Our Gay Sympathizer

        One of the things I have often said at a wake service is just how much Jesus sympathizes with us. Jesus know precisely how we feel, He has been there and more than once. As  completely human we catch of glimpse of the sorrow He felt when he is told of the death of his good friend Lazarus.  More than that, Jesus was a Jewish son saying goodbye to his mother from the cross. Can you imagine how excruciating that must have been?  The last supper I imagine was not picnic either, no matter how good the cook was. Jesus was saying goodbye to his closest friends, people whom he loved, depended on and shared daily life with. They broke bread and undoubtedly shared a fair amount of wine together.

            Today's passage says it all. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who in every respect has been tested as we are, yet without sin.

           People often get lost in the Divinity of Jesus but there is an enormous amount to be said about his humanity even if we only really have snippets of information about him before age 33. The fact is Jesus was a human being fully engaged in life and his humanity. He had feelings. He had the same feelings as we have. To my LGBTQ brethren, I would be remiss not to note that it was a young John who layed his head on Jesus' chest at the last supper. It is John who proclaims himself "the disciple whom Jesus loved".  I am sure all the disciples felt that Jesus loved them but the words from John are quite striking.  Didn't Jesus hand the responsibilities of son to Mary at the foot of the cross? Did not Jesus tell Mary "this is your son".   Perhaps even in the human relation of same sex attraction, well known even in Jesus' time, was not something foreign to our saviour. Was Jesus gay? I have to say, a single thirty three year old Jewish man would raise some eyebrows even today. 

         I would remind you if you have never heard me note it before, a most excellent book about Jesus, definitely blasphemous but it has a great heart and touches some really good concepts.  If you have a good sense of humor and appreciate Jesus in his humanity, even a contrived  vision of his humanity, I suggest you read The Gospel according to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal.

       The point here is not whether Jesus was gay or not, or any specifics of his young life, the point is the depth of human emotions that Jesus felt. Jesus knew full well what it was to be human. Jesus fully sympathized with us in every way. EVERY way.

        It might be easy to get lost in some ultra religious Divine vision of Jesus who will save us and it would be true to an extent but it is also completely true that Jesus was as fully human as you or I.  We are blessed to have or savior knows full well every intricacy and intimacy of human life because he was one of us.

      For our heavenly sympathizer, lover and fully human savior, we give thanks and pray.

Hebrews 4:14-5:6

Since, then, we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who in every respect has been tested as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Every high priest chosen from among mortals is put in charge of things pertaining to God on their behalf, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. He is able to deal gently with the ignorant and wayward, since he himself is subject to weakness; and because of this he must offer sacrifice for his own sins as well as for those of the people. And one does not presume to take this honour, but takes it only when called by God, just as Aaron was.

So also Christ did not glorify himself in becoming a high priest, but was appointed by the one who said to him,
‘You are my Son,
   today I have begotten you’; 
as he says also in another place,
‘You are a priest for ever,
   according to the order of Melchizedek.’

The blemish of worry warts

       I don't know how the expression started but I am sure you have heard it. Don't be a "worry wart" , or he or she is a worry wart. Not a particularly picturesque expression. Perhaps the idea of a 'wart' is supposed to help us realize that worrying is like a little blemish and unwanted growth 'on us' that we really could, perhaps should live without. Better to cut it off.

      Today's passage notes the futility of worrying. It also reminds me again of the Our Father of which I spoke yesterday. There is still time to be present to those words. Today I might focus on "Give us this day our daily bread". 

       It is an interesting paradigm to know that everything we have is dependent on God.  God loves us and will take care of us. I wouldn't want you to think that God actually supplies a feast for you because what has God provided for the poor then?  We as humans have a warped way of looking at blessings sometimes. We make judgments about how God blesses us. Are we more blessed if we have more money than someone else? Are we more blessed because we live in a nation that consumes more than most other nations combined and squanders resources into oblivion? How are we blessed?  How we love to make judgments, quantify and label things.

       Can we just simply "be"? Can we live and love knowing that no matter what, like the Raven, we will be taken care of? Just live, love and know we are taken of. Trust in God that our daily bread in some form will be provided.

       I am reminded of the 'sending forth' that Jesus made. Instructions were set forth in Matthew 9-10:  Do not get any gold or silver or copper to take with you in your belts, no bag for the journey or extra shirt or sandals or a staff, for the worker is worth his keep. God will provide. A worker is worth his keep? Are we not loved? Will not God take care of us? If we place our trust in God and do the best we can, will we be abandoned?

      Give us this day our bread is less a question than a statement of faith and trust in God. 

      So what is it that we should worry about?  Get rid of the blemish of "worry warts", remind yourself of the faith and trust we have in God, knowing we are loved beyond measure.

