Open Table indeed

Matthew 5:1-12

             For those that might follow these pages on a daily basis, you know yesterday I noted how radical Jesus' message is. If you took that to heart (as you should), your life is broadened and enriched by the realization of who is called. Today Jesus again shows how radical his message is.  While yesterday you may have looked at a stranger or someone you thought less than desirable or worthy and said  'yes, they too belong at Jesus' table'. Today though, Jesus throws caution to the wind and show that he is yet even more of a radical. Everything is turned on end - everything.

             All of the comfy paradigms and references we use to justify and view the world, Jesus turns up side down. Everything he said on the mount is as valid today as it was then. Read through the list carefully. You can easily insert life situations from today that would make us squirm and know how God is calling us to act. 

       Who are today's poor of Spirit? The trans young man you is taunted by everyone, is confused and feels abandoned? He thinks everyone is against him and he feels a freak because even his family does not understand and his church may say he is of the devil. How poor is this young man?  Certainly God loves his most beloved creation. How does God call us to act? respond?

        Who is in mourning?  How many people do we know that have lost loved one's?  Do you know anyone who loved their faith and now feels repelled and rejected  and so too they feel they have been rejected by God? They mourn the loss of God.  Do we mourn for the loss of innocence that the sins the world foists on us? Do we mourn for the lack of response when children are begging at our borders? 

        Go down the list and use your imagination. I am afraid you won't need much of an imagination. This could be a tearful and sobering reflection.

        To all people, all of God's creation, from a battered soul to a battered seal pup, God weeps. Jesus lets us know we are all welcome to the table today. His love and feast are never ending. Now and forever, amen.

When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. Then he began to speak, and taught them, saying:

‘Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

‘Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

‘Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.

‘Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

‘Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.

‘Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

‘Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.

‘Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

‘Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

The Original Free Radical

Acts 11:1-18

         Some one once told me the biggest all out change in the Church was the introduction of gentiles into the early church. Make no mistake, this was a very, very big deal.  Jesus was Jewish and he came to save the Jews, he even said as much.  To open up the message to non-Jews was radical. Many arguments were fomented by Paul and in fact the first "council" of the church in Jerusalem had everything to do with this very topic. Did these gentiles have to convert to Judaism first before they could be considered Christians? A very interesting thought. Of course Jesus died a Jew so the possibility of non-Jews seeking redemption and following The Way really did constitute a new religion. Kudo's to Paul. Praise the Holy Spirit actually.

           Jesus' actions in life spoke a different message than exclusivity. He was the not into cliques and railed against (religious) authority seemingly at every turn. His was and still is a free and radical message. 

          What I find amusing in this passage is not all the stuff of visions and dreams. It is the practical stuff of the first few lines of passage. When the Apostles and believers say to Peter ‘Why did you go to uncircumcised men and eat with them?’ they are already trying to restrict the message that they have already claimed to cling to. These Apostles and believers are saying we are the church, why are you going to these unclean people and eating with them?  I suppose Peter finally got the message that Jesus tried to so radically install. Love. Inclusiveness. Forgiveness.  

          So the biggest change that the church embarked upon is not based solely on the words of Jesus.  Rather, it is the message he lived. How many people today use words like weapons and Scripture as means to condemn and not cure?  How many, even in "the Church" today still try to limit God's message of love and inclusiveness, of forgiveness and hope? If it's not demeaning others it is as if to say 'we are the one true church'. Oh wait, some churches actually say that very thing.  Some challenges are life long.

          It seems whether it is in the churches or synagogues or mosques or temples, there is a tendency to focus inward. If there is a litmus test for any religion, it is one that indicates does love pour outward or inward? In fact I recall that song that we used to sing so loudly and boldly on our retreats of youth, "The will know we are Christians by our love". How do you measure up?

Now the apostles and the believers who were in Judea heard that the Gentiles had also accepted the word of God. So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers criticized him, saying, ‘Why did you go to uncircumcised men and eat with them?’ Then Peter began to explain it to them, step by step, saying, ‘I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision. There was something like a large sheet coming down from heaven, being lowered by its four corners; and it came close to me. As I looked at it closely I saw four-footed animals, beasts of prey, reptiles, and birds of the air. I also heard a voice saying to me, “Get up, Peter; kill and eat.” But I replied, “By no means, Lord; for nothing profane or unclean has ever entered my mouth.” But a second time the voice answered from heaven, “What God has made clean, you must not call profane.” This happened three times; then everything was pulled up again to heaven. At that very moment three men, sent to me from Caesarea, arrived at the house where we were. The Spirit told me to go with them and not to make a distinction between them and us. These six brothers also accompanied me, and we entered the man’s house. He told us how he had seen the angel standing in his house and saying, “Send to Joppa and bring Simon, who is called Peter; he will give you a message by which you and your entire household will be saved.” And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them just as it had upon us at the beginning. And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said, “John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” If then God gave them the same gift that he gave us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could hinder God?’ When they heard this, they were silenced. And they praised God, saying, ‘Then God has given even to the Gentiles the repentance that leads to life.’ 

God has made a gate for you.

Matthew 7:12-14

            If you have seen any of the Star Wars movies you may recall a scene or two where Imperial Storm Troopers are lined up. There would be countless rows of them looking identical.  One thing that we know about human beings though, none of us are identical. The only category we might fit into is the category where everything is dissimilar to everything else.

           This diversity of humanity is often something we celebrate and elevate. From the road less travelled to the brilliance of a mind like Hawking or the artistic beauty and brilliance of a DaVinci. It seems odd then that there are times when we strive to be similar. We like things in nice tidy little boxes where everything is the same and everything can judged by the exact same rule. I don't know if it is human nature or not but there seem to be countless victims of this kind of 'normalization'. Even if God's created world reveals a grand diversity in every measure of life on this blue orb, we still seem to prefer an exact standard.

           The road to oblivion, that easy and wide gate it seems to me might very well be the way of the masses. Conformity. Being like everyone else is a wide gate indeed.

          So then, what is the narrow gate, the gate that leads to life? That gate is the gate designed specifically for you. It's the one God made that fits exactly who you are and who God created you to be. It isn't always easy to find out who you are what you are meant to be. Many an unhappy person and many a mid life crisis is caused by going along with the masses, doing what someone else told you should do and then finding later in life that all that stuff you did does not in fact make you happy. Happiness is the narrow gate of finding out who you are and cooperating with God's plan for you.

          It could be acceptance that you are gay. It could mean an acceptance that you are neither male nor female, perhaps a hybrid? It could mean cooperating with the freedom of your artistic side or accepting some other gift that you have fought against.

        We are all aware of our propensity to go the easy route and get in through the wide gate. We like uniformity. At the same time we have a guttural reaction to a nun who tortured a youth to be write with his or her right hand when the person was clearly left handed. We don't view left handedness evil.  We celebrate fighting against uniformity in the same breath we seem to judge others with the broadest stroke possible.

        If we walk, talk, drive or just simply look out a window though, we know the diversity and beauty of God's created world in nature. Such diversity is obvious in humanity as well on every level. Finding our own uniqueness, elevating it and celebrating it is a lifelong journey and it is - the narrow gate.

‘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 easy that 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.

Really? Honestly? Who are you kidding?

