No big 'buts'.

Luke 9:57-62

            When you get married you are invariably asked the series of questions about, in sickness and in health, for better for worse, etc. It is quite a serious group of questions. Not knowing what the future will hold you are committing to a journey with another person and not knowing exactly where it is going to lead. I believe that when you say "I do" it matters little where the journey goes so long as you travel together. It is however, a serious undertaking and should be entered into soberly and with full resolve and with a 100% effort to love. In other words it is not for the faint of heart and is not something given to occasional attention. 

              Accepting Jesus as your Lord and savior or devoting yourself to God is very similar. It is not for the faint of heart and God asks that we commit ourselves to the power and way of love without reservation.  Can we screw up? Absolutely, all the time, we are humans. That being said, we do not make the effort to love half heatedly. 

              If that isn't enough or seems too preachy, I tried to think of some analogies that might drive the point home. Jesus said ‘No one who puts a hand to the plough and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.’ Imagine then, texting while driving? A dangerous task to put it mildly. How about driving with your eyes closed? Even more dangerous?  Your mind must be on your task to succeed. Succeeding requires getting to your destination but also avoiding accidents. Perhaps we could view accidents as sins in this case. Some are more serious than others but some can lead to death ( of your soul ) or physical body in the case of driving blind.

              When we say we are Christian it is presupposed that we do certain things. Even more than reading and studying the words and life of Christ, we are called to emulate him in one key aspect. Jesus asked us to love (see the 2 great commandments). We cannot be a a Christian worth our salt if we profess to be Christian but spew hateful and unloving words.  Perhaps worse, like driving blind, is deluding ourselves into thinking hate is love and cherry picking passages of Scripture to fit our own agenda and not the ultimate and true agenda which is love. 

           Being a Christian is also not for the faint of heart. Like marriage you do not know where the journey will take you. What you do know is the God loves you and will be with you always.  Like a marriage it is not a 50-50 proposition, it is 100 and 100. We must love100% of the time. And again, yes we will fail but it will not be for a lack of trying. There are no "I will love, but" in marriages or faith. There can be doubts or lack of understanding but the commitment must always be there. 

As they were going along the road, someone said to him, ‘I will follow you wherever you go.’ And Jesus said to him, ‘Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.’ To another he said, ‘Follow me.’ But he said, ‘Lord, first let me go and bury my father.’ But Jesus said to him, ‘Let the dead bury their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.’ Another said, ‘I will follow you, Lord; but let me first say farewell to those at my home.’ Jesus said to him, ‘No one who puts a hand to the plough and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.’

Empathy and a helping hand.

Matthew 25:31-40

             I seems interesting to me that it was just yesterday that in addition to the daily scripture passage, I managed to insert a reference to this very reading. Is this kismet? Certainly we know that we are all brothers and sisters. Perhaps it's a good time to be reminded that the Palestinians are our brothers and sisters as much as the Israelis. In going out of our way to help others, it means the people whom we love but also means people that we may not particularly, like, that we disagree with or people that just rub us the wrong way. 

              As a minority, the gay community should have a special appreciation for everyone who is marginalized, the down trodden, the people that are different or who are persecuted for their mere existence. We have won so many battles on the marriage equality front that perhaps we could get a bit cocky. " I got my man" I could easily say. We are happy and have a blessed life which we truly appreciate. It would be easy for us to become self absorbed. God did not create us to be single people or even singular couples. We are called to focus our love outward. In so doing we show our appreciation and love for God. We cannot simply say 'I got what I want' , my piece of the pie and then turn our backs on everyone else who still is waiting for equality and happiness, their piece of the pie if you will.

                 In thanksgiving for all that we have been graced with ( and I am sure you can count many blessings as much as I can ), we really need to look out for each other. This is especially true within our own community. If being gay is a minority, how do the transgendered feel?  What protections do they have and how can we help and support them? For every letter in LGBT there is an equal number of newer letters added that require as much attention, love and support as those first letters recognized, that LGBT. What of the "Q" and the "I" and the "B"? How can we support our very own community, our brothers and sisters?

              It might first be wise to recognize what we felt like for being gay. Can we appreciate what another is going through? The hostility and bullying aimed at another? The guilt that should not be is foisted on so many. How can we help? 

‘When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, and he will put the sheep at his right hand and the goats at the left. Then the king will say to those at his right hand, “Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.” Then the righteous will answer him, “Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?” And the king will answer them, “Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.”

Simon's calling

Matthew 27:32-44

            I'd like to relate two short stories about myself that happened many years ago. In one experience I was parking my car and as I pulled in I noticed a sobbing woman. I couldn't help myself but to ask if she was ok. She had locked her keys in her car and was frantic that she wouldn't be at the bus stop in time to get her young child off the bus. I sent the woman into the store to call for the police (pre-celll phones). In a moment of clarity, I took out the large locker I had in the back of my Jeep. It was filled with 4 wheeling 'stuff' but I could use it to stand on. I stood on the box placed next to her car, took my closed umbrella and slipped it through the pop up sun roof and pushed the unlock door button from up above.  The woman came out of the store and was ecstatic and gave me a tremendous, tearful hug and quickly left.  In another scene, at a totally different time (but I think it may have been the same store) I watched as a grown woman berated and yelled at her elderly mother. I don't recall why she was yelling but could there be any good reason? I still have some guilt over not intervening in that case of 'granny bashing'. It was shameful.

          We are presented in life various situations in which we are specifically called upon or presented with opportunities to get involved in some way.  Many of us heed the call and get involved. Very often we will have a pet project and embrace it for a lifetime. The rotary club, Habitat for humanity, volunteering in a soup kitchen, acting as a aid to an elderly neighbor, tutoring or whatever.  Sometimes however we are presented with situations where we recognize a need but we decide to withdraw. We see the need and we shrink away.

        Simon did not have much of a choice did he?  We certainly have a choice. I recall the passage of Matthew 25:37 when the righteous say to Jesus, ' when did we see you hungry and not feed you? When did we see you thirsty and not give you a drink'?  Jesus is quite clear that we are all brothers and sisters.

         Do we value the lives of the Israelis over those of the Palestinians? We are all created by and loved by God. One God. We are all brothers and sisters. I am sure God is weeping at what we are doing to each other. Worse, we are doing it in His name. May God have mercy on us.

         Many people are aware of the miscarriage of justice done to the gay community. How many people do you know that are straight allies? We are content to see a problem and if it does not affect us directly, we feel free to withdraw or turn our backs, even if we do so casually.

        We certainly cannot take the weight of the world on our shoulders. W cannot commit to every cause but that is not reason to let injustices occur. It is no excuse for our silence. If Jesus is clear about any judgements being meted out, it is not helping our fellow man in time of need.

         

     

As they went out, they came upon a man from Cyrene named Simon; they compelled this man to carry his cross. And when they came to a place called Golgotha (which means Place of a Skull), they offered him wine to drink, mixed with gall; but when he tasted it, he would not drink it. And when they had crucified him, they divided his clothes among themselves by casting lots; then they sat down there and kept watch over him. Over his head they put the charge against him, which read, ‘This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.’

