Are we there yet?

John 3:25-30

         Have you ever heard that expression, "Are we there yet?" It can be terribly annoying.  I think it has a great deal to do with looking at the end of the trip and not enjoying the journey itself. One of things that I find is a common denominator of getting older is an appreciation for the journey.

         On our journeys in life you appreciate the journey because at some point you realize you have fewer years in front of you that you do behind.  If you have been keeping your eye on the future you start to realize what you may have missed and the journey ahead takes on added significance. You appreciate life a lot more.

         The fact of life that you may have fewer years ahead reminds me of the passage statement that He must increase, but I must decrease. The idea of appreciating and realizing what is important I think is linked to this idea of me decreasing and God increasing. We are all headed to a journey that ends like a butterfly in a cocoon. We are all going to pass through this world and enter a new realm of existence with God. It is a different existence, perhaps the change is frightening to some. The fact remains we are diminishing and God is increasing.  Perhaps our whole life is trying to increase the presence of God in our life. While we try to be fully human, fully who we were created to be and all that God created us to be, we are trying also to diminish the worldly and enter more into the sacred realm we are called to as children of God.

         This seems a bit heady, perhaps not everyone gets it and perhaps some do not recognize the journey until he end (of our human existence). When the journey of life comes to a screeching halt and we realize we are about to come out of our cocoons that can be frightening and it can be sad at the realization that you may have missed some great things along your journey. This is why on a man's death  bed he may lament his failures or say 'I should have sent more time at home instead of the office'.

             In life are you one who literally or figuratively asks "are we there yet?"  Stop, appreciate, listen, learn and love. Sounds like a plan.

    

Now a discussion about purification arose between John’s disciples and a Jew. They came to John and said to him, ‘Rabbi, the one who was with you across the Jordan, to whom you testified, here he is baptizing, and all are going to him.’ John answered, ‘No one can receive anything except what has been given from heaven. You yourselves are my witnesses that I said, “I am not the Messiah, but I have been sent ahead of him.” He who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice. For this reason my joy has been fulfilled. He must increase, but I must decrease.’

Honesty as the best policy

Matthew 12:25-30

          I mentioned the other day a friend of mine forwards a daily inspirational message. I think it is a great practice and it's very uplifting. There are many take home or take-to-heart messages that I try to instill into myself. One pearl I noted on Wednesday was about how we respond to life being more important than what happens to us in life. Today I'll note another and this one comes in a general but consistent way in these daily messages. This is, that if we are serious about something we can't be wishy washy or do it half way. We have to pour our souls into whatever it is we want or think important. If we do not, we are like a house divided.

          I can't begin to tell you how many people are half hearted about things, from their marriages to their faith to their very own happiness. There are plenty of mechanisms to support our half heartedness. Indecision, being passive aggressive and simply lack of movement (which is in itself a decision). We lie to ourselves and to others and perhaps we are a bit more than procrastinating too. None of these will achieve happiness, our goals or our true happiness.

        I always argue for raw, serious, brutal self reflection. Not brutal in terms of beating ourselves up but simply completely honest and open with ourselves. Perhaps had I been more honest with myself I would have discovered before the age of 50 that I was really gay.  But along with that honesty is a sense of self forgiveness at my mistakes and foibles and not looking back and saying shoulda-woulda-coulda. After all, I have had a very rich life and where I am now is heavily influenced by the entire time and life of 'where I was'. The truth remains that we need to be totally honest with ourselves and everyone if we are to move forward in growth and in relationships.

          Here is an interesting note though. In our human relationships, no one knows, perhaps even ourselves, if we are obfuscating or disingenuous.  We hurt everyone and ourselves in being so.  What is funny though is when we lie to ourselves with God, He  does know the truth. He knows more than we do. God knows the truth of our actions and the truth of our hearts. There is no escaping that. Perhaps all the more reason to get closer to God.  He has the inside info on us. He just might be willing to share some of that info.

           We can lie to others, lie to ourselves but we cannot effectively lie to God.  I am sure we do try at times. Amazing that God loves us with reckless abandon anyway and respects our journey to wholeness,  sometimes in spite of ourselves.

          However hokey, the truth remains, honesty is the best policy. We cannot live our lives against ourselves ( in lying ) and if we do not take that brutally honest stance with ourselves we are just not serious about our own journey.

He knew what they were thinking and said to them, ‘Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and no city or house divided against itself will stand. If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself; how then will his kingdom stand? If I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your own exorcists cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. But if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come to you. Or how can one enter a strong man’s house and plunder his property, without first tying up the strong man? Then indeed the house can be plundered. Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.

Gay icon?

Matthew 28:16-20

          For a good part of yesterday I was thinking of Maya Angelou. What an inspiring life. Yesterday, she ascended leaving us a heritage of richness, fullness and love from her entire life. Yesterday I wrote about pruning and cutting. I said it didn't matter too much which was being done, it was more about how you faced life. Maya Angelou is proof of that.

          Dr. Angelou was a beacon of hope and love for all. She rose above great odds, spoke out against wrongs, lived life to the max and became all that God made her to be. That is, as best we can and her life was impressive in every way. Dr. Angelou's voice spoke to millions and gave voice to millions.

          That voice spoke was heard in a special way to the gay community. Not only was she a supporter of marriage equality but she spoke of rising up against great odds and becoming a loving instrumental person in a society that may have looked down upon you, thought of you as less or treated you with indifference. Does the gay community know anything of these? Did her voice help us achieve some of our goals and did she give a voice to millions of others who see equality, dignity and hope for a brighter more loving future?

          Dr. Angelou ascended leaving us to forge our own paths but not after giving us great words, great actions of her own to emulate and great love for us to be nurtured by. What more can we ask of any life? I am sure she is resting well in the arms of God.

          Perhaps gay icon would be to much, but Dr. Angelou certainly was a beacon for all but in  special way, a beacon to the gay community and how we can all live our own lives.  

Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. When they saw him, they worshipped him; but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.’

Cutting and pruning

John 15:1-11

          A test or torture? I am not a big believer that God intervenes in lives so as to nullify our free will.  And while the church remembers John Calvin today and his contributions to the church and faith, I do not believe in predestination. Be all that as it may I do pay homage to the expression that God does not give us more than we can handle.

          For now, let's think about the things that happen in our lives that we are troubled by. Death, illness, sin, betrayal all weigh heavily on us. We have trouble dealing with stress and events that happen to us. In terms of this passage I notice that God removes branches and he also prunes. I wonder if the branch so affected thinks there is any difference between being removed or simply pruned? When we are faced with a challenge in life, do we view it as something that we can find a silver lining in? Will it make us stronger in the end or is it a punishment we feel is being doled out by God?

          Each day I receive a pearl from a friend, often thought provoking, always insightful and uplifting. One of the messages I have taken to heart is that most of life is how you respond to it.  The same thing may happen to two different people, one will lament "whoa is me!" while another will see it as a gift, perhaps an opportunity to grow and to appreciate. Perhaps an opportunity to love and show caring or maybe even better, a lesson to allow others to help us. What a lesson to learn, that we are not solitary pillars of strength and that we need our brothers and sisters, our family and our friends - maybe even a total stranger!

            Whether or not life seems to be treating you to a removal or a pruning, I am not sure it matters.  It is after all only a parable. As always life experiences are meant to help us grow into the people God created us to be. It is a journey and what we need to remember through life is just how much God loves us and wishes no harm to come to us. Harm may come but it is not from God and we should remember that God is with us all the time, through thick and thin, good and bad. 