       

Luke 12:22-31

He said to his disciples, ‘Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat, or about your body, what you will wear. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds! And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life? If then you are not able to do so small a thing as that, why do you worry about the rest? Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these.But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you—you of little faith! And do not keep striving for what you are to eat and what you are to drink, and do not keep worrying. For it is the nations of the world that strive after all these things, and your Father knows that you need them. Instead, strive for his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.

Father of all

       I like to think as the summer approaches that we each will have some time to set outside and rest. I find sitting at a pool with the sounds of the water very soothing. I also find that a bike ride down our country lanes and farm roads exceptionally peaceful with the sounds and smells of farming, fresh mown hay, manure and fragrant plants. I actually have been known to belt out a few lines from that classic show, Green Acres s I ride along the back roads. ( Scaring the wildlife no doubt! ) Ahh, Farming life is the life for me! Not really, I already worked a job that required getting up before sunrise. I'm retired from that!

         But with the idea, plan or hope of some down time, I want to meditate once again on the words of the Our Father given us today in this passage from Luke. Each sentence, if not each word is something that it would be very wise of us to think about. Right from the word "Father" ( Our Father as we say it ), we are faced with the blunt knowledge that God is not the Creator and lover of us or just me, or 'them'. God is Father of all of us. God makes no distinction. The distinctions are what we make, ours to invent, our to exclude. That is truly something tho think about not only when we have quiet time but as we watch the news and all that is going on round us. We separate, God unites and loves.

          I would challenge each and every one of us to think about each word, each sentence and sentiment.  This gives depth to the two great commandments perhaps even more than the Ten Commandments do.

       For quiet time and contemplation of 'Our Father' , we pray

Luke 11:1-13

He was praying in a certain place, and after he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, ‘Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.’He said to them, ‘When you pray, say:
Father, hallowed be your name.
   Your kingdom come. 
   Give us each day our daily bread. 
   And forgive us our sins,
     for we ourselves forgive everyone indebted to us.
   And do not bring us to the time of trial.’

And he said to them, ‘Suppose one of you has a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say to him, “Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; for a friend of mine has arrived, and I have nothing to set before him.” And he answers from within, “Do not bother me; the door has already been locked, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot get up and give you anything.” I tell you, even though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, at least because of his persistence he will get up and give him whatever he needs.

‘So I say to you, Ask, and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. Is there anyone among you who, if your child asks for a fish, will give a snake instead of a fish? Or if the child asks for an egg, will give a scorpion? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!’

Knock, knock, knocking on our door

       One of the more interesting questions about Jesus is when he knew. Like so many theologians pondering how many dancing angels can fit on the head of a pin, so I have wondered when Jesus had a full awareness that he was the Son of God. Jesus as a human lived and learned as we did. He took on the mantle of humanity in full. I wonder if he knew all there is to know ( omniscience ) when he was just a kid, then adolescent and on into childhood. I'd argue for a slow revelation since that is how we as humans live. We live, learn, mature.  So when I read this passage and perhaps He himself is trying to dope out his role and who He really is, there might just be a feeling of fear? Awe? Humbling power? at the words from Peter when he said that Jesus was 'The Messiah of God'. Shhhhh! 'Don't say that' I could imagine Jesus almost saying. Or perhaps, 'Yikes', really?

           I often say that when God wants you to do something She will tap you on the shoulder. If you don't respond or ignore the 'invitation', She will come back with a 2x4 or baseball bat and remind you in a much less subtle way.

            I am thankful that this scenario is becoming much less prevalent but sadly I can even think of Mayor Pete who found it difficult to accept and  didn't 'came out'  until a bit later in his life. I myself was 50 years old when I finally succumbed to the baseball bat of God. The signs were all there, the hints, the attributes etc. I was in denial for a host of reasons, all worldly concerns, kids, marriage, position in life, commitments earnestly made and honored. The truth is though that God wants you to be whom you were envisioned and created to be. There is no greater power or calling on Earth than God's call to be fully human, fully alive, fully engaged in God's mission of love.

          It may be a troubling thing when you come to realize something about yourself or about the world and the calling you have received to do something about it. Many of us shy away from what we are supposed to do.  Societal pressures and  practicalities play a role in our denial of self, roles we are to play and people we are called to be. God will hear none of it. Empathy, patience perhaps, but God wants us to be whom He created us to be in full.

         I am painfully aware of the scenario in human endeavors when each decision seems terrorizing. As a married man with children, as a clergyman of an ultra conservative church and tenured member of an elite university, ( OK, it's Stony Brook ), how could I come to terms and acknowledging that I am gay? As God continued to knock, every path seemed fraught with insurmountable problems. After prayer, therapy, lots of therapy, and a host of supportive family and new friends, I was able to confess one of God's plans for me that went back to the time I was conceived in Her mind. That is, I am a gay man.  It had scared me perhaps as much as if someone had said that I was the Messiah.  The completion of my life journey seems far less fraught with danger now but my job is clear - I accept it - to be the best gay man I can be. To live a life of love God made me for.

