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Know God, know the strength, find a home, find ourselves

May 22, 2011

5th Sunday of Easter. Year: A.

Acts 7:55-60 Psalm 31:1-5,15-16

1 Peter 2:2-10
John 14:1-14

Knowing and claiming God's saving history as their own, ministering to those who could harm us. Remain persistent in prayer. The identity of Christ becomes our identity. We have been given the power of older works from which we dare to imagine.

Psalm 31:1-5 , 15-16 reminds us that we persevere in prayer. Amid the traps set for us by enemies and persecutors that surround us, the security of staying power of God provides security support for the road.

What spiritual discipline helps you stay in the present, dela conscious presence of God in times of trial or in other difficult times?

Acts 7:55-60, the stoning of Stephen, can be read in the context of the trial of salvation history of the speech of Stephen (Acts 7:1-53). This context invites us to reclaim history of salvation for ourselves and assume it as a source of encouragement, strength and proclamation. At the same, the stoning of Stephen can be viewed in the context of the history of Saul (later Paul) and a great presentation of the great persecutor who became a loyal apostle. Here the LGBT community can claim his legacy, go into the prophetic power, persecuted for being bold in our life and our love.


reading the following verse today's passage, Acts 8:1, we hear this: "And Saul was consenting to his death." Who knows what may be our witness before whom could reject us? And some of us, LGBT community and allies, having kept watching quietly in the past, we now find that the Spirit of God and a loyal community give us power to speak out boldly in favor of justice that is consistent with the width God's love.

What would summon the previously silent allies and others to support the LGBT community who live "out" with integrity, who face discrimination and suffering for their spiritual allegiance? What does it mean to respond to hate crimes Stephen temperance found in this text and its context?

Reading 1 Peter 2:2-10 is rooted in our identity, who we are before, so negative, what are not. We are "a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God" (verse 9). Here the identity of Christ as "living stone" becomes our identity. Despite (and maybe even because of) that have been rejected as Jesus was rejected, we are able to afford more. We set up a spiritual priesthood. Christ is precious to us and we are valuable to God. Surely our worth invites us to see others as valuable. Placing us again in the current prophetic as the writer of 1 Peter, we can also echo the proclamation of Hosea to claim and proclaim that "once were not a people, but now you are the people of God" (Hosea 2:23).

What if the LGBT community and its allies allow themselves to be made spiritual house, to be sacred priesthood? In this century, what are the sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ?

Although John 14:1-14 is often quoted at funerals, the call is not in providing security after death, but about staying as grounded in our sense of belonging to the Lord that nothing will deter us from acting with passion and power in the present day. Knowing who we are and having the security of "home" allows us the freedom to believe, beyond the stories and traditions-the One who works through us in ways that the church has not been able to imagine. Belong to the house of God "Abba. We believe, we will not let our hearts be troubled.

Where do you find a home? Where foundations your faith and action in times of trial or trouble?

inclusive Prayer


living God, appoint for a spiritual house.
Valuable Christ infúndenos the safety of our worth.
Holy Spirit, help us to rise up as a holy nation,
called to be light for a world living in darkness and fear.

Abba, be home for every rejected
their families and churches,
and for us who walk the paths unknown.
we be steadfast in prayer,
to continue grounded in our identity as God's people
and be bold in our proclamation of your love.
Amen.

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Co-creating a healthy community

May 15, 2011

4th Sunday of Lent. A. Year

Acts 2:42-47 Psalm 23

1 Peter 2:19-25 John 10:1-10

The joy that shines through these passages is a joy the world can neither give nor take away. The unit, health and safety LGBT evident in many communities are examples of this joy. The resurrection hope expressed in the passages today invites us to join God in the co-creation of those brave and generous community.

Acts 2:42-47 describes the society that God calls us to build in this world. Through acts of fellowship, teaching, praying and sharing meals, this new community is intimately aware of the needs of its members both locally and globally. This fledgling group, empowered by the Holy Spirit and equipped with their Jewish traditions of justice, righteousness and peace, sells and distributes wealth gains as the need for each one (verse 46). Our LGBT community have inspired the broader society coming together and sharing resources generously in response to combating HIV / AIDS. In the times in which we cooperate, we love the mysterious joy of the first community in Acts. Those who believed in the mission continued its practice with "happy hearts and generous "(verse 46) to continue breaking bread together. The news of this spread like wildfire and others joined them (verse 47).

Imagine being a member of a group, so united in the mission and spirit, which constantly happy even sharing their possessions. How can our community co-create this type of community both within and beyond?

Many shared meals and visits to the Temple in Jerusalem, which were related to a broader community, this community trained to act. Maybe going to the city, witnessing the suffering, and sharing meals and prayers are seeking a sacred space for the Spirit to act and move the community toward justice. We who live in relatively wealthy nations, we are tempted by materialism and radical individualism daily. However, as LGBT people, we experienced the deprivation of rights. This passage challenges us to be generous by pooling resources for the common good. Ironically, the joy is to acquire wealth of toys, but sharing them!


Psalm 23 reminds us that we are safe and are loved just as we are now. God watches over us, guides us and provides each of the things we need. "The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing" (verse 1). What great news this is for those of us with whom we have been told that we are defective, we must change our sexual orientation or who are excluded from the love of God! The Psalm promises to the community that no matter how difficult the times, God is present to guide and support even in dark valleys. The psalm also reminds us that God provides abundantly for all creation. We must not accumulate wealth for a rainy day at the expense of the global community when we put our trust in God. However, some unfairly denied her food each day. Often this is the result of the greed of those in power, many of whom consider themselves Christians. God prepares a table of plenty for everyone. It is the responsibility of a just and healthy community to ensure that all are served, and perhaps even share the table with our enemies.

What activities or practices help you rest in joy and say you're safe and you are beloved by God? How can you make more time for these experiences?

John 10:1-10 is directed to the Christian community seems, at first view, quite unique. Gates and fences are very familiar to those who have been locked up and out of the community because it did not reflect key lessons, among other things, on sexuality, gender and race.

When you've felt locked out of your faith community? When you have closed the door for someone?

There is good news. Church bodies, church leaders or television evangelists not finally decide who is "in" or "outside" the Christian community. If we are honest, we also have opinions about who should or should not should be allowed to belong to our community. Leaving out some people we run the risk of being exclusive. However, there are times when it hurt and the carriers of death need to be excluded for the health of the community. For Christians, the only authorized ultimately to decide who can enter and join the other is Jesus Christ. The "thief" (verse 10: the violent and intolerant, or who spew hate, those that threaten the health of the people of Christ) can jump the fence, but it should be rejected so that the work of co-creating healthy communities and fair to continue. Jesus promises abundant life, even reformed thieves!

inclusive Prayer

God of abundance,

you, help us to co-create healthy communities

where all our resources to be shared-

our possessions, pain, joy, love and concern,

our health and disease-all we have and are.

You have promised us abundant life to all your people.

we never away at the margins of your tables,

but to be who co-create the meal you.

Amen.