her children. Jesus not only sets the table, but serves us what we need so that we might be connected to him, God and one another. He offers us a place where we can sup with him, and on him, so that we can become part of the Body of Christ.
Here again, Jesus is transgressing his culture and the social norms of his day. Those who heard him speak must have thought he was supporting cannibalism. Yet, what Jesus is doing, is telling them how he is the spiritual food by way of the physical signs of bread and wine. As we partake of the consecrated host and cup, we receive the very presence of God, through Jesus, who gives us his flesh to eat, and his blood to drink. It is a presence we cannot see with our physical eyes. Only through the eyes of faith is Christ present in the Holy Eucharist.
As Jesus transgresses gender norms, cultural unspoken rules and common ways of thinking and/or behaving, to impart God's grace, he invites us to open our hearts and minds to the wonder of the Holy Spirit's work. Our Mother, the Holy Spirit also challenges us in the 21st Century to go beyond gender and cultural norms so that we can bring God's healing and reconciliation to a wounded Church and society. Bruised and broken by racism, heterosexism, gender discrimination, sexism, religious exceptionalism and the powerful oppressing and exploiting the poor. Even suppressing the ability of minorities and low income individuals to vote to change the power structure to benefit everyone, not just the wealthy and powerful. Such is the case in Pennsylvania and Ohio. Hate groups such as the Family Research Council that experience a deadly shooting, and blame it on the very people they constantly work to marginalize and hurt through their words and the political process.
Jesus shares the gift of himself with those who come to receive the presence of God in Holy Communion without distinction or prejudice. God's grace through Christ reaches across political, religious and social norms, to bring wholesome healing and reconciliation. God does this through Christ and the Church. Why then can't the Church (as in the whole Christian Church) reach out, using Christ as our example and purpose? When will we stop arguing about creeds and prayer books long enough, to realize that the Bible is being used as a weapon of mass destruction on the lives and souls of African Americans, women, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning and queer people. Native Americans. Jewish people. Muslims. Atheists and more. We do not set a good example of Jesus Christ by using harmful rhetoric and/or hateful behavior. We do not present Jesus as the kind and merciful Savior, by telling LGBT people that they must surrender who they are, and who they love in order to find salvation in God, who has not rejected their sexual orientation and/or gender identity/expression. Nor has God condemned the physical act of love between people of the same sex any more or less than people of the opposite sex.
May Jesus, the Wisdom of God, nourish us with God's presence. May the Holy Spirit move on the hearts and lives of Christians and people of good will every where, to open our hearts and minds to all of God's people. We cannot heal every disease, nor are we totally capable of handling every problem that comes to us. Only God can do that. But, we can extend a welcome from the doors of our churches, and the altar of the Lord's Supper, and our hearts and minds to hold these individuals in our prayers. We can provide a place of affirmation, by which we support their dignity in society and the Church. We can also be active in promoting justice and equality on their behalf, in whatever way God may be calling us. When God calls us, may our answer be yes.
Amen.
Prayers
Proverbs 9: 1-6 (NRSV)
- Wisdom has built her house,
- she has hewn her seven pillars.
- She has slaughtered her animals, she has mixed her wine,
- she has also set her table.
- She has sent out her servant girls, she calls
- from the highest places in the town,
- "You that are simple, turn in here!"
- To those without sense she says,
- "Come, eat of my bread
- and drink of the wine I have mixed.
- Lay aside immaturity, and live,
- and walk in the way of insight."
Psalm 34 (BCP,. p.628)
Ephesians 5:15-20 (NRSV)
Be careful then how you live, not as unwise people but as wise, making the most of the time, because the days are evil. So do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. Do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery; but be filled with the Spirit, as you sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, singing and making melody to the Lord in your hearts, giving thanks to God the Father at all times and for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
John 6:51-58 (NRSV)
Jesus said, "I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats of this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh."
The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?" So Jesus said to them, "Very truly, I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life, and I will raise them up on the last day; for my flesh is true food and my blood is true drink. Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them. Just as the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever eats me will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like that which your ancestors ate, and they died. But the one who eats this bread will live forever."
Blog Reflection
There are those who would go so far as to suggest that Jesus was a transgender person. In Patrick S. Cheng's book: From Sin to Amazing Grace: Discovering the Queer Christ, he writes about the transgender theologian Justin Tanis.
Tanis develops a trans-christology that focuses on Jesus Christ's breaking through "barriers of gender" during his ministry, including speaking with women, performing traditionally female acts such as washing feet, and having women as followers. Furthermore, Jesus experienced harassment and a sense of homelessness, in much the same way as trans folk do today. Tanis also draws connections between the resurrected body of Christ and the process of transition that trans people go through (p.104).