         Accepting God's plan isn't always easy, convenient or may seem horribly impossible. Nothing is impossible with God, absolutely nothing.

       For answering the call and reliance on God, we give thanks and pray.

Luke 9:18-27

Once when Jesus was praying alone, with only the disciples near him, he asked them, ‘Who do the crowds say that I am?’ They answered, ‘John the Baptist; but others, Elijah; and still others, that one of the ancient prophets has arisen.’ He said to them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’ Peter answered, ‘The Messiah of God.’

He sternly ordered and commanded them not to tell anyone, saying, ‘The Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.’

Then he said to them all, ‘If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will save it. What does it profit them if they gain the whole world, but lose or forfeit themselves? Those who are ashamed of me and of my words, of them the Son of Man will be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. But truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God.’

The seeds of new life

        Having arrived back on our tiny island from the south, I am thrilled to see the rain stop and the temperatures return to at least a semblance of warm. The almost constant rain and lower temperatures made for a chilling spring. With all deference to Simon and Garfunkel, we now have our Parsley, Basil, Rosemary and Thyme well rooted and thriving. The Dalia's look spectacular and the Begonias would make anyone smile. Today's readings are rather springlike themselves, making references to the sowing of seeds in a field and how a mustard seed grows.

        One of the things that I think of in spring and seeds is not so obvious, thats death.

No matter what seed we are taking about, they are hard, dried and died. They must fall or be placed on the ground and then they have to crack open (another death?) and then new life emerges. It is a natural process like the change of seasons themselves. 

      When I think of the process of death and new life as a constant of life, I cannot help but also think about being gay. I had to die to a perhaps comfortable old self, an old situation, one that perhaps blends in easy with what most people consider normal. How could I not like my life with two wonderful children, a respected and perhaps elevated life of being the local clergyman.  Even my wife was not some shrew. She is a good woman and we shared a good life. Why would I want to 'die' for some unknown new growth? What if my kids cast me aside? Hey, it happens all the time. If I die to myself, come out and acknowledge I am a gay man, I may find myself joyful at who I am but a very lonely man.  Let's not sugar coat this, this dying and rising to new life is not an easy task, it is not one for the weak of heart. 

          But like a caterpillar that breaks out of it's cocoon to become a magnificent butterfly, we should know that our new life as an out and proud person is just as glorious. Any time we die to ourselves, die to the will of the world and accept the will of our Creator and become our true self as God intended us to be, we show a gloriousness of creation we could not possibly imagine.  I am sure the caterpillar has no clue what is coming and neither do we. But the beginning of all that is good for us and holy is the death of our self and the emergence of the new growth.

            If I see myself as a plant in new growth, I could look at the parsley, basil, rosemary or thyme, maybe the Dahlias or even the Begonias. What I really have though s a case o Peony envy. I am a tall and proud, beautiful and colorful Peony. 

         For little seeds, dying to new life and the beauty of God's created world, we give thanks and praise.

       

Matthew 13:24-34

 He put before them another parable: ‘The kingdom of heaven may be compared to someone who sowed good seed in his field; but while everybody was asleep, an enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and then went away. So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared as well. And the slaves of the householder came and said to him, “Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? Where, then, did these weeds come from?” He answered, “An enemy has done this.” The slaves said to him, “Then do you want us to go and gather them?” But he replied, “No; for in gathering the weeds you would uproot the wheat along with them. Let both of them grow together until the harvest; and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, Collect the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.” ’

 He put before them another parable: ‘The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that someone took and sowed in his field; it is the smallest of all the seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.’

 He told them another parable: ‘The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed in with three measures of flour until all of it was leavened.’

 Jesus told the crowds all these things in parables; without a parable he told them nothing.

Of fraternities gay and faithful

       When I realized I was gay and came out at the ripe age of 50, I wanted to discover and experience everything gay. Gay pride, movies, gay expo's, parades, people and perhaps a fetish or two.  I think everyone wants to be with their peeps. This may be why we have fraternal organizations, Knights of Columbus, Ancient Order of Hibernians, and the list goes on and on. I don't think the intention is to really exclude but to build each other up. People with similar backgrounds, concerns and experiences.

         Many years ago at a union meeting, a stately old white woman delegate asked me why 'they' ( our black members ) seemed to always stay together like a clique.  I am certain from her tone that it was a derogatory accusation. My response dismissed the intent and went right to the heart of the matter. People feel comfortable with other people with similar interests, experiences and concerns. If you are marginalized as many in the Black community are, you would tend to stay close to those with similar views, etc, etc. I've already said it, right?