‘I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine-grower. He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes to make it bear more fruit. You have already been cleansed by the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing. Whoever does not abide in me is thrown away like a branch and withers; such branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples. As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete.

No one knows

Luke 10:21-24

          There is passage in Scripture (Matt 25:44) that depicts the judgement day. Apparently there are some people who will be a bit surprised. I can only imagine. But the point of this particular passage relates to Jesus' admonition to love, feed the poor, those who are hungry and these 'gate crashers' have been found lacking. They say 'when did we not feed you (Jesus)? When did we not visit you when you were sick or in prison? Surely they would have done so had they known. Jesus points to every child of God as being 'Him'.  Every brother who is in need,  every sister who is suffering. All Jesus' brothers, all children of God. As Jesus said, when we do for the least of these little ones, we do for him. Seems fairly simple.

            In today's passage it says no one knows who the Son is except the Father. If we take it literally, it makes no sense. Jesus is the son, duh? But once again literalists are found wanting and risk quizzical looks at the pearly gates as to why they might be turned away.

            We are accustomed to looking at things in comfortable ways. We know who the rich and poor are. We know who the hungry are. We think we know oh so well who is right, who is wrong. We focus our energies and treasures, if at all, on those we have so judged as needy in one way or another.
Not so fast. Who is the son? Only the Father knows. Perhaps we should re-examine who we are judging and who we are helping.

             Our challenge to love, our responsibility to our brothers and sisters, children of God one and all, is not limited to what we are comfy and cozy with.  That passage from Matthew tells us things are not as easy as we think. Today's passage drives it home, we just don't know who to expect around us is the ones in need. Who is 'the son' that needs help? It may very well be the person you just flipped off on the road or the person you dismissed as a snob who is really suffering in loneliness in all their riches.

           We run into a great deal of trouble when we start deciding who is worthy of help, who is in need and who is not. Better we should love broadly and inclusively. We are not God and we are not the judges and arbitors of the world. We are admonished to love, not simply the people we want to love or think need it.

             

At that same hour Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, ‘I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and the intelligent and have revealed them to infants; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father; and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, or who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.’

Then turning to the disciples, Jesus said to them privately, ‘Blessed are the eyes that see what you see! For I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, but did not see it, and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it.’

Sinful men

Luke 5:1-11

          In any good novel, the characters are developed and we get to know them, empathize with them and identify with them. Scripture isn't always that way though. We are treated to snippets of the lives of holy people and not much more. Thankfully, there are independent historians that speak of Jesus and verify some of the information of Christian scripture. With Jesus, there is a large block of his life that we actually know very little about. We are treated to the Story of Jesus' birth, his lineage, the episode where his parents lose track of him as a child and he is found in the temple, but little else.  There are stories about Jesus' in some of the non-canonical (read: unapproved) gospels but nothing certain. There is an entertaining book about Jesus' life called The Gospel According to Biff.

        The same mystery shrouds the Apostles. We get to see little tidbits, that some were brothers etc but not much else. One terribly interesting note has always been that the Scriptures make known that Peter was married. Imagine that, the first 'Pope', married. Jesus picked a married man to lead the church. One might immediately ask what happened but that would be the subject of some other blog and probably not mine because I'll let the Romans try to justify that. In any event, we are treated to some information, however scant about Peter.

         In today's passage Simon (Peter) says ‘Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!’ We are not treated to what Simon means by that but we have no reason to doubt the passage. This is a pre-disciple Simon so I can't imagine he has some fore-knowledge of the depths and types of sin man is capable of. Jesus might say that if you even look at another man's wife you are guilty of adultery. Simon could not have that kind of knowledge and it's unlikely a fisherman would have any kind of philosophical or intimate religious training that would make him discern serious sin from lesser sin, etc. Simon does though say he is a sinner. This is my point. We know Simon is a sinner and we also know that Jesus must know this.

          Hmmm. And yet, Jesus approached Simon, offers him the wealth of an incredible yield of fish as if to reward him for his sinfulness. Is that it?  Not quite. I think Jesus/God bestows great bounty on every single one of us.  After all, aren't we all sinners of one sort or another?  And yet, we are loved and blessed.  God does not limit his love because, honestly I don't think he can. Would you limit the love to your own children?

         Some might argue yes, but to what degree of a sinner are you and would God bestow such graces if you were truly a sinner. I mean, a big time sinner? An adulterer? A thief?  A non-Christian? A Jew? A gay man?  A single porn star?  A tax cheat? How does God decide whom to bestow his love and races on?  In some way I guess I am asking what graces are we speaking of?  If wealth is being graced shouldn't all rich people be models of humanity? We know that is not so. Wouldn't all poor people be the biggest sinners then too? Of course that is looking at life through a capitalistic lens that I don't think God has much use for.

             The bottom line to me is twofold. One, we need to look beyond the materiality of this world to see what graces we are bestowed with. The other day I told a coworker how happy I was that she was a part of my life and she broke down and cried. I was telling her how graced I feel to have see her and have her as a part of my daily life and she knew it. It had nothing to do with money or the material. Can we be that present to the people and things around us? Secondly, I believe we are all raced, saints and sinners because God loves us that much. So even if you judge someone to be a sinner (which you really should NOT be doing), but if you do, realize that God loves that at least as much as God loves you.

       

Once while Jesus was standing beside the lake of Gennesaret, and the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, he saw two boats there at the shore of the lake; the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little way from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat. When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, ‘Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.’ Simon answered, ‘Master, we have worked all night long but have caught nothing. Yet if you say so, I will let down the nets.’ When they had done this, they caught so many fish that their nets were beginning to break. So they signalled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both boats, so that they began to sink. But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, ‘Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!’ For he and all who were with him were amazed at the catch of fish that they had taken; and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. Then Jesus said to Simon, ‘Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching people.’ When they had brought their boats to shore, they left everything and followed him.

Naked religion

Acts 17:22-31

         The way to conversion is in your hands and at your feet. Being religious, indeed seeing God and acknowledging him is not something extra terrestrial, far away or made of sacred movements or strange beliefs. I often say that God is readily available if you just open your eyes. This is the message from Paul today as he spoke to the Greeks.

           How many poeple have I met that say they are spiritual but not religious. While the essence of that seems fine you may know that I find that sad , if not stupid. But be that as it may, the idea of spirituality is quite easy and an excellent starting point for a conversion of heart.

          As we are made in the image and likeness of God, we are drawn to him in every fiber of our being. The whole world is drawn to him and everything in the world proclaims and exhibits some facet of his being.  The diversity of the world attests to him. The beauty of world attests to him. But even without looking around, we feel an emptiness without God because we are not complete without God.

          The commonality of our human search for our creator and the revelation of God's created world and love is everywhere and is found in every generation and in every place on earth.  Even beyond earth we see the glories of God. We all experience this and so it was not difficult for Paul to explain to the Greeks the commonality and kinship they really had. What Paul was trying to explain was the answer that comes in the form of Jesus Christ as the supreme witness of Love and truth.  

           In the time of Paul, the fledgling church had none of the pomp and circumstance and none of the astounding number of 'canon laws' or holy days of obligation. The circular logic and intense mental gymnastics of religious fervor had not yet invaded the faith or overcome it. The church was pure for the most part and its connection to Jesus was close and it's core beliefs were set. There was no proliferation of hierarchy and cover ups.