Luke 23:39-43

          I recall some one once saying to me that it is not conceit if you are speaking the truth.  I doubt even Sheldon from the Big Bang is correct though in his thoughts that he is better than every one else.  One of the things I suggest, ( ok, argue for ) is honest self reflection.  So many people seem incapable of looking honestly at their shortcomings or mistakes as if it will affect their self worth. It isn't so. Not only that, I don't like the negative spin I may have just created. Are you also honest about how good you are? Many times, we don't give credit where credit is due. It's the personalized version of when someone says they like your shirt and your response is "this old thing?".

         Honesty all around makes you a much better person. You become better suited to meet the challenges of life. Most importantly, you become better at the challenge of living up to the beauty and spirituality that God created in you.

        So ask away. What are your strengths and weaknesses?  Faithful? Trustworthy? Liar? Impatient? Good role model? Good gay? Bad gay? Loving, attentive spouse?  Are you into self improvement or are you a slouch? What motivates you? 

       The list is endless and our journey is for our whole lives so honesty is crucial. I think it's important to realize that when we do lie to ourselves we are only fooling ourselves. God knows it all and still loves us each with reckless abandon.

One of the criminals who were hanged there kept deriding him and saying, ‘Are you not the Messiah?^* Save yourself and us!’ But the other rebuked him, saying, ‘Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed have been condemned justly, for we are getting what we deserve for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong.’ Then he said, ‘Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’ He replied, ‘Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.’

I don't like to gossip, so listen carefully

Mark 7:32-37

          I can recall a scene from The Music Man where one of the townswomen said 'of course I shouldn't tell you this but.....' and then blabs the whole story.  Gossip is such a constant in our culture, perhaps in some places more than others but some people seem to thrive on it. Perhaps they just can't help themselves. I love the face book posting of the Victorian clad woman who says, ' I don't like to gossip, so listen carefully, I'm only going to say this once!' It seems minding one's own business or keep confidences is a lost art and no longer respected. Perhaps it never was. The more Jesus admonishes the  crowd not tell in today's passage, the more they do.

             Commentary on gossip aside, there seems to be a dichotomy here between the two halves of this passage. There is the deaf mute  who then becomes a speaking, hearing person.

             Sometimes we tend to look at someone with maladies (or so judged by society) and say how sad it is. Yet the person if healed, falls into a trap of  taking things for granted and perhaps stunting their sensibilities to others so 'afflicted'. I would never argue not to help someone we can help but can I play the fine line here and say that there is a giftedness in some adversities that we have to go through? Think Stevie Wonder, Andre Boccelli.

           I wish my nephew never had the heartache and trials of being a severe arthritic. But I am astounded at the magnitude and love that he has shared with the world. He rises far above anyone I have ever met.

           When my own mother suffered for 10 years in a extended care facility, a shell of her former self, I had said it was the worst 10 years of my life, not to mention hers needless to say. But even though I would cure my nephew if I could or take the pain away from my Mom, I know there is a sacredness to each situation that reveals God's love, the strength and still fragility of life that we must embrace. Those ten years became blessed years when I see them in a better lens.

                Do we embrace adversity and accept it? Do we say it is because of some one's sins or the sins of a father or grandparent? No, that makes no sense. We do not resign but we choose to see adversity through the lens of love and faith. 

           

They brought to him a deaf man who had an impediment in his speech; and they begged him to lay his hand on him. He took him aside in private, away from the crowd, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spat and touched his tongue. Then looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, ‘Ephphatha’, that is, ‘Be opened.’ And immediately his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly. Then Jesus ordered them to tell no one; but the more he ordered them, the more zealously they proclaimed it. They were astounded beyond measure, saying, ‘He has done everything well; he even makes the deaf to hear and the mute to speak.’

Mission diminished

Matthew 23:23-26

   

            I am not sure what the fixation on minutia really does... for anyone. The focus on the truly less than important is something I have thought of as long as I have read his passage. I'd like to give you a few examples and thoughts.

           There was a young Presbyterian woman from Canada who happened to fall in love with a young Catholic boy who was in the American Military stationed near the boarder. In approaching marriage each sought the advice of their respective churches. Imagine the shock when the young man was told he would go to hell for marrying a Presbyterian (outside the church). Suddenly the man realized, he didn't want to be Catholic. 

            I had a mentor of sorts for a while. This religious man was assigned to me and very active in his church. He preached, taught, volunteered. One thing he taught was religious education to a group eighth graders. One of his self admitted classes involved a discussion of how some of the boys looked at Playboy. To this man, that was considered a mortal sin and he belted out such condemnation to these eighth graders.  Having gone through similar training, I had to ask myself "does he even know what a Mortal sin is?" If it is not self evident, it involves a grave matter, life and death. It is a serious and deliberate turning away from God and away from your good nature as God created you.  I can understand the immorality of pornography and how it can demean people. Is this what the eight grader is choosing when he looks? Is it more of a natural instinct? Another words, is it really a mortal sin? The focus (and erroneous focus) on such minutia is one of the things that keeps us all screwed up.

           One of the things that Pope Francis said when he was elected Pope was that the church perhaps focused too much on (on what I call minutia) what he said were important issues but certainly not the most important.  By spending so much time railing about hot button issues, however important to your faith, you diminish the true message of Christ which is really what any Christian church is all about. Case in point is the right to life. Abortion is the number one scourge of the land but respecting life in other forms seems to fall dramatically by the way side. Is that right? The mission becomes diminished.

         Lastly, when my husband and I first decided to live together, we had to deal with some practicalities of life and how each of us lived. All evidence pointed to me being a slob and we would be sharing some smaller quarters. Imagine two almost 50 somethings trying to move in together. Think The odd couple. I certainly could fixate on whether the toilet paper goes over or under, the tooth paste gets squeezed on the end or in the middle or that the dishes must be loaded in the dishwasher just so. To what point? What is the reason for moving in together? Was it love? Was it a commitment to share and make a new life? Is that the take home message or is how you squeeze the toothpaste? We are keenly aware of how blessed we are in having found each other and how graced we are to share the time we have. Toothpaste and toilet paper be damned!

           If you have the ability to look at a subject or situation and see what is truly important you have a true gift. If you don't have that gift it will be something that has to be worked at but it leads to a world of happiness and freedom from minutia. 

   

   

‘Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint, dill, and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. It is these you ought to have practised without neglecting the others. You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel!

‘Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup, so that the outside also may become clean.

Paul: Hero

Acts 9:19-31

            I suppose the first line here really caught my attention, and after taking some food, he regained his strength, because that is the course I am currently on.  Trying to recover my strength and come back in line with the energy and zest for life I am known for. Beyond that however, the passage becomes quite familiar, one I have head many times before. What of this man named Paul?

      Paul is a rebel and hero. He does not let that fact that the early church does not trust him stop him, deservedly so, he was a persecutor of Christians. He does not let  guilt over what he has done in the past keep him from proclaiming the Good News. Paul is proclaiming the Good News in an area and time that is not always conducive to that message.

         How many of us have the guts to admit we are wrong or have the zeal to push forward in faith in spite of what others may be telling us. Now before you go all Pentecostal on me, I'm not speaking of a message derived from secret knowledge or one person's erroneous interpretation of scripture. I'm talking mainline Christian beliefs,  love, forgiveness and hope

     Yes Paul is hero just as much as anyone who marches to a different and more inclusive message derived from Christ's message. There is no limit on God's love, we should want to go out and proclaim it.

            

and after taking some food, he regained his strength.

