Today's Scripture Readings
Acts 16:16-34
Psalm 97 (BCP., p.726)
Revelation 22:12-14,16-17,20-21 (NRSV)
John 17:20-26 (NRSV)
Blog Reflection
I am writing this particular reflection at a fantastic time in the State of Minnesota. Just this past Thursday, the Minnesota House of Representatives passed the bill that will grant the freedom to marry to same-sex couples. This upcoming Monday, the bill will be voted on and likely pass in the State Senate. Our Governor Mark Dayton is expected to sign the bill into law on Tuesday. If all goes in that order, same-gender couples will be able to apply for State marriage licenses on August 1, 2013. It is an exciting time for those of us who have been working so hard to make this kind of thing happened.
As Jason and I celebrated Ascension Thursday together at St. Mark's Episcopal Cathedral in Minneapolis, on the very day the House passed the bill, we sang probably my favorite hymn. And it was the most appropriate for both Ascension Thursday and the events of the day.
When Christ was lifted from the earth,
his arms stretched out above
through every culture, every birth,
to draw an answering love.
Still east and west His love extends
and always, near or far,
He calls and claims us as His friends
and loves us as we are.
Where generation, class or race
divide us to our shame,
He sees not labels but a face,
A person, and a name.
Thus freely loved, though fully known,
may I in Christ be free
to welcome and accept His own
as Christ accepted me. Amen.
Words by Brian A. Wren
Music by Gordon Slater
See Hymnal 1982, #603
Among the many comments that have come since Thursday's historic vote, is the argument by opponents about "religious freedom." Not to mention their concerns about children and families. All of these are based on a weak, but very firm belief that anything other than the union between one man and one woman is detrimental if not destructive to the family and children. They also believe that marriage equality is a threat to "religious freedom." A great professor at the University of Minnesota by the name of Dale Carpenter wrote a fantastic article answering all of those questions. You can read that article here.
Another point about the debate in the MN House on Thursday, was how respectful it was. There was very emotional and passionate discussions, speeches about the subject of marriage, by both supporters of marriage equality and those who oppose it. But, one of the other great events we witnessed was how people's hearts and minds are changing in regards to LGBTQ people, couples and families. Rep. Tim Faust who is also a Lutheran Pastor gave an outstanding speech. In his talk, he spoke about how his views and understandings have changed on the issue of the freedom of same-gender couples to marry the person they love. You can watch and read about that speech here. You won't be sorry.
I am sure many of my blog readers may be asking yourself what does this have to do with Christ's prayer for the disciples, those who believe in Him through their word, and for the Church to be one? With Christians so divided over everything from the economy, politics, solving the issue of what to do about out of control gun violence, climate change, women's rights, LGBT equality etc, how can Christ's prayer possibly be answered? When will it be answered?
To give us some possible answers to consider, I would like to reuse a story quoted by Sr. Joan Chittister, OSB.
The grace that Christians must be open to, is to be able to grasp the notion that God and us are not one, but not two. When we are interacting with another person, we are interacting with Christ present in her/him. It really doesn't matter whether that person shares our religious convictions, beliefs, practices or not. What matters most, is to seek God and to love Christ above all else in one another. It is the most crucial thing to do, but the most challenging. Despite our advances in technology, science, internet capability, psychological discoveries, etc we have yet to end the divisions that are created by distinctions. Whether they be by race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, age, economic status, health, employment, language and so forth, there are more excuses and reasons to be divided to our shame as Christians and a so called "civilized" society.
I truly believe that among the things Jesus was praying for, is that those to whom the Apostles would reach out to in the Name of Christ, would believe in Him because of what they said and did. Jesus prays that for us today. Jesus did not give birth to the Church on that Pentecost when the Holy Spirit descended on those disciples, to become isolated by distinctions that cannot be reconciled. This is evident in the fact that after the Holy Spirit came, each person listening to the Apostles speaking to them, heard them speaking in their own language. Finally, the language of the God of love, through Jesus Christ and the Spirit was so clear, so understandable, that everyone could hear it. Every person, regardless of their walk of life, was able to hear something about someone they could believe in. They were driven to know God in Christ as Savior, Redeemer and friend. By way of the Holy Spirit the distance between God, them and us does not exist. We are not one with God, but we are not two. That includes with our sisters and brothers.
