From our field organizer Michael Adee
More Light Presbyterians & Friends ---
Happy New Year. My hope and prayer is that this new year will be one filled with peace of heart and mind for each of you and those you love. And, may our prayers for peace in the world become reality.
In a few days, we will mark and celebrate the mystery and wonder of Epiphany on January 6. As you know, this tradition is often referred to as the Epiphany of the Lord. It is associated with the visit of the Wise Men from the East, or the Three Kings as often displayed in church Christmas pageants. Isaiah 60: 1- 6 and Matthew 2: 1- 12 are the Biblical texts.
Epiphany.... a sudden realization, a comprehension of the essence or meaning of something. Epiphany, an understanding, a revelation with an ancient root in the word "phos" or "Light."
While I have been packing hiking gear into one duffle bag, and clothes into another for my trip to Africa tomorrow, I watched "Sordid Lives," the film by Del Shores. Few writers get the intersection, challenges and possibilities of love, faith, acceptance, of being gay and Christian, of being family better than Shores.
Epiphanies are unexpected, surprises. Tonight one came to me while listening to Olivia Newton-John singing the title song of "Sordid Lives" as Bitsy-Mae, the local honky tonk singer who takes everyone in, just as they are. She sings: "Who's to judge who's a saint and who's a sinner? Who's to say who you can love and who you can't? The Lord's too busy trying to keep the world on its feet... to worry about what's going on between the sheets." "Who's to judge who's a saint and who's a sinner?"
The image of God, or Jesus, working to keep the world on its feet.... while we get caught up in wrestling over who people fall in love with, or whether or not we will accept lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender persons into our hearts, families and churches got my attention. What are we doing? What would God have us be doing? Jesus said clearly and plainly that we are to be loving God, neighbor and self in Mark 12: 28 -31. It is that simple. Perspective was the first epiphany for me tonight, and it is the very reason I leave for Africa in the morning.
I am climbing Mount Kilimanjaro so that I might be able to see the world and myself from a different perspective. I have confessed to close friends that sometimes it tests my last nerve to be working to get Christians to open their hearts and be loving to all of God's children. It seems that love, grace and acceptance would be part and parcel of what it means to be Christian, to be a follower of Jesus, the One who loved all, no conditions, no exceptions.
The second epiphany from Sordid Lives was in the midst of the coming out journey of Ty Williams who struggles with going home to a small Texas town for his grandmother's funeral. He said: "When I was a little boy I just loved going to church. But I stopped going. How do you embrace something that does not embrace you? But lately I've been missing God."
"How do you embrace something that does not embrace you?" asks Ty which could mean God, faith, family or the church. His question says all of that to me -- if one does not experience or feel acceptance, an embrace -- from God, their family or church, how then does one live with any genuine sense of hope, purpose and spirit?
In conversations about God, faith, the Bible, homosexuality, church, etc. people often say to me, "Michael, at our church we welcome gays, of course, but we do not affirm them." Or, "Everyone is welcome here, but...." Those of us who are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender, our parents and families know the exceptions only too well.
It is not possible to offer welcome without affirmation. And, that affirmation is the embrace that Ty that speaks of in Sordid Lives. In Biblical terms, we would call that embrace... grace. Grace - a gift, freely given to all, not just some. Grace - offered, not to be earned, or limited by those of us who have been blessed by the gift of the embrace and love of the God with an open heart to all of God's own children.
Epiphany.... perspective....embrace.... grace for all, not just some.
The text in the Gospel of Matthew speaks of the Wise Men as traveling or "going by another road." As I climb Mount Kilimanjaro during this time of Epiphany, know that I will be thinking of you as I journey by another road, this one a path leading our group up to 19,340 feet. I will be watching for the horizon, remembering you and grateful for the Light.
Ain't No Mountain High Enough.
with hope and grace,
Michael
For more on the "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" Mount Kilimanjaro Benefit Climb for LGBT Equality - go to www.mlp.org
Ref: http://www.mlp.org/article.php/20070103085955503