For several days he was with the disciples in Damascus, and immediately he began to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, saying, ‘He is the Son of God.’ All who heard him were amazed and said, ‘Is not this the man who made havoc in Jerusalem among those who invoked this name? And has he not come here for the purpose of bringing them bound before the chief priests?’ Saul became increasingly more powerful and confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that Jesus was the Messiah.

After some time had passed, the Jews plotted to kill him, but their plot became known to Saul. They were watching the gates day and night so that they might kill him; but his disciples took him by night and let him down through an opening in the wall, lowering him in a basket.

When he had come to Jerusalem, he attempted to join the disciples; and they were all afraid of him, for they did not believe that he was a disciple. But Barnabas took him, brought him to the apostles, and described for them how on the road he had seen the Lord, who had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had spoken boldly in the name of Jesus. So he went in and out among them in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord. He spoke and argued with the Hellenists; but they were attempting to kill him. When the believers learned of it, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus.

Meanwhile the church throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and was built up. Living in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers.

Eye's that cannot see, no good works

Mark 6:1-6

       God hates Islam.....Muslims die, God laughs........Repent or perish. All signs carried by followers of the Westboro Baptist Church.  In fact, if the Internet is to believed, some of the Westboro folk are going to Iraq to protest and carry signs there. Good luck with that. These are the the far right polito-religious wingnuts of society. These are people saying they are "Christian" while showing everyone how obvious it is that they are not. It is one the saddest things to see. I'm not even sure if these people are capable of independent thought, so fixated are they on their own narrow minded vision.

         So Jesus goes back to his home town and gets razzed. Isn't this the carpenter? Don't we know this guy?  If they had said 'isn't this the delinquent that broke Mrs. Goldstein's water jug when he was 11?' I would not have been surprised.  They just cannot wrap their minds around what he is saying. We all get caught in that in one way or another I suppose. If you recall the movie Pretty Woman, the Rodeo Drive matrons won't serve Julia Roberts because they have judged she is not the right type.  I think even after Julia stops by later loaded with oodles and oodles of shopping bags , they still have doubts that it was her in the first place.

          The worst thing is people who have ears and won't hear and people with eye's that won't see. Primary on my list might be the Westboro Baptist church or any variety like that. Bryan Fischer, Linda Harvey and a host of others who really seemingly cannot read scripture or understand it but i doesn't stop them from stepping on a soap box. They are so fixated on their own self created agenda of hate and misinformation that they wouldn't recognize love or truth if they saw it. As amazing as it sounds, I don't think Jesus 'could do any act of power' with these people except for a few. Jesus would be amazed at their disbelief. I actually think Jesus would cry.

         I am not throwing down a blanket that says every gay person is decent and moral. Lord knows we can't say that about the straight community. I suppose that 'eyes that cannot see' also occurs within the LGBTQ community as well. So the call is to all. Do not be fixated on your message. Anything in the extreme is not a good thing. Better we should 'focus' on seeing things more broadly and actually listening instead of trying to formulate our responses.

       

      

He left that place and came to his home town, and his disciples followed him. On the sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astounded. They said, ‘Where did this man get all this? What is this wisdom that has been given to him? What deeds of power are being done by his hands! Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon, and are not his sisters here with us?’ And they took offence at him. Then Jesus said to them, ‘Prophets are not without honour, except in their home town, and among their own kin, and in their own house.’ And he could do no deed of power there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and cured them. And he was amazed at their unbelief. 

Then he went about among the villages teaching.

The chicken or the egg

James 2:1-8,14-17

          Many years ago when I was in a small Christian Community (SCC), we prayed and studied Scripture together.  In the course of time it became apparent to me just how much I had to be thankful for. To this day I still take stock of the abundant blessings God has graced me with. One thing that I realized from this SCC was that the more grateful I was, the more compelled I was to offer thanks via good works and involvement using my God given talents and treasure.

            This may be just another version of which came first, the chicken or the egg, but it highlights a very longstanding issue between many churches if not indeed one of the causes of the Reformation. I suppose anything in extremes is bad so when the (Roman) church began selling salvation for good works it was a bit over the top.  The other side of the coin of course is that we are saved simply by faith alone. There are numerous references by Jesus to people in which Jesus proclaimed "your faith has saved you". I argue this side of the coin all the time.

             The test of one's faith though, at least in my estimation, is what you do with that faith. Faith is an invitation that calls to you for response. If you believe, then there should be a positive outpouring of action.  Perhaps that's a fine line but it is not the actions themselves that save you. It is your faith.

         

My brothers and sisters, do you with your acts of favouritism really believe in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ? For if a person with gold rings and in fine clothes comes into your assembly, and if a poor person in dirty clothes also comes in, and if you take notice of the one wearing the fine clothes and say, ‘Have a seat here, please’, while to the one who is poor you say, ‘Stand there’, or, ‘Sit at my feet’, have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts? Listen, my beloved brothers and sisters. Has not God chosen the poor in the world to be rich in faith and to be heirs of the kingdom that he has promised to those who love him? But you have dishonoured the poor. Is it not the rich who oppress you? Is it not they who drag you into court? Is it not they who blaspheme the excellent name that was invoked over you?

You do well if you really fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, ‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself.’

What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but do not have works? Can faith save you? If a brother or sister is naked and lacks daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace; keep warm and eat your fill’, and yet you do not supply their bodily needs, what is the good of that? So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead.

Special Sin Status

Matthew 22:34-40

              I get a special joy out of what I call Bible thumpers getting slam dunked.  In this passage, Jesus does it gently but I could see Jesus going for a slam dunk too. There are people out there that call themselves Christian and place all manner of restrictions on God's abundant love. Not only that, they cherry pick scripture, misquote, mistranslate and misinterpret whole sections, lines and parables.  It is to these people I am imagine Jesus might love nothing more than to slam dunk himself.

               Vicky Beeching, a huge star on the American evangelical Christian scene, came out gay recently. She said she knew it since she was 13 years old. Praise God! I'm not looking for converts, I am seeking honesty and dignity. That this young women stood up to acknowledge that you can indeed be gay and Christian is wonderful. I applaud her roundly. 

                Linda Harvey, the media ministry mogul, a conservative right wingnut of the highest order, gave 'special sin status' to Vicky Beeching. Let us forget for the moment that Jesus never, ever, said one thing about homosexuality one way or the other. Of course he implicitly approved it but let me not get off on a tangent. 

               For every passage of scripture that allegedly condemns same sex relationships, there is reasonable, religious and scholarly reasons to deny the use of said passages to condemn gays. Still, I can see Jesus responding to a question about gays in the same way he did to the Pharisees.  Jesus sidesteps the particulars of the law and goes for the jugular. What of love?  Of course this maddens Bible thumpers to no end. If they can't have a defined set of rules, what are we to go on??  Jesus is quite clear and is that is  the two great commandments.

        So when Linda Harvey gives 'Special Sin Status' to Vicky or anyone, know that Ms. Harvey negates scripture in doing so. You won't find that 'status' anywhere except in her feeble mind.  Just as religious right wingnuts create their own translations for their own impotent purposes, there are many more of us who choose to read and understand scripture, those of us who happen to be gay and Christian.

       Kudos to Vicky Beeching.

         

When the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together, and one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. ‘Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?’ He said to him, ‘ “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.” This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: “You shall love your neighbour as yourself.” On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.’

