First Sunday After Pentecost: Trinity Sunday: It Is About Relationships

Today's Scripture Readings

Proverbs 8:1-4, 22-31 (NRSV)

Does not wisdom call,
and does not understanding raise her voice?

On the heights, beside the way,
at the crossroads she takes her stand;

beside the gates in front of the town,
at the entrance of the portals she cries out:

"To you, O people, I call,
and my cry is to all that live.

The Lord created me at the beginning of his work,
the first of his acts of long ago.

Ages ago I was set up,
at the first, before the beginning of the earth.

When there were no depths I was brought forth,
when there were no springs abounding with water.

Before the mountains had been shaped,
before the hills, I was brought forth--

when he had not yet made earth and fields,
or the world's first bits of soil.

When he established the heavens, I was there,
when he drew a circle on the face of the deep,

when he made firm the skies above,
when he established the fountains of the deep,

when he assigned to the sea its limit,
so that the waters might not transgress his command,

when he marked out the foundations of the earth,
then I was beside him, like a master worker;

and I was daily his delight,
rejoicing before him always,

rejoicing in his inhabited world
and delighting in the human race."

Canticle 13 (The Book of Common Prayer, p.90).


Romans 5:1-5 (NRSV)

Since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand; and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God. And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.

John 16:12-15 (NRSV)

Jesus said to the disciples, "I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own, but will speak whatever he hears, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, because he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine. For this reason I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you."

Blog Reflection

I recently had an experience on Facebook.  

Among the many posts that are appear on my feed from time to time are written to say things like, "If you love me, please copy and past this message in your status and post it.  I bet most of you won't.  If you do copy and post this message as I have asked, I will know that you love me."

I really do not like posts such as that.  Among my many reasons is that it encourages us to type and post something like that on Facebook than it is to say such things in person.  I also feel that such posts are suggestive of manipulating readers to say what the author whats to hear, rather than giving the other person the option to say something on their own.  Lastly, they often make me wonder about the genuineness of the original writer of the post and those who copy, paste and repost them.   Is it just to get it out of the way?  Is it real and heart felt?   Do we really know?   I am not so sure, nor can I be.  This is why I tend not to copy and paste them.  I will sometimes write the individual a private message to say it for real to the other person, or simply not pay much attention.

This past week, I did a whole 80 degree turn on one particular post.  The post read, "If you call yourself my family hit the like button and copy this on your status and when I see your name I'll know who my real family is, blood or not... Here we go!!😀"  Why I chose to pay attention to his and have opinions and ignore the others is as much a mystery to me as it is to you.  Well, I copied and pasted the message.  I got many really nice comments to the post on my own timeline.  One individual was quick-witted  enough to make a comment about how he does not copy and past such things followed by an emoticon with a winking eye.  My response to him was that I agreed and understood, but that this was one of those moments when I decided to do differently.  Then came one comment by someone I have rubbed shoulders with on any number of occasions.  The individual held nothing against me, but simply told me that she considers me part of her family.   Well, let me just say that that response put this Benedictine in my place as to how much I have to learn about humility.  It also provided me with an opportunity to do some genuine but tearful reconciliation with the other individual.  Something I did that was different than what I would normally do, became a catalyst for the Holy Spirit to bring about some forgiveness, healing and reconciliation for both of us.  It is something that I cannot adequately put into words, nor completely understand.  I can only write the experience of what happened; then hope that others understand what I am writing.

The great mystery of the Holy Trinity can be talked about, but can never be explained adequately or logically.  The Trinity of God as Father, Son and Holy Spirit; or Mother, Child and Comforter or any other name is simply beyond our human limitations.  They are also incomplete and inadequate names.  We celebrate this great mystery every time we celebrate the Sacrament of Baptism.  The Priest and congregants make the sign of the Cross with the Name of the Persons of the Trinity at various points in our worship.  Theologians of the past, present and undoubtedly in the future will write books, internet presentations, and just like me; write blog posts to meditate on this incredible part of our faith.  There are those who believe in the Trinity and what it means.  There are those who are not so sure.  Still, there are others who just do not and cannot believe in such a strange concept as one God in Three Persons.

There is one matter about the Trinity that is not written about anywhere near as much.  The Holy Trinity is more about relationships than it is about theology.   It is more about how God relates to God's Self and everyone of us.  As with many pieces of our Christian Faith which we confess in our many creeds and prayers, if we do not live into those mysteries with love and compassion for each other, the Trinity is just hogwash talk.  It is the ministry and mission of Christians to bring forth the presence of God the Holy Trinity, by living in reverence and consciousness of God's presence on others who are different from ourselves.

In today's Gospel, Jesus tells us that the Holy Spirit "will lead you into all truth."  Jesus did not say that we would be given a truth that is once for all, stagnant and ever left in Church History and ancient Tradition.  Jesus told us that the Holy Spirit will (and does) lead us beyond our intellectual or theological dogmas, to a living reality of the God-Head present in every place and every person we encounter.  Each place, culture, person will show us a different view of God that we never understood before.  Every opportunity whether it coincides with our status quo or planned steps or not; is a moment for the Holy Trinity to live God's full reality as we allow ourselves to be led into one truth and another.

In recent weeks and days, our media is inundated with the debate about who should use which public restroom based on one's gender identity/expression.  The debate and those using transgender people as their scapegoat to demean and denigrate them; is based on ignorance and fear.   The news that one Christianist organization has been sending men into a women's restroom to help create a fear about sexual assault is just outrageously wrong.  It is fear mongering and the invasion of a transgender person's dignity, simply to make a statement as to what genitalia should be relieving themselves in what restroom. 

Honestly, do we really think the Triune God cares that much about such things?  I think the Holy Trinity is more interested in what we are saying about God when we marginalize and stereotype any person by the way of spiritual malpractice and doctrinal abuse.  Is it any wonder why people shrug their shoulders at any form of organized religion?

Maybe as we meditate on who God is in the Holy Trinity and how God is moving on our hearts with regards to our relationships with each other, we might discover our true selves.  Perhaps we might hear the Holy Spirit leading us into new truths that we would have never thought about before.  Maybe, just maybe we might receive the Holy Spirit's conversion in our hearts to learn to live into the Mystery of the Triune God-Head and make God known by love and compassion.  Maybe, the world would be a better place, and Christians will give Jesus Christ a good Name.

What do you hear the Holy Trinity saying to you?

Amen.


Prayers

Almighty and everlasting God, you have given to us
your servants grace, by the confession of a true faith, to
acknowledge the glory of the eternal Trinity, and in the
power of your divine Majesty to worship the Unity: Keep
us steadfast in this faith and worship, and bring us at last to
see you in your one and eternal glory, O Father; who with
the Son and the Holy Spirit live and reign, one God, for ever
and ever. Amen.  (The Book of Common Prayer, p.228).

Almighty God, you have revealed to your Church your eternal
Being of glorious majesty and perfect love as one God in
Trinity of Persons: Give us grace to continue steadfast in the
confession of this faith, and constant in our worship of you,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; for you live and reign, one God,
now and for ever. Amen.  (The Book of Common Prayer, p.251).

Almighty Father, whose blessed Son before his passion prayed
for his disciples that they might be one, as you and he are one:
Grant that your Church, being bound together in love and
obedience to you, may be united in one body by the one Spirit,
that the world may believe in him whom you have sent, your
Son Jesus Christ our Lord; who lives and reigns with you, in
the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.  (The Book of Common Prayer, p.255).

Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost: Inclusion, Justice and Equality: Three Rituals for Christians

Today's Scripture Readings

Deuteronomy 4:1-2, 6-9 (NRSV)

Moses said: So now, Israel, give heed to the statutes and ordinances that I am teaching you to observe, so that you may live to enter and occupy the land that the LORD, the God of your ancestors, is giving you. You must neither add anything to what I command you nor take away anything from it, but keep the commandments of the LORD your God with which I am charging you.

You must observe them diligently, for this will show your wisdom and discernment to the peoples, who, when they hear all these statutes, will say, "Surely this great nation is a wise and discerning people!" For what other great nation has a god so near to it as the LORD our God is whenever we call to him? And what other great nation has statutes and ordinances as just as this entire law that I am setting before you today?
But take care and watch yourselves closely, so as neither to forget the things that your eyes have seen nor to let them slip from your mind all the days of your life; make them known to your children and your children's children.

Psalm 15 (BCP., p.599).


James 1:17-27 
 

Every generous act of giving, with every perfect gift, is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. In fulfillment of his own purpose he gave us birth by the word of truth, so that we would become a kind of first fruits of his creatures.

You must understand this, my beloved: let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger; for your anger does not produce God's righteousness. Therefore rid yourselves of all sordidness and rank growth of wickedness, and welcome with meekness the implanted word that has the power to save your souls.

But be doers of the word, and not merely hearers who deceive themselves. For if any are hearers of the word and not doers, they are like those who look at themselves in a mirror; for they look at themselves and, on going away, immediately forget what they were like. But those who look into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and persevere, being not hearers who forget but doers who act-they will be blessed in their doing.

If any think they are religious, and do not bridle their tongues but deceive their hearts, their religion is worthless. Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.

Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23 (NRSV)
 

Now when the Pharisees and some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered around Jesus, they noticed that some of his disciples were eating with defiled hands, that is, without washing them. (For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, do not eat unless they thoroughly wash their hands, thus observing the tradition of the elders; and they do not eat anything from the market unless they wash it; and there are also many other traditions that they observe, the washing of cups, pots, and bronze kettles.) So the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, "Why do your disciples not live according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with defiled hands?" He said to them, "Isaiah prophesied rightly about you hypocrites, as it is written,

'This people honors me with their lips,

but their hearts are far from me;

in vain do they worship me,

teaching human precepts as doctrines.'

You abandon the commandment of God and hold to human tradition."

Then he called the crowd again and said to them, "Listen to me, all of you, and understand: there is nothing outside a person that by going in can defile, but the things that come out are what defile. For it is from within, from the human heart, that evil intentions come: fornication, theft, murder, adultery, avarice, wickedness, deceit, licentiousness, envy, slander, pride, folly. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person."

Blog Reflection

Marcus Borg, Canon Theologian at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral in Portland, Oregon wrote an article in The Huffington Post entitled A Chronological New Testament.   He makes the case for why Christians would understand the New Testament if we actually read it in it's chronological order as opposed to how it is currently laid out in the Bible.  In the chronological New Testament, it does not begin with Matthew along with the other three Gospels, followed by Acts and ends with Revelation.  If we were to put the books of the New Testament in their chronological order, as Borg suggests, they would look much more like this.

1. Thessalonians.  2. Galatians.  3. 1 Corinthians.  4. Philemon. 5. Philippians. 6. 2 Corinthians. 7. Romans.  8. Mark.  9. James.  10. Colossians.  11. Matthew.  12. Hebrews.  13.  John.  14. Ephesians. 15.  Revelation.  16. Jude.  17. 1 John.  18. 2 John. 19. 3 John.  20. Luke.  21. Acts.  22. 2 Thessalonians.  23. 1 Peter. 24. 1 Timothy.  25. 2 Timothy.  26. Titus.  27. 2 Peter.   

The reasons that Borg gives for reading and/or viewing the New Testament in this chronological order are very interesting to me.  See them below.

• Beginning with seven of Paul's letters illustrates that there were vibrant Christian communities spread throughout the Roman Empire before there were written Gospels. His letters provide a "window" into the life of very early Christian communities.
• Placing the Gospels after Paul makes it clear that as written documents they are not the source of early Christianity but its product. The Gospel -- the good news -- of and about Jesus existed before the Gospels. They are the products of early Christian communities several decades after Jesus' historical life and tell us how those communities saw his significance in their historical context.
• Reading the Gospels in chronological order beginning with Mark demonstrates that early Christian understandings of Jesus and his significance developed. As Matthew and Luke used Mark as a source, they not only added to Mark but often modified Mark.
• Seeing John separated from the other Gospels and relatively late in the New Testament makes it clear how different his Gospel is. In consistently metaphorical and symbolic language, it is primarily "witness" or "testimony" to what Jesus had become in the life and thought of John's community.
• Realizing that many of the documents are from the late first and early second centuries allows us to glimpse developments in early Christianity in its third and fourth generations. In general, they reflect a trajectory that moves from the radicalism of Jesus and Paul to increasing accommodation with the cultural conventions of the time.

It is interesting that this article appeared in The Huffington Post this past Friday, before this weekends readings.  As one might guess, the number of comments beneath Borg's column are very numerous, with not too few of them by those who read and interpret the Bible literally being rather angry and threatening about the content of this article. What is really going on there is not too much unlike what Jesus was dealing with in today's Gospel reading.  At what point does ritual become so important to us, that we forget what Christians are really suppose to be doing?

Episcopalians are all about rituals.  Our Book of Common Prayer is full of rituals.  Every service, order of worship has a ritual.  They are beautiful and powerful.  As Episcopalians, we often risk worshiping our Liturgy, instead of God.  I too am affected by this sin.  I like Liturgy to be neat, nice flowing and without having to adjust to something different than what I am used to.  I have so been caught by the Holy Spirit many times about my attitudes towards individuals and things going on during a Liturgy.  I have to learn to accept others with the same love and mercy with which God has accepts me. 

Even those who claim to not love ritual style worship, are actually into daily rituals of their own.   Aside from what we do in our churches, we all follow a daily routine of rituals.   We wake up at the same time every morning.  We take our shower at the same time every day.  We read the newspaper or news blogs on the computer or our phones while we drink our morning coffee.  We always brush our teeth after every meal.  We have our favorite TV programs that we watch on particular nights.  All of these are a ritual in one way or another.  Where ever we have a routine, we are doing a ritual.  Whether it is religious or not.

Sadly, even our attitudes about God, others and ourselves can become a set of rituals.  Racism is an unspoken ritual that too many of us have been taught in many cases by the poor example of those who raised us.  Sexism is a ritual that infects men with poor attitudes towards women in places of employment and much of society.  Heterosexism is such a part of the history of Christianity and much of our society.  This is why trying to pass marriage equality for LGBT people is so very difficult.  Here in Minnesota, we are working to defeat a harmful amendment this November that would permanently deny the freedom of LGBT people to marry the person that we love, if it should pass.   As the debate to pass or defeat the amendment heats up, the proponents are calling it the "marriage protection amendment" claiming that they are simply trying to prevent marriage from being redefined.   Marriage seen as being defined as between one man and one women is a ritual.  A ritual where heterosexism and homophobia are given their power by a majority making a decision concerning the civil and human rights of a minority.  A ritual in our Church and society, which must be discontinued.

Sadly, religious exceptionalism, by which Christianity is the religion of supersessionism by which all others are to be conquered to be come Christian, is also a ritual that is neither based on the Gospel, nor was it the purpose of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  We should instead learn to see Jesus as interconnected with all peoples and religions of the world.  Including with those who chose to practice no religion at all.