         The gay community is no different. We stick together to help each other merely survive sometimes. We are marginalized and vilified, lied about, lied to and do not enjoy the same rights and even responsibilities others may take for granted.  The Human Rights Campaign for example is a means to support and lift each other up while we fight for justice and even wholeness.

       Aside from our wholeness, we all search and try to attain holiness. In this passage we not only see the advent or rationale for fraternal organizations but also that it is not about exclusion. It is all about love and support. Part of that support is empathy and a goal to help everyone. we are called to understand each and every one of us is challenged and marginalized in some way. As a faithful Christian, we would be called to serve and elevate everyone as brothers and sisters, as fellow humans. Then, when we do unto others we are doing to Christ. When we love we love God.

          All told, we are called to lift and support each other always even while we may only find comfort and familiarity with a chosen few. Our outreach and love is to all.

Romans 15:1-13

We who are strong ought to put up with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Each of us must please our neighbour for the good purpose of building up the neighbour. For Christ did not please himself; but, as it is written, ‘The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.’ For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, so that by steadfastness and by the encouragement of the scriptures we might have hope. May the God of steadfastness and encouragement grant you to live in harmony with one another, in accordance with Christ Jesus, so that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

 Welcome one another, therefore, just as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God. For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the circumcised on behalf of the truth of God in order that he might confirm the promises given to the patriarchs, and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written,
‘Therefore I will confess you among the Gentiles,
   and sing praises to your name’; 
and again he says,
‘Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people’; 
and again,
‘Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles,
   and let all the peoples praise him’; 
and again Isaiah says,
‘The root of Jesse shall come,
   the one who rises to rule the Gentiles;
in him the Gentiles shall hope.’ 

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.        

A new fundamentalism

       If this passage was about Jesus attending a screaming loud concert, Jesus might be heard to say "who's whispering?". I mean, here we see Jesus in the throngs of followers, the huge crowds pressing in on him and he asks "Who touched me?". It seems almost absurd.

        When I say I am a fundamentalist, I do not mean it in the way that is currently being used. The label "fundamentalist Christian"  often applies to some Bible quoting, Bible thumping, arrogant, hypocritical hater. My notion of fundamentalism is, well, even more fundamental. I don't find that quoting snippets of Scripture as necessary. Perhaps it is not even desirable in the face of so much misinterpretation and the cherry picking that is done to support spurious and hateful positions.

       No, my fundamentalism is very different. In my beliefs the life of Jesus lived, as seen in today's passage, is the real indicator of how to live. Jesus as he lived, walked and loved, before the words were put to paper is far more fundamental and informative.  Scripture surely has a place, it is after all the revealed word of God. But Scripture is so often misused.

      So what do we learn today? Jesus can sense someone touched him. His senses are tuned differently than how we often see things or experience things. Jesus is attuned to the fringes. Jesus is attuned to the marginalized.  How do we know this? Let's point to this passage. Jesus routinely rails against the Pharisees and Temple elite yet He finds reason to reach out and cure the daughter of a man he would likely be railing against. Jesus is touched by a hemorrhaging woman in a crowd. The first ting any other devout Jew would do is label her unclean and in turn realize that He himself by such a touch is also ritually unclean. Does Jesus make this judgment and scream it out? Does Jesus mete out judgment, chastise and say repent?  Jesus senses the touch of someone who needs a cure. She is considered unclean and Jesus makes her clean, cured. She knows that she is loved. That Synagogue leader knows God loves him and his family.  This is fundamental. Love is fundamental to the Gospel of Jesus, Jesus' life. Jesus' life is all about love for us and us loving each other. It predates any written Scripture of the New Testament. It is what the writings point to and try to capture in their essence. Other 'Christian fundamentalists' point to words without love, preaching without caring.

           The fundamentalist in me is simply to love and let yourself be loved. Simple and fundamental but all Jesus.

Luke 8:40-56

 Now when Jesus returned, the crowd welcomed him, for they were all waiting for him. Just then there came a man named Jairus, a leader of the synagogue. He fell at Jesus’ feet and begged him to come to his house, for he had an only daughter, about twelve years old, who was dying.

As he went, the crowds pressed in on him. Now there was a woman who had been suffering from haemorrhages for twelve years; and though she had spent all she had on physicians, no one could cure her. She came up behind him and touched the fringe of his clothes, and immediately her haemorrhage stopped. Then Jesus asked, ‘Who touched me?’ When all denied it, Peter said, ‘Master, the crowds surround you and press in on you.’ But Jesus said, ‘Someone touched me; for I noticed that power had gone out from me.’ When the woman saw that she could not remain hidden, she came trembling; and falling down before him, she declared in the presence of all the people why she had touched him, and how she had been immediately healed. He said to her, ‘Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace.’