The invitations are out

Matthew 22:1-14

          I find this a fascinating reading and one that calls to mind some thoughts I have been pondering even before I read today's passage.  When did Jesus know who he knew?  We all can know things but at the same time really not grasp the full meaning. For example I can spout all day that Jesus loves me or that I am a child of God but it is a far greater to know this in one's heart and in every fiber of your being.  I can recall having gone to confession and stating some horrible offense against God I committed. Father gave absolution but did I feel forgiven in my heart? 

       If in today's passage the king is God and the invited guests are the Jews, this seems like quite a parable to come from Jesus.  He was the one to say he came for the lost children of Israel only.  Did Jesus grow in his knowledge as a human?  He may have known he was the son of God, maybe not even that. Did he grow in knowledge and his awareness increase? Whether some Jews deliberately turned away from God or turned away by virtue of their undo attentiveness to the law, rules and rubrics, Jesus is now opening up salvation to everyone.  From the sinners and prostitutes, to Samaritan women and Roman soldiers, the message of love and salvation became open to all. His actions speak quite clearly. His words however, at least initially would have you know he came only for the lost children of Israel, now it is much broader.

         Who are the people today that are being called to the feast? People that once were anathema are now welcome. Jesus may have known he was the son of God but I am not sure he knew the magnitude or breadth of what it meant until he had the wisdom of some years under his tunic. God's love it seems is not based on democracy. As much as that human invention is the last best hope for mankind,  God's wisdom and love is perfect,  The creator is not subject to the adage that absolute power corrupts absolutely. God's love is all encompassing, all loving, all forgiving, all embracing.

            

           

Once more Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying: ‘The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding banquet for his son. He sent his slaves to call those who had been invited to the wedding banquet, but they would not come. Again he sent other slaves, saying, “Tell those who have been invited: Look, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready; come to the wedding banquet.” But they made light of it and went away, one to his farm, another to his business, while the rest seized his slaves, maltreated them, and killed them. The king was enraged. He sent his troops, destroyed those murderers, and burned their city. Then he said to his slaves, “The wedding is ready, but those invited were not worthy. Go therefore into the main streets, and invite everyone you find to the wedding banquet.” Those slaves went out into the streets and gathered all whom they found, both good and bad; so the wedding hall was filled with guests.

‘But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing a wedding robe, and he said to him, “Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding robe?” And he was speechless. Then the king said to the attendants, “Bind him hand and foot, and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” For many are called, but few are chosen.’

What does "yes" mean?

John 6:1-15

      On a personal note, and as a matter of explanation, I am sorry I was not able to write for this past week or so. I fell unexpectedly ill and am still recuperating. At least I am at home with 'my guys', my most precious husband and our cat. I can't promise to write each day now until at least I am fully mended. My intention is still there but I won't promise to writing every day. Not today. I am still quite weak and daily activities seem to drain me as though they were major tasks. I am exhausted, emotionally raw and whipped.

      So, here we are again with the loaves and fishes. Seems quite appropriate to me.  Later today a bouquet of flowers will arrive for my most wonderful and supportive husband. He was there through the thick and thin of this illness, worrying, driving back and forth, keeping guard and worried that what short time we had been given so far may be all the time we would been given. We are keenly aware that there are no guarantees.  Still, we said "yes" to each other, for better for worse, yadda, yadda, yadda.  We had no idea what the future would hold but we said yes to each other in faith and love.

       That is sort of what this passage is all about.  The disciples saying yes to Jesus. How many would have said 'what are you insane??' to the equation of large crowd vs. 5 barley loaves and two fish? Seems logical, practical and smart to make other arrangements.

        We catch a glimpse of that faith the Apostles had, the unrestricted "yes" to Jesus in marriage.  You know the love you have and the faith in the other. You may have no idea what the future will hold. And my husband rises to the challenge, rallies to the cause and shows such love and support that I think even the Apostles would be proud.

        The question I raise though is this, how many times do we actually give an unreserved "yes" to someone or to God? Sometime it may seem terribly impractical, perhaps even unreasonable but amazing things happen when God gets involved. That is, when you let God get involved. Like I said, I am emotionally raw right now but I cannot help but think over and over how blessed I am with everything and it all stems from saying yes. Yes to love. Yes to my husband. Yes to God. Yes to the little voice that said "go see a doctor.... quick!"

After this Jesus went to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, also called the Sea of Tiberias. A large crowd kept following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing for the sick. Jesus went up the mountain and sat down there with his disciples. Now the Passover, the festival of the Jews, was near. When he looked up and saw a large crowd coming towards him, Jesus said to Philip, ‘Where are we to buy bread for these people to eat?’ He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he was going to do. Philip answered him, ‘Six months’ wages would not buy enough bread for each of them to get a little.’ One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to him, ‘There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish. But what are they among so many people?’ Jesus said, ‘Make the people sit down.’ Now there was a great deal of grass in the place; so they sat down, about five thousand in all. Then Jesus took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated; so also the fish, as much as they wanted. When they were satisfied, he told his disciples, ‘Gather up the fragments left over, so that nothing may be lost.’ So they gathered them up, and from the fragments of the five barley loaves, left by those who had eaten, they filled twelve baskets. When the people saw the sign that he had done, they began to say, ‘This is indeed the prophet who is to come into the world.’

When Jesus realized that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, he withdrew again to the mountain by himself.

By His actions

John 4:27-42

           When I was a small kid in the early 1960's my Dad had a minivan. He was waaaay ahead of his time. It was a Chevy Greenbriar (you can Google it) and it was fixed up with curtains, TV, bar, a table and a row of vintage DC3 airplane seats in the back complete with seat belts. That's the thing! He had seat belts in the back and he had them installed in the front as well. Like I said, waaaay ahead of his time.  I grew up with that kind of thinking. Forward thinking and we didn't give it much thought. Perhaps some thought my Dad was a bit strange with these "seat belts" but I never knew it.

           Some people are ahead of their time and they depend on no one else for justification, they just do what they see as right or correct. In the beginning, they are a minority and then the tide swings in their favor.

          Of all the things Jesus actually said there is perhaps less attention paid to things he actually did, those things that Jesus showed us by example. Note, Jesus never said anything about being gay. He didn't say one way or another. That might be because the term and notion of someone being "homosexual" was not invented until the 1800's.  Same sex relationships in Jesus' time were well known though as was male prostitution. They were not looked at in the same way by the Romans, the Greeks or the Jews.  But in the case of the Centurion and his "dear slave", Jesus has no problem curing the beloved servant of the Centurion. I have written about that before (9-17-2012). Jesus mentions the Centurions faith but fails to say anything one way or another about the relationship. Jesus' actions would seem to make it a moot point or at least a tacit approval.  Jesus was waaay ahead of his time.

       In today's passage, Jesus spends quite a bit of time with the Samaritan woman at the well.  What he said is well reported but the not so subtle message to me, as it should be to all of us, is that he was responding to a woman as an equal.  This is in light of the fact that she was a women, and a Samaritan - and they would be lower than the low.  Again, waaay ahead of his time.

       It is with great joy then that I embrace the Episcopal church and their stance on women and especially women in ministry. Perhaps a bit ahead of their time for many churches, it is just catching up with what Jesus showed us while he was alive. Many of the early faithful and leaders of the church were women.  Who was it that proclaimed that Jesus had risen to the Apostles?  Who are Mary and Martha and Mary Magdalene? The Episcopal church embraces all because Jesus did. It does so without revisionist history or repressing the role women played in the early church to maintain a male dominated 'clergy club'. Note how the Roman church took a disciple in Mary Magdalene and subverted her into a prostitute.