Then two bandits were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left. Those who passed by derided him, shaking their heads and saying, ‘You who would destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross.’ In the same way the chief priests also, along with the scribes and elders, were mocking him, saying, ‘He saved others; he cannot save himself. He is the King of Israel; let him come down from the cross now, and we will believe in him. He trusts in God; let God deliver him now, if he wants to; for he said, “I am God’s Son.” ’ The bandits who were crucified with him also taunted him in the same way.

The litany of graces

Luke 2:8-14

            When you think of major world events, someone may be heard to say "where were you when...." Of course the image is quite vivid in your mind. Whether it was the JFK assassination, the first steps on the moon or on 9-11, you tend to recall such big events. These are all of course temporal events.  It isn't often that we recall such events as our Baptism, first communion or confirmation. It becomes a string in an endless stream of religious events and is hardly recalled for any great consequence. However, I am sure that the shepherds made note of the angel appearing to them.

             But for the rest of us, do we have any great recollections of anything that makes our souls burn with fervor for the Lord? Are we aware on a daily basis of how much we are loved and what God does for us?  Usually we don't unless it is Sunday and the minister gives a rousing homily. Joyfully, I do recall a few homilies that still burn in my heart. I am ever grateful to Father Tom who etched the knowledge of God's eternal love and especially forgiveness into my soul. By the same token, I also recall going to church and squirming as fire and brimstone came down on me for being gay.  I was in the middle of the pew and there was little chance of escape. The vitriol, hatred and lies made me sick. I never returned to that church again. 

           I wonder how different our lives would be if we chose to recall on a daily basis some of the wonderful gifts and graces of our lives. Perhaps we don't feel blessed. As my spin instructor would say, ' if you don't  think you have something to be grateful for, check your pulse!'. That's pretty fundamental though. I am sure we all could think of many graces n our lives. I have a litany of things I am thankful for and I am not shy about telling myself or others.

           The world is a much poorer place if all we can recall is the bad moments in our lives. It's time we celebrate the joys and gifts.  Start right now, what's on your list?

     

In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.’ And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, 

‘Glory to God in the highest heaven,
   and on earth peace among those whom he favours!’

Sexual perverts, cheap Jews and Mormons

Mark 2:23-28

          I work with a woman who is a devout Jew. We often sit and have lunch together. One thing that I cannot help notice though is the fact that at work (at least) she can be found munching on such delicacies as shrimp salad or bacon. Not exactly Kosher.  The other day we were talking about the Book of Mormon and she was reluctant t go see it because she thought Mormons were not nice people and as far as she could tell they did not follow any precepts that indicated how good they were. Her old 'Mormon' neighbors it seems did not practice their faith. They didn't practice what they preached. He opinion of Mormons was quite low.

           I recall a time I was visiting Washington DC and in looking for a vacant parking spot I backed into a handicapped slot only to be quickly reminded by someone that I wasn't handicapped. I suppose there is someone out there that thinks all New Yorkers are mindless dolts with no respect for the handicapped parking slots. When I realized what I had done I was embarrassed and quickly moved. If I was typical New Yorker of course I would have waved with one finger and would have told someone to mind their own business (expletive deleted). That would be another judgement though wouldn't it?

          We seem very free to make judgements about other people.  We might feel free to rationalize our own behaviour but we feel almost self righteous about making judgements of others.  Think about some of the nonsensical rules we feel free to ignore from exceeding the 55mph speed limit to how eating meat on Fridays is now not a mortal sin. We instinctively know when some things really don't make sense and people (including ourselves) feel free to judge us individually (and en masse) for whatever rule or law we seem to be disregarding.

           When you think of some of those rules it is sadly comical. That eating meat on Fridays is one, the arbitrary speed limits on some roads, how about that all blacks love watermelon and fried chicken? Are gay people perverts? Are Jews cheap? Do Catholics believe Mary should be part of the Trinity? There is no end to the list of judgements and stereotypes we hold. 

         Perhaps today would be a good time to take a look at all of these anew. What do we do and what do others do that we so easily judge them by? Most of all, let's decide not to judge anyone and let's make a sincere effort to focus on how people love. No matter what faith, nationality, race or sexual orientation,  the individual should be accepted and loved for who they are. There should be no judgements.  God will judge us based on our humanity and our love. 

One sabbath he was going through the cornfields; and as they made their way his disciples began to pluck heads of grain. The Pharisees said to him, ‘Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the sabbath?’ And he said to them, ‘Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry and in need of food? He entered the house of God, when Abiathar was high priest, and ate the bread of the Presence, which it is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and he gave some to his companions.’ Then he said to them, ‘The sabbath was made for humankind, and not humankind for the sabbath; so the Son of Man is lord even of the sabbath.’

The original "It Gets Better" message

Genesis 17:1-8

           I think you could easily make an argument that this is the original "it gets better" message from God.  Whether or not you take all of this passage literally (that Abraham was 91 years old for instance), you have to ask if this is simply a historical passage or what?

            Ninety-one is a good old age by anyone's standards.  If I was 91, I would certainly think that my days on this plane of existence would be short lived. But when Abram might be more prone to looking back at his life perhaps with sadness for lack of a single child, God reveals the exact opposite plan for him. Fullness of life and the prospects of a great family line. That would have been an extra special blessing to Abram as simple survival was a challenge. 

            Anyone who has suffered in any way for any length of time might ask "is this all there is"? just as Abram may have. For a tormented gay youth the future looks rather bleak. The trauma and the brutality of life seems ever present and the prospects for a happy future seem as distant as the stars in the sky.

            This passage lets us know, almost from the get go of Holy Scripture that God so loves us that he will give us anything. We may have to wait a bit but the future is bright. While happiness at a given moment may seem as far away as the stars, the extent of our happiness will be as numerous as the stars in the sky.  We should always have faith in that. It does get better.

When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to Abram, and said to him, ‘I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless. And I will make my covenant between me and you, and will make you exceedingly numerous.’ Then Abram fell on his face; and God said to him, ‘As for me, this is my covenant with you: You shall be the ancestor of a multitude of nations. No longer shall your name be Abram, but your name shall be Abraham; for I have made you the ancestor of a multitude of nations. I will make you exceedingly fruitful; and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come from you. I will establish my covenant between me and you, and your offspring after you throughout their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your offspring after you. And I will give to you, and to your offspring after you, the land where you are now an alien, all the land of Canaan, for a perpetual holding; and I will be their God.’

The implausable, the blasphemous and the truth

Mark 1:14-20

          My husband and I sit at home at the end of the evening and watch television. Quite often we will try watching a new show but once something implausible happens in the plot, we soon tire of the show and it is gone forever, off the DVR and future episodes never to be recorded. Judge Judy has a saying, ' if it doesn't make sense, it's probably isn't true'.  I sit hear thinking about some of the implausibilities of this Scripture passage.

            I suppose the first thing of all would be that a Jewish carpenter is actually the savior of the world. But from this passage, the carpenter picks fisherman to be his first disciples. These are to be the chosen elite, the ones who will walk with him, dine with him, learn from him and probably laugh and drink with him as well. These men will become so close to Jesus that they will die for him. Today the church remembers James, mentioned in this passage, who is the first apostle recorded as martyred by being beheaded.

