Tuesday in Holy Week: Injustice and Evil Meet Their Match

Today's Scripture Readings

Isaiah 49:1-7 (NRSV)

Listen to me, O coastlands,
pay attention, you peoples from far away!
The LORD called me before I was born,
while I was in my mother's womb he named me.
He made my mouth like a sharp sword,
in the shadow of his hand he hid me;
he made me a polished arrow,
in his quiver he hid me away.
And he said to me, "You are my servant,
Israel, in whom I will be glorified."
But I said, "I have labored in vain,
I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity;
yet surely my cause is with the LORD,
and my reward with my God."
And now the LORD says,
who formed me in the womb to be his servant,
to bring Jacob back to him,
and that Israel might be gathered to him,
for I am honored in the sight of the LORD,
and my God has become my strength--
he says,
"It is too light a thing that you should be my servant
to raise up the tribes of Jacob
and to restore the survivors of Israel;
I will give you as a light to the nations,
that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth."
Thus says the LORD,
the Redeemer of Israel and his Holy One,
to one deeply despised, abhorred by the nations,
the slave of rulers,
"Kings shall see and stand up,
princes, and they shall prostrate themselves,
because of the LORD, who is faithful,
the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you."

Psalm 71: 1-14 (BCP, p. 683)


1 Corinthians 1: 18-31 (NRSV)

The message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written,

"I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,
and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart."

Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, God decided, through the foolishness of our proclamation, to save those who believe. For Jews demand signs and Greeks desire wisdom, but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For God's foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God's weakness is stronger than human strength.

Consider your own call, brothers and sisters: not many of you were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, things that are not, to reduce to nothing things that are, so that no one might boast in the presence of God. He is the source of your life in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification and redemption, in order that, as it is written, "Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord."

John 12: 20-36 (NRSV)

Now among those who went up to worship at the festival were some Greeks. They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and said to him, "Sir, we wish to see Jesus." Philip went and told Andrew; then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus. Jesus answered them, "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Very truly, I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Those who love their life lose it, and those who hate their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there will my servant be also. Whoever serves me, the Father will honor.

"Now my soul is troubled. And what should I say-- `Father, save me from this hour'? No, it is for this reason that I have come to this hour. Father, glorify your name." Then a voice came from heaven, "I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again." The crowd standing there heard it and said that it was thunder. Others said, "An angel has spoken to him." Jesus answered, "This voice has come for your sake, not for mine. Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be driven out. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself." He said this to indicate the kind of death he was to die. The crowd answered him, "We have heard from the law that the Messiah remains forever. How can you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?" Jesus said to them, "The light is with you for a little longer. Walk while you have the light, so that the darkness may not overtake you. If you walk in the darkness, you do not know where you are going. While you have the light, believe in the light, so that you may become children of light."

Blog Reflection

Is it possible for all of the injustice in the world to make sense?   Why can't there be an end to violence, wars, poverty, prejudice and destitution?    Why does evil have to win some times?

There are no simple answers to these and other questions we might ask.  Terrible incidents such as the tornadoes hitting Dallas, Texas today, just don't have explanations.  Diseases such as Alzheimer's,  Breast Cancer, Leukemia and HIV/AIDS are products of many cells and infections.  They are not the result of anything God could bring upon humankind.  Yet, if God is so powerful and merciful, why doesn't God stop them all?

There is a thought that can bring us comfort, if we will allow our hearts and minds to go there.  God in Jesus Christ experienced what it means for injustice to win, and still managed to be victorious.   It is the message contained in St. Paul's Letter to the Corinthians.  "The message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God."  None of this could make sense to and for Christians, if we did not have the example of what Holy Week means.

If we think about what Jesus is saying in our Gospel today, he is suggesting that even God lost over the powers of evil, if you will.  After all, how can God die?   Yet, the most vile of evil's in the struggle between the powers of hell and those of God, would be if God died after the most brutal of tortures.   Having been rejected, scorned, mocked, spit upon, flogged, crowned with thorns and finally hung upon the Cross, Jesus wonders why God would have forsaken him.  How could God have abandoned God's Self?   Yet, in the humanity of Christ, God departed, and Jesus still trusted that God had the power to rescue him, even if he should die.  Salvation and justice would not have known a better victory, than the Son of God giving up his life for our sins, out of his self-sacrificing love, only to rise again on Easter Day.   Sin and death were rendered a failure.