       Rosa Parks was a women ahead of her time. Perhaps it should be said, she was proclaiming what should already have been. Racial equality, and going back, slavery was looked at and justified by passages of the Bible.  We need to embrace not only the words of Jesus but what his love calls us to do. The Spirit is alive and the movement of the Spirit calls us to be waaay ahead of our time.   We should erase stereotypes whether about people of color, about the gay community or anyone that is marginalized and oppressed.  We should erase the use of misinformed and mistranslated scripture which holds people back in the name of God but fails to show the love he calls us to and lived as he walked the earth.

      In Jesus' name, do as he said and do as he did.  Amen

 

           

Just then his disciples came. They were astonished that he was speaking with a woman, but no one said, ‘What do you want?’ or, ‘Why are you speaking with her?’ Then the woman left her water-jar and went back to the city. She said to the people, ‘Come and see a man who told me everything I have ever done! He cannot be the Messiah, can he?’ They left the city and were on their way to him.

Meanwhile the disciples were urging him, ‘Rabbi, eat something.’ But he said to them, ‘I have food to eat that you do not know about.’ So the disciples said to one another, ‘Surely no one has brought him something to eat?’ Jesus said to them, ‘My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to complete his work. Do you not say, “Four months more, then comes the harvest”? But I tell you, look around you, and see how the fields are ripe for harvesting. The reaper is already receiving wages and is gathering fruit for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together. For here the saying holds true, “One sows and another reaps.” I sent you to reap that for which you did not labour. Others have laboured, and you have entered into their labour.’

Many Samaritans from that city believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, ‘He told me everything I have ever done.’ So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them; and he stayed there for two days. And many more believed because of his word. They said to the woman, ‘It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is truly the Saviour of the world.’

Every knee shall bend

Romans 14:7-12

           There is an interesting Facebook note that is making the rounds.  It notes that Gandhi was not a Hindu; Jesus was not a Christian and Mohammad was not a Muslim.  I find it interesting because I like to note think we are all brothers and sisters. God made everything and as such we are all brothers and sisters. I also beleive God reveals himslef (or herslef) to people in different ways. One religion does not trump another, each has a message and a vision of God that is very valid, informative and loving.

           In today's passage it says that "every" knee shall bow to me.  Is this speaking of Jesus who to me is the second person of the Trinity?  When Jesus stands next to God on the judgement day, will he stand there as a Christian? As a Roman Catholic? Jesus was and still is Jewish. Will Jesus judge us as a devout Jew? 

        As a Christian, I believe I will be judged on my heart and whether or not I lived the two great commandments. I believe I may be judged on what I did with what I was given both as a person and the core being of who I am ( as I was created, a gay man ) but also what did I do with the tools I was graced with - money. To capture my point though, I believe that other religions, who may not use the words "two great commandments" have some similar words or  the essence of such that reveals the same truth. In that way we will all come before God as equals. 

          So in the matter of "every" and the two great commandments, how did I treat our brother and sister? Did we welcome our brother and sister? This was a an absolute tenet of Judaism. In Genesis, the lack of hospitality and selfishness was the case of God's actions towards Sodom and Gomorrah.  The antithesis of their selfishness is portrayed in Lot who welcomes the strangers (angels). Lot welcomes them, feeds them, gives them rest and true hospitality. 

       Would we welcome our brother and sisters in such a manner?  Perhaps it seems impractical, perhaps it would be asking for trouble in today's world. I am sure however there are countless ways we can make people feel welcome. Neighbors, people of different faiths? Foreigners? Gay people? Right wing conservative nut jobs? How have we been welcoming? Conversely what have we done to offend and turn away people? What have we done to make someone, anyone, feel unwelcome?

        If every knee shall bend it's not just us, it's them, it is all of us. Something to ponder as we walk through our day.

We do not live to ourselves, and we do not die to ourselves. If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord; so then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s. For to this end Christ died and lived again, so that he might be Lord of both the dead and the living.

Why do you pass judgement on your brother or sister? Or you, why do you despise your brother or sister? For we will all stand before the judgement seat of God. For it is written,
‘As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me,
   and every tongue shall give praise to God.’
So then, each of us will be accountable to God.

Surely, you must be joking

Luke 5:4-11

         I was at the Friary not too long ago and one of the Priests gave a sermon about God's vision and our vision. While we have such limited vision, God sees oh so much more. Scripture is filled with stories of men and women who are called and they basically say to God, "who, me?" surely, you must be joking.  God picks the must unexpected servants. God sees talent and faith when others do not see it in themselves and certainly dismiss it in others. Today the church remembers holy woman, Florence Nightingale. Not only did she doubt God's call but her family was appalled and did not think much of God's plans for her. Today her name is synonymous with nursing and being a faithful servant

          Todays' case in point from scripture is Simon (Peter) who is a fisherman by trade. The poor man had been at it all night with little success. Jesus suggests they put their nets out one more time. Any reasonable person would say surely, you must be joking. Simon was after all a professional fisherman and Jesus was a freaking carpenter. But God wants us to listen and the results will always be greater than we can imagine.  Simon listens. The result is the mother of all catches. So many fish, the boat is overflowing and the boat almost sinks. 

          What are we to make of this? Answers from unexpected places? Accepting a vision we may not see but that God assures us is so. Basically, put your trust in God. Let your vision and horizons expand to see what God sees. With God, all things are possible.

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.

Filled with desire

1 Peter 4:1-2

           What are human desires? When I think of desire, I may desire o to do good. I may desire to have a sweet ride and a nice home. I may desire the newest i-phone or some other such object. But most commonly in my mind are objects of desire, as in heavenly bodies.

          We were at Fire Island yesterday and there is no shortage of scantily clad so called perfect bodies. I could see someone desiring any number of the people that troll......err, strolled along the beach. I suppose as an exercise in apologetics I would want to clarify between natural desires in moderation versus out of control ones. It's normal and right that we should want to have our one true love and not be alone. However it would be excessive and wrong to wage a sexual war where partners are expendable and sought out for our own fleeting pleasure. That kind of desire shows that hedonism is your true god. 

             I would even go further to say that having desire for your spouse or beloved one is a normal confection created by God. When a loving couple shares willingly and openly the gifts that God created, that to me seems quite beautiful. This kind of desire is one where you elevate the one true God and cooperate with our nature to love.

              Someone once told me that that you can casual sex but there is no sex that is casual. While the desire to love is good and natural, it is a sharing of such intimacy and a giving of our innermost vulnerabilities and desires that it cannot by its very nature be casual even though it is good and holy.

            Can I argue for a decriminalization of sex and at the same time argue that desire and sex itself is a totally awesome gift from God as part of our very nature that should be expressed freely, just not as part of some rabid desire for immediate gratification? Something to ponder as human beings.

Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same intention (for whoever has suffered in the flesh has finished with sin), so as to live for the rest of your earthly life no longer by human desires but by the will of God.

Calming the storm

Mark 4:35-41

           Last evening our dinner companions were relaying a story of a man from their neighborhood who had committed suicide. He had been distraught over marital problems. In the end he exploded his garage with gas, taking out several nearby homes, the garage and himself. He left a very young baby and a grieving wife. What kind of solution is this? What possible problem could be so great?