 While he was still speaking, someone came from the leader’s house to say, ‘Your daughter is dead; do not trouble the teacher any longer.’ When Jesus heard this, he replied, ‘Do not fear. Only believe, and she will be saved.’ When he came to the house, he did not allow anyone to enter with him, except Peter, John, and James, and the child’s father and mother.They were all weeping and wailing for her; but he said, ‘Do not weep; for she is not dead but sleeping.’ And they laughed at him, knowing that she was dead. But he took her by the hand and called out, ‘Child, get up!’ Her spirit returned, and she got up at once. Then he directed them to give her something to eat. Her parents were astounded; but he ordered them to tell no one what had happened. 

Tectonic movements of glaciers

     When I look back on my life, I am amazed that I was able to mask the fact that I am gay. More than a mask, I had an utter self denial of who I was. When the tectonic movements merely started the shell to crack, I was attending a retreat in the Canadian Rockies. I was visiting a glacier as a tourist and they noted the power of the glaciers movement. Every effort of man to circumvent the movement or to plan roads had been slowly, surely and inevitably swallowed up, covered over and demolished. The point our guide made is that even in the rate of it's receding, the power of nature was so awesome that nothing stopped this force of nature. It even decapitated mountain tops as it moved along it's path, smoothing round jagged peaks that were there before

       For nothing is hidden that will not be disclosed, nor is anything secret that will not become known and come to light.

       I was struck with fear when I visited the Columbia Ice fields in Canada. If I was gay, there was no force that could stop me from being what God created me to be.  I was horrified that what had merely crossed my mind about myself would be revealed if it were in fact true. If am gay I thought, nothing could stop it!

        In retrospect it was one of those watershed moments in my life. Later, much later, after Ordination, a great deal of therapy and divorce, I came to know and accept that I am gay. In fact, I came to know it, revel in it and thank God for it. 

        Accepting who you are is as powerful as an glacier. Being who you are cannot be hidden, should not be hidden. Should anyone be ashamed of the gifts God has graced them with? The question in life is what do you do what those gifts? Respect them? Love them? Share them? It seems it would be a sin of considerable magnitude to turn your back on a gift from God. It seems to me it would also be a sin of some kind to misuse a gift from God.

      Who we are and what we are graced with are all for the glory of God.  Love our fellow creations, respect, care for and love everyone and everything.  Everything will be disclosed. Nothing will, or really can, be hidden.

         For lights on nightstands, for light in our lives and love of who we are, we give thanks and praise this glorious day.   

Luke 8:16-18

 ‘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.’

Capable of reception

        This is a fascinating reading. It had never really occurred to me before that what Jesus is having us do is to make a judgment of sorts about who is suitable to be recipients of the Word. Who is the good soil? Who are the thorns? Perhaps it is just a statement about how each can receive the word. Will I receive and live the message of God's love to the full? Will I allow the message to be choked by the message the world gives, one of materialism, hate and selfishness?

         There is an interesting view of this passage from Luke based on the two holy people that the Church recalls today, Lydia of Thyatira and John Eliot. In one case the 'seed' of God's word was taken up by an unlikely person, Lydia, the merchant of Purple who is believed to be the first European convert to Christianity. That Lydia is relatively powerful,  rich and a woman, only adds import to the remembrance.  But not terribly surprising when you consider that it is the 'women folk' that were the first witnesses to the resurrection of Jesus. These kinds of historical notations seem to be lost among the Euro centric, male dominated Church of Rome. Women, including the Sainted mother of Jesus have often played a pivotal role in God's plans, just not nearly as much in the religions and churches that claim God's will.

       The second person the Episcopal church remembers this day is John Eliot. Here is  man of faith, vision and boundless love. John began preaching and converting native Americans in 1646. That would be hundreds of years before native Americans were proclaimed as 'soul-less' and not fully human by leaders of the Roman church. John was ahead of his time. John saw that everyone is suitable soil for God's message of love and salvation. John did not wallow in some false, arrogant, self centered notion that he was saved and that others were not even worthy of hearing the Word.  John learned the native language and even translated the Bible into their native tongue as well. 

       When we really hear the word of God and embrace it in it's totality, it is not a self centered arrogance that springs forth. The sign of good and sustained acceptance (soil) and growth is a thankfulness and a strong desire to share and give back to others in love, not superiority or judgment.

       My mind never wanders far from the notions of how organized religions often do feel superior and make grand judgments about people. While the Roman church in it's grand hypocrisies labels people of the LGBTQ community as "intrinsically disordered", how often does that same church reach out in love and compassion? Let's forget about understanding because I think that understanding is beyond that church.  I am sure the language and ways of the native Americans were beyond John Eliot's understanding as well. Their ways are what had subsequent missionaries simply label the natives as barbarians and sub human and they stopped there. John had the vision but perhaps more so, he had the love and growth of truly accepting the message of the Word.