           Another improbable ( but a good possibility ) is the relationship that evolves between James' brother John and Jesus. John is thee "beloved disciple" , the "disciple whom Jesus loved" and the disciple who as a young man at the time, laid his head on Jesus' breast. The highly improbably single, 33 year old Jewish man is our savior who, while dying on the cross tells his mother that John is now his son. Jesus also tells John, this is now your mother.  Perhaps it is my imagination or shades of Ruth and Naomi, but this sounds a bit like a hand off in a tradition where the families have already been joined in whatever manner was appropriate at the time.  Nothing sexual is (ever) noted in the New Testament about Jesus so we can't really think there was anything going on between the two in that vein but it is clear that it was unique and loving relationship, even more than his normal followers and Apostles. 

             What may seem blasphemous to some is the mere idea that Jesus was gay but it seems to me equally as plausible as some of the other things we are presented with in holy scripture and we believe them none the less, fisherman as disciples, a carpenter is the messiah and let's not even get into the miracles.

             With the eyes of faith we can believe many things and we can actually see them. The truth is though, would it matter if Jesus was gay? Would his message be negated because he was gay. We like to think of male and female but yet God is neither male nor female. God the 'father' is a construct that we feel comfortable with in our male dominated societies.  Perhaps God is both male and female, perhaps God is a she or God is simply 'God'.  

             My point is that whatever we find hard to believe or seems implausible or perhaps seems blasphemous, it simply detracts from the overwhelming truth that God wishes us to know in our hearts and in our minds.  We are created in love, God is love and Jesus gave us the two great commandments as the final say with love as the arbiter. Anything else that troubles you in faith, put it aside until time or wisdom gives you the answer. In the meantime you can love, love, love and know God is with you always.

              

Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.’ 

As Jesus passed along the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake—for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them, ‘Follow me and I will make you fish for people.’ And immediately they left their nets and followed him. As he went a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John, who were in their boat mending the nets. Immediately he called them; and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men, and followed him.

Love. Fail. Live. Love.

Ephesians 4:32-5:2

          If I heard it correctly, the comic book character Archie died in an issue that came out yesterday. Quite a shock for those in the cartoon world. There are several over 'arching' themes in the episode involving his death. Gay rights and gun control are chief among them. It isn't so much gay rights except that Archie takes a bullet intended for another character, Archie's  friend, who is gay, a Senator and who is in favor of gun controls. Like I said many things going on there.   But there is a really big theme that I don't think will get much attention and will frankly be glossed over by most of society. Sadly, it may be the most important, one that trumps being gay or where you stand on gun control.

            Archie stepped up to save his friend. Archie willingly sacrificed his life for a friend. Is there any greater love, as they say, than to lay down your life for a friend?  We all know Jesus died on the cross for us, that too is often glossed over by the multitudes. In Archie's case, I presume the intended target was a great guy, a true friend and wouldn't think of hurting Archie or anyone else. In the case of Jesus, we actually killed him. We were not his best buds. To this very day we spit in God's face by the way we act, both in our personal lives, nationally and globally. Jesus knew the extent of our sins and yet he willingly forgives us and laid down his life for us so that we would be free.

             Whether you are speaking of personal betrayals, turning our backs on children at our borders or people lobbing missile after missile at each other we certainly are not imitators of Christ as this passage asks us to.  I am not sure how much we can influence Mr. Putin to put down his weapons or his maniacal ways. I am not sure who if anyone can convince the people of the Middle East to sit listen and love. I  try to write about, speak about and FaceBook about our moral duty as a "nation under God" to help people, perhaps especially when it is literally children begging us at our borders.

          One thing I do know is that we can act locally and be effective globally. What can I do to emulate Christ? What can I do to show that my true citizenship is as an heir to the kingdom of God? Doubtless it will put us at odds with a great number of people. I would note we will be at odds with many who claim that they are God fearing Christians. We have to raise our voices.

            As a gay man it would be easy to sink into the societal perpetuated trap that living "in love" is some sexual perversion. While the fact that the gay community may be more in touch with sexual pleasure, sexual freedom and the God given joys of sex, it would be wrong to define the gay community that way. The gay community has to raise it's faithful voices to speak in favor of love and how Jesus would have us live as gay men and women. In the end it is no different than the love filled lives all people live but we must in fact love. We must not shy away from lives emulating Christ and we must be examples for our community, locally and globally.

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.

The truth is hard to swallow

Matthew 26:57-68

           There is an expression "I hate to tell you this" and it is almost always followed by something bad, derogatory or points out a personal flaw.  We certainly are a stiff necked people though because we really hate to hear the truth. It seems we'd rather cling to some really stupid ideas or beliefs rather than admit we are wrong. But wrong we are and way too often.

            Jesus is giving the Scribes a Pharisees quite a great deal of ammunition. Jesus speaks the truth and very often it wasn't flattering and it meant the scribes and Pharisees couldn't see the nose on their faces. They refused to get it. They refused to be open to God's word and only wanted their version of what they believed God was saying.  I think we all know that God did not create innumerable laws, strictures, rules  and rubrics to 'help' us on our journey to salvation. To the contrary, Jesus gave two great commandments and that was it. Those two might actually be harder to obey in many cases but Jesus gave us the final arbiter as well, love.

               I had a  brother in law who used 'the truth' as a license to be rude and mean to people of all sorts. I'm not sure if he ever changed but that is not the truth I am talking about. I am speaking of truths of love, truths of God's revealed world in science and faith. I am speaking the truth of love. 

               In case of the right wingnuts versus gay marriage? The truth is that when judging a loving, committed relationship compared to the false witnesses of selective Scripture reading and bad, narrowly defined translations, the love leans in favour of the loving committed relationships.  It is God's way right out of Genesis (man should not be alone) and witnessed by the 'rampant' homosexuality in his created animal world for us to learn from.

           The truth is there and the love is there and the Spirit of love is moving humanity to a better and fuller expression of God's loving plan and design. Sometimes the truth is hard to face.  Jesus already said his piece many times against the scribes and Pharisees. It's hard to believe people still argue so vehemently against the truth.

            Let us not wallow in our own ignorance.

Those who had arrested Jesus took him to Caiaphas the high priest, in whose house the scribes and the elders had gathered. But Peter was following him at a distance, as far as the courtyard of the high priest; and going inside, he sat with the guards in order to see how this would end. Now the chief priests and the whole council were looking for false testimony against Jesus so that they might put him to death, but they found none, though many false witnesses came forward. At last two came forward and said, ‘This fellow said, “I am able to destroy the temple of God and to build it in three days.” ’ The high priest stood up and said, ‘Have you no answer? What is it that they testify against you?’ But Jesus was silent. Then the high priest said to him, ‘I put you under oath before the living God, tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of God.’ Jesus said to him, ‘You have said so. But I tell you,
From now on you will see the Son of Man
   seated at the right hand of Power
   and coming on the clouds of heaven.’
Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, ‘He has blasphemed! Why do we still need witnesses? You have now heard his blasphemy. What is your verdict?’ They answered, ‘He deserves death.’ Then they spat in his face and struck him; and some slapped him, saying, ‘Prophesy to us, you Messiah! Who is it that struck you?’