           It wasn't so long ago that I was an active Deacon in the Roman Catholic Church. I had a wife and two children and I began to exhibit disturbing signs of dis-ease. My thoughts were jumbled and coming into my consciousness were some very disturbing thoughts.  Things that I had for years brushed aside and dismissed with one excuse after another came to haunt me in a way I had never experienced before. I started to become afraid at what it meant. I started therapy and became even more scared when it became apparent what the truth was. I am gay. Now, looking back, the signs were all so obvious. It is a testament on how we can lie to ourselves, the power of trying to be 'a good little (Catholic) boy and seeking a relationship with God for the purposes with the correct intention but also to settle the savage beast within that I never could quite put my finger on. I became even more scared. I was trapped. Every course of action seemed like it was a bad choice. My brain was splitting and each side had its pros and cons. Where would the battle end? Suicide? where no one wins and everyone loses? It had entered into my consciousness. I was swamped and felt like I would drown. 

          The grace of saying yes to God for so much and for so long gave me the crucial answers for myself.  Everything I learned, all the notations of 'Jesus loves you, this I know', the Scripture study and the guidance and professionalism of a therapist (also sent by God) and the graces of Ordination all helped me to calm the storm. I simply had to be faithful, honest and loving and the storm would die down. In fact, the storm would disappear.

          One of the pet expressions I have is "panic is not your friend".  When things go wrong as they so often do in one way or another, it is not good to jump to conclusions, act quickly or panic.  Sometimes we are impatient. I suppose it can be argued that I am even more patient than Saint Monica. I knew I was different, that something left me 'less than whole' for almost 50 years. What saved me was the love of God. Jesus walked side by side with me, arm around my shoulder. I did not walk my journey alone. I firmly believe that God sent all the truly wonderful people into my life that helped me navigate the sometimes turbulent waters of coming out. From my husband, then simply friend, to my therapist and a whole array of people who supported me emotionally and were patient as I sought what was wrong and what to do.

     In the end I mustered the strength to make a decision on my own and walked forward in pride, in faith (in myself and more importantly in God), in love and in honesty.  This is what calmed the storm.
Suicide is never the answer. Giving up is never the answer.

       

On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, ‘Let us go across to the other side.’ And leaving the crowd behind, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. Other boats were with him. A great gale arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped. But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke him up and said to him, ‘Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?’ He woke up and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, ‘Peace! Be still!’ Then the wind ceased, and there was a dead calm. He said to them, ‘Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith?’ And they were filled with great awe and said to one another, ‘Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?’

Communes for Christ ?

Acts 4:32-5:11

          What a spectacularly interesting passage. I will confess to being a bit gleeful over how this particular passage would be interpreted by some of the far right wing conservative Christians who seem to think that the United States is a Christian country based on capitalism. That seems to be the message of some televangelists and preachers who have caught the attention of the media.  In fact this country was based on religious freedom but is not a Christian country even if a majority of people are Christians.  Capitalism is not mentioned in the founding documents of this country.  Frankly, I resent the notion that our present and future are based on Capitalism. This country stands for more than that and profit is not necessarily the answer to all our needs and problems.

             So when this passage seems to foreshadow a communist or socialist way of life I wonder how some people would interpret the passage.  Do they recognize what is happening in this passage of Acts of the Apostles?  Not only is everyone selling everything they own for  the common good, they get in serious 'deadly' trouble if the hold back. The example in this passage speaks of 'cheating' and cheating the Holy Spirit. The couple who did so both quite literally dropped dead.  If anything would strike the fear into the faithful that would. That might stop people from simply throwing their spare change into the collection plate.

           I am not so sure that the intent here is to promote a socialist way of life, or the life of a commune as some of our parents might recall that was popular when hippies were common.

            This passage speaks of generosity of heart and trying to lie to God. That is something we cannot do. If we are faithful people we know that 'the church' in whatever way we define it or experience it, needs to be supported. They have bills and even salaries to pay. Those salaries I might add should always be a fare and decent wage as well.  It seems ironic that when a church is an employer they sometimes see fit to underpay and under respect their workers while some of the 'princes live quite high off the hog so to speak. This is clearly not what this passage conveys. If anything, it conveys quite the opposite.

             It might be interesting to study this exact passage in more depth see as how it seems to speak of a way of life quite foreign to what we have here in the United States. Two questions that it raises in my mind and that I shall be thinking about: what citizenship do we claim?  To whose kingdom do we belong? Secondly, How much is too much to give to  support good deeds and God's work?

Now the whole group of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one claimed private ownership of any possessions, but everything they owned was held in common. With great power the apostles gave their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. There was not a needy person among them, for as many as owned lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold. They laid it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need. There was a Levite, a native of Cyprus, Joseph, to whom the apostles gave the name Barnabas (which means ‘son of encouragement’). He sold a field that belonged to him, then brought the money, and laid it at the apostles’ feet.

But a man named Ananias, with the consent of his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property; with his wife’s knowledge, he kept back some of the proceeds, and brought only a part and laid it at the apostles’ feet. ‘Ananias,’ Peter asked, ‘why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back part of the proceeds of the land? While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, were not the proceeds at your disposal? How is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You did not lie to us but to God!’ Now when Ananias heard these words, he fell down and died. And great fear seized all who heard of it. The young men came and wrapped up his body, then carried him out and buried him.

After an interval of about three hours his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. Peter said to her, ‘Tell me whether you and your husband sold the land for such and such a price.’ And she said, ‘Yes, that was the price.’ Then Peter said to her, ‘How is it that you have agreed together to put the Spirit of the Lord to the test? Look, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out.’ Immediately she fell down at his feet and died. When the young men came in they found her dead, so they carried her out and buried her beside her husband. And great fear seized the whole church and all who heard of these things.

The Dominic principle

John 7:16-18

           Yesterday I noted that my former spiritual director was a  Dominican Priest. The correct term would be "Order of Preachers", founded by Saint Dominic. Saint Dominic and the relatively new Pope have some things in common. They are not diocesan priests, they are 'order' priests and as such take seriously the rule to live a life of poverty. The Pope has made no secret of the fact that he is troubled by priests driving the latest model cars and living in opulence.  Very recently there was an article on the CNN website about the 'digs' of some Bishops and Arch Bishops. There is not even a pretense of poverty and the term "prince of the church' takes on added meaning. They live like royalty in almost every respect. This is not what Dominic preached. He felt that if the message of Christ was to be taken as sincere and be convincing, the preacher, the convincer if you will, would have to be on the same level as those being preached to. In other words, your average bloke.

             I know we are not supposed to judge a book by it's cover. I have relayed at least once on these pages the judgements I have made. In particular a typical 'guido' I met once with attendant gold chains and Trans Am.  This young man turned out to be far from what I suspected and in fact turned out to be a decent, faithful and generous man. He was a servant of the Lord, I was humbled.  Still, the judgements came easy and that is partially the point of Saint Dominic and perhaps the Pope as well.

            The message we carry in our actions and in our love can be easily dismissed if there is a competing message that what we seem to really be interested in is material wealth and 'things'.

          When we preach by our actions it is crucial they come across unencumbered by worldly trappings that obscure the true message of love, forgiveness and hope.  Perhaps that is unfair that we might be judged that way but right or wrong it seems as pertinent now as it did in the time of St. Dominic. 

Then Jesus answered them, ‘My teaching is not mine but his who sent me. Anyone who resolves to do the will of God will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own. Those who speak on their own seek their own glory; but the one who seeks the glory of him who sent him is true, and there is nothing false in him.