Jesus is calling us today to go back to what the meaning of our faith really is.  To love the Lord our God, with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength and to love our neighbors as ourselves.  To have some concern about those who are marginalized, oppressed and disenfranchised.   To share our resources with and on behalf of the poor, the lonely, the dying and those immigrants that just want a new home to live in.  To see in every person, God's image and likeness, with the opportunity to be counted as one of God's children and to be included and nourished at the Altar when we receive Holy Communion. 

James reminds us to understand that every act of self giving comes from God and is designed to accomplish God's will.   The physical and sexual act of love making between two people of the same-sex is just as much a gift of God, as it is between people of the opposite sex.  The gift of being another gender than the one assigned to us at birth is a gift given by God, and one that is not to be shamed, nor is it to mean that we justify cruelty in our speech or actions.  Making tasteless and gross jokes about people of different races, cultures, religions and those who are poor or sick, is an example of deceiving ourselves about being so religious. 

While celebrating our rituals in our worship, we would do well to learn to exercise the three rituals of inclusion, justice and equality.   We are a church vibrant, alive and well, when the doors and hearts of our churches are wide open to receive and make room for those who are different from ourselves.   When Christians exit our churches to become missionaries for inclusion, justice and equality, the Gospel we read and hear at Mass, becomes the living Word of God who is Jesus the Christ.  As we work to establish and defend marriage equality in the laws of our State and Country, and call upon Christianists who make use of events such as Hurricane Isaac to suggest that it happened because of homosexuals, to recant, apologize and stop, the Gospel we read and the rituals we celebrate, become visible signs of God's grace.

How are we being called to make inclusion, justice and equality part of our lives and work as Christians?

In what ways might God be speaking to our hearts about what we do with rituals, while leaving other things unattended?

Where and when might we become more open the Holy Spirit calling us to establish a Church and society where inclusion, justice and equality are as important to us as the rituals we celebrate at Mass?

As we ask these questions in our prayers, we will want to be ready for God to answer.   When we ask God to basically help us to get ourselves out of our way, God is more than happy to oblige.  Are we ready and willing to allow God to answer such a prayer in our lives?


Amen.


Prayers

Lord of all power and might, the author and giver of all good
things: Graft in our hearts the love of your Name; increase in
us true religion; nourish us with all goodness; and bring forth
in us the fruit of good works; through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God,
for ever and ever. Amen.  (Proper 17: Book of Common Prayer, p. 233).

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).

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. (Prayer for the Church, Book of Common Prayer, p. 816).
 

Third Sunday after Pentecost: The Price for Faith Gets More Costly

Today's Scripture Readings

Ezekiel 17: 22-24 (NRSV)

Thus says the Lord GOD:

 

I myself will take a sprig

from the lofty top of a cedar;

I will set it out.

I will break off a tender one

from the topmost of its young twigs;

I myself will plant it

on a high and lofty mountain.

On the mountain height of Israel

I will plant it,

in order that it may produce boughs and bear fruit,

and become a noble cedar.

Under it every kind of bird will live;

in the shade of its branches will nest

winged creatures of every kind.

All the trees of the field shall know

that I am the LORD.

I bring low the high tree,

I make high the low tree;

I dry up the green tree

and make the dry tree flourish.

I the LORD have spoken;

I will accomplish it.

Psalm 92 (BCP, p. 720)


2 Corinthians 5:6-10,[11-13],14-17 (NRSV)

We are always confident; even though we know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord-- for we walk by faith, not by sight. Yes, we do have confidence, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him. For all of us must appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each may receive recompense for what has been done in the body, whether good or evil.

[Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we try to persuade others; but we ourselves are well known to God, and I hope that we are also well known to your consciences. We are not commending ourselves to you again, but giving you an opportunity to boast about us, so that you may be able to answer those who boast in outward appearance and not in the heart. For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you.] For the love of Christ urges us on, because we are convinced that one has died for all; therefore all have died. And he died for all, so that those who live might live no longer for themselves, but for him who died and was raised for them. From now on, therefore, we regard no one from a human point of view; even though we once knew Christ from a human point of view, we know him no longer in that way. So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new!

Mark 4:26-34 (NRSV)

Jesus said, "The kingdom of God is as if someone would scatter seed on the ground, and would sleep and rise night and day, and the seed would sprout and grow, he does not know how. The earth produces of itself, first the stalk, then the head, then the full grain in the head. But when the grain is ripe, at once he goes in with his sickle, because the harvest has come."

He also said, "With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable will we use for it? It is like a mustard seed, which, when sown upon the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth; yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes the greatest of all shrubs, and puts forth large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade."

With many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear it; he did not speak to them except in parables, but he explained everything in private to his disciples.

Blog Reflection

The word faith is one that is thrown around almost like a can of soda.  It can be full and closed tight, open and being drunk for all it is worth, empty and kicked all over creation, or thrown away and discarded as nothing.  

When we say the word Faith with a capital F we are talking about the Christian Faith as a whole.  When the conversation is an individuals faith,we spell it with a small f.   News organizations and those not associated with any religious based community talk about a person's faith in a more generic term so as to not offend one group over another.  When Christians talk the word faith it can mean many things.  

In our Gospel today, Jesus is talking about a faith that begins in those who make the leap of faith to believe in God, the Parent of Jesus.  It is compared to a small seed that is planted and grows to an enormous size so that it provides something for the individuals and others who might share in it.  A faith that is not so isolated, nor is it without the need to provide something to others beyond oneself.  Even if it is some shade from the summer heat, or the opportunity to belong to a community of people who believe in and live for something greater than themselves.  A community where there is plenty of room for differences of belief, behavior and understanding.  One that is not so confined to being abstract and idealistic, but also humanly practical and accessible.

It never ceases to amaze and/or disgust me to see people using the Christian Faith as a reason to exclude, denigrate and demoralize people who are different than themselves.  The ongoing debate about accepting lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning and queer people into the life of the Church, because of the need to stigmatize and degrade is ever so very disturbing.   The endless and erroneous use of the Bible to target LGBT people, Muslims, Jews, immigrants and the poor to treat them as second class citizens on earth, and even to dare to suggest that they are unwanted by God, is a misuse of our collective and individual Faith.  Rather then see all that is so good and wondrous about the unconditional and all-inclusive love of God through Jesus Christ to be shared and enjoyed by people, all of whom are different from each other in some kind of way, many Christians use the Bible and our Faith, to establish their list of so called "Christian family values" to be violent and hateful.  

This past week we witnessed examples of the ongoing violence towards women when Michigan Democratic Law Maker, Lisa Brown was banned from speaking on the floor, for saying the word: vagina.  Male privilege can be used to demean a woman's reproductive health care rights to care for her own body, in the "name" of God violently, but, a woman talking openly about her body and the need to protect the rights of women is seen as shameful or vulgar.   It appears that so called pro-lifers determined to declare war on women just cannot take responsibility for the hell that women are experiencing because of their negligence and grotesque behavior.  Why is it that individuals in the "name" of the Christian Faith must make people so ashamed of the beauty of the human body?   How is it that this has been the case for so many centuries of Church history?

A New York law maker backed by the National Organization for Marriage (NOM) filed a bill to take away marriage equality for LGBT folks in the State.  

Another story out of Michigan about the House there passed a law that would allow student counselors do discriminate against LGBT students.       

This past week the breakfast giant General Mills publicly opposed the constitutional amendment that would ban marriage equality in Minnesota, a move that was amazing and awesome.  Yet, true to form, NOM's President Brian Brown declared a political war that is aimed at destroying the company for the position they took.

Just this past Friday, President Obama made the historic move of giving children of immigrants the opportunity to stay in America to study and work their way towards full citizenship.    The GOP House of Representatives was quick to condemn the move, accusing the President of granting amnesty, and suggesting it needs to be repealed.   The opinion being made by a Representative who in the past has led a very mean spirited campaign targeting Muslims in very hateful ways. 