Jesus in this Gospel reading from John, is prepared for this moment.  He recognizes that only by his death, will the things he had spoken and done would make sense.  In his resurrection, would the world know how much God loved us as John wrote in chapter 3 verse 16 and 17.  The wisdom of the world that says when evil wins it is all over, was made powerless and false as God in Christ accepted death so that there may be new and unending life.

We can see in our own times, examples of how a tragedy in all of its horror and madness, still reveals the power of God in the world.  Through the tragic killing of 17 year old Trayvon Martin, individuals are rising up to call our attention to how real the evil of racism is in our Nation.  People who might have given up on any hope of calling attention to how bad the Stand Your Ground laws really are, found a reason to raise our voices in concern for those threatened by violence that results from another person's prejudice.

The insane beating and killing of Matthew Shepard, called our attention to the horrible reality of hate crimes towards youth and other individuals who are LGBT.  The grief of Dennis and Judy Shepard was turned into a movement to eventually enact the hate crimes bill signed into law by President Obama in October of 2009. 

The courage of Sandra Fluke who was willing to testify this past February in a Congressional hearing about why access to contraception is so important for women, has helped many others become active in our concerns about male privilege deciding the reproductive health care for women.  The injustice of any and all women being kept from testifying during that hearing, gave women their voice and opportunity to speak out and inspire others to exercise their voice for women's rights.

Yet, we dare not stop seeing what injustices still play out in our times.  Individuals who could lose their health care should the Supreme Court strike down the Affordable Care Act.  Seniors and those who are disabled would see poverty in their regards increase dramatically should Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid become privatized.   People in our own neighborhoods dying as a result of starvation and dehydration, as well as in third world countries all over the world.  These and other injustices need our attention too.

As we look to Jesus' example during this Holy Week, we would do well to pray for that part within all of us that has yet to die to our self-centeredness, so that we may serve Christ in others.  The Paschal Mystery that we celebrate this week, should propel us from being apathetic towards those in need, to being active in not only helping them with their basic needs, but changing the system that keeps injustice and oppression as something we can just ignore.


Prayers

O God, by the passion of your blessed Son you made an
instrument of shameful death to be for us the means of life:
Grant us so to glory in the cross of Christ, that we may gladly
suffer shame and loss for the sake of your Son our Savior
Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy
Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.  (Tuesday in Holy Week, Book of Common Prayer, p. 220).

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).

We Are Sent Out to Heal and Feed, Not Destroy and Starve Others.

Luke 9:1-17 (NRSV)

Then Jesus called the twelve together and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases, and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal. He said to them, 'Take nothing for your journey, no staff, nor bag, nor bread, nor money-not even an extra tunic. Whatever house you enter, stay there, and leave from there. Wherever they do not welcome you, as you are leaving that town shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.' They departed and went through the villages, bringing
the good news and curing diseases everywhere. 

Now Herod the ruler heard about all that had taken place, and he was perplexed, because it was said by some that John had been raised from the dead, by some that Elijah had appeared, and by others that one of the ancient prophets had arisen. Herod said, 'John I beheaded; but who is this about whom I hear such things?' And he tried to see him. 

On their return the apostles told Jesus all they had done. He took them with him and withdrew privately to a city called Bethsaida. When the crowds found out about it, they followed him; and he welcomed them, and spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and healed those who needed to be cured. 

The day was drawing to a close, and the twelve came to him and said, 'Send the crowd away, so that they may go into the surrounding villages and countryside, to lodge and get provisions; for we are here in a deserted place.' But he said to them, 'You give them something to eat.' They said, 'We have no more than five loaves and two fish-unless we are to go and buy food for all these people.' For there were about five thousand men. And he said to his disciples, 'Make them sit down in groups of about fifty each.' They did so and made them all sit down. And taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven, and blessed and broke them, and gave them to the disciples to set before the crowd. And all ate and were filled. What was left over was gathered up, twelve baskets of broken pieces. 

Christianity continues to get a bad name along with the founder of our faith, Jesus Christ.  Christianists and arch-conservative Catholics continue to pollute the internet and other media with their anti-LGBT rhetoric.  Conservative Anglicans like the Anglican Church of North America (ACNA) and CANA and the Anglican Bishop in Uganda and other countries are using rhetoric that places the worst kind of fear in the minds of questioning individuals who are trying to come to terms with their sexual orientation and/or gender identity/expression.  As a result, Jesus Christ and the Church are getting a bad name.