        Who is it that we dismiss or judge as unacceptable to receive the Word?  Do we judge some people as unfit to receive the Word or incapable of receiving it?  I know that I do.  On that I know I am on rocky ground, pun intended with today's passage.

        For good soil, good ears, open hearts and outstretched arms we pray this day.

Luke 8:1-15

Soon afterwards he went on through cities and villages, proclaiming and bringing the good news of the kingdom of God. The twelve were with him,as well as some women who had been cured of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, and Joanna, the wife of Herod’s steward Chuza, and Susanna, and many others, who provided for them out of their resources.

 When a great crowd gathered and people from town after town came to him, he said in a parable: ‘A sower went out to sow his seed; and as he sowed, some fell on the path and was trampled on, and the birds of the air ate it up. Some fell on the rock; and as it grew up, it withered for lack of moisture. Some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew with it and choked it. Some fell into good soil, and when it grew, it produced a hundredfold.’ As he said this, he called out, ‘Let anyone with ears to hear listen!’

 Then his disciples asked him what this parable meant. He said, ‘To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God; but to others I speak in parables, so that
“looking they may not perceive,
   and listening they may not understand.”

 ‘Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. The ones on the path are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. The ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy. But these have no root; they believe only for a while and in a time of testing fall away. As for what fell among the thorns, these are the ones who hear; but as they go on their way, they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature. But as for that in the good soil, these are the ones who, when they hear the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patient endurance.

Existence does not equal rightness

       This is certainly an interesting passage set forth not by Jesus himself but by Paul. I react strongly to it because I know from my mothers own mouth that the good parish Priests as much as told my her that she was not submissive enough when my father abused her. It was a horrible dynamic and undoubtedly one that some men would like to return to. All I can say is that "we've come a long way baby" and thank God for that! We have miles to go too before we rest. Our entire lives in fact should be devoted, especially now, to the liberation and love of all whether that be the marginalized of the LGBTQ community, women still used and abused or the objects of human trafficking. There are religions that still quote this passage as a means to subject women to men.

        But the rest of this interesting too. For example, I do not think for a moment that Paul is legitimizing slavery as it is noted in this passage. Again, there are religions that abused scripture passages like this to support slavery when we fought against such an abominable institution in this very country. There were even Catholic theologians who, in their circular logic and rationalizations stated that native Americans and African americans did not even have souls because they were judged as 'not fully human'. Yikes. Horrific. Again, an abomination. God weeps.

          What the passage does note in my mind is that we will always find ourselves in different and/or difficult situations in life even if that is simply being born. We must never justify situations as rightness simply because they exist.  What the passage notes is that whatever situation we do find ourselves in, we must act out of love and be the best person we can be under those circumstances.

           The Episcopal church thereby remembers many, many enslaved people as holy men and women because while slaves, they were exemplars of the Christian life. As God gave us intellect, a soul and feelings, empathy for example, we must use those tools to listen and advance the causes of the Spirit. The Paraclete, that Advocate is alive and well and trying ever so hard to help us advance to be the best humans we can be. We should be loving and shining examples of humanity as God created us to be, loving, faithful, caring and intelligent.

          Let not the status quo be an excuse to justify something as right. Love as best you can but be an active agent of the Paraclete who advocates for love and all humanity, indeed, all of creation.

         For always living in cooperation with God , no matter the circumstances, we pray.

Colossians 3:18-4:18

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

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

 Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with thanksgiving. At the same time pray for us as well that God will open to us a door for the word, that we may declare the mystery of Christ, for which I am in prison, so that I may reveal it clearly, as I should.

 Conduct yourselves wisely towards outsiders, making the most of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer everyone. 

 Tychicus will tell you all the news about me; he is a beloved brother, a faithful minister, and a fellow-servant in the Lord. I have sent him to you for this very purpose, so that you may know how we are and that he may encourage your hearts; he is coming with Onesimus, the faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They will tell you about everything here.

 Aristarchus my fellow-prisoner greets you, as does Mark the cousin of Barnabas, concerning whom you have received instructions—if he comes to you, welcome him. And Jesus who is called Justus greets you. These are the only ones of the circumcision among my co-workers for the kingdom of God, and they have been a comfort to me. Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ Jesus, greets you. He is always wrestling in his prayers on your behalf, so that you may stand mature and fully assured in everything that God wills. For I testify for him that he has worked hard for you and for those in Laodicea and in Hierapolis. Luke, the beloved physician, and Demas greet you. Give my greetings to the brothers and sisters in Laodicea, and to Nympha and the church in her house. And when this letter has been read among you, have it read also in the church of the Laodiceans; and see that you read also the letter from Laodicea. And say to Archippus, ‘See that you complete the task that you have received in the Lord.’ 

 I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. Remember my chains. Grace be with you.