            In the beginning there was naked religion so to speak. When Paul spoke to the Greeks he spoke from the heart and with sincere faith in Christ and little else. This is why the faith spread and why it was so welcomed. It would much harder to spread today with the top heavy hierarchy and it's removal from the purity of the beginning.

          So many people abandon religion because the essence of faith is so mired in the rubrics of religion. People get the connection to the world and express it as spirituality rather the get drowned in the quagmire of modern religions.

          My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord (Luke 1:46) because I have now have the richness of a religion that gives form to the practice of my faith but also the freedom and joy to know that God and his simple yet boundless love is so close. I get this from being an Episcopalian.  A true blessing. I am home. 'I am spiritual' and I have my religion too. Not mutually exclusive. I am sad for those that only have the spirituality because there are religions out there that have removed themselves so far from the essence of the faith, the essence of the message Jesus proclaimed and lived.  For myself, I am happy to be home.

Then Paul stood in front of the Areopagus and said, "Athenians, I see how extremely religious you are in every way.

For as I went through the city and looked carefully at the objects of your worship, I found among them an altar with the inscription, 'To an unknown god.' What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you.

The God who made the world and everything in it, he who is Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in shrines made by human hands,

nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mortals life and breath and all things.

From one ancestor he made all nations to inhabit the whole earth, and he allotted the times of their existence and the boundaries of the places where they would live,

so that they would search for God and perhaps grope for him and find him--though indeed he is not far from each one of us.

For 'In him we live and move and have our being'; as even some of your own poets have said, 'For we too are his offspring.'

Since we are God's offspring, we ought not to think that the deity is like gold, or silver, or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of mortals.

While God has overlooked the times of human ignorance, now he commands all people everywhere to repent,

because he has fixed a day on which he will have the world judged in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed, and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead."

Diverse families, common purpose.

1 Corinthians 3:8-11

           One of the first sermons that I preached was about equality. At the time it was not about marriage equality or being gay, it was focused on all of us, the entire community of God.  This is before I realized I was gay and perhaps my subconscious was trying to tell me something or the sermon stirred something deep within me! The point was, and still is, we each have a role to play and to contribute to God's plan for ourselves and for the world. 

         The example that I preached about was related to my work. We have 'housekeepers' and surgeons working alongside each other. The surgeons do their thing but the housekeepers are the ones responsible for cleaning the operating suites for  each successive case. One might argue the surgeon is the most important. While not diminishing the surgeons work, I really don't want my surgery done in a dirty room contaminated by the previous patient. In that way each one's job is equally important though some would look at a housekeepers job as less important or as a menial task. Nothing could be further from the truth. We all have a contributing role in life and in God's plan.

            So now let's speak a bit about marriage equality. There is a great deal said about a study done by a man named Rignerus. There are serious questions about his methodology and the pool of people he chose for his study. One court of law basically said it was 'garbage'. On thing I think is valid is that children do better in steady homes. I would not begin to rationalize or make broad statements about a one parent home being better than a two parent home or is a straight couple better than a same sex couple as parents. The fact is a loving home is the optimum situation.  I would say though, from my example in life, had my parents stayed married 'for the sake of the children' I would have fared much worse as a result of the yelling and dysfunction. Separated, each of my parents were loving and supportive of me and I was spared the yelling and anger. I fared much better. This may be the case in many instances. What is fundamentally needed is love and support. In this respect whether it's a single parent family, a straight couple or  same sex couple, all that is needed is love and support. I would argue that each couple has there role to play. Perhaps the families look different but each contributes and play the role of lover, nurturer and supporter.  This is our common purpose.

              Whether by choice or by tragedy, families come in many varieties, shapes and sizes. What matters, as always is the love that is expressed and shared.

The one who plants and the one who waters have a common purpose, and each will receive wages according to the labour of each. For we are God’s servants, working together; you are God’s field, God’s building.

According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building on it. Each builder must choose with care how to build on it. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one that has been laid; that foundation is Jesus Christ.

Discovery and reason

Matthew 2:1-11

            Today the church remembers two great people, known primarily for their contributions to astronomy (as we know it today) but they were brilliant and holy in their own right. Nicolaus Copernicus was a mathematician, astronomer, physician, quadrilingual polyglot, classical scholar, translator, artist, Catholic cleric, jurist, governor, military leader, diplomat and economist, phew! Pretty heavy stuff. Johannes Kepler was an imperial mathematician, astronomer and astrologer and worked in the filed of optics.  These men lived in a time when astronomy and astrology were not as divided as they are today.  Astrology today while offering information to man is often viewed with a bit of scepticism. Still it seems many people love to read their horoscope.  Astronomy on the other hand is a rather precise science today. It is almost daily that we find new stars, solar systems and far more potentially habitable planets than was ever conceived in the human mind.

             The revolution that these men helped give rise to in their far flung 'hertical' ideas is a gift from God. While Copernicus' works were denounced and censored and it was until 1835 that the church 'came around' (his work was published in 1543), he gave the world a new vision for man and an insight into the complexity and majesty of God's creation.

              In today's passage, 'men from the east' followed a star that led to Jesus. How amazing. Right there is the respect for astrology. Not that it is thee answer to all our problems mind you, but the rudimentary knowledge is spoken of and had it not had value, the scriptures would be changed immeasurably. Interesting thought to ponder.

              Sometimes things that are so far fetched and seemingly beyond our comprehension or what the church 'swears by' as incorrect is actually correct. Imagine that. No puns intended but the sky did not fall with the knowledge Copernicus put forth, nor that of Kepler.  Yesterday I noted that I have nether the wisdom nor the knowledge to reconcile God's world, specifically the myriad religions that exist today.  Perhaps we need a modern Copernicus, a Merton on steroids. Or perhaps our problems can be solved simply by looking up and opening our eyes as Copernicus did. Most often the answers are right in front of us and they are often simple too.

              One thing I do know about Kepler. He said something that I have long held true, long before I knew who Kepler was. Kepler said  that God had created the world according to an intelligible plan that is accessible through the natural light of reason. That too is impressive. We can discover God simply by opening our eyes and using reason. Not by contorted and convoluted reasoning, not by circular logic so often employed by the church but by simple reason.  Just as the answer is simply love, another great answer for man is simple observation and seeing what the truth is.

           What truths will you see? That God loves you? That all men (and women) are created equal? That we are all brothers and sisters on this globe? That there is a plan that involves scientific discovery in the world? That your gay neighbors are really decent people and simply want to love and live? Perhaps you'll discover that we all make mistakes and that we should be a bit more understanding of other peoples' insecurities, mistakes and sins. 

        As broad as the sky is, as magnificent as the million points of light are in the night sky, so is the love of God and his desire to help us. If we only open our eyes and employ reason.

In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, asking, ‘Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage.’ When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and all Jerusalem with him; and calling together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. They told him, ‘In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it has been written by the prophet:
“And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
   are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for from you shall come a ruler
   who is to shepherd^* my people Israel.” ’

Then Herod secretly called for the wise men and learned from them the exact time when the star had appeared. Then he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, ‘Go and search diligently for the child; and when you have found him, bring me word so that I may also go and pay him homage.’ ⁹When they had heard the king, they set out; and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising, until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure-chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

Literality, rules and love

Leviticus 19:26-37

          I read this passage with perhaps a bit of delight  mixed with great sadness. The state of the religious world is such that, just as Jesus said, brother is against brother, father agains mother and basically the world is in a religious shambles. I am not sure if there is anyone or any group to blame. There seems to be a great deal of blame to throw around for  almost everyone.