In today's Gospel, Jesus is painting a very different picture of what followers of Jesus are suppose to be like.  Jesus sends out the twelve Apostles to those who will receive the Good News of God's unconditional and all-inclusive love.  As the crowds become more and more hungry for the Goodness of God, they eventually come to Jesus looking to be fed in body and spirit.  Jesus has given to all of us who follow him the ministry of representing him and the Church, by leading others to the place where God can feed our bodies and souls with the Goodness of God's Holy Presence. 

God's Presence is suppose to be available to all who come with a hunger in their hearts for peace, holiness and fulfillment in their lives.  When the local Catholic Archbishop refused Holy Communion to those who were wearing rainbow colors, it was an outrageous action of a man who's duty it is to lead others to Jesus, not away from him. I was so very pleased to hear that another Priest offered Mass with those who had been rejected and fed them with the very Presence of God.  

Every individual regardless of their sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, race, religions, ability or challenge, gender, language, employed or unemployed, rich or poor, healthy or unhealthy is an individual made and loved by God.  There is no child of God that is not a masterpiece of God's creative and redemptive love.  There is no daughter or son of God the Holy Spirit with whom she does not desire to look after as a Mother, comforter and consolation as we face the difficulties of our lives.   God wants to reach out and love each and every one of us.  God continues to do that through the mystery of God's Presence in the Holy Eucharist.  No person has any business refusing that Presence of God from any of God's children. 

Jesus sends all of us out to heal those who are broken, not destroy those seeking God's presence in their lives.  A youthful person who is questioning her or his sexual orientation and/or gender identity/expression is a beloved child of God trying to understand how God has created that young woman or man to love others.  The Church, parents, friends, families and whole communities need to reach out to that individual with the message that regardless of who or how you find that you are called to love, you are loved, supported and cherished by everyone who loves you.  That is the beginning of creating healthy, holy and helpful communities through which all individuals can develop who they are, as well as who and how they love others.  Suggesting that they suppress, or should change through the work of an ex-gay ministry turns Christians in to individuals who destroy and starve to death those who are searching to understand God's love in their lives.  Using the Biblical stories of Sodom and Gomorrah, Leviticus 18:20 or 20:13, 1 Corinthians 6: 9-11 and first 1 Timothy 1: 10, and Romans 1: 27 to condemn homosexuality, is interpreting the Bible erroneously, as well as committing "spiritual malpractice and doctrinal abuse."  It is a sure way to destroy and starve someone who needs to be shown their way to God who will heal and feed them with the Goodness of God's Holy Presence.

Coming out is a matter of learning how and who we will love, and being public with that knowledge.  It is a necessary step so that we are honest with God, ourselves and others around us.  It is the first of many steps forward in our lives.  Every individual needs to be allowed to make that journey freely and in their own time.  The Church and Christians should be willing to embrace and support the women and men who come to terms with their sexual and gender diversity. 

This month we remember that 12 years ago young Matthew Shepard was killed for being who he was.  His mother Judy and father Dennis continue to be examples of a family who are as devoted to their son's memory as any parent can and should be.  They have turned the pain of their lives around and use their voices and books to encourage others to accept their daughters and sons as they are and to support the cause of equality for all who are LGBTQ.  You can read more about their incredible story in Judy Shepard's book: The Meaning of Matthew. The Shepard's along with the family of Randi, Philip and Jacob Reitan show how faith and family can work together not only for their own good, but for the good of others in situations such as theirs.   Mary Lou Wallner, the mother of Anna who took her own life because of homophobia, continues to spread the message of love and acceptance through TEACH Ministries (To Educate About the Consequences of Homophobia).  You can hear more about her story and the story about the Reitan's in First Run Features For the Bible Tells Me So.  These folks are disciples of Jesus who use their lives and tragedies to help heal and feed those who would other wise be destroyed or be forced to starve to death because of religious based anti-LGBT rhetoric and behavior.

Today, let us all recommit ourselves to being sent out to heal and feed others with the Presence of God.  Let us also pray for those who misuse the Bible, the Christian Faith and their capitalist power to destroy and starve others.  Most of all let us pray for those youth who are struggling to come out that they will find good resources, and that we all will work towards creating healthy, holy and wholesome environments for all of God's children.