Examples such as the one's I gave above are not good representations of Christians exercising their faith well.  They are the means of misusing religious based zeal to maintain certain individuals as second class citizens through violence and prejudice.  They are actions being taken in civil society, by Christianists and Dominionists determined to be sure that the Christian Faith that is made public and permanent is the one that is exclusive and destructive to people of faith and of good will towards others who are different than themselves.

As progressive Christians and individuals who believe in being inclusive peacemakers, we have the responsibility of proclaiming an inclusive Gospel of Faith.   One that recognizes that Jesus came to heal broken relationships, by identifying with all humankind in all of our pain and suffering.  Jesus came as one who was poor, marginalized and without even a place to lay his head.  Jesus came to bring the face of God to a place where every human person can celebrate all of the good things God gives us.  The hungry were fed, the sick were healed, the dead were raised and the hopeless found a new reason to have hope in God's love and grace.  Just small actions of hospitality and reconciliation changed the face of human history in ways that we are still learning about.  A Faith that forgives us of our sins when we fail, and unites us to God and one another through redemption and the promise of eternal life.  A way of life that is ever progressing and not regressing.  One that is open and accepting.  Not rejecting and legislating others unjustly, so to give rise to oppression.

Let us see that the price of our faith is costly enough to say that when the Christian Faith is used to exclude and hate, we can say that is the wrong way to go. Because our founder Jesus Christ showed us all a better way.  Jesus led the way to proclaim that through the Cross, all reasons for scapegoating are destroyed.  The way of Jesus is through love and sacrifice of self for others, to guide Christians to the work of peace, justice, inclusion, hospitality and reconciliation.

Amen.


Prayers

Keep, O Lord, your household the Church in your steadfast
faith and love, that through your grace we may proclaim
your truth with boldness, and minister your justice with
compassion; for the sake of our Savior Jesus Christ, who
lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now
and for ever. Amen.  (Proper 6, Book of Common Prayer, p. 230).


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).


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.  (Prayer for the Church, Book of Common Prayer, p. 816).

The Day of Pentecost: Holy Spirit, Lead Us Into Truth

Today's Scripture Readings

Acts 2: 1-21 (NRSV)

When the day of Pentecost had come, the disciples were all together in one place. And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability.

Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven living in Jerusalem. And at this sound the crowd gathered and was bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in the native language of each. Amazed and astonished, they asked, "Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us, in our own native language? Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabs-- in our own languages we hear them speaking about God's deeds of power." All were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, "What does this mean?" But others sneered and said, "They are filled with new wine."

But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed them, "Men of Judea and all who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to what I say. Indeed, these are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only nine o'clock in the morning. No, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel:

`In the last days it will be, God declares,

that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh,

and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,

and your young men shall see visions,

and your old men shall dream dreams.

Even upon my slaves, both men and women,

in those days I will pour out my Spirit;

and they shall prophesy.

And I will show portents in the heaven above

and signs on the earth below, blood, and fire, and smoky mist.

The sun shall be turned to darkness

and the moon to blood,

before the coming of the Lord's great and glorious day.

Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.' "

Psalm 104 (BCP. p.736)


Romans 8:22-27 (NRSV)

We know that the whole creation has been groaning in labor pains until now; and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly while we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies. For in hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what is seen? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.

Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words. And God, who searches the heart, knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.

John 15:26-27; 16:4b-15 (NRSV)

Jesus said to his disciples, "When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who comes from the Father, he will testify on my behalf. You also are to testify because you have been with me from the beginning.

"I did not say these things to you from the beginning, because I was with you. But, now I am going to him who sent me; yet none of you asks me, `Where are you going?' But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your hearts. Nevertheless I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. And when he comes, he will prove the world wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: about sin, because they do not believe in me; about righteousness, because I am going to the Father and you will see me no longer; about judgment, because the ruler of this world has been condemned.

"I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own, but will speak whatever he hears, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, because he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine. For this reason I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you."

Blog Reflection

These past two weeks since President Obama announced that he supports marriage equality for LGBT people have been amazing.  We have witnessed the movement of the Holy Spirit in wonderful and new ways.   We have also seen how quickly prejudice and violence rises from those who continue to use the Bible and the Christian religion as a means for hate and cruelty.

This past week we have been reading and hearing about the Pastor in North Carolina who has called for all "queers to be executed."   Many in America both religious and non-religious have responded with outrage and horror.   Yet, the Pastor's own church members supported what he said.   It is amazing and unbelievable how hate in the Name of Jesus Christ can be so popular.

Is it any wonder that so many upon hearing about things such as this turn away from the Christian religion?    Why would anyone want to participate in a religion with messengers who preach hate and violence, and encourage others to do the same?

Because those who preach and teach that Christianity and the Bible are the means for discrimination, cruelty and oppression are telling only one side of the story.   It is not the Christ side.   Their story of Jesus that suggests fear and destruction does not reflect the accurate picture of Jesus or the Christian religion.  We could easily say that they are taking the Lord's Name in vein and they do not even know it.

As we celebrate today the coming of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost Day, we see how the Advocate changed the Apostles instantly.  Their moods, their activities and so forth were transformed so quickly, it looked  like they were drunk at 9am.   Peter rose and told the story of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ and how this fulfills what the prophets had foretold.   The Church was born and given their sense of mission.  But, the story does not end there.   Just like the truth about God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, the Church and the Bible do not end with the book of Revelation.  Nor are they perfectly understood or described by one preachers words, or any particular church council.

Jesus said: "I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own, but will speak whatever he hears, and he will declare to you the things that are to come."

The first time I heard this Gospel passage preached on in a way that is open to diversity, was by now retired Bishop Christopher Senyonjo of Uganda.   He preached about how all of the truth about homosexuality or any part of the Gospel is not finished, but is a continually evolving.  Jesus recognized that the work of the Holy Spirit revealing God's truth to humankind would not end with the Apostles, but would continue to be unraveled throughout human history.  Through the words of Jesus from John's Gospel today, we know that truth is something that is not static, nor is it abstract.  It does not end with one declaration, nor is it "common sense" when their are so many different cultures, races, sexual orientations, genders, gender identities/expressions, languages and religious that understand truth to mean different things.  Yet, we know that the Holy Spirit, the feminine nature of God, continues to speak whatever she hears, and declares what is to come from the heart of God.

It is no accident that I might remember this Scripture being preached on by Bishop Christopher.  He preached and continues to preach on this matter, because of Uganda's continued efforts to pass a bill that would mean that LGBT individuals who are open, suspected or outed could be put in prison or executed by hanging.   The bill would mean that Pastors, counselors, teachers and/or parents who do not report homosexuals to the authorities could themselves face prison time.  The bill has been supported and encouraged by American evangelical missionaries of hate.

Yet, here we are on Pentecost Sunday, a week after the message of Pastor Worley calling for the execution of LGBT people.  Particularly after North Carolina voters passed a constitutional amendment to ban marriage equality earlier this month.  This just goes to show that Christianists are not happy with just passing marriage amendments.  They literally want LGBT people eliminated.  Once discrimination becomes a matter of being passed by voters, where does it stop?

Our Mother, the Holy Spirit desires to lead us into all truth.  Including the truth that the Church has got many things wrong.   The Holy Spirit can certainly reveal that the way the Bible has been interpreted and Church tradition has framed the discussion of homosexuality all through the years, as being totally wrong.

