By all accounts, John the Baptist was a great speaker. He was an orator and preacher that roused the souls of those he spoke to and helped people realize two things. One was their sinfulness and their need to repent. The second more important thing John preached was that the Messiah was coming. In speaking about himself and Jesus, John noted that "I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the strap of his sandals". In the face of God incarnate I suppose that is true but Jesus seemed never to ask for such deference. Our God-man savior sought to embrace his humanity to the full and in so doing was able to show us, his fellow humans, what greatness and love we are actually capable of.
From today's readings I glean the notion once again, that our calling and salvation is not tied up with eloquent words, logic or rules but by how we act. What counts is how we live and love. The proof is once again in the pudding, not the recipe.
So many things can be taken from Scriptures of all religions, words can be twisted, mistranslated, bad agendas can be rationalized and love can be restricted and marginalized. You can use Scripture as you wish. What counts is love and how we act.
As a marginalized citizen, I know all too well how scripture, tradition, errant dogma born of circular and incomplete logic can affect humanity. We know bastardized versions of the Judeo-Christian and Islamic Scriptures are used for hate, fear mongering and totally unloving messages. I am sure God weeps at this misappropriation of Her enlightened word. What I would much rather be judged on, if anyone beside God is allowed to, is by my actions. As a man, as a gay man, as a gay Christian man, how do I love and live the message of love Jesus emblazoned in my heart?
If you are quick to rattle off a list of alleged offenses that I or the gay community is guilty of, let me ask you this, how is the majority straight community judged? Is t by the same standard? Again, if anyone is even capable of judging beside God Herself, what are the criteria? Is it how we love in every respect and how we live out the Gospel we follow? Should we judge on the basis of hetero actions of lies, infidelity, divorces, rampant affairs, titty bars, pornography, one night stands and notches on bedposts?
Who are the immoral ones really? Just say'n.
I am not judging at all. In fact, I think sexuality itself has been constricted, maligned and vilified by some of the very people who call for purity and who claim to be the very voice of God. Sexuality is one of the many gifts God has given to us as humans to exalt our creation and be more fully what we are called to be. Sexuality is a full part of our created nature, it should be embraced and shared. I am not calling for promiscuity but just a rational and loving respect for our integral sexual nature.
Once again I am speaking of an overall look at how we act. I will beat it into our heads that 'they will know we are Christians by our love". That is, how we act, how we live, how we love. Evangelicals and the religious right have negated their message about being "pro-life" by trying to control women's rights and showing an almost total disregard for respecting life at every other stage of human development. Allowing Trump to cage human children, separating families, cutting education funding, school lunch programs, medical care for the indigent and affordable health care for the entire population that includes a burgeoning senior segment. How can you be "pro-life" when all you focus on is controlling a womens' uterus? If you seek to evangelize, do so by your actions, by your love, by your universal commitment to every human being - even the illegal immigrant. I think that is prominent in scripture too. Stop cherry picking to support a myopic and hateful agenda. Live the life of Christ in all that we say and more importantly by what we do. As Saint Vincent said, 'preach the Good News always, use words only if necessary'.
For a world free from judgment and hate and a world full of abundant love and caring for our brothers and sisters, I pray
John 10:31-42
The Jews took up stones again to stone him. Jesus replied, ‘I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these are you going to stone me?’ The Jews answered, ‘It is not for a good work that we are going to stone you, but for blasphemy, because you, though only a human being, are making yourself God.’ Jesus answered, ‘Is it not written in your law, “I said, you are gods”? If those to whom the word of God came were called “gods”—and the scripture cannot be annulled— can you say that the one whom the Father has sanctified and sent into the world is blaspheming because I said, “I am God’s Son”? If I am not doing the works of my Father, then do not believe me. But if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, so that you may know and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.’ Then they tried to arrest him again, but he escaped from their hands.
He went away again across the Jordan to the place where John had been baptizing earlier, and he remained there. Many came to him, and they were saying, ‘John performed no sign, but everything that John said about this man was true.’ And many believed in him there.
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