          When I say delight, it's not like I am happy about the state of affairs, but I have to chuckle in a sad way. We argue over such minutia and over translations, over who is thee best God or the one true God and over who did what when. We are all guilty. Even if we have not committed a wrong ourselves, we let the 'stuff' happen. We often sit idly by while evil flourishes. 

           I cannot help but think of that cute letter to Dr. Laura that picks apart people that selectively choose to take Scripture literally and out context, historical and otherwise. I have reprinted it beneath today's Scripture passage for your entertainment.

           I am not of sufficient wisdom or intelligence to come up with the Rubic's cube solution of reconciling the myriad religions and philosophies of the world. I know several people have come close and they stand apart in human history. In our time I would suggest Thomas Merton.  He seemed to cut through (or put aside) dogma and policies to get to the common core of religions. This garnered him great respect in many faiths. He had said that if we argued different religions based on rules, rubrics and dogmas we would never be able to reconcile any religion. I'm not sure if he included Christian denominations in that mix but I'd say it is true also. Like I said, he had the ability, wisdom and knowledge to cut to the common core in a way few others have been able to. I am certainly not up to the task.

          There is another person who had an even greater impact than Merton, in fact Merton was a follower of his. He really cut to the core. His teachings are often quoted and seldom followed.  He railed against rules and rubrics and spoke in a mesmerizing way that both enchanted, inspired and enlightened the masses. He also challenged the power elite and for that he was in fact killed - brutally. Yes, that man is Jesus, God and man. He spoke of love, inclusion, forgiveness and only two commandments. I do not think we will ever reconcile everyone to each other on this side of the grave but if we have any chance, I know it involves Jesus' message of love. That's the broad stroke, but the real answer to the world's problems is surely love.

           When we can disengage from the rules as a litmus test to faith and use them to enrich our lives and as a loose guide for living we will begin to hope in the heaven Jesus proclaimed was here now. The heart of the matter, no put intended, is love. Pure and simple.

              

You shall not eat anything with its blood. You shall not practise augury or witchcraft. You shall not round off the hair on your temples or mar the edges of your beard. You shall not make any gashes in your flesh for the dead or tattoo any marks upon you: I am the Lord.

Do not profane your daughter by making her a prostitute, so that the land may not become prostituted and full of depravity. You shall keep my sabbaths and reverence my sanctuary: I am the Lord.

Do not turn to mediums or wizards; do not seek them out, to be defiled by them: I am the Lord your God.

You shall rise before the aged, and defer to the old; and you shall fear your God: I am the Lord.

When an alien resides with you in your land, you shall not oppress the alien. The alien who resides with you shall be to you as the citizen among you; you shall love the alien as yourself, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.

You shall not cheat in measuring length, weight, or quantity. You shall have honest balances, honest weights, an honest ephah, and an honest hin: I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt. You shall keep all my statutes and all my ordinances, and observe them: I am the Lord.

Dr Laura Schlessinger ("Dr Laura") broadcasts a 3 hour long, radio program each weekday on a network of over 500 radio stations in the U.S. and Canada and has an estimated audience of 20 million people. She holds a Ph.D. in physiology (study of the functions of living matter), not psychology as some assume.

In her radio show, Dr Laura Schlesinger has said that, as an observant Orthodox Jew, homosexuality is an abomination according to Leviticus 18:22, and cannot be condoned under any circumstance. The following response was posted o

n the internet and is best regarded as an essay clearly meant for a wider audience than just Dr Laura. It is a general reminder that many belief systems pick and choose their way through biblical teachings in determining what is "right" and "wrong". Authorship has been attributed to several, but remains unconfirmed.

Dear Dr. Laura:

Thank you for doing so much to educate people regarding God's Law. I have learned a great deal from your show, and try to share that knowledge with as many people as I can. When someone tries to defend the homosexual lifestyle, for example, I simply remind them that Leviticus 18:22 clearly states it to be an abomination... End of debate.

I do need some advice from you, however, regarding some other elements of God's Laws and how to follow them.

1. Leviticus 25:44 states that I may possess slaves, both male and female, provided they are purchased from neighbouring nations. A friend of mine claims that this applies to Mexicans, but not Canadians. Can you clarify? Why can't I own Canadians?

2. I would like to sell my daughter into slavery, as sanctioned in Exodus 21:7. In this day and age, what do you think would be a fair price for her?

3. I know that I am allowed no contact with a woman while she is in her period of Menstrual uncleanliness - Lev.15: 19-24. The problem is how do I tell? I have tried asking, but most women take offense.

4. When I burn a bull on the altar as a sacrifice, I know it creates a pleasing odor for the Lord - Lev.1:9. The problem is, my neighbours. They claim the odor is not pleasing to them. Should I smite them?

5. I have a neighbour who insists on working on the Sabbath.Exodus 35:2. Clearly states he should be put to death. Am I morally obligated to kill him myself, or should I ask the police to do it?

6. A friend of mine feels that even though eating shellfish is an abomination - Lev. 11:10, it is a lesser abomination than homosexuality. I don't agree. Can you settle this? Are there 'degrees' of abomination?

7. Lev. 21:20 states that I may not approach the altar of God if I have a defect in my sight. I have to admit that I wear reading glasses. Does my vision have to be 20/20, or is there some wiggle- room here?

8. Most of my male friends get their hair trimmed, including the hair around their temples, even though this is expressly forbidden by Lev. 19:27. How should they die?

9. I know from Lev. 11:6-8 that touching the skin of a dead pig makes me unclean, but may I still play football if I wear gloves?

10. My uncle has a farm. He violates Lev.19:19 by planting two different crops in the same field, as does his wife by wearing garments made of two different kinds of thread (cotton/polyester blend). He also tends to curse and blaspheme a lot. Is it really necessary that we go to all the trouble of getting the whole town together to stone them? Lev.24:10-16.Couldn't we just burn them to death at a private family affair, like we do with people who sleep with their in-laws? (Lev. 20:14)

I know you have studied these things extensively and thus enjoy considerable expertise in such matters, so I am confident you can help.

Thank you again for reminding us that God's word is eternal and unchanging.

Your adoring fan.

A new evangelization

Romans 15:13-21

          When Paul went out to convert the gentiles, he was converting a group of people that heretofore were considered unworthy.  Jesus came to save only the Jews it was thought. Jesus did not renounce his Judaism but his actions spoke much louder than words, a concept I wrote a bit about yesterday.  But Jesus after all was a Jew and the Pharisees made it almost impossible for even many Jews to be acceptable in God's eyes. Surprises of surprises, Jesus embraced all of God's creations, Jew and Gentile, slave and free, Roman and Greek. Paul carried out this invitation to the Gentiles. 

      In this letter of St. Paul to the Romans,  he starts by expressing a fundamental welcome and acceptance of the non-Jewish community. He welcomes all, free and clear, right up front. No litmus test so to speak. Paul goes further still, noting their goodness and that they are sanctified by the Holy Spirit.  How amazing is this? What can we make of it today? 