Decision time

Mark 1:35-38

         For several years before my ordination and again afterwards, I saw a Dominican Priest regularly as my spiritual director. He was a guide, a mentor and a motivator. One of the things that I learned and remains with me today is that if you are serious about your prayer life and relationship with God, you have to set aside the time. You have to make the time.

        In those early days, I worked a demanding job and had odd hours. I would wake at 3am and return home at about 2:30 or 3. I would nap, get up, do laundry, clean, cook, eat with the family and almost immediately I would be off to sleep. There didn't seem to be a lot of wiggle room in there for prayer other than those prayers we might utter and offer up all day long as we work, drive or whatever.

Eventually I realized the only time I had is the time before work and that meant getting up even earlier. One thing though, it is rather quiet at 2am and it is very dark. I continue that tradition today, it is SOP for me to get up at 3am to pray, meditate and blog. Some of you may have taken note of the publishing times for this blog. Except weekends, it is rather early in the morning.

          Most days I get up it is pitch black outside. If the weather is good and conditions right, I can see the mainland in the distance, a few twinkling lights and perhaps a fishing boat that seems to like the waters out beyond our bluffs.  This is my deserted place and my time to devote to very personal and dedicated prayer.

           Many will not aspire to such a formula even though it is almost always like a moment of  Zen when I wake up. I am keenly aware of all of my blessings, the handsome husband sound asleep and the cat who lifts his head a bit as if to say good morning in a mild nod of recognition. 

          Even though that may seem light years away to some it is none the less what we are called to do in one form or another. Perhaps for you it may be time in a park or during a silent walk at lunch. Whatever your choice is in search of God and an increased relationship with our creator, a decision does need to be made. Relationships always require commitment and time. Start small perhaps but make the decision to pray. Anything that you find prayerful and helpful.  I was never one that liked the rosary but any kind of prayer will do. Just some time to listen in silence is a wonderful gift to you and God.

In the morning, while it was still very dark, he got up and went out to a deserted place, and there he prayed. And Simon and his companions hunted for him. When they found him, they said to him, ‘Everyone is searching for you.’ He answered, ‘Let us go on to the neighbouring towns, so that I may proclaim the message there also; for that is what I came out to do.’

Cunning linguists

2 Corinthians 4:1-4

          So, the title is perhaps a bit misleading but this passage notes that we refuse to practise cunning or to falsify God’s word. We are always graced by God's mercy, so it is terribly wrong to try and manipulate Holy Scripture, create man made laws that bind people or try to make ourselves look holier than someone else.

        I am an strong advocate of reading scripture with great clarity. Looking at passages with the eyes of the people at the time, their original language, their philosophy and the social context. It brings scripture alive. It also leaves less room for cherry picking scriptures to fit our own agenda or to justify our own lives or practices of faith.  For millennia Scripture has been mistranslated, misinterpreted, misused and sworn by. When that fails you can then bolster your position with spurious arguments, old philosophies and 'tradition'. This is not the path to holiness for anyone.  This is cunning and this is falsifying God's word. To what end? Maintenance of power? Setting yourself up as holier and more righteous than others?

         It is necessary to read Scripture in simplicity and simultaneously understanding the depths and richness of its cultural context. What is really necessary to be faithful and holy is to love as Jesus loved and obey the two great commandments that Jesus gave.  All the rest are stories and background information of faithful people and faithful lives, stories of a love story of God and her people.

         For some, being a cunning linguist seems a natural and perfectly acceptable way to holiness. In truth, holiness comes from mercy, faith, hope and love.

Therefore, since it is by God’s mercy that we are engaged in this ministry, we do not lose heart. We have renounced the shameful things that one hides; we refuse to practise cunning or to falsify God’s word; but by the open statement of the truth we commend ourselves to the conscience of everyone in the sight of God. And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

Picking at scabs

2 Corinthians 3:1-9,18

           Can you recall a time when you had a scab? Not necessarily a skinned knee like the times of our youth but some nick or such that caused a small scab to form. On several occasions in my life I have found some need, as if an itch, to scratch the scab to the point I wind up bleeding again. You look down and there's a small trail of bleed running down your arm or leg. I suppose it is embarrassing. We are picking scabs and we are not allowing things to heal.

          Oddly enough, this is what I came to mind with this passage. I think of people whom I have known, good faithful men and women who I have shared  deep spiritual blessings with. I think of  the times of sorrow shared, deep service shared, joys experienced and all the things that seals relationships and allows you to see what a person is truly made of.  It bothers me so that some of these people that I have felt needed no recommendations, that I felt I knew and loved deeply, abandoned me in my time of trial. And again, this is embarrassing to me because the hurt caused by seemingly good people of faith is something I allow to still bother me like a scab I have picked and let bleed all over again.

           There is probably no closer a time outside of marriage and perhaps more than family when you share spiritual formation and service with your fellow seminarians. You see the good the bad and you love and support them. You serve under trying times, study and witness to each other. You minister to each other when tragedy strikes. You are always there for them.

         When I realized I was gay, came out and asked for a leave of absence from my ministry, I found that almost universally, these good people abandoned me.  It's as if I would indeed now need a recommendation of the highest order to be readmitted to the circle of Catholic exclusivity and honor. No one called, no one asked, no one sent a card or text. My phone number hasn't changed.  I was anathema in one fell swoop. 

         I do not mention this as an embarrassment to them for not living the faithful loving lives that they have been called to or claim is theirs. That may be true. I am however embarrassed at myself for allowing this passage to remind me of an old scab and what do I do? I pick the scab and let it bleed.

         The message here is not to do this. We will be hurt by others' poor choices and mistakes our whole lives. We cannot expect others to act in a perfect manner when we ourselves are not capable of as much. Can we forgive and forget? That is what is needed. Picking scabs and revisiting hurt stops you from moving forward and pursuing your own journey to wholeness.

        It's not so much that we should ever really shake the dust off our shoes and simply forget people ever existed in our lives. I am not saying that. It seems to me that is what some people have done to me. What we are called to do is forgive and appreciate that love that really did exist and was genuine and expressive of the best of our life and recognize it as formative and part of our journey. Dwell on the love and the journey, never the hurt. Picking scabs is no good for anyone and it leaves you scarred. 

          

Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Surely we do not need, as some do, letters of recommendation to you or from you, do we? You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, to be known and read by all; and you show that you are a letter of Christ, prepared by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.

Such is the confidence that we have through Christ towards God. Not that we are competent of ourselves to claim anything as coming from us; our competence is from God, who has made us competent to be ministers of a new covenant, not of letter but of spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

Now if the ministry of death, chiselled in letters on stone tablets, came in glory so that the people of Israel could not gaze at Moses’ face because of the glory of his face, a glory now set aside, how much more will the ministry of the Spirit come in glory? For if there was glory in the ministry of condemnation, much more does the ministry of justification abound in glory! And all of us, with unveiled faces, seeing the glory of the Lord as though reflected in a mirror, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another; for this comes from the Lord, the Spirit.

I will ______ will not________ attend

John 1:1-18

           Philip Seymour Hoffman was an American actor and director, he died February 2, 2014 of an 'accidental' overdose. He left his substantial fortune to the mother of his children. It is purported that his intention was to be sure his children were cared for but that they would not become 'trust fund children'. These children would be loved and cared for but not given a guarantee of income or wealth. These kids would grow up having to make something of themselves. Kudo's Philip. This same idea is carried through with Gloria Vanderbilt's son , Anderson Cooper. He too was not guaranteed anything from the Vanderbilt fortune, he had to make it on his own. Kudo's Anderson.