Hypocrites in life and sex.

2 Corinthians 1:3-7

          I have worked at the same facility for over 30 years. For a few of those years I simultaneously volunteered there in the evening giving out the Eucharist to patients. I always started with this first line from today's passage.  In humility we must realize our own frailties and faults, how much we have been forgiven and are loved and then move outward to console those who have also sinned. All sinners need to know that they are loved in their brokenness, loved by others and by Jesus Christ who died specifically for our brokenness. 

           There is no room for arrogance or the even the mere thought that we are able to diminish our own sins in order to condemn another or to speak out that 'surely their sins' are worse than mine.  Perhaps worse still are those who actually have the chutzpah to verbalize, explain and rationalize why their sins are not quite as bad. Surely they are better as a believer because they have already been forgiven and surely they have sinned no more. Get over it, we're all sinners!

          I get quite a kick out of people who immerse themselves in such hypocrisy. What comes immediately to mind is the picture I found today on Face Book. I can understand if your calling is to 'enlighten' people about respect for life, I can. But in so doing you shouldn't be condemning anyone lest you walk in their shoes. More to the point though, if you don't feel compelled or called to speak out in support of the children begging at our border to come in, for God's sake don't speak out against them! That really is quite a bit of hypocrisy

           Another form hypocrisy that I see is those that seem compelled to rail against homosexuals.  They are condemned without any cause. They presume what's going on your bedroom wile I am sure they want no one looking in theirs.  If we are to follow their narrow and supposed Biblical strictures on sexuality then sex would be simply for procreation. Every incident of sexual contact should be only for procreation and that sex better be very, very vanilla. No variations there. Do you really want people snooping in bedrooms deciding how we love is moral or immoral? Today is the feast of sixth-century Syrian monks Symeon and John who lived in the dessert for 29 years together. While there is no evidence or perhaps even a reason to think there was another sexual with their relationship, they lived a committed and very loving life together all those years. By all accounts, certainly a relationship to be emulated, certainly a witness to same sex love and relationships.  If we want to bear witness to how people love, why can't we hold them up and forget about the sex. (who am I kidding?)  Besides the hypocrisy of those that condemn acts they don't even know happen in other peoples lives, there is the neglect and twisted view of sex as bad. Sex is a gift to be raised up and celebrated. The pleasures that two people share, no matter what they are doing (as long as it's respectful, mutual and no one gets hurt) is a bond and expression of mutual love. How can that be bad? 

               If someone who knows me is reading this they may chuckle that I seem to be saying that no one can judge anyone. I suppose that is true even though I do hold up standards for human behaviour that should be met. Mutual respect. Committed loving relationships. Respect for all life, including our beautiful blue orb and all it's inhabitants. What I cannot abide by is being a judgemental fool who does so by misquoting the Bible or selectively taking passages to hold up as 'super importnat' while there is wholesale  ignorance and disregrad for others. Worse, holding up the one Bible with one hand saying "Praise Jesus!" while taking a Bible in the other and beating people down with it.

              We are all sinners, let us not judge, lest we be judged. 

         

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all consolation, who consoles us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to console those who are in any affliction with the consolation with which we ourselves are consoled by God. For just as the sufferings of Christ are abundant for us, so also our consolation is abundant through Christ. If we are being afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation; if we are being consoled, it is for your consolation, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we are also suffering. Our hope for you is unshaken; for we know that as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our consolation.

How soon we forget

Ephesians 2:12-17

         There is a great deal of talk recently about illegal alien children at our border. I find it horribly amusing and ironic that the far right and religious pro-life zealots, often one in the same, are dismissing the calls to take care of these children. I think any thoughts that we may have contributed to this crisis by deporting vicious gang members years ago (who now terrorize their own countries) and that these children are fleeing from hasn't gotten any traction in the media. Be that as it may what of our Biblical and moral human responsibilities to care for these children?

         Christ died to abolish the law that held us captive to words and hypocrisy . Christ died to unify us into one people , one human people. Where has that gotten us? How many religions and how many denominations of Christianity are there now? How soon we forget the lessons or have we really learned it in the first place.

         Recently there was a little dust up in a local church. It reads like a cheap novel with conspiracy, jealousy, lies, damn lies and political intrigue. I might say I'd expect it as SOP for the Roman church but this was not a Roman church. It's difficult to grasp that such stupidity and lack of integrity, faith and good hearts exists even within the church. But we are humans after all I suppose. Def not perfect.

         So often I suggest that we we all need to do is some serious if not brutal self assessments of ourselves. Certainly not of others, that's too easy. We excel at that. No, self assessment is what we need along with a humble heart and a contrite heart.  If the message of Jesus from 2000 years ago is to take root in society and if we do not want the problems of the past revisited in the present or future, we must look to into ourselves honestly.  And more than that we need to take the message of the Gospel seriously and without reservation, not like it's a smorgasbord.   

remember that you were at that time without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace; in his flesh he has made both groups into one and has broken down the dividing wall, that is, the hostility between us. He has abolished the law with its commandments and ordinances, so that he might create in himself one new humanity in place of the two, thus making peace, and might reconcile both groups to God in one body through the cross, thus putting to death that hostility through it. So he came and proclaimed peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near;

It ain't things

Romans 8:12-25

          When I went to the Dominican Republic for the first time as a volunteer a friend  took it upon himself to use his influence to get us bumped up to first class on the flight.  We were on the tarmac before even taking off, sipping mimosas  as we were departing to work with some of the poorest people in the world. The contrast seems ironic.  This seemed to me to be a good metaphor for our entire life. The people of the DR are friendly and faithful. They know what is truly important. The same is true for us, our goal in life is not to amass wealth or things, our goal, our destiny is that we are heirs to the kingdom and one with God. It is certainly not a kingdom like anything here on planet Earth.

            The fact that we enjoyed the mimosas before heading to our faithful journey of service is that contrast.  In life we are graced with so much, especially here in these United States. There is a really fine line between enjoying those gifts, appreciating them and placing them in proper perspective and what are true goal in life is and what truly brings us happiness and wholeness.

            They say hearses don't have luggage racks and it's true. It certainly won't matter to a dead person what kind of coffin they are in or how their body gets to wherever it is headed.  The dead person will not even appreciate if it's potters field or some ostentatious mausoleum.

               So while I can fully appreciate all the gifts I have been graced with I know it is not my true happiness and I should never get too comfy. I should never think that they are the happiness in and of themselves.

              After I realized I was gay I was in deep trouble emotionally. Being the decent fellow I am I had some difficult choices to make. It seemed that no matter what I decided to do it was going to bad. This is the stuff suicide is contemplated over, thought it is never the answer, no matter have difficult it seems. In the end I left my home and left my church, my family and everything I knew. I left with an armoire and lot of books and not much else. Oh, and a scrabble board. I came to the realization that none of the stuff I had made me happy. I would willingly give up everything, leaving my house and considerable money to my ex-wife. The books I took related to my faith and my journey. In the end I suppose I didn't even need them because my faith is not found inside a book, it is in me, in my soul, in my head and in my heart. That is the most important.