       For one thing, today we remember John Eliot (1604-1690). He felt called  ( moved by the Holy Spirit ) to spread the message to another seemingly unworthy group of people, Native Americans (Algonquins ). It would not be for many hundreds of years before the Roman Catholic church acknowledged that native Americans ( both north and south ) even had souls. What use would it be to evangelize them? But John Eliot not only saw fit to recognize their dignity, he lived with them, respected them enough to learn their language, translate prayers and Holy scripture into their language and set up whole towns that would respect them and their lives so they could continue their way of life. A relatively modern version of Paul?

          Today we are on the cusp of a new evangelization, the gay community.  Looked at as deviants and "intrinsically disordered" and supposedly not worthy of salvation. Yet the Spirit is moving wholesale groups of people, religions and individuals to see the dignity of everyone in the LGBTQ community. The tide is turning and many religions have taken a fresh look at scripture that was once used to justify mistreatment, marginalization and judgement of gays. The "clobber" passages it turns out are misrepresented by many religions, they are misquoted, mistranslated and often taken out of context.  These passages do not say what some seemed to think they say. When we realize the intrinsic dignity and self worth of gay people and come to know that we are just as God intended us to be as part of his vast, diverse universe, we find a new respect . More than respect too, we find a calling to be closer to God and a mission to love on a personal level. This is the new frontier of a new evangelization with roots in Jesus, Paul and John Eliot.

          

¹³May 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. 

14 I myself feel confident about you, my brothers and sisters,^* that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, and able to instruct one another. ¹⁵Nevertheless, on some points I have written to you rather boldly by way of reminder, because of the grace given me by God ¹⁶to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles in the priestly service of the gospel of God, so that the offering of the Gentiles may be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit. ¹⁷In Christ Jesus, then, I have reason to boast of my work for God. ¹⁸For I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished^* through me to win obedience from the Gentiles, by word and deed, ¹⁹by the power of signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God,^* so that from Jerusalem and as far around as Illyricum I have fully proclaimed the good news^* of Christ. ²⁰Thus I make it my ambition to proclaim the good news,^* not where Christ has already been named, so that I do not build on someone else’s foundation, ²¹but as it is written,
‘Those who have never been told of him shall see,
   and those who have never heard of him shall understand.’

Teaching methods

Matthew 13:10-16

          I belong to a teachers union. I honestly am confounded by why that is so, but someone decided it long ago. People of certain professions belong to certain unions. I suppose you could argue that I teach the residents on their way to being physicians. I certainly drum certain principles into their heads at the risk of  being the butt of jokes at times I suppose. In any event, due to my position in this union I am keenly aware of some of the debates that have gone on and continue to be raised over teaching methods and teaching philosophies. It often seems as varied and as polarized as politics. But what is the best teaching method? When you want to get your message across, what do you do?

           I know one of the age old methods is discipline. Hard core disciple, rules and rubrics. Perhaps this was what the ten commandments are perceived to be. Certainly many religions seem to think the answer to salvation is in rules and rubrics. I think Jesus laid that concept to rest when railing so vehemently against the Pharisees.

           Another method is stories of which I would say parables are a subset.  It seems to me wholesale portions of Holy Scripture are stories that illustrate a truth that God wants us to know. Not that he penned the texts or took over the hand of a human but humans, divinely inspired wrote down stories, truths and history of man and his relationship with his creator and  lover. This explains why some of Hebrew scripture is not so flattering or contains some pretty graphic stories. Decidedly un-godlike. None the less, truths are contained in the passages that we must discern and learn from if we are to be closer to God and attain our true capabilities and God's full intent in creating us. The beauty of stories and parables is that they can seem shalllow and straightforward but they can also have considerable depth of meaning, depending on the ear and maturity of the person. In this way, scripture is incredibly awesome and why we can get different messages from the passage over our lifespan. 

         Of course there is a another method of teaching which is the antithesis of the disciple I mentioned before, it is love and by example. Our whole world is a vision of God by example if we open our eyes. From every plant, every animal, ecosystems, tectonic movements and down to every molecule and meson, it reveals the wonders of God. This teaching method also includes that age old expression 'they will know we are Christians by our love'.  That is the best example of anything, our love and our actions.

          If we say we love someone and then turn around and berate them or hurt them there is no real love there. Our professions are carried out in our actions. Sitting prayerfully in church and then mowing your neighbor down in the parking lot trying to 'escape' quickly shows a decided lack of carrying out one's faith. 

       On the positive side, how many people have been convinced gays are not the evil, degenerate monsters some people claim they are by actually knowing a decent loving gay man or woman?  If you see Adam and Steve living as good neighbors, being caring and committed, members of the community and comitted to each other, you might change your mind about gay people quicker than by any edict or law. 

      We teach (convert) hearts to God by our love. We learn best by example. What example we give is a true test of our faith and personal integrity.  What teaching method would you argue for?

           

Then the disciples came and asked him, ‘Why do you speak to them in parables?’ He answered, ‘To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. For to those who have, more will be given, and they will have an abundance; but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away. The reason I speak to them in parables is that “seeing they do not perceive, and hearing they do not listen, nor do they understand.” With them indeed is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah that says:
“You will indeed listen, but never understand,
   and you will indeed look, but never perceive.
For this people’s heart has grown dull,
   and their ears are hard of hearing,
     and they have shut their eyes;
     so that they might not look with their eyes,
   and listen with their ears,
and understand with their heart and turn—
   and I would heal them.”
But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear.

Here comes the Judge

Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18

          I wanted to offer a secular example of what this passage means because it's seems to be an everlasting bone of contention at my workplace so I am sure it is elsewhere as well.. It involves the use of sick time. Please indulge me. There are really 4 broad categories of sick time use I have seen these last 30+ years.  One is people who are genuinely sick. They may have cancer or other illness or perhaps a spouse or family member is sick and there is a genuine need to attend to the present situation. Two would be people who call in at a cough or a sneeze. Perhaps this is justified, after all you don't want someone spreading illness throughout a health facility. Still, the use tends to outstrip reason. Invariably an acute cough develops on sunny days when the golf course has an opening. Third are those who tend not to abuse sick time  but they might be easily swayed into category two because they see the abuse especially today with Face Book betraying some of these bright lights. The fourth category are those that call in sick rarely, use sick time when it is needed and only then. These people are not swayed by other peoples' abuse because they know in their heart what is right and what is wrong. They will leave other people to live their own lives and wont judge. 

             So where does this leave us with this Scripture passage? The biggest lesson we all have to learn is to be happy with ourselves. We have to live with ourselves. If we can realize that no one can judge us except God, then we can be truly happy if we know in our heart we are doing the right thing.

             There is a whole array of people, political groups, religions and clergy of varying denominations that seem fit to judge everything that everyone else does. Some get picked on more, some less, some overlooked but judgments are around in abundance. It seems to me that if people would spend more time being concerned with the plank in their own eye the world would be a much better place. This concept is quite consistent with what Jesus preached and lived.

              It astounds me that there are people so concerned with what gay people do or don't do in their bedrooms. Being gay is a litmus test in many mainline Christian religions. Adultery, divorce and 'deviant' sexual practices are rarely mentioned for heterosexuals if at all and if it is, certainly not with the fever pitch as with the gay community.  It reminds me of the Dallas morning show co-host that was disgusted with ESPN showing the Michael Sam kiss, so much so that she was compelled to walk off the show when challenged about her reaction. The same person seems perfectly at ease and apparently thinks it acceptable to veiw and take part in male stripper show. Again, be confident in how you yourself act and how you live and be less concerned and non-judgemental of how others live their lives.

