Of lepers and homosexuals

Luke 5:12-26

          I do love it when people quote the bible as the literal word of God when the words themselves have been translated, mistranslated, blurred beyond recognition or simply never really appeared in scripture as we have translated them. Here we have the word "leprosy".  This brings into focus a great deal about scripture, then and now.

          The term leprosy ( then ) referred to a variety of disease states that we would not refer to a as leprosy. It is important to note that the actual disease "leprosy" was not clearly identified until recent history and the age of microbiology. The ancients were aware that real leprosy existed but it was not differentiated from other diseases.   I was happy to see that the source I predominantly use, lectionary readings of the Episcopal church, have a footnote that leprosy covered a variety of diseases. So psoriasis or a fungal infection as well as real leprosy were all included in the ancients' terms for "leprosy". In my studies I have come to know that the term leprosy even applied to animal skins (like as in a cloak) that may have had a blemish or wasn't tanned properly. It was abroad term indeed.

          What is my point?  Th term we know specifically as leprosy ( Mycobacterium leprae ), does not cover all sorts of other diseases. M. leprae is a curable, single disease and not the variety the ancients considered it as. The ancients had no scientific background or knowledge of leprosy. They had a broad definition and played it safe.

           So, what other words might we have "assumed" is an accurate reflection of what the ancients knew? We cannot simply take a word we have today and transpose the depth of knowledge to the ancients.  Case in point is the word  "homosexual". That word was not even invented until the 1800's. The notion of strictly defined sexual orientations was not even created until recent times as well,  evidence shows it was perhaps the 1900's. So when we read the word homosexuals in the Bible, what did they mean? It certainly is not what we may mean today. We cannot transpose our concept of sexual attraction, monogamous same sex relationships or even a specific kind of act onto what the ancients believed.  Ancient history shows relationships more fluid than ours. Ancient history shows a variety of same sex relationships, not all of which were bad or even an abomination. 

          What did "lying with another man" mean? There are whole books on that subject, I suggest God vs. Gay as an excellent book on the subject. A couple of important points can be gleaned however. One is that it was considered wrong to treat another grown man as they would treat a woman.  It would also be wrong religiously to have a relationship with a man because it was an imperative for the Jews to procreate. No mention that same sex relationships were bad, just that they did not promote the survival and growth Jewish people which was always being threatened. The fact that Paul railed against "homosexuality" ( again a recently invented word ) is not a sign of prohibition or wrongness of loving same sex couples.  Relationships between men were well known and practiced in Greece. The proviso was that it could not be prostitution, it could not be usery or rape. It could not involve children. All of these were considered wrong. 

       I know I am only touching the surface and I am not a true Biblical scholar. However, I am wise enough to know that words and translations are often at the root of misunderstanding scripture. Words and translations are used to promote agendas, male domination and a warped sense of sexual modesty or roles.

       Perhaps another time we can look at other words. When all else fails or the meaning of scripture seems in doubt or confuses you, you can either place that passage aside until a later time, do some serious research and lastly, know that scripture is at it's heart all about love. Love rules and is the final arbiter of scripture.

      At another time perhaps,  what does 'abomination' mean??

12 Once, when he was in one of the cities, there was a man covered with leprosy.^* When he saw Jesus, he bowed with his face to the ground and begged him, ‘Lord, if you choose, you can make me clean.’ ¹³Then Jesus^* stretched out his hand, touched him, and said, ‘I do choose. Be made clean.’ Immediately the leprosy^* left him. ¹⁴And he ordered him to tell no one. ‘Go’, he said, ‘and show yourself to the priest, and, as Moses commanded, make an offering for your cleansing, for a testimony to them.’ ¹⁵But now more than ever the word about Jesus^* spread abroad; many crowds would gather to hear him and to be cured of their diseases. ¹⁶But he would withdraw to deserted places and pray.

17 One day, while he was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting nearby (they had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem); and the power of the Lord was with him to heal.^{* 18}Just then some men came, carrying a paralysed man on a bed. They were trying to bring him in and lay him before Jesus;^{* 19}but finding no way to bring him in because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and let him down with his bed through the tiles into the middle of the crowd^* in front of Jesus. ²⁰When he saw their faith, he said, ‘Friend,^* your sins are forgiven you.’ ²¹Then the scribes and the Pharisees began to question, ‘Who is this who is speaking blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?’ ²²When Jesus perceived their questionings, he answered them, ‘Why do you raise such questions in your hearts? ²³Which is easier, to say, “Your sins are forgiven you”, or to say, “Stand up and walk”? ²⁴But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins’—he said to the one who was paralysed—‘I say to you, stand up and take your bed and go to your home.’ ²⁵Immediately he stood up before them, took what he had been lying on, and went to his home, glorifying God. ²⁶Amazement seized all of them, and they glorified God and were filled with awe, saying, ‘We have seen strange things today.’

Who will God send?

Luke 5:1-11

            After so many years I still get a kick out of this passage. The professional fisherman who has been at it all night trying to catch fish without any luck, and along comes a carpenter of all people (Jesus) who says, 'try one more time'. That might seem the definition of chutzpah, a carpenter telling a fisherman what to do.  Of course the catch was enormous.  The easy read here is never to assume your answers to problems and prayers will come from a source you expect. I think I've written about that before. It's a good point if I do say so.

           Sometimes we try our hardest to accomplish what we need to do.  I think God wants us to do so and also pray for the things we cannot change. Most often we do look for the obvious answers in the expected places.  Sometimes though, in letting go we can find miraculous answers in unseen places, places and people we never knew existed.

          Sometimes our solutions are out of our hands and we should welcome help from God. But who will God send?

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.

Fire fighters

James 3:1-13

          Yesterday I went to the 9/11 Memorial in New York City. I had wanted to go for a very long time. I knew I should go and avoided going for a long time. I recall my reaction to the evils seen while walking through the Holocaust Museum in Washington DC not so many years ago. I was overwhelmed and had to leave. So it took some internal strength to face what I thought would be yet another agony of humanity, a testament to how evil we can be to each other.  But go I did.  I thoughtfully and prayerfully walked , soaked in and let the story of our real life tragedy unfold in the storyboards and presentations. The atmosphere is sobering. strong. potent.  It wasn't until I looked at all the faces of those who died and sought out the three faces of those who I know had affected my life so personally that I did in fact begin to break down. Tears streaming from my face, breathing laboured by the immensity of the emotion, I tried to embrace it, experience the reality and totality of what had happened and why. Afterwards I sat by the pools and prayed.  The words that came to me are written at the end of this scriptural reflection.