The question for us is, are we open to the Holy Spirit leading us into all truth?   Are we so arrogant that we refuse to be open to the Holy Spirit leading us to be more inclusive and loving, and less biased and violent?  Are we open that our Mother, the Holy Spirit may help us to know that the power of salvation and redemption by way of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, gives us every reason to love the unlovable?   To reach out to those marginalized and oppressed by the Church and society to minister to them by the way of radical hospitality and reconciliation? 

God the Holy Spirit comes to us so that we may know God's comfort and consolation in the midst of the pains, trials and sufferings of life.  She comes to share her grace and truth that it is okay to let her open up the Pandora's Boxes that we put God, our neighbors and ourselves into, to keep us from accepting and loving those who are different from ourselves.   Including allowing ourselves to let go of any criteria we have developed for how we judge others, and realizing that all of us, regardless of who we are, are in need of forgiveness, redemption and the hope of being loved unconditionally and inclusively.  To call on Church leadership to stop using our religion as an excuse to hate and exclude.   Instead, the Holy Spirit comes to help us to exercise the ministry of welcome and healing of those broken relationships that Jesus Christ came to heal.

As we conclude the Easter Season today, we go forth having been renewed in faith, hope and love.   Knowing that God has forgiven us, and reconciled us to God's Self by way of the Cross and Resurrection.  That our Mother, the Holy Spirit comes to help us by her grace and tender teachings to know that she groans in intercession before God on our behalf, so that we may be God's witnesses of all that Jesus Christ taught and did, being open to being lead into all truth.   The truth that does not end on Pentecost.  It only begins as we are open to what God's Spirit will do in and through us, if we are open to learning more truth as she hears it from the heart of Almighty God.


Prayers

O God, who on this day taught the hearts of your faithful
people by sending to them the light of your Holy Spirit:
Grant us by the same Spirit to have a right judgment in all
things, and evermore to rejoice in his holy comfort; through
Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with
you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and
ever. Amen.  (Collect for Pentecost, Book of Common Prayer, p. 227)


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).


Grant, O God, that your holy and life-giving Spirit may so
move every human heart [and especially the hearts of the
people of this land], that barriers which divide us may
crumble, suspicions disappear, and hatreds cease; that our
divisions being healed, we may live in justice and peace;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.  (Prayer for Social Justice, Book of Common Prayer, p. 824).

Genocide Remembrance Day: How Are We Changing?

Today's Scripture Verses

Isaiah 2: 2-5 (NRSV)

 In days to come
   the mountain of the Lord’s house
shall be established as the highest of the mountains,
   and shall be raised above the hills;
all the nations shall stream to it.
   Many peoples shall come and say,
‘Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,
   to the house of the God of Jacob;
that he may teach us his ways
   and that we may walk in his paths.’
For out of Zion shall go forth instruction,
   and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
He shall judge between the nations,
   and shall arbitrate for many peoples;
they shall beat their swords into ploughshares,
   and their spears into pruning-hooks;
nation shall not lift up sword against nation,
   neither shall they learn war any more.


O house of Jacob,
   come, let us walk
   in the light of the Lord!

Psalm 70 (BCP, p. 682)

1	Be pleased, O God, to deliver me; *     O LORD, make haste to help me.
2	Let those who seek my life be ashamed and altogether dismayed; *     let those who take pleasure in my misfortune     draw back and be disgraced.
3	Let those who say to me "Aha!" and gloat over me turn back, *     because they are ashamed.
4	Let all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you; *     let those who love your salvation say for ever,     "Great is the LORD!"
5	But as for me, I am poor and needy; *     come to me speedily, O God.
6	You are my helper and my deliverer; *     O LORD, do not tarry.

Revelation 7: 13-18 (NRSV)

Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, ‘Who are these, robed in white, and where have they come from?’ I said to him, ‘Sir, you are the one that knows.’ Then he said to me, ‘These are they who have come out of the great ordeal; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
For this reason they are before the throne of God,
   and worship him day and night within his temple,
   and the one who is seated on the throne will shelter them.
They will hunger no more, and thirst no more;
   the sun will not strike them,
   nor any scorching heat;
for the Lamb at the centre of the throne will be their shepherd,
   and he will guide them to springs of the water of life,
and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.’

Matthew 2: 13-18 (NRSV)

Now after they had left, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, ‘Get up, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.’ Then Joseph got up, took the child and his mother by night, and went to Egypt, and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfil what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet, ‘Out of Egypt I have called my son.’

When Herod saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, he was infuriated, and he sent and killed all the children in and around Bethlehem who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had learned from the wise men. Then was fulfilled what had been spoken through the prophet Jeremiah:

‘A voice was heard in Ramah,
   wailing and loud lamentation,
Rachel weeping for her children;
   she refused to be consoled, because they are no more.’

Blog Reflecton

This day is chosen for the commemoration because the international community recognizes April 24 as a day of remembrance for the Armenian Genocide, the systematic annihilation of the Armenian people during and just after World War I.   On April 24, 1915, more than 250 Armenian notables - - civic and political leaders, teachers, writers, and members of the clergy--were rounded up, imprisoned, tortured, and killed.  Before the cessation of conflict, it is estimated that as many as one-and-a half million Armenians perished, many as a result of forced marches, deliberate starvation, and heinous massacres.  President Theodore Roosevelt, declared the Armenian Genocide to be the greatest crime of World War I.  The close relationships between Anglicans and Episcopalians and our sisters and brothers in the Armenian Church of this day a particular sing of our fellowship as the Body of Christ.

Tragically, human history is littered with such atrocities and the Armenian Genocide was far from the last such mass extermination of people in the twentieth century.  One only need mention Croatia, Nazi Germany, Zanzibar, Guatemala, Bangladesh, Burundi, Equatorial Guinea, East Timor, Cambodia, Afghanistan, Kurdish Iraq, and Tibet, and this is by no means a comprehensive list.  The unflinching resolve of people of faith, in prayer and in action, is critical if the travesty of human genocide is to be curbed and ultimately stopped. (Holy Women, Holy Men, Celebrating the Saints, p. 342) 

It is hard to come up with words to write on this day.  When I think of incidents such as this and many others, it seems that anything I might write would be so inaccurate and/or incomplete.  And, in fact, it is.  Human tragedy and suffering is painful and difficult enough with illnesses, natural disasters and the reality of human nature by itself.   Yet, humankind can stoop even lower and perpetrate death by generations with very little effort.

Among the things that forever amazes me is how human beings will reach for violence as a means to try to solve conflicts quicker than striving for peace and justice.  Excuses for removing people we don't like can be made in the thousands, each and every day.   A simple election of a political leader who promises a better tomorrow for everyone, overnight turns into a humanitarian nightmare.

It is easy to think that such attitudes and behaviors are left to Governments and political movements alone.  However, individuals and groups make good use of churches and religious institutions to scapegoat the marginalized through political maneuvering and negative stereotyping just as much.  Fundamentalist Christians as well as the Catholic church have targeted women, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender individuals, Native Americans, Muslims, Jews and many other groups for Centuries.  Organizations such as Focus on the Family, the Liberty Council, the Family Research Council, American Family Association, the National Organization for Marriage and many more, are all examples of political and religious organizations seeking to marginalize anyone and everyone who does not accept their views about a woman's right to chose and LGBT people, for some kind of extermination. Socially, politically, spiritually etc.  It doesn't really matter.  What matters is raising the funds and the billion dollars in revenue to bully their agenda into the public square to dominate, control and manipulate.  They falsely label LGBT people by comparing us to the Nazi's and call progressive and liberal people "socialists" so to create fear and violence around us.  Could this not also be considered a form or political genocide?