Lord, we pray that your grace may always precede and follow us, that we may continually be given to good works; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. (Proper 23, Book of Common Prayer, page 234-235).

O God, you have blessed us and given us dominion over all the earth: Increase our reverence before the mystery of life; and give us new insight into your purposes for the human race, and new wisdom and determination in making provision for its future in accordance with your will; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.  (Prayer for the Future of the Human Family, Book of Common Prayer, page 828).

Mary, Martha and Lazarus: Friendship, Hospitality and Diversity

The chosen Gospel for today's commemoration of Mary, Martha and Lazarus is John 11:1-7, 17-44 which is the story of the death of Lazarus to Jesus raising him from the tomb.  This is the updated Lectionary as found in Holy Women, Holy Men, Celebrating the Saints.  

Mary, Martha and Lazarus were three of Jesus' closest friends.  While we do not exactly know when or how that friendship started, we do know that it was a friendship that was based on a lot of trust, love and interest in how each could best serve the other.   Based on another Gospel account of Mary and Martha Luke 10: 38- 42 which we heard not two Sunday's ago, hospitality and contemplative prayer were hallmarks of the relationship that existed.

There are several observations we can make to incorporate this commemoration into our own spiritual journey's and the work of LGBTQ people towards full inclusion in society and the Church.  It is apparent from the Gospel accounts of the relationship between Jesus, Mary, Martha and Lazarus that friendship is a necessity.  Friendships that are based on mutual hospitality, genuine love, affection and an openness to each person with in the friendship are very important to our lives of faith and work for equal justice.

One of the texts for today's commemoration is one that appeared in the Daily Office only last week.  Romans 12: 9-13.

Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honor. Do not lag in zeal, be ardent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints; extend hospitality to strangers.

The connection of the message of the Gospel to radical hospitality cannot be overstated.  If the Church is to be genuine then hospitality to receiving everyone must be at the core of our mission.  Receiving one another in hospitality does not include receiving people into the worship and active lives of our church communities only if they comply with our understanding of who and what they should be.  This includes those communities that attempt to welcome lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered, questioning/queer individuals and families on the condition that they either change their sexual orientation and/or gender expression/identity, or they break up a loving committed relationship, and/or agree to attend an ex-gay ministry.  There are many church communities to this day that will require that of the new incoming church organist or religious education director.  There are some that will require something like that of someone who wishes to be on the Parish finance council or education board.  This is not being hospitable, it is not even a Christian manner of behavior.  Asking someone to suddenly lie about who they are, who they love and how they love other people is wrong.  Notice in the hospitality between Jesus, Mary, Martha and Lazarus, Jesus did not require the women to suddenly be like men or Lazarus to be alive in order to be raised from death.  Jesus changed their lives by accepting who they were and being friends with who they were, he did not require them to change, only to love as they were.

If friendship among Christians is to be authentic (ie. genuine) then we do need to understand that in many cultures there is a difference between a friendship and an acquaintance.  In the British/English culture to call someone you just met a "friend" as we do here in the United States is actually an insult.  An acquaintance is someone you might get together with for a cup of coffee and/or a periodic study hall, but that does not make her or him necessarily a friend.  A friend on the other hand is more than an acquaintance.  We may get together with a friend on an acquaintance like basis, but usually it is to share something much deeper than the cup of coffee.  It is to engage in a relationship that knows a trusting confidence and a mutual sense of respect and acceptance that cannot be matched by a mere acquaintance.  When Jesus in the Gospel of John refers to his followers as his "friends" it is because they know him as more than an acquaintance.  The followers of Jesus know that there is such an acceptance of us by God that there is no separation, and no situation where God will not be available to God's followers.  And because God has made friendship with us through Christ, we follow the commandments of God not because we have to, to avoid hell, but because we would not want to damage that friendship with God that has been established with us through the Person of Jesus Christ.  What is the basics of the commandments of God?  Loving God, our neighbors and ourselves.  The friendship that existed between Martha, Mary, Lazarus and Jesus was one that fulfilled the commandments of God in their relationship to God and each other.