           And yes, this is a scriptural reflection. In the midst of today's passage about teaching and gifts and responsibilities, there is an omen to what occurs when we fail to teach, when we fail to love. The resulting actions are like a small fire that can set a whole forest ablaze.  We often are complacent about the importance of education, learning and loving.  Hate (a word I dislike intensely) is something that acts like a small fire, it enables evil, it promotes mob mentalities and is the catalyst for so much evil in the world. Whether it is hate that sparked two gay men to be savagely beaten in Philadelphia, the evil visited on Matthew Shepherd, the crusades, the inquisition, the Nazis, Al Qaeda or any range or degree of evil, we must educate, love and 'fight' back.

          The song by Billy Joel says "we didn't start the fire" but that seems dismissive and fails to embrace brotherly responsibility and our duty and calling to love. Even if we did not start a fire, unchecked it will come blazing to our doors. Ask anyone in the path of the many western fires that are fought.  Ask, if you could, any of the victims of 9/11. We should all fight the fire.

          After visiting the 9/11 museum and upon reflection these words came to me so I put them to paper.              

                          How beautiful is the human heart that loves and embraces love.

                          How ugly and disfigured is the heart and soul of those that embrace hate

                            and justify themselves by any religion.

                          Hate is not of God.

                          Love is the essence and purity of God.

Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers and sisters, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. For all of us make many mistakes. Anyone who makes no mistakes in speaking is perfect, able to keep the whole body in check with a bridle. If we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we guide their whole bodies. Or look at ships: though they are so large that it takes strong winds to drive them, yet they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great exploits.

How great a forest is set ablaze by a small fire! And the tongue is a fire. The tongue is placed among our members as a world of iniquity; it stains the whole body, sets on fire the cycle of nature, and is itself set on fire by hell. For every species of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by the human species, but no one can tame the tongue—a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse those who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this ought not to be so. Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and brackish water? Can a fig tree, my brothers and sisters, yield olives, or a grapevine figs? No more can salt water yield fresh.

Who is wise and understanding among you? Show by your good life that your works are done with gentleness born of wisdom.

Worse than me?

Matthew 9:35-38

          I recall some former in-laws discussing on several occasions the good old days when they had gone out drinking and gotten wasted. Then they'd laugh because they had driven home and could not remember driving or how they made it home safe. I think they all had, unless there are some untold stories to be told. In any event they seemed to be fine and made light of the matter. There are others who have done the very same thing and they wound up killing an innocent person or an entire family.  They wind up with a tortured memory and perhaps some serious jail time.  Is the person who escaped and got home safely while driving drunk any better than the person who made the same poor decision but paid the enormous price of death and guilt? It's a mystery I have pondered my entire life. It goes along with how two seemingly similar people with similar backgrounds and experiences can wind up going in two totally different directions. Again, mystery.

            It is the height of arrogance to think we get what we deserve or are better than others because we are not so afflicted as someone else. We have all made poor decisions, made sometimes horrible mistakes, placed ourselves or others at risk.   Do we pay with our lives? A straight guy who cruises the local watering hole for a one night stand and winds up getting AIDs, is that fair?  How many people have done that and escaped with nothing but a hangover or a less lethal social disease.  Is the person who escaped better than the person who was not so lucky?

            We like to forget our mistakes, miscalculations and the episodes where we were very lucky to escape unharmed. When we forget or place it out of our minds I think many people also like to think they are in some way better than the unlucky ones.  

            Where is the empathy? Where is the compassion? We love to see people get their comeuppance but truth be told, if we each got what was coming to us we'd all be in really, really bad shape.  We seem to think whatever 'our sin' was,  it is less serious that what someone else did. 

            God loves us all and considers us all to be brothers and sisters. How can we treat our brothers and sisters less than we would like to be loved ourselves? In fact God loves "them" at least as much as God loves you, warts and all. 

           What are the illnesses, mistakes and sins that we look down on others for?  We are all sinners. We are also all equally loved by God. I just think I needed to remind myself of that and thought maybe some other people might need to be reminded of it also.

          Just remember how loved we all are. Smile and love.

    

Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and curing every disease and every sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few; therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into his harvest.’

Smelly stinky

John 13:12-17

         So, what do you think is the worst part of your body? It is a bit amusing that what you might consider the worst, smelly, dirty part, is a focal point or a fetish of another. I'm not talking gay community here, no one is immune.  Food fetishes were around as long as, say, the oldest profession. 

         Foot fetishes aside, I don't think there is anyone who deems feet the cleanest most desirable part of the body. Stinky, smelly, subject to fungus and horrible abuses all the time. From the locker room to high heals, feet take a beating. It was also so back in the day, you now, in Jesus' time. 

         There were no Merrell hiking shoes, hiking boots, exotic sneakers or Doc Martens. Sandals were the order of the day and the roads were dusty, dirty and smelly.  You can see why it was a custom to wash your feet, perhaps even more than your hands, when arriving at your destination.

         As feet were so dirty you can imagine there was no greater submission of service than to wash the feet of someone else. This might be especially true for a man in a male dominated society. Yet in today's passage Jesus does just that. It is memorialized every Holy Thursday in many a Christian congregation. Usually the volunteers to have their feet washed are scant because we have this very low opinion of feet. But Jesus did it as a sign of service and subservience.  The new Pope of the Roman church broke  shattered tradition when he washed the feet of the unworthy and non-traditional choices. What hope! What service!

          I started this by asking what is the worst part of the body?  Can we conceive of taking care of someone else in such a way that we might have to, or offer to serve them, by taking care of 'that part'?  If you were called to, would you change your parents' diapers if they were old and so in need?  We like to think of service and even putting ourselves second or last as a nice thing to do. We seldom think we may be called upon to do something that seems  really subservient, maybe even something that seems demeaning. Yet, we elevate Mother Theresa for doing all that and more.

           Jesus took on all the social and cultural mores by lowering himself to wash the feet of his disciples, his friends. How can we offer to serve? Can we lower ourselves to elevate someone else? Just some thoughts about stinky, smelly body parts. 

After he had washed their feet, had put on his robe, and had returned to the table, he said to them, ‘Do you know what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord—and you are right, for that is what I am. So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have set you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you. Very truly, I tell you, servants are not greater than their master, nor are messengers greater than the one who sent them. If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.

Dimmed bulbs

Luke 8:16-21

          In the discussion with my 87 years old  friend the other day, we actually discussed the self loathing and hiding people do to be part of an organized religion. Rather than be who they are and be proud of who they are, they hide who they are, how they feel. They subvert their opinions and feelings, even beliefs. In other words, they hide their light under a bushel basket of secrecy ( my words and the words of scripture, not his ).