Simplicity and recalling the Baltimore Catechism

         Going back to the Baltimore Catechism is always interesting, conjuring up feelings and eliciting memories of a feisty little nun in those early grades. Who could ever imagine that I would eventually put 20 years of solid religious education under my belt not to mention the assorted workshops and program certificates. But on a fundamental level I recall the question "Why did God make me?" The answer that comes out almost without thought is "God made me to know Him, to love Him, and to serve Him in this world, and to be happy with Him for ever in heaven."

           Those were simplistic answers, perhaps for more simplistic times but there is great truth in the answer. Basically, God wants us to be happy as ourselves and to cooperate and be part of His plan of salvation for the world. Well, that seems a bit more complex. We tend to make things more complex. Lord knows Religions and churches, especially the Roman Church ( and Pharisees ) make things intensely complex. Rationalizations, circular logic and rules, rules, rules aplenty! It does not need to be so.

             If Jesus came to teach us anything besides how much we are infinitely loved, it is how simple it can be. The first lesson is to know that God purpose built you out of intense love. God made a decision or had a mere thought of the essence of you and so you came into existence in all that entails. From our perspective that might be a planning board, DNA outlines, then conception, birth and on we went.  We were 'born' and our life becomes one of love for God and discovery of our own essence and humanity in cooperation and all that love entails. Eventually, we return to God in some form.

              The second lesson is to put aside all the rules and rubrics and know that salvation, cooperation and our Godliness comes at the hand of doing to others what we have done to ourselves.  Jesus synthesized the Ten Commandments into two simple, yet Great Commandments. Obey those and you'll have it made.

         Our problems almost always lies in how complex we make things. We make our own sets of rules to follow instead of simply just loving. We place ourselves at the center of the circle, displacing God, and make judgments going outwards to everyone else. We can even have the gall and arrogance to claim that we know what God means or intends and take snippets of Scripture to support our cause(s) and beat down others. The mere idea of beating someone with Scripture is a sign of it's malintent and wrongness at face value. 

          The simplicity of God's love is that we would never do unto others as we would not want to have done to ourselves. We don't ask for bread from heaven and give or throw stones at others. We don't ask God to make us whole and then rip others apart spiritually, mentally or psychologically.

           For wholeness and the simplicity of love this Sunday, we pray.

Matthew 7:7-14

 ‘Ask, and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. Is there anyone among you who, if your child asks for bread, will give a stone? Or if the child asks for a fish, will give a snake? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him!

 ‘In everything do to others as you would have them do to you; for this is the law and the prophets.

 ‘Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the road is easythat leads to destruction, and there are many who take it. For the gate is narrow and the road is hard that leads to life, and there are few who find it.

Stepping out

       Sometimes people die rather young, perhaps in their thirties or forties and yet their bodies live on to a ripe old age. These are the curmudgeons, the grouchy people who have nothing good to say and can only think about "the good old days". For all intents and purposes they have stopped living. They've stopped growing and stopped loving.

       How does this happen to a person?  I imagine in some cases it might be fear to move forward. There is a comfort in the little cocoon that we build ourselves. They may not even be particularly happy either but It might be that old expression, better the devil I know than the devil I don't know. So they hunker down and mentally die while their body carries on in some stupefied, mummified state of affairs for years on.

        There are two things that I can think of that make a difference in peoples lives and perhaps they go hand in hand. The first is to hand over your life to your to God, creator or 'the Force'. Call it whatever you wish, it is an acknowledgement that we are not the one in control. It is trust in our 'Potter'. The next then is the willingness to be molded by that Potter.

         The willingness to be molded simply means that we are willing to step forward in faith. We are willing to just step forward. We do not hunker down in our cocoon. Most times that does take struggle but we do need to move, grow and yes, love, in order to really live.

        Faith and movement (growth) are the keys to staying alive until you die. One of my favorite Broadway songs is from Pippin. It is called No Time at All and to hear Andrea Martin sing it is magical although there are times she out sung by my voice right along with her on the CD. The lines that I am thinking of right now is this: 

                                        Here is a secret I never have told                                                                                          Maybe you'll understand why

                                        I believe if I refuse to grow old      

                                        I can stay young till I die

              

The answer that I see that is a universal answer for all is that we should never just settle into some complacency of life. This is especially true when life seems to have dealt us some bad cards. 'Bad cards' may be a poor euphemism for the horrors of life whether it is war, being demeaned because of who you are or cultural restrictions. Perhaps being an intelligent blond woman? How about being gay or a woman trapped in a man's body or the reverse or anyone in the magnificently beautiful LGBTQ spectrum. We should never settle, never give up, always take a step forward and move ahead. Never settle for complacency. Never settle for a bifurcation of who you are to 'survive'. That kind of 'survival' will warp and kill you faster than any poison. 