As we await the celebration of Pentecost, we are asked today to find our oneness in Christ, not as labels, distinctions. But as people with names. People with hearts to love and be loved. People looking for hope where they see despair and tragedy. People who want to believe without being told that there is no space or place for them. People who can search for God just as all of us are. In prayer, singing, reading, meditating and in one another.
Amen.
Prayers
Acts 16:16-34
With Paul and Silas, we came to Philippi in Macedonia, a Roman colony, and, as we were going to the place of prayer, we met a slave girl who had a spirit of divination and brought her owners a great deal of money by fortune-telling. While she followed Paul and us, she would cry out, "These men are slaves of the Most High God, who proclaim to you a way of salvation." She kept doing this for many days. But Paul, very much annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, "I order you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her." And it came out that very hour.
But when her owners saw that their hope of making money was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace before the authorities. When they had brought them before the magistrates, they said, "These men are disturbing our city; they are Jews and are advocating customs that are not lawful for us as Romans to adopt or observe." The crowd joined in attacking them, and the magistrates had them stripped of their clothing and ordered them to be beaten with rods. After they had given them a severe flogging, they threw them into prison and ordered the jailer to keep them securely. Following these instructions, he put them in the innermost cell and fastened their feet in the stocks.
About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was an earthquake, so violent that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone's chains were unfastened. When the jailer woke up and saw the prison doors wide open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, since he supposed that the prisoners had escaped. But Paul shouted in a loud voice, "Do not harm yourself, for we are all here." The jailer called for lights, and rushing in, he fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. Then he brought them outside and said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" They answered, "Believe on the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household." They spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. At the same hour of the night he took them and washed their wounds; then he and his entire family were baptized without delay. He brought them up into the house and set food before them; and he and his entire household rejoiced that he had become a believer in God.
Psalm 97 (BCP., p.726)
Revelation 22:12-14,16-17,20-21 (NRSV)
At the end of the visions I, John, heard these words:
"See, I am coming soon; my reward is with me, to repay according to everyone's work. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end."
Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they will have the right to the tree of life and may enter the city by the gates.
"It is I, Jesus, who sent my angel to you with this testimony for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star."
- The Spirit and the bride say, "Come."
- And let everyone who hears say, "Come."
- And let everyone who is thirsty come.
- Let anyone who wishes take the water of life as a gift.
- The one who testifies to these things says, "Surely I am coming soon."
- Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!
- The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all the saints. Amen.
Jesus prayed for his disciples, and then he said. "I ask not only on behalf of these, but also on behalf of those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one. As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. The glory that you have given me I have given them, so that they may be one, as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become completely one, so that the world may know that you have sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. Father, I desire that those also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory, which you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world.
"Righteous Father, the world does not know you, but I know you; and these know that you have sent me. I made your name known to them, and I will make it known, so that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them."
Blog Reflection
As Jason and I celebrated Ascension Thursday together at St. Mark's Episcopal Cathedral in Minneapolis, on the very day the House passed the bill, we sang probably my favorite hymn. And it was the most appropriate for both Ascension Thursday and the events of the day.
When Christ was lifted from the earth,
his arms stretched out above
through every culture, every birth,
to draw an answering love.
Still east and west His love extends
and always, near or far,
He calls and claims us as His friends
and loves us as we are.
Where generation, class or race
divide us to our shame,
He sees not labels but a face,
A person, and a name.
Thus freely loved, though fully known,
may I in Christ be free
to welcome and accept His own
as Christ accepted me. Amen.
Words by Brian A. Wren
Music by Gordon Slater
See Hymnal 1982, #603
Among the many comments that have come since Thursday's historic vote, is the argument by opponents about "religious freedom." Not to mention their concerns about children and families. All of these are based on a weak, but very firm belief that anything other than the union between one man and one woman is detrimental if not destructive to the family and children. They also believe that marriage equality is a threat to "religious freedom." A great professor at the University of Minnesota by the name of Dale Carpenter wrote a fantastic article answering all of those questions. You can read that article here.
