All welcome my beloved ones

       Among the many judgments we render here on earth, we choose whom we deem to be worthy.  We already know that God's justice and who is worthy is not always, or rarely, is what we would decide. It calls to mind for me my time in Seminary.  The judgments began before I entered with who would be 'accepted' into the Pastoral Formation Institute, then who would be accepted into the Diaconal program and eventually who would be ordained. It seemed like somewhat of an elite group even if there was to be quite a mix of different people.  There were railroad conductors, brick layers, cops, teachers, pharmacists, the list was quite broad of who was judged worthy.

          After ordination, I myself was laicised after coming out and daring to establish a loving family with another man. I believe the exact phrase was that I had "attempted to marry another gentleman".  But who chose who here?  The church (Roman) proper had chosen to ordain me. They had already excluded several individuals along the way. I had made the cut. Did I not choose also?  I chose to say yes to the church or to God? In the end, I believe it is God who chose me and it was I that said yes to God. In that sense, I find it highly unusual that the Church Roman can dismiss what God has chosen. I am a Deacon.

       Our lives are full of acceptances and denials, judgments and entrance fees of all sorts. Love, work, play, clubs, associations. Are you worthy? You might have your doubts and that seems incredibly sad to me. We sometimes abdicate our rights and our divine heritage given by God. No one has the authority to withdraw Gods judgment that we are beloved and uniquely created by Her. No one can take that away. It is often on us to realize our own dignity and stand up out and proud, whether you are gay or not.  Simply being whom you are as God is calling you, knowing in your heart and soul and every fiber of your being that God loves you and calls you is important to realize.  No person, no church, no government can take that away from you.

       It is not surprising that the Word, The Way was opened to Gentiles.  Just as God's very nature insisted that He become human to share in our existence, so too it is God's nature to love with reckless abandon all of her creations from the smallest flower to the grandest animals, from mesons to mountains.

        Are you worthy? Are you called to love in God's name?

         

Acts 15:12-21

 The whole assembly kept silence, and listened to Barnabas and Paul as they told of all the signs and wonders that God had done through them among the Gentiles. After they finished speaking, James replied, ‘My brothers, listen to me. Simeon has related how God first looked favourably on the Gentiles, to take from among them a people for his name. This agrees with the words of the prophets, as it is written, 
“After this I will return,
and I will rebuild the dwelling of David, which has fallen;
   from its ruins I will rebuild it,
     and I will set it up, 
so that all other peoples may seek the Lord—
   even all the Gentiles over whom my name has been called.
     Thus says the Lord, who has been making these things known from long ago.” 
Therefore I have reached the decision that we should not trouble those Gentiles who are turning to God, but we should write to them to abstain only from things polluted by idols and from fornication and from whatever has been strangled and from blood. For in every city, for generations past, Moses has had those who proclaim him, for he has been read aloud every sabbath in the synagogues.’