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Called "or selected? You

January 9, 2011
1 Sunday after Epiphany. Baptism of Jesus. A. Year

• What does being chosen by God? What does it mean to be loved by God?

Through the ages, scholars have speculated about the identity of servant of Isaiah 42: 1-9 . Two interpretations have emerged, one identifies the servant with a hero and another individual with the collective Israel. The contemporary readers, leaning toward the latter interpretation, could replace the group Israel by the LGBT communities of our respective contexts. Israel could then ask ourselves, how we understand ourselves as chosen by God, and contentment of being in God (the Hebrew nephesh has a more comprehensive meaning than the translation "soul" suggests) and gifted with the spirit of God (Isaiah 42: 1)?

There is much joy in this passage, found joy in the struggle. A female identified as God making a "you" female hand (verso). Gender boundaries are fluid. The objective of the struggle is "set land justice in all the fields, justice for all people everywhere (verse 4). This universal promise offers hope, even though some might find the impartiality of God ( Acts 10: 34 ) difficult to endure, because means that God is fair also to LGBT people. There is clearly a tension between the universal promise of God and God's choice of a particular people.

The election has long been understood as a right, which has led Consequently violence and terror for many. What if we understood the election instead as kindness [quality of being loved]? This theology offers rich possibilities as it removes the emphasis of the alleged qualities of those who are loved and emphasizes instead the free gift of love itself. Yet the idea of \u200b\u200bchoice raises serious questions as to who are excluded from the election and love. The passage from Isaiah adds an important criterion: the contribution of justice, concluding that if we love, we do justice. Feeling loved leads to higher self-esteem and, consequently, greater ability to act justly and to spread love, beyond the limits of a chosen few.

• What baptism means to you? How do you connect or separates you from others?

Among the passages in the lectionary that we consider, Matthew 3: 13-17 provides the connecting thread. Baptism is presented as the equalizer. Within the Christian context, this ritual works to initiate and promote bonding. The Psalm 29 was chosen in the lectionary for how it links with the baptism of Jesus. In the passage, as in Matthew's account, "the voice of God is upon the waters" (verse 3). However, the powerful words of the psalm on the water do not select an individual as blessed, but rather demonstrate the power, majesty and blessing of God over all creation. What do you mean God in all this work of water? What does the baptism, a ritual that signals the inclusion or exclusion of a community-elected for those that do not fall in the water? How do we express openness to other faiths? What rituals could say that God is acting outside the community of the baptized?

Gifts of the Spirit of God and divine love are the fruits of Jesus' baptism rituals. Accordingly, we too can become agents of the spirit, mercy and justice of God in the world, part of the baptismal covenant that we often forget. What novelty is introduced into our lives of faith when indeed we live our baptismal commitments?

LGBT people of faith as baptized, we are called not to sneak of our baptismal promises. Although there are those who want to get away from the community, are the community of the baptized and beloved. Our baptism calls us to work to open the blessings of baptism for all within the body of Christ. These blessings, it seems, including marriage and ordination for LGBT people who are called to do so, but who are denied. At the same time, we are called to look beyond our own community of choice to live in love and justice to the sons and daughters of God in all religions and creeds.

• If you are not baptized, what do you encourage this conversation to seek the baptism or rejected? How might the baptism in how you see others or how you act in the world?

inclusive Prayer

O Brother Jesus,

that your baptism left us a sign of your love and acceptance.

Grant, we pray, so honor your call,

that we perceive our own worth in your eyes

and brought to share the pain of those who are marginalized, that

lifetime can

promote the dignity and freedom of every human being.

In Your Holy Name we pray. Amen.