                 In intentionally offering up everything I have gained many things. One is the appreciation of what is truly important, my faith and my destiny. Another is the gift of who I am, a gay man, revelling in the joys of how God made me and what it means to be a gay man. Another is that my children did not turn their backs on me as happens with some people.  My 'kids' have embraced me, loved me, love my husband  and we are still a family.

              Through all the joys and all the graces, I know what is most important. It ain't things.

            

So then, brothers and sisters, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh --

for if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.

For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.

For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received a spirit of adoption. When we cry, "Abba! Father!"

it is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God,

and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ--if, in fact, we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him.

I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory about to be revealed to us.

For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the children of God;

for the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope

that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and will obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God.

We know that the whole creation has been groaning in labor pains until now;

and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly while we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies.

For in hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what is seen?

But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.

The light of Christ is the light of the gay rainbow

Mark 4:21-25

          I was absolutely mortified that our good Deacon, in addressing the holiday concert at our grammar school, welcomed "our Jewish brothers and sisters" as they celebrate the festival of lights but welcomed everyone celebrating "Christmas, the celebration of thee Light. "  It's true that we equate Christ with light, we might say something about 'the light of Christ' but Jesus was Jewish and if for only that reason alone, it should not be celebrated  as one upmanship or that Christians are better than Jews. Thar's not really what 'the light of Christ' is supposed to be about, is it?

            It's much more appropriate to view the wisdom, love and message of Christ as a light not unlike any light that visits and conveys God's message of love and truth, inclusiveness and peace. So let's speak of light in the broadest of terms. Is there not light in each of us too?

           When reading today's passage my mind began to return to my youth. We had discovered that a glass could transform light into several things. It was probably in school that we first learned that a prism of glass could separate light int the spectrum of light, the rainbow. Water or moisture in the sky acts in the same way forming the rainbow that we see arcing over us from time to time.  Glass in the form of a magnifying glass can take light and concentrate or focus it. As kids, n more than one occasion, we tried to use a magnifying glass to ignite a few twigs to start a small fire in our back yard.  We think of this as science but it is more than that, it is a revelation of Gods' world and it isn't simply about refraction, focusing light or separating into a rainbow as magnificent and symbolic as all that is.

            The light that is Christ and the light that is within each of us is transformed into something awesomely powerful. It is not creating something that is not already there within us but it magnifies, focus and makes our gifts and lives like a rainbow. It seems wholly appropriate that a rainbow then is used to celebrate the LGBTQ community and why we embrace it. The beauty of light in a rainbow is the same beauty and light that each of us can share, perhaps more so because the gifts we bare as a member of the LGBTQ community. The gifts we bare as a gay man or woman are gifts of light and love that have been hidden, undermined and marginalized for far too long.

           No longer can we be excused for keeping our light under a bushel basket. The light and love we have must be put out there to illuminate and celebrate a unique love that God created in us.  This light is not just from our community but it is a unique light withing each one of us that must be recognized, accepted and celebrated.

           Let your light shine my gay rainbow family

He said to them, ‘Is a lamp brought in to be put under the bushel basket, or under the bed, and not on the lampstand? For there is nothing hidden, except to be disclosed; nor is anything secret, except to come to light. Let anyone with ears to hear listen!’ And he said to them, ‘Pay attention to what you hear; the measure you give will be the measure you get, and still more will be given you. For to those who have, more will be given; and from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away.’

The truth will be revealed, the light will shine!

Matthew 10:26-31

             For almost everyone in the gay community the missuse of scripture and the 'straight agenda' foisted on society caused countless thousands of men and women to seek a life, any life they could muster, in the shadows of society. This fulfilled the very stereotypes that the church wished to create. That gays were evil doers, lurking in the dark and were incapable of living decent wholesome lives.  The truth however always comes to light, whether we are speaking of order of the cosmos, the secret sins of pedophile priests or politicians or the fact that gays were never meant to be demeaned and slandered. Gay men and women are beautiful and worthy creations of God and meant to live whole, full lives like everyone else tries to do.

          The light for the gay community started to emerge almost 50 years ago when we began to stand up. We stepped out of the dark shadows and into the light shouting, we're out, we're proud, we're here , we're queer. I think once light is shed on anything, once the truth is known, it is bellowed from the rooftops. It is liberating and emboldens us to move forward for ourselves and everyone like us.  It is almost akin to the energy and spirit of being 'born again'. In a way you are, your are free, you have a new life in freedom, love and hope.

          No matter what situation life seems to place us in, how difficult it may be, there is a always hope and the truth will always prevail. Lies can be spread in an instant but the truth will always prevail. Scripture passages may have been misinterpreted to used selectively to clobber the gay community but there is a renewed passion and sense of inquiry into the truth of passages. The Bible is being discovered by the gay community, not as weapon to beat us down but as a source of love and the message that God loves us all.  We are just the latest to be put down, marginalized and told we are not worthy. These are the very people Jesus embraced 2000 years ago, he embraces us now. 

‘So have no fear of them; for nothing is covered up that will not be uncovered, and nothing secret that will not become known. What I say to you in the dark, tell in the light; and what you hear whispered, proclaim from the housetops. Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground unperceived by your Father. And even the hairs of your head are all counted. So do not be afraid; you are of more value than many sparrows.

Church governance and man made rules

1 Timothy 3:1-10

            I had several occasions in the past week to be thinking about church structure, governance and who decided what and why.  To be truthful it's enough to swear you off organized religion. It is necessary in terms of what we can accomplish together and to support common goals. I suppose it's more a question of what type of governance and how much.  The Roman church is heavily laden with bureaucracy and has so many canon laws that almost everything possible is legislated and covered.   There are other churches where there is virtually no structure or rules and everything in between.

             In today's passage we get a glimpse of some early rules about being a bishop. I suppose the church was sufficiently organized so that such a term was created. I often wonder where all these names, positions and rules have come from. Each church has it's own terms with some commonalities of course but how the position is attained is of no minor consideration.

             At  a party held in honor of my ordination, at which my friend (never mind the thought of lover, partner or husband) heard one guest at his table say she was deacon in her church. Having merely a glimpse of the years of study, formation, the masters degree earned or the responsibilities, he quickly sluffed off this women as a rank amateur.  It ain't necessarily so but it points to the variations in what some churches require for ministry. I still don't believe that Christ had any kind of formal Shul to prepare his apostles. They were fisherman and a tax collector and he was a carpenter!

             Today we remember the holy man, William White. The Bishop of Pennsylvania. He held many positions as the colonies proclaimed and fought for their freedoms. He helped create the governance of the church in the colonies, influenced in one way or the other by the governance of the colonies themselves. It was practical and envisioned a group of future faithful in these here states.