             The bottom line has always been the same. If you have love you are golden. Those two great commandments and the ten that preceded them are all we really need. 

            Worry about yourself in earnest and be brutally honest with your self assessment and all will be right with the world. All we need do the is love one another freely.s

‘Beware of practising your piety before others in order to be seen by them; for then you have no reward from your Father in heaven.

‘So whenever you give alms, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be praised by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your alms may be done in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

‘And whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, so that they may be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

‘And whenever you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces so as to show others that they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that your fasting may be seen not by others but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

Beauty in the eye of the beholder

Acts 7:55-60

        You may have heard of the occasional kerfuffle over an artist who creates a piece of work that shocks the senses. Invariably some will say, that is not art. I may or not agree with them as to how good it is or if I 'get it' but I would be hard pressed to make a pronouncement about whether or not it is actually art. I t seems to me that art is something that you see and perhaps others do not. Art is an expression in some form (painting, sculpture,writing) that comes deep from within a person.  On that basis I will not argue whether something is or is not art. I might say beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

           In today's passage, Stephen is stoned to death. This happened after the crowd was apparently incensed at his vision, what he saw and proclaimed. It was so disturbing to them they dragged him out and stoned him.

           I was thinking of some of the other things we see and hear that stirs up strong emotions in us. I think very often this is because it does touch something deep inside us. Last weekend my husband and I were having dinner in one of our favorite restaurants, a real treat. It had a huge TV and the NFL draft was playing on ESPN. We watched live as Michael Sam got the news and shared the joy with his sweetheart. The tension in the restaurant seemed palpable and the reactions all this week seem to bear that out. Some people were very uncomfortable seeing two men hug and kiss. To me this is a monumental moment in so many ways and I 'get' this. I am cheering for the NFL, Michael Sam, Vito Cammisano and for the gay community. The truth is though, had this been in Brunei, they would have been dragged both of them out like St. Stephen and stoned them - to death.

            I completely understand not appreciating or understanding same sex relationships or being gay. I do.  I can understand it in terms that I don't always understand the emotion and expression of an artist in what they may present as art. I may not get it. But I do get being gay because that is who I am, that is what I am. That is how I love. 

             Unless we want to be barbarians and change our constitution and abandon the teaching of our savior Jesus Christ, we are called to love and to try our hardest to understand. We are challenged to leave no stone unturned, not to throw, but to shake up our thoughts and brains to elevate ourselves in knowledge and love as Christ would have us do. We cannot go ignorantly around stoning people physically or verbally for things we do not understand or worse, for things we are convinced we do understand. This is a truth for everyone. It applies to everyone.

           In trying to understand and appreciating everything in God's created world we will be filled with appreciation and we will be saying thank you to God for all the gifts we are blessed with. And yes, diversity is a gift.

But filled with the Holy Spirit, he gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.

"Look," he said, "I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!"

But they covered their ears, and with a loud shout all rushed together against him.

Then they dragged him out of the city and began to stone him; and the witnesses laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul.

While they were stoning Stephen, he prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit."

Then he knelt down and cried out in a loud voice, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them." When he had said this, he died.

Gay snobbery

Romans 10:12-17

         In the James Bond Movie, On Her Majesty's Secret Service, James is trying to prevent an evil plot by the villain, Bloefeld. Of course he won't carry out his plans if his demands are met. One demand is immunity from all his past crimes. The more interesting demand is official recognition of his title, Count Bloefeld. The character "M" in the movie comments "snobbery is such a peculiar thing". Of all the sins Bloefeld has committed, he still wants a socially accepted title. He is a snob.

          Every generation has their haves and have nots. If not simply in wealth, it is in some other form. There seems to always be a marginalized group. I suppose people make themselves feel better by looking down on someone else. When Jesus said we 'you will always have the poor' he very well could have been speaking of the poor of spirit as well.

           So in today's passage where it says  there is no distinction between Jew and Greek it is a note from their time about equality. That was the frontier then and perhaps a bit of snobbery within Christianity itself. Was it something like "well I was born a Jew, you (Greek) are merely a Johnny come lately", something like that? Paul is quick to follow the Spirit and Jesus' own words and actions in dismissing this kind of snobbery, inequality or division.

            There are certain things we as Christians are called to believe, at services we say a Creed in one form or another. We profess our beliefs.  There is a foundational belief of Christianity. Indeed most religions and personal beliefs would say that if we believe in God, He/She is the creator of the entire world and that we are all brothers and sisters. A brotha from anutha motha some might say. We are all created equal and all equally loved. That is a foundational belief.

          To carry that principle out is not always as easy as it may seem. Are we willing to treat everyone the same? In our own insecurities, are we willing to abandon the snobbery that pretends to raise us up? From cliques in school to belonging to the right club, the right religion, to living in the right house and going to the right colleges, society tends to train us into some forms of snobbery and a feeling we are better than someone else. It just isn't so. I pray that no one has to experience the apparent fall from grace in one form or another to see how bad snobbery is.

         The issue of neither Jew nor Greek that is playing out in our own time is sexual identity.  Someone once told me the issues of the LGBTQ is that they 'don't use their parts' the way God intended. A simplistic if not erroneous judgement for sure but it shows the snobbery of one group looking down on another and judging. In the world of LGBTQi, it is more than male and female. It is not simply about marriage equality, a challenge we seem to making great strides in. What of equal rights, respect and dignity for the transgenedred, intersex and bisexuals? Even many within the gay community exert some kinds of snobbery. I have heard some to say 'he's not bisexual, he's just afraid to come out'. How rude and arrogant is that?

            The foundational tenet of respect and equality that says  there is no distinction between Jew and Greek means equality and respect for all.  God loves us all, values our journeys and most of all loves who we are and what we are called to be. It is not up to us to decide what someone else's journey is or where it is to go, that is God's domain. Ours is acceptance and love.

For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; the same Lord is Lord of all and is generous to all who call on him. For, ‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.’

But how are they to call on one in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in one of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone to proclaim him? And how are they to proclaim him unless they are sent? As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!’ But not all have obeyed the good news; for Isaiah says, ‘Lord, who has believed our message?’ So faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the word of Christ.

Gays thrown off the Oregon Trail.

Wisdom 3:1-9

        As yesterday was TBT (throw back Thursday) on FaceBook, there were several references to old video games, you know, the way the used to be. One of them was Oregon Trail and if you are familiar with it, it was somewhat life like in it's scenarios. You advanced on your journey, had to make choices along the way and then invariably, paid a price of one sort or another for the choices you made earlier on.  I think it's very life like because sometimes you do make choices that come back t bite you n the ass.

        Matthew 21:42 references an even older passage of scripture Psalm 118:22 in which it is noted that The stone that the builders rejected has now become the cornerstone. The Pharisees and Romans had no need for Jesus and were more than willing to dispense with him as a nuisance, a rebel, a threat to the religious authority and perhaps a revolt leader. However viewed by the powers that be, he was dispensable to them. Boy, did that come back to bite them in the ass!  In another TBT moment it was recalled the commercial that said "Don't fool with Mother Nature!" I'd say, don't fool around with the Almighty!

