Lower than the angels*

Jesus is the master of the metaphor: “Whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it” he says, in Mark 10: 15. Last week I wrote about the idea of “child” in these synoptic Gospels, reminding readers that for Jesus, children were not the precious innocent things of our time, but rather were thought of more like vermin. Children were often competitors for food and shelter and water. They were outcasts, unless they had been fortunate enough to have been born to parents of royal cast. So, it is easy enough, if you really understand the scripture, to see today’s lgbt population as “little children” in Jesus’ metaphor. Outcasts, competitors of the majority, and Jesus is saying “unless you can see God’s reality in the way they see it, you cannot see God’s reality.”

Fascinating. Because it means we, the lgbt children of God, are those who see God’s reality most clearly. Now, I know that is true, just because I know I love my husband with all of my being. That’s enough evidence for me. What about you? The love you experience is your view of God’s reality in the life into which God has called you.

Today is Philadephia’s OutFest, a huge lgbt street fair. And since 1997 I have had a booth at it on behalf of the Episcopal church in the region; since 2010 we have had a booth on behalf of our own parish church. I love the sweep of people as the lgbt community flows past the table, picking out brochures and asking questions. I love the reality of the ministry right there on the street in the community. I love watching the crowd and being reminded of how God sees God’s reality among living, loving, lgbt people.

The letter to the Hebrews, which is appointed scripture this week, has a great metaphor in it as well, about how Jesus, being made human, was forced to be (for awhile) lower than the angels. And, we, because of that, were allowed to rise up to that place where, with Jesus, we also were just lower than the angels. This, of course, is the place where true happiness and godliness are known in our souls. This is what it means to be fully gay as God has made us. It is where we dance with these angels who protect us on our march toward freedom and fulfillment as children of God.

We probably will be rained out today at the OutFest. But even if that happens, the truth remains. It is that huge swath of reality, of real lgbt people who got up this morning with their kids, their divorces, their court orders, their relationship issues, and their dogs, and came down to the Gayborhood looking for a little bit of life, a little bit of community, a little bit of the healing of being accepted.

And that is what Jesus offers.

So rain or shine, whether we take our booth to sit in the rain or decide to pass this year, either way, the truth is visible in that parade of lgbt humanity that shows us the true exodus of God’s chosen people en route to the land of milk and honey.

Right, honey?

*Proper 22 (Job 1:1; 2:1-10: Psalm 26; Hebrews 1:1-4; 2:5-12; Mark 10:2-16) ©2012The Rev. Dr. Richard P. Smiraglia. All rights reserved.

Thanks for good witness*

Last Sunday was the OutFest street fair in Philadelphia. Our parish had a booth, which we set up at about 9:30 in the morning and tore down at 4pm, so we were out there on 12th St. for more than six hours. It was a gorgeous day, getting too warm only for a bit in the midafternoon, all of which meant it was a comfortable space for us to engage in our ministry of witness.
As is often the case at these events, although I answer lots of questions about one thing or another, the major impression I come away with at the end of the day is the simple power of our having been present with our “Episcopal Church Welcomes You” sign, and our Episcopal flag flying alongside rainbow flags. Jesus says in today’s Gospel reading (Matthew 22:15-22) to give the emperor’s things to the emporer and to God the things that are God’s. And that’s what we do at the OutFest. We set up a sign of God’s presence, of God’s healing love, of God’s caring creation, and then we let it become its own beacon to the swarms of folks swirling around all afternoon.
There often are so-called “protestors” at these events; I didn’t see any this time although a few distraught folks stopped by our table to say they wished our message was as loud as that of the protestors. I always chuckle, because for everyone who says something like that to me fifteen more stop by to whisper “thanks for being here.”
In today’s lesson from 1Thessalonians Paul writes words of encouragement remembering “your work faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope.” We had a varied crew of parishioners at our booth throughout the day, but the best moments came, I think, when it was possible for potential church-shoppers to actually have a chat with one or the other of our folks. I was grateful for their easygoing welcoming chatter, which is born of the reality of their genuine sense of home at CHT.
It is a ministry of witness, witness to the simple power of the love of God. Thanks folks.

Proper 24 (Exodus 33:12-23, Psalm 99, 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10, Matthew 22:15-22)
©2011The Rev. Dr. Richard P. Smiraglia. All rights reserved