                 As with a great deal of Scripture it is not the precise words that are as meaningful as the message that God is trying to convey to us. I don't believe God dictated the following from today's passage:  a bishop must be above reproach, married only once, temperate, sensible, respectable, hospitable, an apt teacher, not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, and not a lover of money. He must manage his own household well, keeping his children submissive and respectful in every way— for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how can he take care of God’s church? It does hold some interesting thoughts though about church service and ministry.  It included people who were married and it suggests that these people be of sufficient worldly knowledge that they could understand, assume and appreciate the responsibilities of any person in charge of a household. Marriage, or simply dating, is a very good example of something you might want a person to have first hand knowledge of if they are to minister to and live among people who would have issues integrating their faith into their daily lives. On more than one occasion I have heard my parishioners complain about Priests not being allowed to get married. How can they understand anything? The notion of three squares and little lifting also allows the clergy in many instances to escape the true realities and pressures of life. Kids? That would be just another reason to have clergy marry.  

          It's apparent that most religions ave given the nod to the concept of married clergy.  A Priest, a Deacon, a Rabbi or an Imam. In fact being married is integral to God's fulfillment of who you are and who you are supposed to be. 

           While celibacy may in fact be a gift, it was not always so and does not have to be so. Again I would rage against literalism in scripture and also man made rules that may be a blessing for some (celibacy) but is a stumbling block to most. See what man made rules can do. In the Roman church it has deprived the church for a thousand years of qualified men (and women) who had the called but were turned away. Worse are the ones who take the vows lightly and resolve to live a bifurcated life that makes the churches rules laughable in the eyes of the faithful.

             A commentary on Church govenance and man made rules? Perhaps, but we all need to see what intent God has for us. Jesus came as the fulfillment of the law. 

             

The saying is sure: whoever aspires to the office of bishop desires a noble task. Now a bishop must be above reproach, married only once, temperate, sensible, respectable, hospitable, an apt teacher, not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, and not a lover of money. He must manage his own household well, keeping his children submissive and respectful in every way— for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how can he take care of God’s church? He must not be a recent convert, or he may be puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil. Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace and the snare of the devil.

Deacons likewise must be serious, not double-tongued, not indulging in much wine, not greedy for money; they must hold fast to the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. And let them first be tested; then, if they prove themselves blameless, let them serve as deacons.

When he was taken away from us

Colossians 3:1-4

          How does the transition begin? You are a worldly person, blessed with money and you have all the material things you need and want. Your life is graced by almost any standard. Of course this by itself does not make you completely happy.  You may still feel an emptiness as if there is more to life, and there is.

          How do you proceed when you have that emptiness? You have. Your needs are met. People love you and want to be with you. You are unhappy. You feel that emptiness. Why?  Because you know there is more to life. 

         Some people search (in vain) for fulfillment it yet more things or a new spouse or doing 'exciting things'. Most realize at some point in their life that happiness comes in God. And by that I mean realizing there is a supreme being that created us, loves us and that God is our ultimate destination. Happiness comes in knowing that we actively express the love of God, our creator.

        Some people realize this very young, some realize it in middle age and some have that 'ah ha' moment on their death bed.  For those of us that know a person who realized it earlier in life what happiness comes from it stands out. Such self knowledge is magnetic, charismatic and people that hold this truth always have a peace about them.

        If you are a person that has not had this revelation the people that have seem almost crazy. The value judgements and decision making process is quite different.

        All this comes flowing into my mind as I read this passage. It also has do with the fact that two of my neighbors (who are related) lost a child. There are grieving parents and a grieving uncle.  The 24 year old son who died is clearly no longer suffering and I believe he is in the comforting and loving arms of God. No doubt about it. If he didn't get it before, he has had his 'ah ha' moment and he now 'gets it'.

         Using my previous analogies, the survivors are neither all materialistic nor fully spiritual. Like the rest of us they are on a journey. So it is with some great difficulty that they try to deal with the death of this young man. They know the answers in their heads but their hearts ache. The ripping away of this cherished life in our physical world was ripped from them suddenly without warning. I get it, I get their pain and sorrow.  Really, I cannot say any of this to them, I can only be present and listen. 

          I wish I could perform a Vulcan mind meld so that I could help them know how at peace their son is. I pray they can deal with the physical loss and know that his love still lives in their hearts and minds.

           In the agony in the garden, Jesus knew full well he would have his physicality, his humanity ripped away on the cross. He would be torn away from the ones he loved so deeply (in a physical sense), the ones he broke bread with, the ones he slept with and joked with.  The agony of separation is all too human even when you know the glory that awaits on the other side. 

           But the knowledge helps. In the mean time, love and listen,  be at peace and let us be present to each other.

So if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth, for you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life is revealed, then you also will be revealed with him in glory.

Gifted

Matthew 25:14-30

         I might have told this story before but when my son was a young boy, perhaps in the third or fourth grade, we were called into the teachers office. We were told that our son scored exceptionally high in many keys areas of intelligence. Basically, he was a smart kid. The challenge is how to present this to our boy. Bright lad that he was he told us he already knew he was smart.  He said that while everyone else took notes, all he had to do is merely look at the board and he soaked it all in. He knew it that fast. What we had to explain then, sadly for him, is that more would be expected of him. He wasn't going to be allowed to rest on the fact that things came easy.  God had given him a gift (or talent) and he was to use that to fulfill whatever plan God had for him, to achieve goals that perhaps only he could reach. 

          The notation of people being given 'talens' in this passage can surely be used as a good example of what to do with the gifts God gives us. The very word talent though referred to an amount of money.  The value of a 'talent' was quite sizable, may ears wages from one reference I checked. The parable is as true today as it was then whether you are speaking of money (talents) or you are speaking about gifts or being talented at one thing or another.

            The gifts that God bestows on us is enormous. No matter what we are speaking of, God's generosity with us is incredible. So what do we do with these gifts from God?  That is the real question here and if the reading is correct, we will be held accountable for how we handle our very own personal affairs.  Whatever your talent is, God expects you to develop it to the full. I have always felt that to not do so was a real sin. Even with my first spouse who showed an aptitude for the medical field, I felt it was her duty (and mine) to support that in any way I could. If I had money that would help with a course or a specific cause, I would and I should. 

             Perhaps one of the problems of life it that we compare our gifts with the person next door, the sibling, the coworker or a total stranger. We want to give what they give. We want their talent, their gift. What we really need to be aware of, and this passage points it out pretty clearly, is that we all get different talents and we need to develop ourselves and not someone else's.  Accepting what we can give, however small, is to God a gift of monumental proportions. This point is brought home by the passage of the widow who gave two small coins in temple but which God revered more than the volumes of money given by some others that gave simply out of their excess and not out of true love.

             We are all aware of perhaps a gifted composer or violinist that  conveys the talents of their hands and mind into ecstasy for the listener. To give so graciously and freely is a true gift that God appreciates because it is letting the love flow from themselves to everyone else. Their talent flows and gives.  All our talents should be developed so they flow and give.

          I'm not sure how we may held accountable for not being the best that God made us to be or for simply not being who God made us to be. I do know that there is extreme happiness and satisfaction when you cultivate and live out the talents you are graced with. I can only imagine how unhappy it must feel to not be able to be yourself or cultivate who you are.  

          You are gift, what have you to give mankind? Your lover? Your spouse, your friends?  

