Sowing seeds of love

Galatians 5:22-6:10

            Two people do the same thing, why is one wrong and one right?  That's sort of where my thoughts are brought to.  Why is having sex outside of marriage condemned by some but within marriage it is then considered sacred and holy?  I'm not sure I want to delve into this too deeply except for that one note in today's scripture that notes about 'sowing to the Spirit'. Let me make it perfectly clear too that this kind of sowing is not the sowing of seed ( as in sperm ). Sowing is our actions, no matter what they are. Still, sex seems like a good starting point.

            As an unabashed ultra liberal, many people fail to realize that on many issues I am quite conservative.  On marriage for example, I have a pretty conservative view. Vows are sacred and to be honoured, lived up to, embraced and enjoyed to the full whether you are gay or straight.  At the same time though I know sex have been almost demonized and is full of quirky if not scary taboos.

           Our sexuality is one of God's greatest gifts to us, not a distraction of the devil and surely not simply for procreation either.  So where on the spectrum does sex outside of marriage stand with sex within marriage. Oddly enough they can be the same. It has to do with intent, commitment, love and respect. These can all be present inside and outside of marriage. The commitment of marriage perhaps makes it more likely it will be in concert with the Spirit but not guaranteed.

            When my kids were growing up they certainly did not want to hear a detailed talk on the birds and bees. (they did get some of it though whether they liked it or not. I can still recall my son moaning " oh God, oh God, oh God!") Be that as it may, I tried to instill in them that sex was in fact a good and glorious thing to be shared by two people but it had to be mutual, respectful and entered into with the seriousness it deserves based on what can happen. It is to be enjoyed but serious.

          When I hear people argue that marriage equality will lead to people marrying their dogs and their cars, I wonder if the Spirit is present at all in the marriage they are coming from. I mean, is their spouse a bystander, a means of gratification without respect or mutuality? That would be a marriage between a non-human or inanimate object. There would be no consent, no mutuality, no room for the Spirit in the 'relationship'.

           Our sexuality becomes holy when it respects each person, when it shares the essence of who we are freely and lovingly. Sexuality in concert with the Spirit elevates humans, not diminishes them.

           In any relationship where intimacy is involved the conservative beliefs in me call for a seriousness, respect and commitment. That doesn't mean you don't have a heck of a fun time. What a joyous gift sex is! It does mean giving freely, sharing mutually and respect that does not demean or cause damage of some kind, mental or physical.

           When all our actions involve love, mutuality, respect, elevates people and acts in concert with God's loving design, then the Spirit is present in what we "sow".  It makes days and lives holy and beautiful, a joy to behold.

  

By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also be guided by the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, competing against one another, envying one another.

My friends, if anyone is detected in a transgression, you who have received the Spirit should restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness. Take care that you yourselves are not tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfil the law of Christ. For if those who are nothing think they are something, they deceive themselves. All must test their own work; then that work, rather than their neighbour’s work, will become a cause for pride. For all must carry their own loads.

Those who are taught the word must share in all good things with their teacher.

Do not be deceived; God is not mocked, for you reap whatever you sow. If you sow to your own flesh, you will reap corruption from the flesh; but if you sow to the Spirit, you will reap eternal life from the Spirit. So let us not grow weary in doing what is right, for we will reap at harvest time, if we do not give up. So then, whenever we have an opportunity, let us work for the good of all, and especially for those of the family of faith. 

Of specks and planks

Luke 6:39-49

         Did you ever hear the expression, 'me thinks you protesteth too much'? As a kid it often involved having a crush on the little red haired girl, all the while denying it and saying perhaps how stupid she was. As we get older the stakes get a bit higher. Life is a bit more complicated and the lies and denials get ever more so complicated and convoluted.

         Such is the life of many anti-gay people out there, saying how evil we are, pronouncing all the faults and immoral things "they do".  So it is almost sport to uncover these people as closeted homosexuals. They are hiding their own secret and the sport is to "out" them. It is fairly common place. I don't think it's a very nice thing to do to anyone (out them) but in light of how dramatic and vicious their anti-gay facade is, it may very well be justified. There are still others that are not closeted but straight and seem to have nothing better to do than think of their own particular version of what "gays do" denouncing them, their person hood and their rights under the law.  A recent gem was the Attorney General of Florida, Pam Bondi.  She rails against marriage equality saying it will harm the institution of marriage. It was easily pointed out and argued that she had done some pretty good damage to marriage all by herself by virtue of her 3 marriages.

          I have been quick to point out myself some of the travesties of sexuality visited on humanity not by the gay community but by the heterosexual 'lifestyle'.  They say prostitution is the oldest profession, that's a straight thing. Divorce? straight thing. Bars celebrating and encouraging drunkenness and one night stands? a straight thing. The list goes on and on.  But what good is it?