          I note how easy it is to hide your light in the Catholic church. Whether you are a Priest who is gay, a parishioner who practices birth control or who is divorced or remarried, there is no one checking at the door for doctrinal purity. I think it's safe to say the church is largely full of silent dissenters, clergy included.  The only exception are those that are openly gay and not willing to suppress their affection. I'm not talking necking in the pews but simple holding hands or a hug. These things seem to offend doctrinal sensibilities as if they were acts of violence against God instead of signs of legitimate human affection and love.

         
       The act of  hiding who we are no matter what our differences are is depriving the church of the richness of God's creation. The richness of life and love, failure to love and honest human mistakes  ( like a bad marriage ) cannot help the church because it is all hidden, subverted and denied.

        There is something inherently wrong with hiding who you are. If you  are gay, you should make every effort to let your light shine. Hiding who you are is harmful and frankly exactly what this passage is arguing against. Let your light shine. Pride in who you are makes God smile.

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 

Religious self respect

Acts 19:1-10

           I had the pleasure of speaking with a learned and wise 87 year old last evening. We spent quite some time covering a wide range of topics that included religion. He shared about his search for being holy and faithful which had taken him away from organized religion. He found fault with many of the man made policies and rules and embraced the essence of what religions are. You can see why I was so captivated by him. He loves his family, is honest, compassionate and tries to never lie or cheat. He is a model. I am sure that when he meets his maker which he admits is not too far away, he will be embraced as a truly holy and beloved child.

             I am reminded of this man's journey and my own when I read the line of passage When some stubbornly refused to believe and spoke evil of the Way before the congregation, he left them, taking the disciples with him.. It is difficult for me to understand now why there are people who clearly do not or cannot live up to some of the rules and rubrics of the faith they were born into, and yet they stay. These people stay with no small amount of self loathing, embracing what some would call the "bells and smells" as if that were the comforting essence of faith. 

             It seems fundamentally wrong to not use the brains God gave us and embrace some kind of voo doo religion that discards the message of The Way for rules that I'm not sure even Jesus could imagine. I am sure that if Jesus were here today he'd be railing against the Roman Catholic Church as much as he did against the Pharisees.

            As this passage relates and I think is the only true solution, it is to leave the church for a more honest church. For me that is the Episcopal church. As an Episcopalian I can acknowledge my faults, repent, love and not hide and feel guilty about who I am. In the Roman church I would have scads of strikes against me, divorced, gay, married again ( to the man of my dreams come true ). I find many of the rules and dogmas of the Roman church highly suspect. From divorce and birth control to women Priests. I find it sadly comical how a church can rail against being gay  or monogamous gay relations while such a high percentage of Priests are gay and clearly not celibate. Heck I find celibacy highly suspect. It is wholly unnatural. I will be generous and not mention child abuse and all the cover ups. 

          Can anyone with an ounce of self respect and half a brain stay in the Roman church as it constitutes itself? There are other churches that historically are equally if not more valid than the Roman church. Why stay and have to beat yourself up? 

          I suppose in a way this a discussion against organized religion. My elderly friend found that was his solution. It is sad in a way that organized religions can do that to a person and stunting their joyful soul. I argue against anything that stunts the true message of Christ and embraces man made rules over love and intelligence.

While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul passed through the inland regions and came to Ephesus, where he found some disciples. He said to them, ‘Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers?’ They replied, ‘No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.’ Then he said, ‘Into what then were you baptized?’ They answered, ‘Into John’s baptism.’ Paul said, ‘John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, in Jesus.’ On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. When Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied—altogether there were about twelve of them.

He entered the synagogue and for three months spoke out boldly, and argued persuasively about the kingdom of God. When some stubbornly refused to believe and spoke evil of the Way before the congregation, he left them, taking the disciples with him, and argued daily in the lecture hall of Tyrannus. This continued for two years, so that all the residents of Asia, both Jews and Greeks, heard the word of the Lord.

Not my Joey!

Luke 3:15-22

         When my children were very young I had a babysitter that lasted one single day. Her job was to get the kids ready for school and see them to the bus, I would get them off the bus. I came home a bit early to find food coloring all over the house. When my kids got off the bus, the interrogations began. No one fessed up (even to this day!). I decided to call the sitter whose number was pasted to the refrigerator. Alas, there was a note "your children are devil children, I am never coming back!".  She never did return, never returned a call, never returned for even that single days' pay. OMG! Suddenly I had visions of the mass murderer whose mother proclaims 'not my Joey, he's such a good boy'. Were my children devil children? Had I deluded myself?  When I met people in a store and they said 'soo you're their dad', had they meant I was the parent of the evil seeds?  I called everyone I knew, teachers, family, neighbors, clergy, all confirmed they were wonderful children. Children? Yes. Devil children?  No.

         In today's passage the moment of Jesus' baptism by John is captured. The skies open up and the voice of God is heard, You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.’ Would any of us feel any different about our own child?  Further, do you realize that God feels that way about every single one of us? It's true.

        Some of us may be a bit blinded and think our kids are too good or that they can't do anything wrong. That is not true. Being loved unconditionally and totally does not mean you cannot or have not done something wrong. I am not here to preach fire and brimstone and tell anyone they are going to hell in a hand basket. What I would and do preach is the unconditional love of God.

       God sees the innate goodness in all of us even if we have done something wrong. God loves us always, unconditionally and forever. The love the 'blind' parent has for their little cherubic 'Joey' who is hell on wheels is mirrored by that love God has. The parent sees beyond the bad stuff, the miss steps and wrong turns and sees the goodness inside and the potential.  God too looks beyond some of our weakest moments and sees how truly wonderful we are.

        God always see us a children, beloved and is well pleased with what we try to do, even when we may fail. We ARE beloved children of God.

As the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah, John answered all of them by saying, ‘I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing-fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing-floor and to gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.’

So, with many other exhortations, he proclaimed the good news to the people. But Herod the ruler, who had been rebuked by him because of Herodias, his brother’s wife, and because of all the evil things that Herod had done, added to them all by shutting up John in prison.

Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heaven was opened, and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, ‘You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.’

Some Bible Q and A

Luke 1:1-4, 3:1-14

          You may be aware of the variety of thoughts that go through my mind at times. It's akin to when I find my  husband talking to himself, he says there "a lot of people in there". Of course he's joking. I think. My thoughts today are legion as I read about Luke's intent to set down 'on paper' an account of Jesus' life. It begs me to ask some interesting questions that I would like to pose to you.  So I am going to simply write down these questions for you to research and think about and perhaps learn from. Perhaps you may come away with a healthier and more robust faith.