14 ‘For it is as if a man, going on a journey, summoned his slaves and entrusted his property to them; ¹⁵to one he gave five talents,^* to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. ¹⁶The one who had received the five talents went off at once and traded with them, and made five more talents. ¹⁷In the same way, the one who had the two talents made two more talents. ¹⁸But the one who had received the one talent went off and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money. ¹⁹After a long time the master of those slaves came and settled accounts with them. ²⁰Then the one who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five more talents, saying, “Master, you handed over to me five talents; see, I have made five more talents.” ²¹His master said to him, “Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.” ²²And the one with the two talents also came forward, saying, “Master, you handed over to me two talents; see, I have made two more talents.” ²³His master said to him, “Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.” ²⁴Then the one who had received the one talent also came forward, saying, “Master, I knew that you were a harsh man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not scatter seed; ²⁵so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.” ²⁶But his master replied, “You wicked and lazy slave! You knew, did you, that I reap where I did not sow, and gather where I did not scatter? ²⁷Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and on my return I would have received what was my own with interest. ²⁸So take the talent from him, and give it to the one with the ten talents. ²⁹For to all 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. ³⁰As for this worthless slave, throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

Of marriages and families

Luke 8:16-21

          There is much talk these days about what is a traditional marriage. Most of the people who espouse restricted definitions of marriage are oddly enough using the Bible to support their claims. They look self righteously at Genesis to a one man and one woman definition.  The problem with their haranguing is that the Bible is loaded with defacto definitions of marriage that includes sale of daughters, concubines galore, polygamy, incest and ....should I really go on?  I think what they really want is like a kid having a tantrum. I want a pony! I want a pony! I want a pony! There is no reasoning with a child so fixated as these marriage zealots are. Marriage was a business transaction. The concept of love and of even choosing your own spouse, your one true love is really a modern idea. Lost in all the rhetoric is the truth that God wishes to convey, that it is simply not good for a man, men, a women or whomever, to be alone. We are social beings and we need the love and support of another in life. It is natural and how God intends us to live. The people of Biblical times when these books were written and passed down wrote about common norms. There is no argument that the marriage between a man and a woman is normative for most of society. It is what most of the people would understand at that time. They would not be able to even grasp the notion of true love never mind the concept of a deep abiding committed relationship between a same sex couple. (although they honored Ruth and Naomi, go figure?)

         That was a long intro that could easily stand to be spoken of by itself. It is a valuable message and something we need to know. The same kind of revelation happened many years ago when the definition of family was challenged because of social changes.  Divorce began to become more prevalent and the idea of 'whom you love, learn and live with' as a definition of family came into being.  The idea of more than simply a biological unit being a family became accepted. Again, not the 'norm' , it certainly was not a large percentage of the Ozzie and Harriet and Make Room for Daddy crowd but it was significant. The change was significant enough in society that people could relate to the idea of single mom  families, or mom and grandma and kids or just dad and the kids. How about a mom and dad with adopted kids of mixed race or ethnicity? All of these permutations challenged and expanded our definition of what family was.

         In today's passage Jesus says ‘My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it.’ The definition of family takes a big hit right there. I know a group of monks that live together in community. Many different personalities, many different talents, they live together, argue together, pray together - they are a family.  Sometimes they need to be reminded of that and so do we.

          Just as the definition of marriage has grown, been refined and expanded so does the definition of what a family is. Two gay men with kids can be just as loving, supportive and real as any other marriage and family. Sometimes I think they can be more loving and supportive because every aspect of their bond is chosen and not an 'accidental' pregnancy or unplanned even if welcomed. A gay couple or even a planned single parent family is chosen and deliberate. Remember the day when if a man and women got pregnant before marriage they 'had to get married'? That seems like a horrible paradigm for a marriage or a family. It is often the recipe for disaster. 

       I still recall the day one of brothers started to date a young women who had a baby son. The biologic father of the son was nowhere in the picture. My brother fell in love with this women and her young son and together they married and had a wonderful, beautiful life together along with a daughter that came along a few years later. How beautiful to fall in love and choose to love. Even though my brother has long passed, the love of their family is still very much alive. The memories of love and the love still lived is a testament to a new vision of marriage and what a new family is. So too is the expansion of what a new family is and what a new marriage is. 

       I hate to break the news to the religious zealots but the Bible is chock full of loving committed same sex couples that are a beacon to today's coupes who are expanding and fulfilling the promise of love and the definition of marriage that Jesus spoke of. It is not necessarily biologic but it is chosen, committed and all about love and support. Even better when you choose to sanctify that love with a blessing from God and a life of sacramental love.

           

‘No one after lighting a lamp hides it under a jar, or puts it under a bed, but puts it on a lampstand, so that those who enter may see the light. For nothing is hidden that will not be disclosed, nor is anything secret that will not become known and come to light. Then pay attention to how you listen; for to those who have, more will be given; and from those who do not have, even what they seem to have will be taken away.’

Then his mother and his brothers came to him, but they could not reach him because of the crowd. And he was told, ‘Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, wanting to see you.’ But he said to them, ‘My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it.’ 

We never would have met in a gay bar

Acts 21:3-15

              Here you go, I don't think if my husband and I had ever seen each other in a gay bar we would be married today.  For one thing, sometimes you romanticize about the people you are going to fall in love with (or have lust for). For another, I have never been in a gay bar - not once.  By a twist of fate, and I like to think a whole lot of faith, we met by a whole other set of circumstances, became friends and then realized we were falling in love. That might be the cliff notes version of our falling in love. The journey was not what we might have expected but we are very thankful to God that we met because we are truly each others soul mate. 

              This passage today is somewhat of a travelogue for Paul. What comes of this trip is the news or realization that if Paul went to Jerusalem he might be killed. Paul's response is that he not only is willing to be bound (as the passage says) but Paul would be willing to go to Jerusalem and die for what he believed in, to to be a witness for Christ. Surely Paul, who once persecuted Christians, had no clue or intention to wind up in Jerusalem ( or anywhere else) dying for the very person whom he had been persecuting.  Paul said yes to God and the journey began. Paul had no way of knowing where it would take him. I just know dying for Christ was probably the last thing on his mind before his conversion. Yet he comes to the point in life where he would in fact willing die for Christ and for the message, the Good News if you will.

                I've said this before but here it is again. If you had told me 50 years ago, or 25 years ago or even 10 years ago that I would find incredible bliss, happiness, fulfillment and be married to a man I would have been as thunderstruck as Paul would have been had you told him he'd die for the person he was in fact persecuting. What a twist in the plot line. What a story. What a journey. My life's travelogue while not perhaps exciting, sure has had some twists. The truth is though, every twist and turn has been met with faith. Every tragedy and every joy was faced with Jesus hand in hand and with faith in the God.

         When you say yes to life and when you say yes to God, you never know where it's going to lead you. It may lead you places you never dreamed of. It may lead you to places in life far from where you could even imagine. I think the appropriate expression is 'let go and let God'.  The depth of joy, fulfillment and happiness lies in allowing yourself to go places that might not have ordinarily been on your itinerary. For me that has meant marriage (to a woman!),  fatherhood, service in the Dominican Republic, becoming a Deacon, submitting to spiritual and emotional therapy, the self discovery of being gay, marriage to the man of my dreams and finding love in a cat. My brother once said that he'd believe I was gay but he would never believe I love a cat. But it is true. My journey is amazing and filled with love of God and all his created world, including myself!