             This is one of the messages I am getting from this passage today.  God came to earth as Jesus, to his own people who were supposed to be the heirs to the kingdom. In God's all encompassing love, the message is given to all of humanity. Perhaps it is guaranteed to us all but I imagine what this passage is saying is that we must accept it. I doubt God will hold any one of us accountable if we have not received this message of love but to those who have been so informed, we are asked to accept it or turn it down. I would not want to get into dogmatic arguments over what the word 'accepting' means by denomination or by specific religions, they are all human conventions, human inventions. But we must respond to God's call, his invitation to love and as heirs to the kingdom.

        So it is entirely up to each and every one of us to respond to God's call. We are all unique and all respond differently. We are all on different journeys. This is the beauty of God's creation, so diverse and so incomprehensibly beautiful.  We cannot see the entire landscape, the entirety of God's vision and plan. All we are asked to do is respond to the invitation and show a willingness or a desire to participate.

              

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.

10 He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him. He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him. But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God.

And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth. (John testified to him and cried out, ‘This was he of whom I said, “He who comes after me ranks ahead of me because he was before me.” ’) From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. The law indeed was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God. It is God the only Son, who is close to the Father’s heart, who has made him known. 

The Bifurcators

Mark 3:20-30

          This passage started me to thinking about people who stand against themselves. A very personal 'house divided' if you will. I would call them the Bifurcators and there many examples in society.  These are people who have a managed form of a split personality. They live secret lives that are often diametrically opposed. The politician who is virulently anti-gay and who happens to be gay himself. A priest who has taken a vow of celibacy and is not allowed to marry (in the Roman church) and yet has a lover on the side, perhaps even a family and children. But the example that hits home most for me is being gay and being in the closet.

            I am happy to see the advances the gay community is making. There was a picture on FaceBook a few months back of gay couples at their senior proms. How wonderful for these young people. Compare that to the likes of me who denied his own sexuality for almost 50 years.  A mix of societal pressures of the time and horrific religious beliefs perpetuated by millennia of homophobia and errant scriptural exegesis helped me deny at all costs who I was. This was even as the clues and signs were all there. I simply say I was a good Catholic boy.

             But the worst of all scenarios I think are the people who live in the closet. They know they are gay and for many reasons do not come out. They live bifurcated lives as if it is some form of manageable schizophrenia. There are great problems with this way of living. For one it involves intense denials of yourself. You cannot be the person God created you to be in an open, free and forthright manner.  This creates a self loathing that is intensely unhealthy. The dishonesty that is involved with a double life is one that cannot help but follow you into both realms of your existence.  It becomes very easy to lie and you have got to begin to believe those lies in one way or another. It is just unhealthy. 

                As faithful people we are called to be the best and most loving person God created us to be. We are not supposed to deny who we are. We are not supposed to boast either but it may seem that way to some. When you are held down and closeted you have such extreme joy at your liberation that celebration is a natural bi product.  I was recounting the other day with an in-law the day I pulled him aside and told him I was asking my wife for a divorce. Another important point I noted was that I am gay. This family member recalled the joy and peace I had at my announcement.  I have not lost that feeling. I am forever grateful and joyful that I am gay. This is a gift from God and an even bigger gift to be able to express it. Bigger still is the blessing of my husband to share the rest of my life with. Once I knew I was gay I knew I could not move forward living a bifurcated life. Out of respect for myself, my (ex) wife and my (ex) church, I had to come out. 

              I could not live two lives. I do not believe God wants anyone to live that way. It is a shame that the church of my youth whom I had the respect to tell does not have the same respect for me.  So no matter what, you must respect yourself and live a life of 'out' love that God wants and intended you to live - assuming you are gay. In general, be whom God created you to be. Be true to yourself and never live that bifurcated life

and the crowd came together again, so that they could not even eat. When his family heard it, they went out to restrain him, for people were saying, ‘He has gone out of his mind.’ And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem said, ‘He has Beelzebul, and by the ruler of the demons he casts out demons.’ And he called them to him, and spoke to them in parables, ‘How can Satan cast out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand, but his end has come. But no one can enter a strong man’s house and plunder his property without first tying up the strong man; then indeed the house can be plundered.

‘Truly I tell you, people will be forgiven for their sins and whatever blasphemies they utter; but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit can never have forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin’— for they had said, ‘He has an unclean spirit.’

Preferences: I did it my way

John 3:1-15

             I think I know a little bit about  being set in one's ways. Not crotchety mind you, but we all have our way of doing things. Even if we recognize in our wisdom that there are many ways to do something, we still have our own way. We may even joke that there are many ways to do something and then there is the correct way, my way! So I am sure it would not take much of an imagination to think of what happened when two 50ish men (my husband and I)  met and decided to set up housekeeping together. Perhaps in some cases it would seem better suited as a comedy like The Odd Couple. It's a good thing for us that each of knows the magnitude of the graces we have in each other. Finding each other at our age is priceless and a true gift from God not to be wasted on the likes of such trivialities as how things get done. The joy is living life together, not in the minutia.

             So in this passage today, Jesus says to Nicodemus ‘Are you a teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand these things? Jesus is incredulous that this man of faith doesn't get the real message. Nicodemus is what we think of as a typical Pharisee, more concerned with the law that with the message. No matter who we are though and in whatever situation, religious, secular, at home or on the road, we all have our little preferences. Each religion has 'their' preferences, interpretations of scripture and of course it is the 'correct' interpretation.  We really do get hung up on some of this stuff.  The extent to which it obscures the actual message is what Jesus was speaking of. 

           So you claim you are a Christian? So how is it that you can turn away children at your border?  You claim to be religious, people of God, how is it that you can use Gods very name as the basis for killing, firing missiles, Jihad, revenge, Inquisitions and vile hate speech? I can see Jesus scratching his head and I can see God crying at such nonsense.

            What is the message? What is it that we are supposed to get from all our Scripture study, prayers and faith? What good is centering prayer (or any kind of prayer ) when we go out and argue about the real trivialities of life?

            Mind you, I'm not arguing about perfection. We are all imperfect and all sinners. I have made more than my share of mistakes while trying to be faithful. I am a sinner. But if we grasp the message of faith, if we grasp the message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, we won't stray to the lengths that we seem to to in our personal lives, as religions or as nations. 

         This focus on minutia and 'my way' is myopic. The only way we will change is to see the diversity of God's creation. We have to see and know that there are many ways to see something, many ways to do something. There are many religions that express the same truth just from a different vantage point.  In focusing on minutia in any situation we will never be able to come to terms with each other and truly love. When we focus on minutia, that becomes our religion. 

Now there was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews. He came to Jesus by night and said to him, ‘Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God; for no one can do these signs that you do apart from the presence of God.’ Jesus answered him, ‘Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above.’ Nicodemus said to him, ‘How can anyone be born after having grown old? Can one enter a second time into the mother’s womb and be born?’ Jesus answered, ‘Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit. What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not be astonished that I said to you, “You must be born from above.  The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.’ Nicodemus said to him, ‘How can these things be?’ Jesus answered him, ‘Are you a teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand these things?

‘Very truly, I tell you, we speak of what we know and testify to what we have seen; yet you do not receive our testimony. If I have told you about earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you about heavenly things? No one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.