Logic and truth

Mark 11:27-33

         True story, at a job an employee sees that something is very wrong and tells management.  The manager says "if you think you can do a better job, I'd like to see you do it". The employee is not saying necessarily that they have the inclination or the ability to fix the problem, they simply are pointing out the problem to the person who is responsible.   They are simply things we know and any amount of arguing, logic (circular or otherwise)  or  shifting responsibilities will change it. Perhaps that's somewhat of faith is. It is not necessarily that you can explain something but you know it's true. 

         Jesus was not going to engage the chief priests or scribes in arguments. Jesus knew the truth and the people at large knew the truth, especially about John the Baptist.  As far as Jesus goes, everyone could tell he was from God. They may not have realized he was the Messiah, the may not have known that he was the son of God either, but they knew he was of God. No amount of convincing or questions from the religious leaders was going to change that.

        This week I am focusing in perhaps more than ever on the humanity of Jesus because his human experience this week is incredibly intense. He is acknowledging fully his Divinity and where that clashes with his humanity is painful, heartwarming and humbling. 

        So too I am focusing on my own humanity and the humanity of those like me, that is LGBTQ. We know who we are and there is no questioning that. It is something I'd say we know in our bones. You can try reparative therapy, denial and celibacy but we are who we are.  Explain it away, logic it away if you wish, we are who we are. Our interface between our humanity and our 'gayness' is often painful . We too are often sacrificed on the altar of expedience, ignorance and a desire to make others feel 'correct' or more normal.  Just as sure as a person who knows they are straight before they have 'done anything' we too know who we are. Please do not try to diminish our God given gift, our minority blessedness or who we are. 

         Our interface between our sexuality and our own divinity (small D) is something that we must embrace as sure as Jesus did with his Divinity (capital D). God calls us to him/her and we must answer in the affirmative for all that it means. Hopefully that does not mean we will not be hung on a cross. Still though, I cry over Matthew Shephard.

         If we open ourselves uy to the joys of being gay and being a beloved child of God this would be the week to do so. We can rise to new life on Easter morn as sure as Jesus did. No need to explain or make logic of it. You should know you are a beloved child of God. It is not a guaranteed easy road but it graced and full of love and holds the promise of eternal life.

Again they came to Jerusalem. As he was walking in the temple, the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders came to him and said, ‘By what authority are you doing these things? Who gave you this authority to do them?’ Jesus said to them, ‘I will ask you one question; answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things. Did the baptism of John come from heaven, or was it of human origin? Answer me.’They argued with one another, ‘If we say, “From heaven”, he will say, “Why then did you not believe him?” But shall we say, “Of human origin”?’—they were afraid of the crowd, for all regarded John as truly a prophet. So they answered Jesus, ‘We do not know.’ And Jesus said to them, ‘Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.’