          Who wins if each side in any argument seems fit to simply throw accusations and mud at each other? Is it necessary for someone to win at all? Can't we all win through mutual respect, love and understanding?

          Today's passage points out quite appropriately that we should not be telling our neighbor about the speck in their eye when there is a 2 by 4 in our own eye.  None of us are innocent.  If we entered Yom Kippur with the thought or belief that we had nothing to atone for we are sadly mistaken.  That kind of thinking is what Jesus railed against. The bar is not stationary. We do not attain holiness by simply obeying a list of rote rules and man made laws. The bar of holiness is forever being raised. We need to try hard, achieve and see how much higher we can go.  All our journeys are different but the end result is to always try and try harder again to be the best and most that we can be. 

          We have no right to point out others faults, not even if we are doing a fine job with ourselves. We need to respect other peoples journeys, faults, mistakes and attempts.  Certainly help others be holy but without judgement, hate or divisiveness. We have to much to learn for ourselves. 

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.’

Forgotten love.

Hosea 13:4-14

        I'd like to convey the recent story of a man, a gay man, who in whatever way he could, helped raise two young boys.  These boys were not his own. As with many gay men of his age, he knew he would never have children of his own and so these boys became like his own.  At the very least he loved them, cherished them in fact. He did for them whatever he could and he had such love that many children do not get from the biologic fathers.  In the fullness of years, one young man got engaged and he did not recognize or remember the love this semi-surrogate father had. The love this gay man felt as it turns out was not remembered, if even recognized or appreciated. It was a terrible hurt for the gay man.  You do things, you love people and you have somewhat of an assumption that the love is reciprocated. No burden was ever put on these boys other than perhaps an occasional phone call or birthday reminder. 

          God led the Jews out of Egypt, fed them, loved them. We are reminded of that in today's passage. The hurt God feels when we His/Her love is not recognized, remembered or reciprocated must be intense.  

          Times do not change it seems.  You do not love to get love in return. You love out of your heart and out of the goodness that you are. In the process though, you open yourself up to incredible hurt.  You might think that surely, your love is recognized and appreciated. It is not always so. It is devastating when your love is not returned.  In fact, your love may have never been reciprocated. Again, devastating.

              If there is a reason to get hurt though, it is for love. Your heart is clean when you love and get hurt. There is in fact no better reason to be hurt by someone than to do so by loving them. Life will hurt you no matter what at times, better it be for love, a noble cause and one that embodies our very essence, the essence of God.

             As God has never and will never stop loving us even as we turn our backs or forget His love, so we should never stop loving. It may hurt at times but you have righteousness on your side. This may not seem helpful to my gay friend who is suffering the hurt of rejection but I hope and pray he will find comfort in the fact that he actually did love and that his heart is clean and clear. 

Yet I have been the Lord your God
   ever since the land of Egypt;
you know no God but me,
   and besides me there is no saviour.
It was I who fed you in the wilderness,
   in the land of drought.
When I fed them, they were satisfied;
   they were satisfied, and their heart was proud;
   therefore they forgot me.
So I will become like a lion to them,
   like a leopard I will lurk beside the way.
I will fall upon them like a bear robbed of her cubs,
   and will tear open the covering of their heart;
there I will devour them like a lion,
   as a wild animal would mangle them. 

The hope of St. Francis

Matthew 11:25-30

          I never quite understood the concept of being ostracized from a group.  Like in the book Jonathan Livingston Seagull from years ago, you are told you are persona non grata and yet expected to respect the rules anayway and to stay away. I always thought, if you are kicking me out, why should I still obey any of rules you have? 

          They gay community for far too long was told we were not worthy, we were of the devil and we certainly could not maintain any kind of meaningful relationship. We know that none of that is true but none the less countless people in the LGBTQ community were told that for generations. And so, like being ostracized, many felt no need to abide by any of the rules. The social norms were for 'them' and we had the freedom. We were free to enjoy sex without stigma. We were free to form any kind of emotional bonds and relationships we wished because we were not allowed (by law) to partake in any substantial way, the rights and obligations the law afforded. We were also free of children (for the most part) and so could devote our time and energies to work and play. By and large, what you might call the 'gay economy' had substantial amounts of money because of it.

          With the Spirit moving in it's usual and mysterious ways and what one might call the 'manstreaming ' of the gay community, we have come to discover heretofore untold treasures of humanity. For me that is that I can be a gay man and know that God loves me and that I am called as a child of God to love just as everyone is called. Ignorant religious right wing nuts aside, there is growing number of religious that have seen through scriptural bastardization to see the gay community is not the evil horde many had portrayed us to be.  Many inside and outside the gay community are realizing the true meaning of scripture that was long used to suppress the gay community and countless others I might add.