If one of those commandments which is to love our neighbor than all of this bearing false witness to the LGBTQ communities must be understood for what it is, an unacceptable amount of spiritual violence.  Saying that LGBTQ people can not and should not seek marriage equality, full sacramental equality, freedom from violence and political, social and religious oppression within the Church because of erroneous interpretations of Leviticus 20:13, Romans 1: 26 and 27, 1 Corinthians 6:9 and 1 Timothy 1: 10  must be understood as bearing false witness against LGBTQ people.  Love is not genuine when seeking to destroy a group of people because of our own prejudices based on false information.  Such was the case when a so called follower of Christ called Judy Shepard a liar at a public meeting and/or book signing for saying that her son was killed because he was gay. 

Genuine Christian friendship is based on radical hospitality and an appreciation and acceptance of diversity, and a personal commitment to working toward reconciliation and healing.  It is such a terrible thing that our conservative Christian sisters and brothers spend so much energy on the destruction of LGBT people, because those of us who are more progressive and liberal need the fiery devotion to the true message of Scripture that conservatives claim to cling to.  The Bible really is not a weapon of mass destruction.  I know all about Paul's letter to the Ephesians chapter 6 vs 17 where Paul talks about the "sword of the Spirit which is the word of God."  That "sword of the Spirit" assumes that we use the Bible first and foremost to promote the love of God, neighbor and self. Conservative Christians often use the Bible as a destructive weapon at the expense of a faith guide to building relationships of love for God, others and self.  That sword of the Spirit is suppose to lead to a healing and reconciling love, not the sword that does destruction to all kinds of people that are based on a criteria that does not exist.  The "sword of the Spirit" is not suppose to be used to massacre women, minorities, LGBTQ, Native American Indians and so forth.  The "sword of the Spirit" is to "Let love be genuine, hate what is evil and cling to what is good."  Racism, sexism, heterosexism (that leads to homophobia), class discrimination and the physical, political and spiritual violence done to such people are evil.  Those are things that Christians should be working together to eliminate.  Clinging to what is good includes loving, committed same sex relationships that seek the common good of the people in the relationship as they share the wonder of their love with the world through their devotion to each other.  That kind of love is life-giving and it creates a healthy community of love. 

The friendship between Jesus, Martha, Mary and Lazarus is an inspiration to all of us to seek friendship through hospitality and an appreciation for the diversity that makes each person who they are.  God made all of us social beings for a very good reason.  We need each other to help make the world a better place for the reign of God.  How are our relationships and friendships performing their roles of making the Church and the world a more loving existence for God's reign?

Generous God, whose Son Jesus Christ enjoyed the friendship and hospitality of Mary, Martha and Lazarus of Bethany: Open our hearts to love you, our ears to hear you, and our hands to welcome and serve you in others, through Jesus Christ our risen Lord; who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. (Collect for Mary, Martha, [and Lazarus] of Bethany, Holy Women, Holy Men, Celebrating the Saints, Page 493).

O God, the protector of all who trust in you, without whom nothing is strong, nothing is holy: Increase and multiply upon us your mercy; that, with you as our ruler and guide, we may so pass through things temporal, that we lose not the things eternal; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. (Proper 12, Book of Common Prayer, Page 231).

Responding to Love's Request

Yesterday was a historic day. When President Obama signed the Matthew Shepard/James Byrd hate crimes bill into law yesterday the long hard work of Judy Shepard saw the goal she worked for become a reality. I am continually amazed at the fortitude of Judy Shepard. When most of us experience the murder of a loved one, we might let the anger and grief of what happened weigh us down, causing to go deep into ourselves and say the hell with the rest of the world. Judy Shepard did not do any of those things. I am sure Judy's grief over the way in which her son Matthew was murdered, followed by the local Police Department saying that they had no funding to investigate such a crime, left Judy often feeling alone and like no one would listen. However, that did not stop Judy Shepard from using her horrific situation to achieve great things. You would think that after the years of pushing for the Hate Crimes legislation in Congress only to have former President George Bush say he would veto the bill, that Judy would just give up. But no, that did not stop this mother from seeking justice for others who could experience what happened to her son. Judy continued to sign copies of her book. She continued to speak about her son's death despite people calling her a "liar". And yesterday, October 28th she saw all her suffering and efforts result in changing the laws of the land.

This is the kind of love and devotion of a woman seeking to do the right thing amidst very difficult circumstances. This is how the word of God goes beyond being an abstraction, to becoming really alive and active in the world around us. This is the word of God falling on good soil and reaping much good fruit, even with all the thorns and weeds trying to keep out the good fruit that is trying to grow.

