Hope and a Pope

John 8:31-42

          The Roman Catholic Church has a long road ahead of it. Judging by the events of the last 10, errr 15, errr 1000 years or so, their self righteousness and the witness of their actions show just what this very reading from John is all about.  Theirs is a language that says we are saved, we are the one true church, we are the church founded on Christ. But to paraphrase from this reading 'If you are Jesus' disciples, you would be doing what Jesus did',  Just as some of the Jews in Jesus' time said we are not slaves, we have Abraham, etc., etc.  All I can think of is Porgy and Bess and the song "it ain't necessarily so".

          Along comes a breath of fresh air. Pope Francis. By all accounts, firmly rooted in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Humility. Poverty. Generosity of spirit. I will be the first to admit my trepidation over the Popes statements about gays and gay marriage over the years. But an honest heart, a loving heart is not one of arrogance and hypocrisy. A honest heart and a faith in the love of Jesus Christ is one that is not hardened to the movement of the Spirit. This man, the vicar of Christ is capable of knowing, capable of seeing, of realizing what needs to be done. By all accounts he has the assertiveness to do so. So I am hopeful for the Roman Catholic Church and hopeful for all the gay Catholics out there that are hurt, dejected, rejected and tortured.

          Before we starting chanting viva Francis and we're here, we're queer, let's look into ourselves as well. Not just the LGBT community but the entire church. Do WE feel justified because the church is so wrong or has perpetrated so much wrong? We are not more right because 'they' are so wrong. We are not excused from the self examination that this passage demands. It is time for us too to take a serious look at ourselves. As I have been saying, Lent is an incredibly good and appropriate time to do so.

         What we have though is a new Pope. If we have love and faith, we have hope. Hope.


Then Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, ‘If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.’ They answered him, ‘We are descendants of Abraham and have never been slaves to anyone. What do you mean by saying, “You will be made free”?’

Jesus answered them, ‘Very truly, I tell you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin. The slave does not have a permanent place in the household; the son has a place there for ever. So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed. I know that you are descendants of Abraham; yet you look for an opportunity to kill me, because there is no place in you for my word. I declare what I have seen in the Father’s presence; as for you, you should do what you have heard from the Father.’

Jesus and Abraham

They answered him, ‘Abraham is our father.’ Jesus said to them, ‘If you were Abraham’s children, you would be doing what Abraham did, but now you are trying to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. This is not what Abraham did. You are indeed doing what your father does.’ They said to him, ‘We are not illegitimate children; we have one father, God himself.’ Jesus said to them, ‘If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and now I am here. I did not come on my own, but he sent me.