         There was a not so lovable Deacon in my parish whom I have noted before on these pages. It was always his way or the highway and I don't think even God was immune from his edicts. If you had the audacity to disagree with him he (or his wife ) he would literally say "You are dead to me, I vomit you out".  This is no joke. It is incredibly sad for anyone, no less a Deacon of the church.  He seemed fully content though to live without so many people, apparently happy without those he dismissed and viewed as dead. How foolish, just as the passage today says.

         It is the arrogant, wrong hearted and misguided that make decisions about dismissing things and people that are "not needed" or that they are "better off without". I am sure these kind of decisions come back to haunt the individuals in life and certainly when they face their maker.

        It is only in the eyes of the foolish that they are dead. God loves them just as much as they love the foolish. We are all equally loved.

          How then are the people of the gay community viewed by so many? So easily dismissed. We are "loved" but horrible sinners  none the less and some would rather just not see us around. Others still, would simply do away with us because the world would be a better place. These kinds of thoughts are quite prevalent in some parts of the world and perpetuated (if not initiated) by some of the right wing religious right in this country. Russia, Cameroon, Uganda, Burundi and now the Sharia law in Brunei that makes being gay an offense that would result in death by stoning. How barbaric.

          What many people fail to see, besides the clear evidence of homosexuality in nature ( God's created world ), is the incredible wealth of the contributions that homosexuals and the entire gay community have given to the world. In religion, art, culture and love.  How can one cut off a vital part of the world and expect it to survive?  Gays are not dispensable humans that offer nothing. History shows exactly the opposite.

           To travel down the road where gays are "loved" but dispensable is the same road on the Oregon trail where you burn the wagon for heat one day only to find you have no way of fording a river without that wagon the next.

         

       

        

But the souls of the righteous are in the hand of God,
and no torment will ever touch them.
In the eyes of the foolish they seemed to have died,
and their departure was thought to be a disaster,
and their going from us to be their destruction;
but they are at peace.
For though in the sight of others they were punished,
their hope is full of immortality.
Having been disciplined a little, they will receive great good,
because God tested them and found them worthy of himself;
like gold in the furnace he tried them,
and like a sacrificial burnt-offering he accepted them.
In the time of their visitation they will shine forth,
and will run like sparks through the stubble.
They will govern nations and rule over peoples,
and the Lord will reign over them for ever.
Those who trust in him will understand truth,
and the faithful will abide with him in love,
because grace and mercy are upon his holy ones,
and he watches over his elect. 

The sin gays are coerced into: settling for "I'm spiritual"

1 Thessalonians 2:13-20

          Yesterday I noted that as a human being but especially as a gay human being, we are called to holiness and a unique and God given holiness in light of who we are. It's not just a good idea that we should seek God, it's part of who we are. After all, God is always seeking us. In fact, I would say we are hard wired to seek our creator, to know him/her better and have a relationship that helps us to be all that we are created to be.

          Somewhere along the line though we settle for "being spiritual" or we abandon God altogether. I honestly can't say that I blame anyone, especially in light of how the gay community is treated by organized religions. To this day we are vilified, scorned, labelled as sinners and perhaps worse - if that's possible. Yet we are all called and I believe Jesus did reach out to same sex couples (The Roman Centurion for example). There is even a possibility that Jesus himself was gay. That might seem blasphemous to some but I think that even if I am wrong, God understands and would see it as a none issue one way or the other. If you care to do some research you can catch a glimpse of the rise of homophobia through the last thousand or so years. It is fascinating and John Boswell wrote several great scholarly books on the subject. Suffice to say though, the obsession with same sex relationships is a more recent development. What it seems was always a problem was relations for money or relations without respect or that demean another. Those seemed wrong in any culture you find.

           So where does this fit in with today's passage?  The religions that condemn and vilify the gay community are made more and more guilty by their proclamations and arrogance. They are leading the faithful astray however well intentioned they think they are. They are guilty of causing countless peoples to stay away from God who loves them and yearns for them. Furthermore, these false prophets basically force the gay community members to settle for "being spiritual" when God calls us all to a much more robust relationship in community. Everything we celebrate as church or in faith is in community. The expression of faith is not a singular act, it cannot be, it is an outward, loving, encompassing gesture and expression. 

       It is a sin of monumental proportions to marginalize people and make them feel they are not worthy or not welcome. That people feel unwelcome and settle for "being spiritual" over a deep communal relationship is wrong. It only serves to remind me of another passage, (Luke 17:2) It would be better for them to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around their neck than to cause one of these little ones to stumble.? This is the passage that comes to mind when I read today's Scripture.

       Grab your God given heritage and gifts by the balls and assert your rights and seek out a community that welcomes you and loves you. God will smile back.

          

We also constantly give thanks to God for this, that when you received the word of God that you heard from us, you accepted it not as a human word but as what it really is, God’s word, which is also at work in you believers. For you, brothers and sisters, became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea, for you suffered the same things from your own compatriots as they did from the Jews, who killed both the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and drove us out; they displease God and oppose everyone by hindering us from speaking to the Gentiles so that they may be saved. Thus they have constantly been filling up the measure of their sins; but God’s wrath has overtaken them at last.

Gay emisaries

1 Thessalonians 2:1-12

            I am not a diva. I am not a flamboyant drag queen and I could not ever be described as a bitchy queen. You won't generally find me snapping my fingers, swinging my hip and saying "I'm here, I'm queer, get used to it!" That's not me. For the most part that is not the majority of gay men and women that I know of.  I would say the showy loud gays do get the most attention or are the most noticeable.  I don't think it's much different than when an arrogant, rude or gaudy straight person is noted just for that kind of behavior but people don't generally transpose that behaviour to all straight people.

            As a gay man who is also a devout Christian (now officially Episcopalian), I feel a special connectedness to this passage. Not only for myself for us as a community who have suffered, who have been mistreated. As a gay Christian I am not out to convert anyone to being gay. I am however 'out' to show what a decent person I am and what a exemplary life I try to lead. I do so not by being flashy, brassy or shouting but by humbly living my life as a gay married man, living out and proud but not (too) out loud. This kind of life as a father, a husband and as a faithful person is one reason why the tides have been changing for the gay community and specifically for marriage equality. We are as normal as everyone else in most ways. I also pray though that even in our own community, men and women will see that in spite of what they are being told by some churches and in spite of what they may have learned in the churches of their youth, you can be a gay faithful person. You certainly and most assuredly can be a a person of faith. In fact not only can we, we should. We are called to do so by our very nature as human beings. Further, we have a unique perspective to offer the church and the world. 

               As gay men and women we are called to be shining examples of so many things, faith, love, great sex, sensitivity, compassion and a whole host of fine attributes and experiences that only we can offer so well to the world. We are called to so in a convincing, loving manner by the examples of our good, loving, faithful lives.

You yourselves know, brothers and sisters, that our coming to you was not in vain, but though we had already suffered and been shamefully maltreated at Philippi, as you know, we had courage in our God to declare to you the gospel of God in spite of great opposition. For our appeal does not spring from deceit or impure motives or trickery, but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the message of the gospel, even so we speak, not to please mortals, but to please God who tests our hearts. As you know and as God is our witness, we never came with words of flattery or with a pretext for greed; nor did we seek praise from mortals, whether from you or from others, though we might have made demands as apostles of Christ. But we were gentle among you, like a nurse tenderly caring for her own children. So deeply do we care for you that we are determined to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you have become very dear to us.