       Today the church recalls the life of Mary McCloud Bethune. Mary could easily have rolled over and 'died' because of her surroundings and society. Mary recognized who she was, saw the light within herself from God and moved ever forward. She did not step back. She was fully alive until she died, body, mind and soul. THAT is what we are aiming for. Always stepping back and NEVER making excuses for ourselves to stay put. What a beautiful person and life Mary exhibited. Fully alive, a witness to God's love and life.

       For never making excuses for ourselves and always taking a step forward in love and faith we pray this day.

 

Luke 7:18-35

 The disciples of John reported all these things to him. So John summoned two of his disciples and sent them to the Lord to ask, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?’ When the men had come to him, they said, ‘John the Baptist has sent us to you to ask, “Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?” ’ Jesushad just then cured many people of diseases, plagues, and evil spirits, and had given sight to many who were blind. And he answered them, ‘Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have good news brought to them. And blessed is anyone who takes no offence at me.’

 When John’s messengers had gone, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: ‘What did you go out into the wilderness to look at? A reed shaken by the wind? What then did you go out to see? Someone dressed in soft robes? Look, those who put on fine clothing and live in luxury are in royal palaces. What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is the one about whom it is written,
“See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you,
   who will prepare your way before you.” 
I tell you, among those born of women no one is greater than John; yet the least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.’ (And all the people who heard this, including the tax-collectors, acknowledged the justice of God, because they had been baptized with John’s baptism. But by refusing to be baptized by him, the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected God’s purpose for themselves.)

 ‘To what then will I compare the people of this generation, and what are they like? They are like children sitting in the market-place and calling to one another,
“We played the flute for you, and you did not dance;
   we wailed, and you did not weep.” 
For John the Baptist has come eating no bread and drinking no wine, and you say, “He has a demon”; the Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, “Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax-collectors and sinners!” Nevertheless, wisdom is vindicated by all her children.’

You vipers brood!

       Jesus and the disciples were really big on this hypocrisy thing. It seems Jesus never let an opportunity pass by without pointing to the hypocrisy of the Pharisees, 'making them twice as fit for hell'.  And where does that term vipers brood come from? Jesus was very much attuned to what hypocrisy lied our there in the religious elite.

     Is today all that much different?

Most reasonable and intelligent people see the hypocrisy in things like the Republican party that now condones, dismisses and supports things they routinely railed against just a few scant years ago.  People see the hypocrisy of being pro-life only when it pertains to an embryo. People see the different between that stance which is really just pro-birth and the hypocrisy of not supporting life, health and good nutrition in every other policy that they ignore or support. Make no mistake, pro-life for these hypocrites is nothing more than pro-birth.

     What of the churches that claim love and make the sign of the cross with one hand while covering up the scandal of horrific child abuse with the other?  Such abominations do not go unnoticed by everyone. Whatever moral authority that was there has withered away to a dusty miasma.  It is no wonder the pews are emptying in record numbers.  One of the ( not so ) funny things is that today is the day the Episcopal church remembers the Martyrs of Sudan.  The Christian religious leaders there were wiped out wholesale. They lived under constant threat under shariah law and a 22 year civil war. Only five percent of the people were Christian when these people were martyred. Today, undoubtedly through the movement of the Spirit and the witness of real faith, 85 % of the people are Christian.

        Witnessing and bearing the burden of hypocritical lawmakers and 'faith leaders' is burdensome and is taking it's toll making ill the name of Jesus in whose name they perpetrate frauds, great sin and hypocrisy. We should do everything we can to fight and remedy these evils by our loving actions and witness of faith as sure as the martyrs of Sudan did.

        While we are fighting the good fight, let us also look deeply within to cleans ourselves of any hypocrisies we may hold or foster. Most of all, pray for peace and love to prosper under our diligent care.  

Luke 6:39-49

 He also told them a parable: ‘Can a blind person guide a blind person? Will not both fall into a pit? A disciple is not above the teacher, but everyone who is fully qualified will be like the teacher. Why do you see the speck in your neighbour’s eye, but do not notice the log in your own eye? Or how can you say to your neighbour, “Friend, let me take out the speck in your eye”, when you yourself do not see the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your neighbour’s eye.

 ‘No good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit;for each tree is known by its own fruit. Figs are not gathered from thorns, nor are grapes picked from a bramble bush. The good person out of the good treasure of the heart produces good, and the evil person out of evil treasure produces evil; for it is out of the abundance of the heart that the mouth speaks.

 ‘Why do you call me “Lord, Lord”, and do not do what I tell you? I will show you what someone is like who comes to me, hears my words, and acts on them. That one is like a man building a house, who dug deeply and laid the foundation on rock; when a flood arose, the river burst against that house but could not shake it, because it had been well built.But the one who hears and does not act is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the river burst against it, immediately it fell, and great was the ruin of that house.’