Psalm 150
Several years ago, I found out my spiritual director was going to be directing a retreat in the Canadian Rockies. I had to go. This would be an opportunity to have someone who knew me pretty intimately, guide me on what I only could imagine would be a magnificently beautiful trip. The build up in my mind was huge and in fact there was no disappointment. The effect of the trip were actually the roots of my coming out.
On one particular day before morning prayers, I rose and sat outside our cabin with towering mountains and pines all around. There were more mountains in the scenery than sky, although the sky was a blue I had never seen before or since. In that setting I felt as small as a speck of dirt. I felt buried in my surroundings and as small a part of creation as one could be. I was connected to the soil, rocks and mountains around me as if I was home and they were where I had sprung from. I was the dirt around me and the dirt was me. I was at home. It was as if I stood in the middle of the universe, of God's entire creation. I felt that small yet oh so very connected.
We visited several glaciers on that trip. On one day we actually rode out onto the glacier in some giant bus-like contraption. Again I was overwhelmed with the enormity of the glacier and my minute presence. What struck me there however was the enormity and the force it wielded. There could be no attempts to force the glacier back. Even as it was melting, it moved forcefully forward. Absorbing roads and anything in it's path. It began to occur to me that what God has made cannot be trifled with. There are forces in nature that cannot and should not be tinkered with. It is unreasonable and unatural to try to make a gay person straight, force a woman to be a man or visa versa. It is wrong to force our human limitations and labels on the diversity of nature that God has created. As much as we like neat and tidy labels and black and white, not everything God has made is so. There is a spectrum (pun intended) of diversity in creation that should be honored and celebrated.
What I learned as I began to realize I might possibly be gay is that if I indeed was gay, if I was sure of it, I should not fight it. As sure as the glacier relentlessly exerted it's nature, so was the fact that if was gay, it should be allowed to come out (no pun intended). It would be wrong to suppress it or deny it. I should honor it and celebrate it. I am as great a creation as a glacier. So are you, so is everyone.
The trick if you will is to discern your own nature. Not such an easy task in a world that likes those labels, that likes black and whites. Horribly difficult in a world where people try and force you into a box of their liking. There seems little respect, awe or recognition of the diversity and majesty of God's creations.
When religions speak of respecting life, do they respect the diversity of God's creations? Are they willing to embrace it? Are you? Are you willing to embrace yourself?
On one particular day before morning prayers, I rose and sat outside our cabin with towering mountains and pines all around. There were more mountains in the scenery than sky, although the sky was a blue I had never seen before or since. In that setting I felt as small as a speck of dirt. I felt buried in my surroundings and as small a part of creation as one could be. I was connected to the soil, rocks and mountains around me as if I was home and they were where I had sprung from. I was the dirt around me and the dirt was me. I was at home. It was as if I stood in the middle of the universe, of God's entire creation. I felt that small yet oh so very connected.
We visited several glaciers on that trip. On one day we actually rode out onto the glacier in some giant bus-like contraption. Again I was overwhelmed with the enormity of the glacier and my minute presence. What struck me there however was the enormity and the force it wielded. There could be no attempts to force the glacier back. Even as it was melting, it moved forcefully forward. Absorbing roads and anything in it's path. It began to occur to me that what God has made cannot be trifled with. There are forces in nature that cannot and should not be tinkered with. It is unreasonable and unatural to try to make a gay person straight, force a woman to be a man or visa versa. It is wrong to force our human limitations and labels on the diversity of nature that God has created. As much as we like neat and tidy labels and black and white, not everything God has made is so. There is a spectrum (pun intended) of diversity in creation that should be honored and celebrated.
What I learned as I began to realize I might possibly be gay is that if I indeed was gay, if I was sure of it, I should not fight it. As sure as the glacier relentlessly exerted it's nature, so was the fact that if was gay, it should be allowed to come out (no pun intended). It would be wrong to suppress it or deny it. I should honor it and celebrate it. I am as great a creation as a glacier. So are you, so is everyone.
The trick if you will is to discern your own nature. Not such an easy task in a world that likes those labels, that likes black and whites. Horribly difficult in a world where people try and force you into a box of their liking. There seems little respect, awe or recognition of the diversity and majesty of God's creations.
When religions speak of respecting life, do they respect the diversity of God's creations? Are they willing to embrace it? Are you? Are you willing to embrace yourself?
Praise for God’s Surpassing Greatness
Praise the Lord!
Praise God in his sanctuary;
praise him in his mighty firmament!
Praise him for his mighty deeds;
praise him according to his surpassing greatness!
Praise him with trumpet sound;
praise him with lute and harp!
Praise him with tambourine and dance;
praise him with strings and pipe!
Praise him with clanging cymbals;
praise him with loud clashing cymbals!
Let everything that breathes praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord!
No comments:
Post a Comment