As I read through today's Gospel of Matthew 13: 18-23, I am struck and yet troubled by some of the language there. I think all of us have those moments when the words of Jesus reach us, but there are the thorns in our life that choke what is said. Addictions, challenges, relationships, events and news that all play their role in making it difficult for God to take hold of our lives and make a difference. I also think that we have to be careful about looking at ourselves arrogantly and thinking we are the good soil, while others who are different from us are some how not good soil. Everyone has issues in their lives that can make hearing God speak to us difficult and sometimes troubling.

Clearing the issues that make it difficult for us to listen to God is a process that every person has to go through for themselves. Everyone's situation is not the same. However, because God is God and because God loves us as much as God does, then we have to conclude that there is no situation too difficult for God to work through. Through prayer, quiet times and asking God for the help to trust in God to help remove the obstacles that keep us from hearing and knowing God clearer, we can find ourselves in that place where God's grace is reaching out and healing that which is broken.

One of the many obstacles for people to draw closer to God is spiritual violence. When someone makes use of Scripture, Church authority, religious principles in an attempt to change the very essence of who someone is, that is not pastoral counseling. That is spiritual violence and abuse. This is a common experience for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered people. When voices like the Catholic church speaks through ex-gay ministries like Courage and tell LGBT individuals that their "condition" is "intrinsically disordered" it is no longer good Spiritual advice. It is pastoral and spiritual violence. When ex-gay ministries like Exodus create "fix camps" to try to "change" people's orientation, even though they are doing it out of "loving concern", they are doing spiritual violence to LGBT people. When devoted Christian parents address their children after they come out saying that they will one day "grow out" of being gay, that is not a loving response.

Let's compare what I wrote above with an entirely different approach. Telling an LGBT person that they are loved as they are, and calling them to grow in a healthy respect of themselves and in their relationships, now that is good Spiritual counsel. Calling LGBT individuals to give up the unhealthy practices of promiscuity and work towards healthier relationships where they are truly loving other people as opposed to using each other is good progress. Looking at the brokenness with which LGBT youth often come to the Church and finding LGBT Priests, Pastors and members who can help them integrate their sexuality in healthy ways with their Spiritual lives, that is good Spiritual and Pastoral advice. That is helping LGBT people find ways to help them listen more clearly to God's word.

Jesus came into the world to give people who feel lost find hope and meaning. Jesus Christ through out his earthly ministry gave sight to the blind, called those on the sidelines to be included in the household of Faith. The Church that Christ calls is one that is inclusive and welcoming to all who wish to discern God's call in their lives. Jesus invites everyone to the Eucharistic table to experience the healing of God's holy presence.

What role will we play in discerning God's call in our lives? How will we help others listen for what God is saying to them? What are our attitudes towards people who are not quite like us? How do we respond to those who want to get closer to God, but have situations we do not understand?

As we continue on our journey of Faith, let us ask the Holy Spirit to guide us in our attitudes of inclusion and be sure that the Church is a "House of Prayer for all."

This we pray in the Name of God who is +Creator, Servant and Life-Giver. Amen.

Be Our Vision, O God.

Based on Matthew 13: 54-58

What is the next question we tend to ask someone after they introduce themselves? "Where are you from?" In an effort to create some intimacy with someone that we might be trying to get to know, we first make the attempt to get a bigger picture of who that person is. Where is the person from? What is their career? What are their interests or hobbies? What schools did they go to, and/or what was their course of study? As their answers come, we find common ground to talk about, or we make ourselves open to learning things that we have not known before.

When it comes to the answer about where someone comes from, it can be quite interesting as to what our attitudes might be following what we have been told. If someone is from New England as I am originally from, people might automatically think we are people who talk directly. There is no playing around. We say what we think, and we let you know where we stand. If the answer is say from Minnesota where I currently live, one might say that we are "Minnesota ice" as in "Minnesota nice." Minnesotan's have a reputation for being nice to your face, then stabbing you in the back. If someone is from the south, their personalities are very warm and hospitable, yet they too can be very direct. Interesting how we make judgments on people's character based on where they are from. Let someone do something that is off the radar of where they are from, and suddenly we might find ourselves scratching our heads and wondering "what in the world?"