Q.    Are there only the 4 Gospels? Are there any others?  ( like the Gospel of Thomas or Mary? )

Q.    Of the 4 Gospels we are most familiar with, who wrote them ? ( hint: it was not Matthew, Mark,
        or Luke. Maybe John )

Q.    What accounts for the similar stories in some of the Gospels ?

Q.     When were the Gospels written ?

Q.     Are there any other, non religious accounts of the life of Jesus ?

Q.     What were the original texts of the New Testament and stories of Jesus' life written in ?
         ( hint: it was not Greek, Latin or English )

Q.     How come some Bibles have more "books" than others ?

Q.     There are so many translations of the Bible with different words for the same passages, which
         one is correct?

Q.    Did Jesus say anything about homosexuality ? 
        ( hint: the word wasn't invented until the 1800's )

Q.     Are there any references to gay people or couples in scripture ?
         ( hint:  Ruth and Naomi;  David and Jonathan; the Centurion and his "dear slave" )

Q.     Is there a fundamental message that is consistent throughout scripture?

The answer is, love. Scripture is a  rather realistic and sometimes unflattering collection of books about  humans and their relationship with God who loves them dearly. No matter what we yearn for our destiny, our creator.

         Certainly an unusual blog entry but questions that I ave come to answer and have helped me grow in understanding and faith. 

Since many have undertaken to set down an orderly account of the events that have been fulfilled among us, just as they were handed on to us by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word, I too decided, after investigating everything carefully from the very first, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, so that you may know the truth concerning the things about which you have been instructed. 

In the fifteenth year of the reign of Emperor Tiberius, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was ruler of Galilee, and his brother Philip ruler of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias ruler of Abilene, during the high-priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness. He went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah,‘The voice of one crying out in the wilderness:
“Prepare the way of the Lord,
   make his paths straight. 
Every valley shall be filled,
   and every mountain and hill shall be made low,
and the crooked shall be made straight,
   and the rough ways made smooth; 
and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.” ’

 John said to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, ‘You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruits worthy of repentance. Do not begin to say to yourselves, “We have Abraham as our ancestor”; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. Even now the axe is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.’

And the crowds asked him, ‘What then should we do?’ In reply he said to them, ‘Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none; and whoever has food must do likewise.’ Even tax-collectors came to be baptized, and they asked him, ‘Teacher, what should we do?’He said to them, ‘Collect no more than the amount prescribed for you.’Soldiers also asked him, ‘And we, what should we do?’ He said to them, ‘Do not extort money from anyone by threats or false accusation, and be satisfied with your wages.’

Can you kerfuffle?

James 1:19-27

            It is a rather gloomy morning. The sky is overcast with shades of dark gray and bluish gray. The ocean and sky seem to blend in as one. There are a few hints of brightness in the clouds and a strand of reddish blue standing out as if the sky was a marble counter top with streaks of pinks and reds running through like accent colors. I looks  somber, the sun is trying very hard to make an appearance.  It makes me feel dark too. This may also be because I witnessed a kerfuffle last evening.

          I  can hear Judge Judy as clear as day, "put on your listening ears"! Our lives sometimes seem to be the antithesis of this passage, we are slow to listen and quick to speak. When people get angry over something there is a whole dynamic set up that often precludes clear thought. Appearances,, assumptions and past prejudices all take center stage. You not only are angry over a current alleged slight but also dredging up past slights, arguments and hurts. Our penchant of speaking more and listening less makes that dynamic even worse. We seem more interested in firing our next verbal shot and making our fatal blow than really listening to what the other person is saying and responding. God forbid we should wait to respond.

          The idea of two ears and only one mouth is crucial. For an argument to be truly fruitful ( and they can be ), we not only have to hear, really hear, what the other party is saying but also listen to the emotion, the posture and all the other means we have at our disposal to truly listen. Arguments are more than hurtful words. As my wonderful father in law often says, there is the story and then there is the real story. In arguments, there is the subject and then there is often another real subject underlying.  It's like when someone is rude to you but they were really reacting to an incident that happened to them earlier. Arguing is often the same. What are you really arguing about? Only through candid discussion and true listening will you figure it out. 

           If you really listen instead of firing off those verbal shots, you may find an argument can bring better understanding and closeness.

          Assuming good faith among people, I sometimes feel this process would be good with the warring parties of issues such as marriage equality and LGBTQ rights. Wait, let me go further, how about the warring factions of our own government? How about warring factions in the world?

          One thing I do know is key, listening is more important than speaking. So, put on your listening ears. 

You must understand this, my beloved: let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger; for your anger does not produce God’s righteousness. Therefore rid yourselves of all sordidness and rank growth of wickedness, and welcome with meekness the implanted word that has the power to save your souls.

But be doers of the word, and not merely hearers who deceive themselves. For if any are hearers of the word and not doers, they are like those who look at themselves in a mirror; for they look at themselves and, on going away, immediately forget what they were like.But those who look into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and persevere, being not hearers who forget but doers who act—they will be blessed in their doing.

If any think they are religious, and do not bridle their tongues but deceive their hearts, their religion is worthless. Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world. 

'The unknown God'

Acts 17:16-34

            You may have read this before but I lived for almost fifty years with a void in my life. That's not to say I did not love. It's not t say I was not loved. It is not to say I did not live life to the full, as best I could. Still, there was a void in my life and I did not know what it was.  I tried to fill that void with my search and longing for God. I was truly blessed my entire life but I do recall one specific weekend away that particularly insightful. It was a Cursillo weekend. On that weekend when I was about 16 I came to know in my heart and every fiber of my being that God loves me.  The journey to find my void was still there but I knew that God was with me always. I knew God loves me. I know that Jesus willingly died for me.

             After my ordination, one of the fruits was the growing awareness that I was gay. Even though I still could not really put my finger on it the awareness was coming into my consciousness. Friends helped, prayers helped and most of all, a good therapist helped.  I cannot express in words the joy and sense of wholeness I felt when I uttered the words to myself  (out loud ) "I am gay". Fantastic. Wonderful. Blessed.  Being gay is a gift, it is a lens with which I see the world. It is a way in which I love the world and other people, not in sexual way but my gayness is a part of my expression of love for everyone.  Is it emotional? Sensitive? Empathetic? Perhaps all and more but it is an integral part of who I am and I am blessed all the more for it.