This particular point is well taken, in light of our reading from Proverbs. The image is that of a woman setting the table and preparing a feast. Wisdom for Christians is in the Person of Jesus Christ. Jesus is the Wisdom of God made flesh. So, it is quite possible to think of Jesus as all male on the outside, but quite feminine on the inside. He would have transgressed many gender and cultural boundaries in his time. The idea of a male assuming the duties and work of a woman would have been a major cultural violation, that would result in rejection.
If we take this to heart and think more about the possibility that Jesus was the Queer Christ, that would explain a lot about why he often found himself among those marginalized. It would also explain why he was so good to help free the stigmatized, and call those doing the stigmatizing to repentance and conversion.
I really think that the bread of life discourses that we have been reading through the month of August, could give us some fresh insight into Jesus as Savior. Jesus is offering us the opportunity to feast on his flesh and drink of his blood. He said that he is the bread that came from heaven and that all who eat of his flesh and drink of his blood will be raised up on the last day. In this very discourse, Jesus the Son of God, is offering to feed us like a mother feeds her children. Jesus not only sets the table, but serves us what we need so that we might be connected to him, God and one another. He offers us a place where we can sup with him, and on him, so that we can become part of the Body of Christ.
Here again, Jesus is transgressing his culture and the social norms of his day. Those who heard him speak must have thought he was supporting cannibalism. Yet, what Jesus is doing, is telling them how he is the spiritual food by way of the physical signs of bread and wine. As we partake of the consecrated host and cup, we receive the very presence of God, through Jesus, who gives us his flesh to eat, and his blood to drink. It is a presence we cannot see with our physical eyes. Only through the eyes of faith is Christ present in the Holy Eucharist.
As Jesus transgresses gender norms, cultural unspoken rules and common ways of thinking and/or behaving, to impart God's grace, he invites us to open our hearts and minds to the wonder of the Holy Spirit's work. Our Mother, the Holy Spirit also challenges us in the 21st Century to go beyond gender and cultural norms so that we can bring God's healing and reconciliation to a wounded Church and society. Bruised and broken by racism, heterosexism, gender discrimination, sexism, religious exceptionalism and the powerful oppressing and exploiting the poor. Even suppressing the ability of minorities and low income individuals to vote to change the power structure to benefit everyone, not just the wealthy and powerful. Such is the case in Pennsylvania and Ohio. Hate groups such as the Family Research Council that experience a deadly shooting, and blame it on the very people they constantly work to marginalize and hurt through their words and the political process.
Jesus shares the gift of himself with those who come to receive the presence of God in Holy Communion without distinction or prejudice. God's grace through Christ reaches across political, religious and social norms, to bring wholesome healing and reconciliation. God does this through Christ and the Church. Why then can't the Church (as in the whole Christian Church) reach out, using Christ as our example and purpose? When will we stop arguing about creeds and prayer books long enough, to realize that the Bible is being used as a weapon of mass destruction on the lives and souls of African Americans, women, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning and queer people. Native Americans. Jewish people. Muslims. Atheists and more. We do not set a good example of Jesus Christ by using harmful rhetoric and/or hateful behavior. We do not present Jesus as the kind and merciful Savior, by telling LGBT people that they must surrender who they are, and who they love in order to find salvation in God, who has not rejected their sexual orientation and/or gender identity/expression. Nor has God condemned the physical act of love between people of the same sex any more or less than people of the opposite sex.
May Jesus, the Wisdom of God, nourish us with God's presence. May the Holy Spirit move on the hearts and lives of Christians and people of good will every where, to open our hearts and minds to all of God's people. We cannot heal every disease, nor are we totally capable of handling every problem that comes to us. Only God can do that. But, we can extend a welcome from the doors of our churches, and the altar of the Lord's Supper, and our hearts and minds to hold these individuals in our prayers. We can provide a place of affirmation, by which we support their dignity in society and the Church. We can also be active in promoting justice and equality on their behalf, in whatever way God may be calling us. When God calls us, may our answer be yes.
Amen.
Prayers
Almighty God, you have given your only Son to be for us a
sacrifice for sin, and also an example of godly life: Give us
grace to receive thankfully the fruits of this redeeming work,
and to follow daily in the blessed steps of his most holy life;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns
with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.
Amen. (Proper 14, Book of Common Prayer, p. 232).
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, p. 815).
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. (Prayer for the Oppressed, Book of Common Prayer, p. 826).
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