That was the attitude of those who were listening to Jesus in our Gospel story today. They were listening to Jesus teach about God. Jesus taught with great wisdom and knowledge. Rather than take to heart the message of God's love revealed perfectly in Jesus Christ, all these people got wound up in where he was from, who his parents were, who his brothers were, what his father did. And all because of their preconceived notions about what all this meant, they dismissed his message and failed to believe in Jesus' message of love. That is why Jesus did not perform miracles or use his power, "because of their disbelief." (Matthew 13: 58).

This goes precisely to the problem many of us have in seeing Jesus in other people. Why don't we share our Gospel stories with people? The Gospel is not only meant to be shared through preaching and quoting, it is suppose to be lived through the stories of our own lives. The Gospel story is shared as we reach out to those who are poor, lonely, discouraged, the uninsured, those of different races, religions, classes, challenges, sexual orientations and gender identities. But, because of our preconceived notions of what such people are, where they are from, what we think they do, or are concerned about what they do not do, the Gospel story of our lives does not reach out and touch theirs. When we leave ourselves in the center of ourselves, what we do is leave our Gospel stories home in the dust covered Bible on the shelf. The cross remains an abstract dead object on the wall because we just cannot forgive someone. The Crucifixion, Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ remains a historical myth when we cannot reach out to someone without our preconceived thinking becoming a barrier to what God wants to do between us and the other person. We are afraid of conflict. But conflicts are a part of life. We are afraid of being guilty by association. Yet it can be through facing our own guilt by association, that we can play a role in helping people to change their attitudes towards people who are different, marginalized and stigmatized.

When God came to us in the Person of God's Son, Jesus Christ, God came to shake us up. God came to get us out of our comfort zones. Unless we are willing to take part in the change of the status quo, then the Gospel story of our lives becomes just another story that people have heard before. But when we face the things that make us uncomfortable, and we "come out" of our "lands of slavery" whether that means our closets, our homes, our beds, that bad relationship that we might be hanging on to, the addiction that we are not seeking help for. When we finally face the truth about ourselves and reach across the isle with compassion and an honest search for God, we finally open the Gospel story of our lives as we shake people up and share ourselves with others. When we do that, God reveals God's love not only to us, but to others we come into contact. The dead Gospel becomes a living story of love out of the Bible on the shelf. The crucifix becomes a living way that we die to ourselves. The Death and Resurrection of Christ becomes living action, and those who are marginalized and stigmatized are given their inclusive place within God's family.

Today, I can think of no two people who have demonstrated this better than Dennis and Judy Shepard. Dennis and Judy lost their son, Matthew who was beaten and left to die because he was gay. During the many years since the tragic death of their son, Dennis and Judy have reached out to the legal community and found very little solace. Did they let that stop them? No way. Judy Shepard went on to write about her son, and tell the story of how much she loved him. Judy, who lost her own son could have turned against the gay community through denial and shame. But no. Judy Shepard shouldered the cross of love and compassion and through the telling of her story, and her fortitude of determination, Judy pushed on making appearances and statements helped push through to yesterday's victory. When the United States Senate passed the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes bill yesterday, they acknowledged what we've known and seen in Dennis and Judy Shepard. Our United States Congress has declared that crimes due to preconceived notions about sexual orientation or gender identity are hate crimes. They cannot be tolerated. Hate crimes violate the dignity and integrity of LGBT people and any group of people due to race, class, challenge or otherwise. And they must be seen in that way. Judy did all of this, even with Religious right leaders and followers calling her a "liar" right to her face when she made appearances. Judy took her place with Jesus on the Cross, and loved her son. Judy and Dennis have never stopped loving their son for who he was. And they want to encourage others to love people for who they are, and abandon their hate and violent attitudes towards LGBT people.

When we hear Jesus speaking to us, through other people, how do we respond to him? Do we respond to God with our preconceived notions of the people we come into contact through God's intervention? Do we close ourselves off to the power of God, because we do not believe in God's transforming grace through someone who is different than us? How in those moments does our Gospel story come out of the page and into real life?

As we explore these and other questions today, let us remember that God is merciful. God has already forgiven us in Christ Jesus. All we have to do is lay our sins at the foot of the Cross, and ask for the guidance of the Holy Spirit and God will do the rest.

Prayer of St. Francis.
Lord, make us instruments of your peace. Where there is hatred, let us sow love; where their 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. (Book of Common Prayer, Page 833).