          That void of 50 years was filled. For many and even myself, it could have been "the unknown God". In truth though, while the magnitude of realizing I am gay was life changing, it is simply a part of who I am. It is not the end of the journey. Being gay does not say it all about me or anyone else.  It is integral but not a total description of who I am. Considering the magnitude of the discovery, I could have easily thought it was that "unknown God".  The unknown God to me is still God, the God of Abraham and Mohammed, the God who gave his son to us as a willing sacrifice for our sins, Jesus the Christ.  

         In the never ending revelation and discovery of God's infinite love, being gay is merely a part of the gift that God imparts to me and to us.  The revelations and extent of God's love for us is so pervasive and so boundless, so infinite, the unknown God is the mystery of the love we still have to live and discover, the growth we have yet to live and grow from. God is present, God is mystery, God is love and always a bit unknown. But thank God for that part of me that is revealed in my gayness and the expression of His infinite love in me. 

While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was deeply distressed to see that the city was full of idols. So he argued in the synagogue with the Jews and the devout persons, and also in the market-place every day with those who happened to be there. Also some Epicurean and Stoic philosophers debated with him. Some said, ‘What does this babbler want to say?’ Others said, ‘He seems to be a proclaimer of foreign divinities.’ (This was because he was telling the good news about Jesus and the resurrection.) So they took him and brought him to the Areopagus and asked him, ‘May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting? It sounds rather strange to us, so we would like to know what it means.’ Now all the Athenians and the foreigners living there would spend their time in nothing but telling or hearing something new.

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.’

When they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some scoffed; but others said, ‘We will hear you again about this.’ At that point Paul left them. But some of them joined him and became believers, including Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris, and others with them.

Greeting the Good News

Acts 17:1-15

           I would like to suggest, heretic that I sometimes am, that the Good News is much more than the words, life and teachings of Jesus Christ. I would argue that the Good News includes any human words that try to free people from the tyranny of sin. Any words that proclaim the spirit ( or Spirit ) of Jesus' life that let us know that all people are included, all people are beloved creations of the Father and that we must resist human conventions that have a will to power and suffer men to degrading lives, suffering and marginalization.

           As with today's scripture passage, the Good News was not and is still not always met with an open mind and heart.  People do their best it would seem to fight for the status quo. For some reason people seem horribly invested in being right. They cannot possibly be wrong.  In fact I think that many people believe that salvation and God's love is for a rather exclusive club. Newcomers and strangers need not apply.

            One of the many gifts Jesus ( and by extension the early church, Peter, Paul and even Mary ) was that love is not static. God's love is constantly expanding and never ending. God's love is boundless.

             But how are the proclaimers of the Good News received? In today's passage there were some Jews that followed Paul at great lengths to suppress the Good News. Throughout history people that proclaimed knowledge, love and inclusiveness were not always met with cheers. Think of Galileo. Think of Rosa Parks. Think of those who proclaim equality of all people under God. What about those that proclaimed women's rights. How was Rosa Parks greeted? What of those that proclaim gay rights and our equality, dignity and beloved status by God?  Many within churches are suppressed and punished for the Good News of salvation for all.  Today on the web I noted a story of a Baptist church that was being stripped of it's charter (?) because that congregation would not condemn marriage equality.

        The fight to proclaim the Good News often challenges but is truly valid when it proclaims Jesus' message of love, hope, forgiveness and inclusiveness.

After Paul and Silas had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. And Paul went in, as was his custom, and on three sabbath days argued with them from the scriptures, explaining and proving that it was necessary for the Messiah to suffer and to rise from the dead, and saying, ‘This is the Messiah, Jesus whom I am proclaiming to you.’ Some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a great many of the devout Greeks and not a few of the leading women. But the Jews became jealous, and with the help of some ruffians in the market-places they formed a mob and set the city in an uproar. While they were searching for Paul and Silas to bring them out to the assembly, they attacked Jason’s house. When they could not find them, they dragged Jason and some believers before the city authorities, shouting, ‘These people who have been turning the world upside down have come here also, and Jason has entertained them as guests. They are all acting contrary to the decrees of the emperor, saying that there is another king named Jesus.’ The people and the city officials were disturbed when they heard this, and after they had taken bail from Jason and the others, they let them go.

That very night the believers sent Paul and Silas off to Beroea; and when they arrived, they went to the Jewish synagogue. These Jews were more receptive than those in Thessalonica, for they welcomed the message very eagerly and examined the scriptures every day to see whether these things were so. Many of them therefore believed, including not a few Greek women and men of high standing. But when the Jews of Thessalonica learned that the word of God had been proclaimed by Paul in Beroea as well, they came there too, to stir up and incite the crowds. Then the believers^* immediately sent Paul away to the coast, but Silas and Timothy remained behind. Those who conducted Paul brought him as far as Athens; and after receiving instructions to have Silas and Timothy join him as soon as possible, they left him.

What to do, what to do...

Luke 3:10-14

            My husband and I have discussed the possibility of us using the following scenarios to extricate ourselves from a bad or uncomfortable social situation. The more likely scenario has one of us imitating Darrin Steven's mother (from Bewitched). In the face of her confusion (usually from bewitchery), she says to her husband in a penetrating voice, "Frank, I have a sick headache". Then they leave.  The other scenario we call 'good gay, bad gay'. In this scenario one of us acts normal and the other acts like a bitchy queen making a scene. And then off we go. We have never used good gay, bad gay but it has an appeal to us.

             The idea of good gay, bad gay is what comes to mind from this reading. It seems to me that no matter what or who you are, you are called always to be that 'good gay' part. Well, if you are gay. Otherwise, be the good whomever or whatever you are. 

              That presupposes that you know who you are. I mean, we can spend our whole life finding out who we are. That may be the meaning of life. But overall the meaning and intent of this passage is to be the best at whatever and whomever you are.

             Being a tax collector was not to be an excuse to live up to others lowered expectations of what a tax collector was in Jesus' time.  Soldiers, even today are not meant to live up to the worst we could think of for a soldier to be but only the best. Decent, honest, obedient, honor bound.  If you are gay or any part of the LGBTQ rainbow, be the best you can be. There is no need or room for bitchy queens so to speak.  There is no need to live up to the worst stereotypes that some people claim for the gay community.

             In all things, no matter who you are, be loving, decent and faithful. It's really that simple.

And the crowds asked him, ‘What then should we do?’ In reply he said to them, ‘Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none; and whoever has food must do likewise.’ Even tax-collectors came to be baptized, and they asked him, ‘Teacher, what should we do?’ He said to them, ‘Collect no more than the amount prescribed for you.’ Soldiers also asked him, ‘And we, what should we do?’ He said to them, ‘Do not extort money from anyone by threats or false accusation, and be satisfied with your wages.’