Ex-gay groups with their determination to use failed science and psychological approaches to suggest that people can change their sexual orientation and/or gender identity and/or expression, is also a form of spiritual malpractice and doctrinal abuse.  All for the purpose of eliminating those who are different.

In the last few years a few states have enacted anti-immigration bills that subject "illegals" to racial profiling and injustice.  It is not enough that families suffering all over the world might like to come here and find the hope of prosperity and peace.  We have to label them as "illegals" and return them to their native countries, even if they face death and poverty because of oppression.  It matters not that one of them might be here to care for the needs of a sick partner/spouse, if they are here illegally, they  have to be sent home.

These past two years we have seen attacks made on women's reproductive health care, including invasive ultra-sounds and keeping them from contraception.  Is this not also a form of violence that could be seen as a form of genocide? 

The God who came to us in Jesus Christ, and offered his life on the Cross and rose again from the dead, is not a God of discrimination.  Nor does God condone violence and oppression as if it were commissioned or ordained by Divine Law.   What is written in the Hebrew Scriptures came from a time when people believed that God was a wrathful being.  In recent years, we have come to understand that the Bible is full of words and events authored by imperfect people, describing events and interpretations from a culture and time far removed from our own.  The truths contained there are limited, but not totally irrelevant from those of our own time.  They are not blue prints for the future.  They are full of lessons we all have yet to learn.

Christians who know that we are redeemed by God in Christ, have a responsibility to proclaim salvation for all humankind.  A salvation bought with the price of the blood of Christ.  A blood that cleanses us from sin and gives us the power of the Holy Spirit to sanctify us and the world in which we live.   We have only to continue our work as witnesses to God's transforming grace by which a world filled with darkness and violence, becomes a world with the Light of Jesus Christ and the peace that the world cannot give.

The prevention of violence and religious based oppression and hatred begins with knowing that God loves and embraces us all.  Without exception.  God's love shown in the Incarnate Word calls and commands us to embrace one another without exception.  May it be so.

Amen.


Prayers

Almighty God, our Refuge and our Rock, your loving care knows no bounds and embraces all the peoples of the earth: Defend and protect those hwo fall victim to the forces of evil, and as we remember this day those who endured depredation and death because of who they were, not because of what they had doneor failed to do, give us the courage to stand against hatred and oppression, and seek the dignity and well-being of all for the sake of our Savior Jesus Christ, in whom you have reconciled the world to yourself; and who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. (HWHM, p. 343).

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).

Monday of the Third Week of Easter: Working for What Endures As Life-Giving

Today's Scripture Reading

John 6: 22-29 (NRSV)

The next day the crowd that had stayed on the other side of the lake saw that there had been only one boat there. They also saw that Jesus had not got into the boat with his disciples, but that his disciples had gone away alone. Then some boats from Tiberias came near the place where they had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks. So when the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they themselves got into the boats and went to Capernaum looking for Jesus.

When they found him on the other side of the lake, they said to him, ‘Rabbi, when did you come here?’ Jesus answered them, ‘Very truly, I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For it is on him that God the Father has set his seal.’ Then they said to him, ‘What must we do to perform the works of God?’ Jesus answered them, ‘This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.’ 

Blog Reflection

I recently read a blog post in Good As You.  In the post there is a video of a Christianist minister suggesting that if the folks in North Carolina vote against a constitutional amendment banning marriage equality for LGBT people, that it is considered "treason in God's court."  My own response to such a statement draws me to Canticle number 10 on page 87 in The Book of Common Prayer, using Isaiah 55: 8. "For my thoughts are  not your thoughts, nor your ways my ways, says the Lord."  Then I am immediately drawn to vs. 9 that reads: "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts."

In the Person of Jesus Christ we see an image of God that is not an angry psychopathic judge, but a merciful Savior.  God's ways that are so far above ours, are ways of inclusion and unconditional love instead of oppression and bias.  In the Paschal Mystery which we celebrate during this Easter Season, Jesus longs to give himself to us, so that we may work for what endures unto everlasting life in the here and now.  The eternal life promised to us by Jesus, comes by what we do with what God gives us to do today. 

All of us look for signs that God is authentic and believable.  We live in a world and time where things are proven to be true, by how quickly they transmit information or power.  Whether they are life-giving or not, matters very little.  If Christianists can keep LGBT people from gaining marriage equality, then they can continue to rake in billions of dollars in profits to keep the hate machines promoting the dying message of a mean and angry god, who is not only fake, but also a dishonest representation of the real and actual God.  Another form of idolatry, disguised as religious zeal.

In the Eucharist, God gives us the true and everlasting Bread of Life that is Jesus Christ.  Holy Communion is given to help us work for what endures in this life, for the hope of new and eternal life in the next.  What are examples of things that endure?   Justice for the oppressed and equality for those experiencing violence and discrimination.  Community where every person has the opportunity to become part of the human family, by participating in their chance to live life to the fullest with friends and family who love and cherish them.  The power of people coming together to help people who have been devastated by natural disasters and/or the economic hardships of these past few years.  All of these things and more can be the result of the Holy Eucharist, if we will allow the Real Presence of Christ to live through us.

As we work for that which endures, let us remember that Jesus Christ in his death and resurrection endures, as does the love of God.  Even when we are faced with violence, oppression or bias, the power and hope that comes from God's extravagant love, helps us all to work together for that which endures.  


Prayers

O God, whose blessed Son made himself known to his disciples in the breaking of bread: Open the eyes of our faith, that we may behold him in all his redeeming work; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. (Collect for the Third Sunday of Easter, Book of Common Prayer, p. 224, 225).

Lord, make us instruments of your peace. Where there is
hatred, let us sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where
there is discord, union; where there is doubt, faith; where
there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where
there is sadness, joy. Grant that we may not so much seek to
be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive; it is
in pardoning that we are pardoned; and it is in dying that we
are born to eternal life. Amen.  (Prayer attributed to St. Francis, Book of Common Prayer, p. 833).

Fourth Sunday in Lent: Moving Forward with Love and Light as Our New Direction

Today's Scripture Readings

Numbers 21: 4-9 (NRSV)

From Mount Hor the Israelites set out by the way to the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom; but the people became impatient on the way. The people spoke against God and against Moses, "Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we detest this miserable food." Then the LORD sent poisonous serpents among the people, and they bit the people, so that many Israelites died. The people came to Moses and said, "We have sinned by speaking against the LORD and against you; pray to the LORD to take away the serpents from us." So Moses prayed for the people. And the LORD said to Moses, "Make a poisonous serpent, and set it on a pole; and everyone who is bitten shall look at it and live." So Moses made a serpent of bronze, and put it upon a pole; and whenever a serpent bit someone, that person would look at the serpent of bronze and live.

Ephesians 2: 1-10 (NRSV)

You were dead through the trespasses and sins in which you once lived, following the course of this world, following the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work among those who are disobedient. All of us once lived among them in the passions of our flesh, following the desires of flesh and senses, and we were by nature children of wrath, like everyone else. God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which he loved us even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ-- by grace you have been saved-- and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God-- not the result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life.

John 3: 14-21 (NRSV)

Jesus said to Nicodemus, "Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. "Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Those who believe in him are not condemned; but those who do not believe are condemned already, because they have not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil. For all who do evil hate the light and do not come to the light, so that their deeds may not be exposed. But those who do what is true come to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that their deeds have been done in God." 

Blog Reflection

Most of us know what it is to move forward reluctantly, but still clinging to what we left behind.  Even in the 21st Century, we love nostalgia. We long for the return of the days of sitcoms that were actually funny on TV, perhaps an economy that was working better for all of us, or an age that did not know what September 11th means.  As much as we need to live our life in the here and now, taking care of ourselves in the present to move along, we just can't seem to leave the past behind us.