You remember our labour and toil, brothers and sisters; we worked night and day, so that we might not burden any of you while we proclaimed to you the gospel of God. You are witnesses, and God also, how pure, upright, and blameless our conduct was towards you believers. As you know, we dealt with each one of you like a father with his children, urging and encouraging you and pleading that you should lead a life worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory.

Holy smells

Ephesians 4:25-5:2

          Jesus as a fragrant offering.  It reminds me of a letter to Dr. Laura that circulated on the Internet a while ago in which the writer goes through a litany of Levitical edicts which we would have to obey if we truly were to take the Bible literally. The item on the writers list that struck a cord here is item #4, When I burn a bull on the altar as a sacrifice, I know it creates a pleasing odor for the Lord - Lev.1:9. The problem is, my neighbours. They claim the odor is not pleasing to them. Should I smite them? I am struck by the word odor here and in the passage from today.

            I have a rather sensitive olfactory system. I can enjoy a full range of fragrances and smells. I am not sure if others are affected so but I thoroughly enjoy smells from the fresh cut field of grain or grass to the smells of a farm to the enchanting and sometimes intoxicating fragrances worn by my colleagues or at social functions. Balsam fir, a fire in a fireplace, the smell of summer sweat on the beach. If anyone could lead me astray, it quite possibly will be at the hands of a fragrance that I find alluring.

          Where does that leave us with this passage? Smells can transport us to other places and times. It s the reason the some churches choose incense as part of liturgy. It can transport you, it evokes images and experiences. I can still recall a wooden box that contained my brothers bead bracelet. I opened the box to be overcome by a the smell of suntan lotion which transported me to summer. Memories flooded in and a smile came across my being.

            But not all fragrances are sweet and alluring as the neighbors in the letter to Dr. Laura attests.  The stench of a dump, burning flesh or a skunk is not something people are racing out to copy for a cologne.

             So the writer of the passage, being fully aware of what a  burning sacrificial animal does smell like, intentionally is trying to say that the sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ was a fragrant offering. He is speaking of those smells that I find alluring and perhaps you do too or the fragrance business would not be so immense.  From dryer sheets, to air fresheners, we love pleasant smells.  It does have the power to transport us.

           We should also ll be aware of the power Jesus has to transport us. His fragrant offering is one which can take us anywhere on our journey to wholeness. His message of love, forgiveness, inclusion and hope is so powerful it far exceeds any 'transporter' Star Trek can come up with. I suppose that's the idea of the incense in church, it can help us realize this and for that time, take us away to a holier perhaps a more conducive place of worship and thought.

              Perhaps today I will be a bit extra attentive to the smells around me. I already have a heightened sense but today I will revel in the good and take in the bad and use it as a means of transport to a deeper level of mediation, prayer and connectedness to the world in which we live.

         

So then, putting away falsehood, let all of us speak the truth to our neighbours, for we are members of one another. Be angry but do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and do not make room for the devil. Thieves must give up stealing; rather let them labour and work honestly with their own hands, so as to have something to share with the needy. Let no evil talk come out of your mouths, but only what is useful for building up, as there is need, so that your words may give grace to those who hear. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with which you were marked with a seal for the day of redemption. Put away from you all bitterness and wrath and anger and wrangling and slander, together with all malice, and be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven you.

Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children, and live in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

One sided or two?

Colossians 3:18-4:1

            I don't know if you follow the news but there is a man named Mark “Chris” Sevier who was suing to have 'the right' to marry his Apple computer. The lunacy of the idea. Shocking as it may seem, the case was dismissed. I've written about such dribble before. What paradigm of marriage does one have that would allow someone to think they could marry an inanimate object?  If marriage was about nothing more than one-sided sexual gratification then anatomically correct blow-up doll sales would run wild.

              This passage however gives a different view of reality even if it has been used in the past to justify wives submitting themselves to abusive husbands. Bad things are inevitable when you take scripture out of context or use it selectively to bolster your power. How many good women sacrificed themselves at the altar of "being submissive to your husbands".

          The truth of this passage is not about power or being submissive as it is about balance and equality. St Paul took some of the standards of life and some standards of that specific time and tried to balance the two bookends to create equality and respect. It is not meant to be one sided ( women being submissive to their husbands" and it is not about justifying slavery (see! slavery is sanctioned by being mentioned int he Bible!) Slavery is not sanctioned. Slavery was normative for that time before we realized through the workings of the Holy Spirit and our maturity that slavery is absolutely wrong. Slavery shows a profound lack of respect for God's creations, our brothers and sisters.

           The balance that we witness is something we need to rattle our brains over. We need to challenge the status quo and we need to leave no stones unturned in our efforts to respect each other and understand each other.

             Mutual respect, consent and two way communication are keys, if not a requisites for any marriage and any good relationship. One could add that you would never want to do anything that would harm the other, each is protective of the other. Inanimate objects offer none of those things.

           Nothing one sided ever is correct and one sided efforts never work out. There must always be balance.

Wives, be subject to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives and never treat them harshly.

Children, obey your parents in everything, for this is your acceptable duty in the Lord. Fathers, do not provoke your children, or they may lose heart. Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything, not only while being watched and in order to please them, but wholeheartedly, fearing the Lord. Whatever your task, put yourselves into it, as done for the Lord and not for your masters, since you know that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward; you serve the Lord Christ. For the wrongdoer will be paid back for whatever wrong has been done, and there is no partiality.

Masters, treat your slaves justly and fairly, for you know that you also have a Master in heaven. 

Living on in our hearts

Acts 2:42-47

           I may have mentioned this a few times, forgive me please, but there have been several occasions in my life that I know I missed.  You know, those times when you wanted to do something and then the moment was gone...or the person was gone.  There are many people that lament what they should have said or should have done for someone and then that person is gone. The most heartfelt anguish comes when someone dies suddenly and people do not get the chance to say the things they wanted to say, to settle a disagreement or simply to reach out and show how much love is in their heart.  It happens all too often and of course that has happened to me on several occasions.

            I can only imagine the torment and the shock when Jesus died. It really happened rather quickly for the Apostles. It was a like a tsunami if evil that began to envelope them after they had arrived in such glory. Then the current changed , the wave of emotions rose and Jesus was taken away and crucified.  Aside from fear, the Apostles did not get the chance to ask those last questions of Jesus, the message was not fully congealed in their brains and then He was gone. Even after Easter morning the Apostles  still seemed a bit confused.

             Like us, the Apostles would have something that keeps people truly alive in our hearts, our lives and our actions.  While we may still lament unfinished business, the Holy Spirit keeps the essence and love of that person with us. I can't help but think of that today on Mothers Day because I do miss my own Mother. I also think of all the Mothers in word and deed in my life, the ones here and the ones that have moved on.  So formative and loving, so supportive and caring. They are in fact still alive in my heart even if I was not there to say a final good bye at the moment of passage.  Like the Apostles, I remember the words the lessons and the love and they are a part of me. Those words and lessons are a part of who I am and some of what I have to offer others.

           Praise Mother God and the Spirit of the living God that falls fresh on us and helps us all to 

re-member and live the love that is in our hearts.

They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.

Awe came upon everyone, because many wonders and signs were being done by the apostles.

All who believed were together and had all things in common;

they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need.

Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts,

praising God and having the goodwill of all the people. And day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.