SOP

Colossians 3:14-17

           What a lovely passage and yet so vague.  Somewhat like the two Great Commandments.  Just enough wiggle room to make you think and have to use your conscience.

           I was talking with a coworker today, a beautiful soul, she and I discussed standards. We were both unanimous that some standards should never be lowered. Then she had to run off to the O.R. and I had much work to catch up on. We didn't get to discuss it any deeper. But since then I have been thinking about standards that we have.

          God forgive us but wars have been fought over standards. Pro-life zealots have killed physicians over not lowering their standards over the ability of women to have abortions. (seems ironic doesn't it?) There are standards out there in religion-dom that yields things like Al-Qaida and ISIS or ISIL or whatever fanatical group is out their. It's our way or the highway and there is no room for discussion or lowering of whatever standards are set.

           When I took up residence with my friend (whom I eventually married) there was some discussion over space. He was a bachelor of 40+ years in a 2 bedroom condo with little storage. I was coming out of a 30 year marriage with a great deal of baggage (of every variety). On the practical side we were struggling. My car had 'stuff' in the back seat that might make it appear that I was actually living there. Clinging onto "my space" was not really an option and compromise seemed the order of the day. Whatever things were not negotiable,  space was not one of them. If his standard was such that his space was sacrosanct, it would be a problem. One of his old friends suggested that you would never risk losing the man of your dreams over closet space. So, space was negotiable, that standard could fall.

           I might at one time held to a standard that whomever I got involved with, they had to be a Christian. I fell in love with a wonderful Jewish boy (ok, man). Could I lower my standard?  If I fell in love with a hunky arabesque man with olive skin named Jesus, would he be ok?  Jesus was Jewish, yes?  I think if being a Christian was a standard, that would fall. And, if I have to say, my husband being Jewish has enriched my life and my faith in God all the more.

           There are standards and there are standards. Some that we might think are important could bare some looking at. Others that might seem trivial can become deal breakers. I'm not talking just personal relationships here. I am speaking of life, of the world. What are our standards? What are they based on? Are they based on truth, knowledge and love or are they arbitrary "wants" or ignorant stereotypes and misinformation?

           What are your thoughts on standards? What are yours? What can be lowered and what cannot?  If a standard leads you to have to kill or behave in a non-Christian or non-loving way, can it be any standard of value?  Who is the final arbiter of all things? What is the final arbiter of all things?

        The answer is God and Love.

           

Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; teach and admonish one another in all wisdom; and with gratitude in your hearts sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

The art of tearing down walls or never building them.

Acts 10:21-35

         This passage once again touches on the fact that God's love is so overwhelming, so inclusive, that it has extended to the gentiles and by extension, all of humanity.  In fact, another reading for today (Matthew 28:16-20), also speaks of the boundless message of love that Jesus offered us saying go therefore and make disciples of all nations. What this got me think about was how we as humans restrict the message that God offers us.

          Everyone, including myself, finds ways or reasons why someone is not worthy. In the beginning of the church, they were gentiles. All we have to do for ourselves is see who "they' are today. What walls have we erected to restrict God's message of love and inclusiveness?  At one time it might have been that 'they' were black, 'they' were indigenous peoples, 'they' were women and 'they' were Asians whose religion was judged barbaric. These are all human judgements for sure. There is no doubt in my mind that we are more than willing to erect even more personal walls against people when we find some perceived character flaw in someone we know or become aware of some mistake a person has made.  Surely 'they' cannot be saved. We have all manner of man made "well reasoned" excuses for putting limits on God's saving grace.  I have no doubts that many feel that by embracing being gay I am no longer worth saving. Or perhaps put in a better way, I must be redeemed before I am worthy.

         There is a flip side to this coin which I think we quite often overlook.  The other side of the coin, if you will, is easy to miss when you are erecting walls against others. That's because you really don't know the hearts of who 'they' are. 

          The flip side of the coin calls us to  search and open our minds to the beauty in everyone without any walls. Seeing goodness in every one of God's creations, fostering a respect and a sense of wonder at the variety and beauty in all of God's creations. You may not understand it all, but God's love is open to all and is expressed by all. That last part is key. We need to look past differences, look past prejudices and misunderstandings and then we, hopefully, prayerfully, will be able to see why God loves every one of his creations.  The ultimate goal is to see how God's boundless love is expressed by everyone, not just the ones we may have thought were worthy.

          

²¹So Peter went down to the men and said, ‘I am the one you are looking for; what is the reason for your coming?’ ²²They answered, ‘Cornelius, a centurion, an upright and God-fearing man, who is well spoken of by the whole Jewish nation, was directed by a holy angel to send for you to come to his house and to hear what you have to say.’ ²³So Peter^* invited them in and gave them lodging.

The next day he got up and went with them, and some of the believers^* from Joppa accompanied him. ²⁴The following day they came to Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends. ²⁵On Peter’s arrival Cornelius met him, and falling at his feet, worshipped him. ²⁶But Peter made him get up, saying, ‘Stand up; I am only a mortal.’ ²⁷And as he talked with him, he went in and found that many had assembled; ²⁸and he said to them, ‘You yourselves know that it is unlawful for a Jew to associate with or to visit a Gentile; but God has shown me that I should not call anyone profane or unclean. ²⁹So when I was sent for, I came without objection. Now may I ask why you sent for me?’

30 Cornelius replied, ‘Four days ago at this very hour, at three o’clock, I was praying in my house when suddenly a man in dazzling clothes stood before me. ³¹He said, “Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and your alms have been remembered before God. ³²Send therefore to Joppa and ask for Simon, who is called Peter; he is staying in the home of Simon, a tanner, by the sea.” ³³Therefore I sent for you immediately, and you have been kind enough to come. So now all of us are here in the presence of God to listen to all that the Lord has commanded you to say.’

34 Then Peter began to speak to them: ‘I truly understand that God shows no partiality, ³⁵but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.

The sign of the cross, lemons and gay rights.

1 Peter 3:17-22

          Life is pretty equal to everyone in some ways. No one is excluded from some of the crap of life. Money does not guarantee you will find true happiness and meaning in your life, no one is guaranteed to find their true love, that you won't get divorced, that you will be cancer free, that you won't get taken advantage of or any other malady that occurs in life.  The only things that you are guaranteed is the love of God and your ability to face any trials with a smile. How do you handle what comes your way?  Some people complain incessantly to the point you want to stick a hot poker in your ear. Some people face challenges with aplomb. Some people are given a lemon and they make lemonade. It's easier said than done but it is quite to the point. 