Another point about the debate in the MN House on Thursday, was how respectful it was. There was very emotional and passionate discussions, speeches about the subject of marriage, by both supporters of marriage equality and those who oppose it. But, one of the other great events we witnessed was how people's hearts and minds are changing in regards to LGBTQ people, couples and families. Rep. Tim Faust who is also a Lutheran Pastor gave an outstanding speech. In his talk, he spoke about how his views and understandings have changed on the issue of the freedom of same-gender couples to marry the person they love. You can watch and read about that speech here. You won't be sorry.
I am sure many of my blog readers may be asking yourself what does this have to do with Christ's prayer for the disciples, those who believe in Him through their word, and for the Church to be one? With Christians so divided over everything from the economy, politics, solving the issue of what to do about out of control gun violence, climate change, women's rights, LGBT equality etc, how can Christ's prayer possibly be answered? When will it be answered?
To give us some possible answers to consider, I would like to reuse a story quoted by Sr. Joan Chittister, OSB.
Once upon a time, the story begins, some seekers from the city asked the local monastic a question.
"How does one seek union with God?"
And the Wise One said, "The harder you seek, the more distance you create between God and you."
"So what does one do about the distance?" the seekers asked.
And the elder said simply, "Just understand that it isn't there."
"Does that mean that God and I are one?" the disciples asked.
And the monastic said, "Not one, not two."
"But how is that possible?" the seekers insisted.
And the monastic answered, "Just like the sun and its light, the ocean and the wave, the singer and the song. Not one. But not two." (Wisdom Distilled from the Daily: Living the Rule of St. Benedict Today. p.195).
The grace that Christians must be open to, is to be able to grasp the notion that God and us are not one, but not two. When we are interacting with another person, we are interacting with Christ present in her/him. It really doesn't matter whether that person shares our religious convictions, beliefs, practices or not. What matters most, is to seek God and to love Christ above all else in one another. It is the most crucial thing to do, but the most challenging. Despite our advances in technology, science, internet capability, psychological discoveries, etc we have yet to end the divisions that are created by distinctions. Whether they be by race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, age, economic status, health, employment, language and so forth, there are more excuses and reasons to be divided to our shame as Christians and a so called "civilized" society.
I truly believe that among the things Jesus was praying for, is that those to whom the Apostles would reach out to in the Name of Christ, would believe in Him because of what they said and did. Jesus prays that for us today. Jesus did not give birth to the Church on that Pentecost when the Holy Spirit descended on those disciples, to become isolated by distinctions that cannot be reconciled. This is evident in the fact that after the Holy Spirit came, each person listening to the Apostles speaking to them, heard them speaking in their own language. Finally, the language of the God of love, through Jesus Christ and the Spirit was so clear, so understandable, that everyone could hear it. Every person, regardless of their walk of life, was able to hear something about someone they could believe in. They were driven to know God in Christ as Savior, Redeemer and friend. By way of the Holy Spirit the distance between God, them and us does not exist. We are not one with God, but we are not two. That includes with our sisters and brothers.
As we await the celebration of Pentecost, we are asked today to find our oneness in Christ, not as labels, distinctions. But as people with names. People with hearts to love and be loved. People looking for hope where they see despair and tragedy. People who want to believe without being told that there is no space or place for them. People who can search for God just as all of us are. In prayer, singing, reading, meditating and in one another.
Amen.
O God, the King of glory, you have exalted your only Son
Jesus Christ with great triumph to your kingdom in heaven:
Do not leave us comfortless, but send us your Holy Spirit to
strengthen us, and exalt us to that place where our Savior
Christ has gone before; who lives and reigns with you and
the Holy Spirit, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen. (Collect for the Seventh Sunday in Easter, Book of Common Prayer, p.226).
O God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, our only Savior,
the Prince of Peace: Give us grace seriously to lay to heart the
great dangers we are in by our unhappy divisions; take away
all hatred and prejudice, and whatever else may hinder us
from godly union and concord; that, as there is but one Body
and one Spirit, one hope of our calling, one Lord, one Faith,
one Baptism, one God and Father of us all, so we may be all
of one heart and of one soul, united in one holy bond of truth
and peace, of faith and charity, and may with one mind and
one mouth glorify thee; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen. (Prayer for the Unity of the Church, Book of Common Prayer, p.818).
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