A welcoming world

Romans 15:7-13        A welcoming world

           Once again I feel the need to put out a reminder that Jesus welcomed all, especially the disenfranchised and the outcasts. We therefore are called to do the same. I have a friend who worked tirelessly alongside a whole group of us that worked for marriage equality and gay rights. Personally this is part of my commitment and concern for our entire LGBTQ community. So what was next on our goal after marriage equality in New York was achieved? Of course we are fighting for the repeal of DOMA. On a state level though, where are we headed? Our efforts of course must go to the entire LGBTQ community and truth be told, there is a great deal of work to be done for our transgendered brothers and sisters, the "T" in LGBTQ.  My friend diminished the need to help them and was perhaps outright repulsed. Wow! What an eye opener!

            We are so aware of our own personal alienation that we can easily fail to realize that Jesus embraced everyone, all of the God's cretaures as He (or She) created them. Who knows, perhaps God is Non-gendered! How do we feel about that? We are called to welcome all as Jesus welcomed them, as God welcomes us.

            So what outcast marginalized group are we called to embrace?  All of them as best we can, as we have the energy, the calling and the vision to see. Our vision is so often obscured by what we are often supposed to believe, what society tells us, explicitly or implicitly, and what our own fears or ignorance have lead us to believe on our own. We are not called to get all we can get for ourselves and forget the rest. Ideally we all stand together as God's creations. That not only takes in humans but all animals. It also calls us to fight for and respect all of creation as well as it's prudent use.

          Rejoice and welcome ALL of creation and give thanks!

The Gospel for Jews and Gentiles Alike

Welcome one another, therefore, just as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God. For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the circumcised on behalf of the truth of God in order that he might confirm the promises given to the patriarchs, and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written,
‘Therefore I will confess you among the Gentiles,
and sing praises to your name’; and again he says,
‘Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people’;
and again, ‘Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles,
and let all the peoples praise him’; and again Isaiah says,
‘The root of Jesse shall come, the one who rises to rule the Gentiles;
in him the Gentiles shall hope.’
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, 
so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.