           If you are so afraid of loving that you will get hurt or be made a fool of, you are a sad sack indeed. You will always get hurt somehow and you may easily be made fun of but what better cause to get hurt in than to love? 

          Let's shake things up!  Today the church remembers the Holy Cross.  The cross that the Romans crucified Christ on, the cross that the Romans used as a threat, a sign of fear and to force obedience and submission is the sign we now use as Christians is a  sign of deliverance, hope, faith and a promise of eternal life. Now that is a turnaround!

          When I was a newly minted member of my statewide LGBTQ committee I was astounded to find out that the Q stood for more than questioning. That's what I always thought it meant. It turns out that there is a significant number that have it standing for queer. Queer is used as a badge of honor and even respect. People identify with queer even if it was used in my youth as a term of  denigration and something you just never wanted be called. In my LGBTQ prayer group we have discussed at length "queer theory". We are all "queer" in our own way and many people, myself included have come to realize that our differences and "queerness" should be accepted, celebrated and elevated.  

          Once again, what was considered bad is turned around.  To get hurt is bad but to get hurt for love? What better cause could there be?   Yesterday I officiate at the wedding of two good friends. There was a day not too many years ago when we (gays) were relegated to closets and back allies and dark bars. Now we have stepped into the light and have demanded dignity and you know what? We love like everyone else, we want our love recognized and yes, even sanctified. Wow what a turnaround.

           When life gives you lemons how do you embrace it? If there is a challenge or a roadblock, how do you handle it? We all have them, how do you handle it? I say embrace it , love it and learn from it.  Know in your hearts that the cross of fear is now the cross of celebration and hope. 

For it is better to suffer for doing good, if suffering should be God’s will, than to suffer for doing evil. For Christ also suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, in order to bring you to God. He was put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit, in which also he went and made a proclamation to the spirits in prison, who in former times did not obey, when God waited patiently in the days of Noah, during the building of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight people, were saved through water. And baptism, which this prefigured, now saves you—not as a removal of dirt from the body, but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers made subject to him.

Like a cancer

Matthew 5:21-26

    

          I had a neighbor who died not too long ago. She seemed to be a very pleasant person. She was concerned for others, she prayed and seemed very likable. I enjoyed seeing her and chatting from time to time.  One day I witnessed a rather wicked display of vitriol coming from her, it was directed at another neighbor. It seemed out of character. I would hate to be judged on a moment of weakness or when I was on my worst behaviour. I am not sure if it was coincidence or not but right after I witnessed that event she found out she had cancer. It was a battle that she quickly lost.

         I often wonder the effects of malicious intent, failure to love, failure to forgive and hate on ourselves. I firmly believe that hate hurts us more than the objects of the hate. I actually wish the word hate could be eliminated from the world's vocabulary. Hate is a downright evil thing. The effect on the haters themselves cannot be minimized.  I think we know that unresolved issues of almost any kind fester within us and actually grow larger. Perhaps they loom larger than they are but they are like a cancer.

         "Like a cancer" is a good analogy because all the negative things in life that we hold in and let fester in our hearts and minds predisposes us to other bad things in life like cancer.  Negativity seems like a good growth media within ourselves for a whole array of bad things. Cancer would be pretty darn bad but in reality we also risk our eternal souls by bombarding ourselves and our very nature with negativity.

         Jesus was quite clear about loving others, loving ourselves and loving God. These two great commandments supersede the law. Today's passage solidifies that concept. Thaw shall not kill is not simply about taking physical life. It about destruction and damaging our very souls, hurting people by hateful actions and speech. You can kill someone's soul. You can kill your own soul by those same hateful actions or speech. That's why I say to live the two Great commandments is really more challenging than simply obeying the ten commandments with strictness or narrow focus. 

         The idea of brutally honest self reflection is highlighted in today's passage. The damage we do and the 'stuff' we harbour in our own hearts is damaging all around. Before you come before God we need to forgive and forget, we need to love more and never ever hate. We need to forgive ourselves and forgive others before we head to the altar to say how much we love you God. Coming to the table with hate for others, even ourselves is hypocrisy.

         Perhaps a bit preachy but we need to get rid of hate and negativity. We need to fight against it within ourselves and within the world by love, genuine love.

      Love yourself. Love others. Love God.

          I 

‘You have heard that it was said to those of ancient times, “You shall not murder”; and “whoever murders shall be liable to judgement.” But I say to you that if you are angry with a brother or sister, you will be liable to judgement; and if you insult a brother or sister, you will be liable to the council; and if you say, “You fool”, you will be liable to the hell of fire. So when you are offering your gift at the altar, if you remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother or sister, and then come and offer your gift. Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are on the way to court with him, or your accuser may hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you will be thrown into prison. Truly I tell you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny.

I love gay weddings

1 Corinthians 12:31-13:7

          I was at a rehearsal dinner last night for a wedding I am going to officiate at today. I knew virtually no one except for the grooms. We sat with a very pleasant couple and as often happens with me, the subject gravitates to religion and spirituality. This couple presented themselves as a mixed marriage, he Roman Catholic, she Lutheran. The same situation as the grooms in fact. As we get older I think we begin to realize what the really important stuff of life is. Consequently our image of what religion is (or is not) changes.

          No matter what restrictions a religion places on it's faithful, the overriding rule and the foundation of all religions is love. This passage is probably on of the most famous and easily quoted in Scripture for that very reason.

          But we begin to think that religion is all about the rules. Had this been a Roman Catholic wedding, three quarters of the guests would not be welcome for Communion even if they identified themselves as Christian and lived exemplary lives. At one time, not very long ago, even had the couple been heterosexual there would not be a Catholic wedding become one spouse was not Roman Catholic.  As it is, the fact that there are two grooms excludes them from a whole variety of churches that would very likely deny them outright or try to stone them. 

           This is sort of where I come in. With no particular allegiance to any formal religion*, I lean heavily on the aspect of love in a rather conservative way. I believe strongly in the two great commandments and I believe love is the foundation and arbiter of all decisions. Here we have a couple who have been together for 20+ years. The have lived in a committed, monogamous relationship and live out the Gospel message in the lives they lead.  Committed, loving, monogamous? I think that's pretty conservative.  So there I will be, later today, leading a ceremony blessing the commitment of these two souls who have found true love in each other and want nothing more than to express such in front of witnesses, family and friends alike. They are choosing to make legal, what has been a de-facto marriage for two decades.  What a joyous celebration of love. 