          What is your journey? Are you willing go where God may be leading you? 

We came in sight of Cyprus; and leaving it on our left, we sailed to Syria and landed at Tyre, because the ship was to unload its cargo there. We looked up the disciples and stayed there for seven days. Through the Spirit they told Paul not to go on to Jerusalem. When our days there were ended, we left and proceeded on our journey; and all of them, with wives and children, escorted us outside the city. There we knelt down on the beach and prayed and said farewell to one another. Then we went on board the ship, and they returned home.

When we had finished^* the voyage from Tyre, we arrived at Ptolemais; and we greeted the believers and stayed with them for one day. The next day we left and came to Caesarea; and we went into the house of Philip the evangelist, one of the seven, and stayed with him. He had four unmarried daughters who had the gift of prophecy. While we were staying there for several days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. He came to us and took Paul’s belt, bound his own feet and hands with it, and said, ‘Thus says the Holy Spirit, “This is the way the Jews in Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt and will hand him over to the Gentiles.” ’ When we heard this, we and the people there urged him not to go up to Jerusalem. Then Paul answered, ‘What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound but even to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.’ Since he would not be persuaded, we remained silent except to say, ‘The Lord’s will be done.’

After these days we got ready and started to go up to Jerusalem.

Long division

1 Corinthians 1:10-18 and John 13:31-35

           I often refer to my "kids" when I talk and write but the truth be told they are both in their 30's. That hardly qualifies as kids but they will always be 'kids' to me, my beloved 'kids'. In today's passage from John, Jesus refers to us as little children. I suppose we would always be children to God.  Perhaps that is why God always finds joy in us, no matter where we are on our journey. God's love is boundless, endless and all encompassing. How could you not love your own kids?  I am sure God weeps also when we go astray and make poor decisions. God weeps when we perpetrate such horrible things to each other in relationships, personal, religious and internationally. 

             The idea of us as Little children conjures up images both good and bad. Children can be boundlessly loving, inquisitive, eternal optimists and all sorts of adorable and Godlike characteristics. Children can also be mean spirited, selfish and 'flat leave' people when they don't get what they want.  All is not peaceful in the sand box sometimes. Jealousy, division and a meanness can infest us as children and even into adulthood. 

             It is some of our worst behaviors that perpetuates the divisions in the world even as we proclaim we are followers of Christ. It boggles my mind how one can say they are Christian and then treat immigrants in a poor, disrespectful and unloving manner. That is not what Christ would do. That is even something actually written about in scripture numerous times (as a small sampling, Exodus 22:21; Matthew 25:35 and Hebrews 13:2 ).   There should be no division, all division have been man made either geographically or religiously. Is there not one God??? It seems we have nothing better to do than argue about a shade of color and divvy up our Creator into bite size morsels of our own design.

           If we call ourselves Christians we are called to respect others' journey (other religions), other peoples ( foreigners, gays, people of color ) and every living creature as well.  It is we who have created the divisions. As Christians as with many religions, we are told in these passages that we should rise to the most excellent behaviors of children and we should follow the two great commandments.  Anything else is truly, long division of the worst sort      

Now I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you should be in agreement and that there should be no divisions among you, but that you should be united in the same mind and the same purpose. For it has been reported to me by Chloe’s people that there are quarrels among you, my brothers and sisters. What I mean is that each of you says, ‘I belong to Paul’, or ‘I belong to Apollos’, or ‘I belong to Cephas’, or ‘I belong to Christ.’ Has Christ been divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, so that no one can say that you were baptized in my name. (I did baptize also the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized anyone else.) For Christ did not send me to baptize but to proclaim the gospel, and not with eloquent wisdom, so that the cross of Christ might not be emptied of its power.

For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

John 13:31-35

When he had gone out, Jesus said, ‘Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him. If God has been glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself and will glorify him at once. Little children, I am with you only a little longer. You will look for me; and as I said to the Jews so now I say to you, “Where I am going, you cannot come.” I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.’

Saved by faith & Jesus the gay icon

Romans 10:1-13

          I may have my suspicions as to who may or may not be going to hell but I know better. There are so many people who feel free to make such judgements, to proclaim it like it's truth. The truth though is that we have no idea and we should never be in the business of condemning anyone. I don't even think the Holy Roman Church can do that. There may have been a time when their moral bank account was full and such judgements may have seemed to mean something but today we realize for all the worst possible reasons, that even that church cannot be counted on to pass judgement on anyone.

           This passage has a great deal to say about our personal faith and how we approach life and life with others. You don't pass judgment on anyone else and you worry about yourself and how hard you are working to be the best you can be, to have the best and closest relationship you can with your creator. Then you can say/ believe that if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 

           It seems that this opens the door to many, many people. The gate isn't after all as narrow as we think it is.  I've written before about our (human) sense of justice, entitlement and forgiveness as opposed to God's. God is all embracing, all loving and all forgiving. Where do we get this from?

          One need only look at the life of Jesus of Nazareth, Jesus our Savior.  Jesus spoke in many parables and rarely said anything exact in words. He never said" Homosexuality is a sin!". ( the word and concept had not been invented yet ).  But Jesus lived an exemplary life and we can see that he embraced all and loved all. He did not forgive in terms that he said, 'you are saved but only if you do this'.  The one time I can recall he did say something remotely like that he told a man to give away everything he owns. How much do literalists obey that now? But by his compassion, love and inclusiveness, he gave very strong messages.

          When I look at the inclusiveness of Jesus, the compassion and when I look at the passage of of the Centurion and his 'dear slave', I come to an astounding revelation. Not only was Jesus ok with people who were gay ( at the very least insofar as they were in loving committed relationships) but Jesus could easily be a gay icon. This is why we I see the Rainbow Crucifix by gay British artist and minister Richard Stott.  

            While many churches seek to establish why people are going to hell in  hand basket, Jesus' own words and life proclaim the exact opposite, not only for gays but for multitudes of marginalized and condemned peoples. It is Jesus' life we are to emulate and embrace and by doing so in our hearts and proclaiming it loudly by our acts of love, we are saved.

Brothers and sisters, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved. I can testify that they have a zeal for God, but it is not enlightened. For, being ignorant of the righteousness that comes from God, and seeking to establish their own, they have not submitted to God’s righteousness. For Christ is the end of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes.

Moses writes concerning the righteousness that comes from the law, that ‘the person who does these things will live by them.’ But the righteousness that comes from faith says, ‘Do not say in your heart, “Who will ascend into heaven?” ’ (that is, to bring Christ down) ‘or “Who will descend into the abyss?” ’ (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). But what does it say?
‘The word is near you,
   on your lips and in your heart’
(that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); because if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For one believes with the heart and so is justified, and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved. The scripture says, ‘No one who believes in him will be put to shame.’ 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.’