            I have always known the joy that comes from knowing God loves me. It was not a great discovery of mine from coming to terms with my sexuality. Rather, it helped me navigate the process of coming to terms with my sexuality and coming out. But there are some distinct blessings that have come as a result of my coming out. One is the joys of St. Francis. I reluctantly appeal to a Saint that my youth would have me praying to as almost a deity unto himself but I reach out to the love and life of Francis as a Holy person of God.  What a joyous gift to discover the joys of living as afforded to us by the life of St. Francis. What a joy to discover and embrace that poverty of spirit that is a means to a spiritual nirvana. What a joy to be free of the trappings of wealth and a 'keeping up with the Jones' type of mentality. What a joy to see the love of God in all His creation. Specifically the joys of our brothers and sister that grace our lives in the animal kingdom. How graced and miraculous that I can see and share the love of a cat that reveals the loving face of God. The same goes for all the animal kingdom who reveal an aspect of God that we are very often quick to dismiss or ignore.

            By accepting being ostracized and villainized, the gay community has been wrongly deprived of the joys of God's world, the joys of God's love. We may be on the winning end of enjoying God's gift of sexuality but there is so much joy in the world to be revealed by the rest of God's creation. Do not let yourselves be deprived of God's love. Do not let ignorant and hateful vitriol of some churches keep you away from the gifts God so richly grants you and wants you to have. Do not let the 'churches' of ignorance and hate win.

At that time Jesus said, ‘I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and the intelligent and have revealed them to infants; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.

‘Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.’

The boy from Nain

Luke 7:11-17

        A positive attitude will take you a long way in life. Life is very much how we respond to it because bad things and problems in life arise no matter who you are. It doesn't matter whether you are wealthy or poor. It doesn't matter if you are faithful, agnostic or an atheist. Stuff does ( and will ) happen. 

         In today's passage Jesus comes upon a widow whose only son has died. Jesus is filled with compassion and brings the young man back to life. Jesus has the power to do that.

         How do we respond when we come across a story or perhaps even a friend who has had some horrible or sad thing befall them? Surely we do not have the power over life do we? If we respond to each other in a compassionate way, we really do offer life to the recipient.  We can simply say "oh, how sad" and move on our way. Alternatively we can offer some love and consolation, a loving hand or anything that we are capable of helping with. This will not bring a loved one back to life if they have died. This will not cure a cancer. This will not bring back a cheating spouse (like you would want them!). What compassion and love does, is to bring some love back into the life of the person bracing through their personal storm.

          If much of life is how we respond to things that happen to us, the rest of life is how we respond to others. We have the power to give life and love. It isn't the power that Jesus had over life and death but it a hint of his loving, life giving power. We are after all, made in his image are we not?

          So rather than say, poor boy, his parents kicked him out because he 'came out', take some positive steps if only to support an organization that helps troubled youth in the same situation.  Be Christ to others in our love and compassion.

Soon afterwards he went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a large crowd went with him. As he approached the gate of the town, a man who had died was being carried out. He was his mother’s only son, and she was a widow; and with her was a large crowd from the town. When the Lord saw her, he had compassion for her and said to her, ‘Do not weep.’ Then he came forward and touched the bier, and the bearers stood still. And he said, ‘Young man, I say to you, rise!’ The dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother. Fear seized all of them; and they glorified God, saying, ‘A great prophet has risen among us!’ and ‘God has looked favourably on his people!’ This word about him spread throughout Judea and all the surrounding country.

Spreading manure

Luke 6:1-11

          I got home from work yesterday and my most wonderful husband had already gotten the mail which is a little bit down the hill. The bad news is, my desk is covered with bills and solicitations. What got me to thinking from this passage was all the requests I get for donations. I feel a great deal of money is wasted sending me 'stuff' in the mail at the off chance I will send money back. Perhaps they rely on some sort of guilt. Guilt if you throw it away. Guilt if you use whatever it is without sending some kind of donation.  But it isn't just the mail, there are Internet requests galore, phone solicitations and television promotions as well. And let us not forget the pan handlers or the tables set outside store fronts.  I'm not one to believe that money solves all problems but there are legitimate needs and money certainly can help. It's just doing something good for God's children, one way or another.

           In today's passage the Pharisees were at odds because so much of what Jesus and his disciples were doing violated their laws.  Judaism may have a few thousand year leg up on those laws but I think the Roman church gives them a run for their money when it comes to rules, rubrics, canon laws etc. It's out of control, perhaps even unGodly.