            These two guys exemplify today's passage and I am sure God will be smiling even more than I will. Mazel Tov!

* Although I am formally an Episcopalian and they would welcome two grooms - if at least one of them were of the Episcopal faith.

But strive for the greater gifts. And I will show you a still more excellent way.

If I speak in the tongues of mortals and of angels, but do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give away all my possessions, and if I hand over my body so that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Hopeless?

Titus 1:7-9

          The summer before I entered the seminary we were told to read a book, a text, called the History of the Catholic church. It was fascinating reading. Much of it was not sugar coated as I suspected it would be but pulled no punches in the representations of the some of the Church's more unflattering affairs.  I had no problem really dissociating the events from the distant past from the enlightened times in which we live.  I gobbled it all up. The only problem for me arose when the string of unflattering affairs started to encroach on modern history.  Preaching that indigenous people didn't have souls or that slavery was justified and Biblically sanctioned was very problematic for me. At least there was a moment I chuckled at when I read that a Pope had pronounced that suspension bridges were evil and of the devil.  It was clear to me that the church was as flawed as any human except they portrayed themselves as having some Godly righteousness that gave them the ok to act in any way they saw fit.

           The last decade has seen an enormous amount of Bishops, including the Bishop of Rome who have aided and abetted pedophilia, lies and coverups at the hands of priests and at the expense of the victims and their families.  There seems to be no area immune from the religious rot that infests the Roman Catholic Church. Even Papal banking is infected by Mafioso.  Still, Pope Francis seems to be a good and decent man with a good heart and true faith. It seems a miracle he was elected to lead such a rotten crew.  Perhaps we should not expect more of Bishops who are clearly intensely human. If it only weren't for the fact that they try to set themselves up so high up on a pedestal, arrogant and self righteous.

            Today I read a story in the news about a young man, a boy of 16 actually, who committed suicide in Bogota after he was outed and harassed by Catholic school officials there.  The ignorance and lack of love was rampant. Sadly it is not just the Roman Catholics but a whole array of religions, politicians and even nations that forsake the Gospel message of love for hate, misinformation and scapegoating. I won't even mention forsaking scientific knowledge. The ignorance is legion.

             What happens in the world and especially a church, any church when tradition trumps the true message of the Gospel? Where is the love, the inclusiveness, forgiveness, sound Biblical exegesis and good Biblical scholarship? Where is the Holy Spirit?   Is it a blasphemy when a church abandons the Holy Spirit and denies the message that Jesus so ardently and richly lived for us?  

              How long will we endure the machinations of the ministers and clergy that inspire hate, misunderstanding and war?   I don't ask because I have any answer. I only feel sadness when I read today's Scripture passage and find church leadership so lacking and that fail to live up to what a Bishop should truly be. Someone please help me understand. Someone please help me to have a reason to hope that we as humans and we as a catholic church (small "c") will fully embrace the Gospel message. 

     A time to pray in humbleness and pray for forgiveness. 

For a bishop, as God’s steward, must be blameless; he must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or addicted to wine or violent or greedy for gain; but he must be hospitable, a lover of goodness, prudent, upright, devout, and self-controlled. He must have a firm grasp of the word that is trustworthy in accordance with the teaching, so that he may be able both to preach with sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict it.

First Vatican Council

Acts 15:1-11

           I am not a Biblical scholar and the history of the Church that I know is from 20 years of Catholic school which included 3 years in the Seminary.  Having said that, it has not stopped me from commenting on passages as the Spirit moves me. The messages from Scripture are always personal and timely. What I read twenty years ago may have a different message for me tomorrow. There are some constants and facts that can be gleaned though aside from personal direction and messages from God.

          Here we have what amounted to the very first 'Vatican Counci'. Of course the Vatican hadn't even been invented yet, formed or even thought of. This might better be considered the Council of Jerusalem. The import far exceeds that of Vatican II that most people see as a breath of fresh air to the church even if the windows have been systematically closed ever since.

          Jesus was a Jew and his Apostles were devout Jews. Perhaps they were not Pharisees or Sadducee's. Perhaps some were Essenes.  Perhaps Judas was not the only Sicarii member in Jesus' band of followers. While all that is great fodder for intriguing thought, the fact is they were all Jews. Here we have salvation being opened to the Gentiles and the arguments that were made on each side of this 'discussion' is simply highlighted here. I suspect it was a battle royal.

           Some of the same arguments that I would use to engender inclusiveness, especially of the LGBTQ people of today are highlighted right here.  Whether the tendency to argue of minutia may be a human condition that we will always have to bear, the message of Jesus is love. Jesus' life of inclusiveness is well known from scripture. While some of it may seem almost normal for us today, in His time he was a radical and a rebel.  It is no wonder he was killed. Jesus human life may have ended but the love he professed is still alive today. So we say "Jesus is risen!". The Spirit is as alive today as it was when it landed as tongues of fire on Pentecost and again when it inspired the new Church to include gentiles because the Spirit of God, the love of God told them it was right. It was the loving thing to do.

             A book I read several years ago, God vs. Gay, highlighted a simple tool for deciding what is of God or not. When making a decision, such as marriage equality lets say, the balance should always go to love.  When deciding about passages of scripture, which position falls in line with the saving grace, enthusiastic and all embracing love of God? The answer will always defer to love, not hate, not divisiveness, not arrogance or anything that is even remotely wrong or evil.  Perhaps it would be a good time to review 1 Corinthians 13. 

            That first Vatican Council if you will, was all about the Spirit alive, love and the all embracing love of our Creator. Back then gentiles, today LGBTQ. Amen

Then certain individuals came down from Judea and were teaching the brothers, ‘Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.’ And after Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and debate with them, Paul and Barnabas and some of the others were appointed to go up to Jerusalem to discuss this question with the apostles and the elders. So they were sent on their way by the church, and as they passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, they reported the conversion of the Gentiles, and brought great joy to all the believers. When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and the elders, and they reported all that God had done with them. But some believers who belonged to the sect of the Pharisees stood up and said, ‘It is necessary for them to be circumcised and ordered to keep the law of Moses.’

The apostles and the elders met together to consider this matter. After there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them, ‘My brothers, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you, that I should be the one through whom the Gentiles would hear the message of the good news and become believers. And God, who knows the human heart, testified to them by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as he did to us; and in cleansing their hearts by faith he has made no distinction between them and us. Now therefore why are you putting God to the test by placing on the neck of the disciples a yoke that neither our ancestors nor we have been able to bear? On the contrary, we believe that we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they will.’