I think this is what was happening to the Israelites in today's reading from Numbers.  Most of us just cannot imagine what they might have loved about being slaves in Egypt.  They were forced into slave labor.  Their first born sons were thrown in to the Nile.  Why would they want to go back to that?  In Egypt they had their food supply.  They had their variety.  Now, here they were.  Wandering about in the desert for some forty years.  Most of their ancestors had died.  Years before, they grumbled against Yahweh that they had not food or water.  God provided them manna from heaven and water from the rock.  But, for them, that wasn't enough.

It appears from the narrative told that Yahweh had just had it with these people.  They found themselves facing serpents that were biting the people, causing illness and death.  When they cried out to Yahweh, realizing that they had messed up, again. God through Moses' staff gave them the bronze serpent.  Those who looked upon the bronze serpent were healed.

Now, wait just a minute.  Didn't God punish the people of Israel for worshiping the golden calf in Exodus 32?   Didn't God say in Exodus 20: 4 and 5a "You shall not make for yourself an idol, whether in the form of anything is in heaven or above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.  You shall not bow down to them..."?

Minnesota United Methodist Bishop Sally Dyck preached on this very idea in her sermon at St. Mark's Episcopal Cathedral today.   To understand what the issue with the serpent was, you have to go back to while the Israelites were in Egypt.  In Exodus 7: 8-13 is the story of how Aaron through down his staff and it became a snake.  When Pharaoh's sorcerers through down their staffs, they also became snakes.  But, Aaron's snake swallowed theirs.  Thus the serpent of God was more powerful than the that of Pharaoh.  

The serpents were a reminder of how much injustice they experienced in Egypt.  To turn back would return them to disaster.  Only by looking at the bronze serpent could they see that moving forward on God's terms was the way they would in due time, see the promised land that God promised to their ancestors.

When I think about what all of this might mean for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning people, Christians and other wise, is that we must continue moving forward.  As I read the story of Moses and the serpents, I am reminded of how serpent like ex-gay and/or reparative therapy groups are.  They literally want to take LGBTQ people back to seeing our sexual orientation and/or gender identity/expression as something awful.   Ex-gay groups want us to go back to the days when we had a secure future, so long as we did not dare to love another person physically, without a healthy attitude towards who we really are.  They want us to go back to those closets of death.  Where we lived according to the opinions of others, especially Christianists and arch-conservative Catholics/Anglicans/Orthodox etc.  A time when our parents were proud of us, so long as they thought we were straight or single gender minded.

If we go back to those days, as ex-gay groups suggest, we shall only be hurting ourselves and others around us all the more.  We may have the better promise of owning the family business someday, or getting family money to go to college, or our inheritance back.  But, we will have sacrificed our true dignity and handed over ourselves in to the enslaved world of dishonesty and self rejection. 

It is no accident that the Gospel for this weekend picks up on the theme of Moses and the serpent.  Jesus starts there, and then leads us to who he really is.  God's Son, whom God sent so that everyone who believes in him, regardless of our sexual orientation and/or gender identity/expression or any other name that is among the marginalized, can have eternal life.  Jesus came into the world not to condemn it, or any one of us in particular, but that we might be saved through the Son of God. 

The verses that follow scare me a bit, because they might imply some anti-Semitism, and/or against any other religion.  These verses need to be understood from the point of what this means for Christians.  There are many Christians who claim to believe in Jesus Christ, who live as though they had never known him, especially with regards to how we live in relationship with those who are different from ourselves.  I believe this is the "light" vs the "darkness" that Jesus is referring to here.

To live in the love and light of Jesus Christ is to recognize our own frail humanity.  To see ourselves as in need of God's saving grace through faith as is mentioned in Paul's letter to the Ephesians.  What has come to us, in Jesus, was not something we did by ourselves.  It was because of God's unconditional and all-inclusive love, that the Light of Jesus Christ came into the world, to save us from our sins and to lead us to heal those broken relationships that are in the darkest places of our lives.

For those people who insist that the Christian Faith is about fear of hell only, and being sure that we remain a religion that rejects all others, shames women who have abortions and use contraception, LGBT people, and other races and cultures etc, they are already in a darkness.  The light of Faith was lit, and then extinguished through the darkness hate speech, encouraging violence through bullying and scare tactics born out of ignorance and stereotyping.  All in the name of making Christianity a religion of exclusion and a set of litmus tests, that almost all of us would fail.

The authentic Christianity that Jesus founded, was one that sought out the marginalized and those who lived with injustice and oppression, to find in God the compassionate and merciful Savior. One who would call all of us by name (see Isaiah 43: 1-2) and invite them with generous hospitality and the opportunity for healing and reconciliation.  The Christian Faith that Jesus began welcomed diversity of opinions with the opportunity to find peace amidst conflict born out of necessity.  The idea of one group of people dominating another, was constantly and consistently rejected and avoided. 

As we move forward in the remaining two weeks of Lent, we go towards Jerusalem where we will walk the way of the Cross with Jesus.  At the Cross we will be embraced by the loving outstretched arms of Jesus, as God and humankind are united in a holy and self sacrificing bond. The willingness to lay down our lives for the one's we love. Without exception. Even those who often place us on the Cross. Even those who reject us, call us names. Those who won't listen to us try to explain to them, why LGBT people are good Christian people. In spite of all, we are called to love them.  And lay down our lives,  Even forgive them, for they know not what they do.

All of this requires a certain death to self.  A willingness to let go of what was before, embracing the Cross in the here and now, and moving forward with love and light as our new direction.  With God's grace we will arrive with Jesus at the empty tomb on Easter Day, having experienced the resurrection. 

Amen.


Prayers

Gracious Father, whose blessed Son Jesus Christ came down
from heaven to be the true bread which gives life to the world:
Evermore give us this bread, that he may live in us, and we in
him; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one
God, now and for ever. Amen.  (Collect for Fourth Sunday in Lent, Book of Common Prayer, p. 219).


Almighty and everlasting God, you hate nothing you have
made and forgive the sins of all who are penitent: Create and
make in us new and contrite hearts, that we, worthily
lamenting our sins and acknowledging our wretchedness,
may obtain of you, the God of all mercy, perfect remission
and forgiveness; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives
and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever
and ever. Amen. (Collect for Ash Wednesday, Book of Common Prayer, p. 217).


Lord Jesus Christ, you stretched out your arms of love on
the hard wood of the cross that everyone might come within
the reach of your saving embrace: So clothe us in your Spirit
that we, reaching forth our hands in love, may bring those
who do not know you to the knowledge and love of you; for
the honor of your Name. Amen. (Book of  Common Prayer, p. 101).

Friday of the Second Week in Lent: The Cross is our Peace and Integrity

Today's Scripture Reading

Matthew 21: 33-43 (NRSV)

 ‘Listen to another parable. There was a landowner who planted a vineyard, put a fence around it, dug a wine press in it, and built a watch-tower. Then he leased it to tenants and went to another country. When the harvest time had come, he sent his slaves to the tenants to collect his produce. But the tenants seized his slaves and beat one, killed another, and stoned another. Again he sent other slaves, more than the first; and they treated them in the same way. Finally he sent his son to them, saying, “They will respect my son.” But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, “This is the heir; come, let us kill him and get his inheritance.” So they seized him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him. Now when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?’ They said to him, ‘He will put those wretches to a miserable death, and lease the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the produce at the harvest time.’

 Jesus said to them, ‘Have you never read in the scriptures:

“The stone that the builders rejected
   has become the cornerstone;
this was the Lord’s doing,
   and it is amazing in our eyes”?

Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people that produces the fruits of the kingdom.

Blog Reflection

It doesn't take much to figure out that Jesus is the Son whom the slaves took and killed.   The religious leaders of his time are blinded by prestige and the hunger for greatness.  So, they think that by taking out the one who they think threatens their high place, the will some how still get what they think should be coming to them.

Jesus comes not as one who is interested in holding up prestige and power.  He comes as One like all of us in all things, except that he did not sin.  Jesus gave of himself freely and completely for the benefit of others. In particular, the marginalized and those set aside by the religious and political powers of his time.  Jesus is most interested in the hearts and souls of those who are thought of as "push asides" because of their appearance, place of origin, reputation and behaviors.

Christianists and those attempting to make the Christian Faith into one in which God is a psycho-path and Jesus is the mighty judge who will condemn anyone who is not like them, are painting the wrong picture of who Jesus is.  Commitment to Christ is about recognizing God's presence and grace in others who are different from ourselves.  Even when we think something just doesn't seem "right."  

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning and queer people are gifted by God in how we are able to love others.  When we give of ourselves for the benefit of others, out of love for them just as they are, the Cross of Jesus Christ shows itself as our peace and integrity.  "No good thing will the LORD withhold from those who walk with integrity" (Psalm 84: 11).

In this Lent, let us ask ourselves what and from where comes our peace and integrity?  

If our answer is the Cross of Jesus Christ, what does that mean for us, our lives and others around us?


Prayers

Grant, O Lord, that as your Son Jesus Christ prayed for his enemies on the Cross, so we may have grace to forgive those who wrongfully or scornfully use us, that we ourselves may be able to receive your forgiveness; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, on God, for ever and ever.  Amen.  (Friday of the Second Week in Lent.  Holy Women, Holy Men, Celebrating the Saints, p. 46).

Almighty and everlasting God, you hate nothing you have
made and forgive the sins of all who are penitent: Create and
make in us new and contrite hearts, that we, worthily
lamenting our sins and acknowledging our wretchedness,
may obtain of you, the God of all mercy, perfect remission
and forgiveness; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives
and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever
and ever. Amen.  (Collect for Ash Wednesday, Book of Common Prayer, p. 217).

Saturday of First Week in Lent: Loving And Forgiving When It Is Difficult

Today's Scripture Reading

Matthew 5: 43-48 (NRSV)

 ‘You have heard that it was said, “You shall love your neighbour and hate your enemy.” But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax-collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers and sisters, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. 

Blog Reflection

If you opened this blog post and found this Gospel reading about loving your enemies and just want to turn away, because it pisses you off, you are not alone.  This Gospel reading can really make me sick in the head.  If the Gospel itself doesn't make me angry telling me that I have to forgive my enemies, the often poor spiritual abuses that come from pulpits all over Christendom using this reading, does.  

Loving your enemies, is easy when you are a white, heterosexual, Christian male who has been privileged just because since the day you were born.  For those of us who have lost while they all gained, asking us to love our enemies is not so simple.

Often the hardest thing for children who have been abused by their parents, is that they love them very much. As they get older and the reality of how devastating the abuse was, it becomes really hard to forgive and to love those who were so cruel.  How difficult it is for us to love those whom God entrusted to love and nurture us.  Many of us, have wounds so deep, that we just cannot forgive God or those who have abused their relationships to us.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr once said:

First, we must develop and maintain the capacity to forgive. He who is devoid of the power to forgive is devoid of the power to love. It is impossible even to begin the act of loving one's enemies without the prior acceptance of the necessity, over and over again, of forgiving those who inflict evil and injury upon us. It is also necessary to realize that the forgiving act must always be initiated by the person who has been wronged, the victim of some great hurt, the recipient of some tortuous injustice, the absorber of some terrible act of oppression. The wrongdoer may request forgiveness. He may come to himself, and, like the prodigal son, move up some dusty road, his heart palpitating with the desire for forgiveness. But only the injured neighbor, the loving father back home, can really pour out the warm waters of forgiveness.

Forgiveness does not mean ignoring what has been done or putting a false label on an evil act. It means, rather, that the evil act no longer remains as a barrier to the relationship. Forgiveness is a catalyst creating the atmosphere necessary for a fresh start and a new beginning. It is the lifting of a burden or the canceling of a debt. The words "I will forgive you, but I'll never forget what you've done" never explain the real nature of forgiveness. Certainly one can never forget, if that means erasing it totally from his mind. But when we forgive, we forget in the sense that the evil deed is no longer a mental block impeding a new relationship. Likewise, we can never say, "I will forgive you, but I won't have anything further to do with you." Forgiveness means reconciliation, a coming together again.

Without this, no man can love his enemies. The degree to which we are able to forgive determines the degree to which we are able to love our enemies.

Second, we must recognize that the evil deed of the enemy-neighbor, the thing that hurts, never quite expresses all that he is. An element of goodness may be found even in our worst enemy. Each of us has something of a schizophrenic personality, tragically divided against ourselves. A persistent civil war rages within all of our lives. Something within us causes us to lament with Ovid, the Latin poet, "I see and approve the better things, but follow worse," or to agree with Plato that human personality is like a charioteer having two headstrong horses, each wanting to go in a different direction, or to repeat with the Apostle Paul, "The good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do."

This simply means that there is some good in the worst of us and some evil in the best of us. When we discover this, we are less prone to hate our enemies. When we look beneath the surface, beneath. the impulsive evil deed, we see within our enemy-neighbor a measure of goodness and know that the viciousness and evilness of his acts are not quite representative of all that he is. We see him in a new light. We recognize that his hate grows out of fear, pride, ignorance, prejudice, and misunderstanding, but in spite of this, we know God's image is ineffably etched in being. Then we love our enemies by realizing that they are not totally bad and that they are not beyond the reach of God's redemptive love.

Now if a man like Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. who faced the racists of his time can come to an understanding like this, so can all of us.  Dr. King knew death threats on a daily basis.  Eventually, he was shot and killed by an individual who demostrated the worst of us, when carrying prejudice with violence as a solution in our hearts.  

Forgiving someone does not mean that we do not continue to "speak the truth in love" (see Eph. 4: 15)..   It means we continue to speak out so as to help one understand.  Loving our enemies does not mean we sit back and allow them to spread further injustices at our expense.  It means that we continue to enlighten others by telling our stories of how we came out as LGBT people of Faith, and found Jesus Christ to be our best friend and Savior, while the rest of the Church was trying to shame us and tell us we need to change who we are.  We need to tell about how God continues to inspire us to holiness and wholeness by living in healthy and life-giving relationships with our partners, friends and families.  Even while Christianist groups continue to spread false information,and corrupt politics in the Name of their god who hates and judges.  We need to live our own lives, as in the presence of a holy and inclusive God, who in Jesus Christ redeemed us through his death and resurrection and continues to sanctify us and call us to be examples of God's hospitality and reconciliation.

Prayers

O God, by your Word you marvelously carry out the workof reconciliation:  Grant that in our Lenten fast we may be devoted to you with all our hearts, and united with one another in prayer adn holy love; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.  (Collect for Saturday of the First Week in Lent. Holy Women, Holy Men, Celebrating the Saints, p. 41).

Almighty and everlasting God, you hate nothing you have
made and forgive the sins of all who are penitent: Create and
make in us new and contrite hearts, that we, worthily
lamenting our sins and acknowledging our wretchedness,
may obtain of you, the God of all mercy, perfect remission
and forgiveness; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives
and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever
and ever. Amen. (Collect for Ash Wednesday, Book of Common Prayer, p. 217).

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).

 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).