         I think if you have a good heart and good intentions to love, there s virtually no way you can do something bad. What is left are opportunities to do good.  Sadly we dismiss so many opportunities. I certainly was tempted to throw every envelope away unopened today without a single review. Lord knows I am very leery of handing out any money to panhandlers. I recall a man who asked for 5 bucks as we were walking in the stairwell of a dark parking facility in old Las Vegas. We said "no thank you" and high tailed it out of there. We then laughed at us saying "no thank you"? What did that mean? We were just a wee bit frightened. 

         If some opportunities seem like they may be scams, dangerous or you feel you might be feeding a bad habit, let that not deter you. There are always opportunities to do good as far as donations are concerned.  I would not be one to give you my long list of preferred charities. I would suggest not throwing away the envelopes out of hand. I would also suggest that you budget a dedicated sum to good works, charities that speak to your heart and concerns.

         Just as I find it hard to really do something bad if your heart is in the right place, there is no reason not to do some good in this world.  As Ephraim Levy once said to Dolly Madison (Levy), "money is like manure, it doesn't do any good unless you spread it around".

One sabbath while Jesus was going through the cornfields, his disciples plucked some heads of grain, rubbed them in their hands, and ate them. But some of the Pharisees said, ‘Why are you doing what is not lawful on the sabbath?’ Jesus answered, ‘Have you not read what David did when he and his companions were hungry? He entered the house of God and took and ate the bread of the Presence, which it is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and gave some to his companions?’ Then he said to them, ‘The Son of Man is lord of the sabbath.’

On another sabbath he entered the synagogue and taught, and there was a man there whose right hand was withered. The scribes and the Pharisees watched him to see whether he would cure on the sabbath, so that they might find an accusation against him. Even though he knew what they were thinking, he said to the man who had the withered hand, ‘Come and stand here.’ He got up and stood there. Then Jesus said to them, ‘I ask you, is it lawful to do good or to do harm on the sabbath, to save life or to destroy it?’ After looking around at all of them, he said to him, ‘Stretch out your hand.’ He did so, and his hand was restored. But they were filled with fury and discussed with one another what they might do to Jesus.

Living in the past

Luke 9:57-62

            When I came the full realization that I am gay I was married (to a woman). After I sat down with my wife and explained the facts of the situation we decided  on a course of action to inform our families and most importantly, our two (adult) children.  Initially I would live at home as an emotional support to my wife who was as surprised as I was.  It was shocking to me that I didn't see it and it was shocking to her because she apparently also did not see it.  I stayed long enough for my soon to be ex wife to get really tired of seeing me around. She was adjusting. Still, we discussed getting together once a week for dinner or coffee. I mean it wasn't like I did not love her, it just did not seem fair to her to be married to gay man and it wasn't far to me either. ( This is where I started to really separate from what the Roman church would have had me do ). In any event it was all pie in the sky stuff, this dinner or coffee once a week even if there was no animosity and there was some.

            The moral to this short story is that you cannot, or at least should not, look back when you are trying to move forward. You cannot live in the past and try to make a new future. By all means I appreciated the life we had lived. There was love and the kids and a lot of fun times. But appreciating those memories and cherishing those memories is not the same as living in the past. You cannot live in the past and move forward. This is my take from the last line of today's passage.

       I consider it a blessing that I can appreciate a great many things without wailing, gnashing of teeth or lamenting over the past. The love of my parents is alive and well in my heart and memory even if though they have long passed. I still love many people that have died or simply moved on. Even cars that I cherished and loved, sport cars, Jeeps, vans; they all were a great deal of fun to own and drive but I do not weep at the fact that the are gone in the past. I still cherish them in my memories. In that respect the memories I have are still alive while I am free to create new memories, love new people and move forward. It in no way diminished what I have had or experienced. In fact the experiences make me richer and make me who I am today. 

         There is great fear and trepidation for many people when they are coming out.  Life afterwards is never the same and it is true, "it get's better", much better. Once you announce you are gay you cannot go back but hopefully you can appreciate and love as you move forward. Hopefully not having to abandon the past unless the past has abandoned you. Either way, you still have your memories and the love you experienced is still real and intact in your heart and mind.

         Like living in a closet, living in the past is not a good place to live.

As they were going along the road, someone said to him, ‘I will follow you wherever you go.’ And Jesus said to him, ‘Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.’ To another he said, ‘Follow me.’ But he said, ‘Lord, first let me go and bury my father.’ But Jesus said to him, ‘Let the dead bury their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.’ Another said, ‘I will follow you, Lord; but let me first say farewell to those at my home.’ Jesus said to him, ‘No one who puts a hand to the plough and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.’