A hen and her wings*

How hard is it to come out?

Well, that all depends on the context of course. I don’t remember that I didn’t come out because I was afraid, which is what I hear from so many people who seek my counsel. What I remember is more complicated—it is that I didn’t get it. And so it wasn’t until I actually wanted a specific fellow (and of course, he was straight) and couldn’t have him, that I began to get it. And to notice that all around me were men who did get it. And not only that, when I looked closely I saw that they saw that I was one of them. I remember leaping wholeheartedly into their metaphorical embrace. That is, I did that once I had got it figured out.

That’s an artifact of my times, of course. Today adolescents get told they’re gay by their parents and grow up fully aware. In the Netherlands, where marriage equality has been the law since 1998, young people grow up able to dream about marrying the man or woman of their dreams. And then they do.

In Luke’s Gospel this week (Luke 13:22-35) Jesus is metaphorically throwing up his hands because very time he invites people to join his brood they ignore him. He says: “How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!” Well, he means exactly what he says. You are children of God. And God your mother has stretched out her wings to gather you, her brood, under for protection, warmth, nurture. So why do you resist?

CHT is a church of the Episcopal denomination, which is the American name for Anglicanism. We are rooted in catholicity, our bishops retain apostolic succession, and our priests are ordained in succession. We are catholic people. And yet we are not Roman Catholic. And we are sex-positive, and we are gay affirming. Last Sunday our deacon’s marriage to his long-term husband was made public in the prayers of the people. One Sunday last summer all of the couples whose wedding aniversaries were celebrated were gay or lesbian. And yet we are fully integrated in the church. We all gather together in our church, with our straight or bisexual siblings under God’s protective and nurturing wings.

Paul wrote: “Brothers and sisters, join in imitating me, and observe those who live according to the example you have in us.”

Come to CHT my friends. God’s wings are large enough to nurture you too.

*2 Lent (Genesis 15:1-12,17-18; Psalm 27 ; Philippians 3:17-4:1; Luke 13:22-35

©2013 The Rev. Dr. Richard P. Smiraglia. All rights reserved.