| p3. March 17-24 Passion: MARCH 17. Unconditional Love: �Do not human beings have a hard service on earth �? Like a slave who longs for the shadow�Remember that my life is a breath�What are human beings, that you make so much of them?� See Job 7:1, 2, 7, 17. If God is worthy of praise for good, many of us think that God must be responsible for evil. For example, if God blesses us with sexual variation, then some might hold God accountable for heterosexism, discrimination, gay-bashing- possibly even AIDS. God can take our anger. God does not abandon us. God is not some positive thinking congregation that abandons a member dying with AIDS because of �negative thoughts.� Nor is God some spiritual health guru who refuses to attend a funeral because of its �negative energy.� God loves you unconditionally. MARCH 18. They hate us without cause: More in number than the hairs of my head are those who hate me without cause� I have become a stranger to my kindred, an alien to my mother�s children. See Psalm 69:4, 8. We live the Psalmist�s lament. We are among the most openly and widely hated people in the world. Think how this affects our psyches, and our spirituality, individually and corporately! Voters and legislators and judges deny us our rights. Religious bodies, governments, and corporations refuse our full participation. Our families and friends may reject us or draw away. We are bashed by strangers. We even �eat our own� because of our own homophobia. It�s a miracle that we survive and thrive! The Psalmist is bombarded by gossip, drunken bashers, insults, shame, and dishonor. Alluding to this Psalm, the gospel writers claim Jesus also lived this lament in the crucifixion: �for my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink� (Psalm 69:21). Lord, you care enough to count the hairs of our head; deliver us from those who hate without cause. MARCH 19. Let go and let God: For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says God. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. See Isaiah 55:8-9. God help us with our need to always be in control. Help us discern the times to let go and let God. MARCH 20. You will cast all of our sins into the depths of the sea. See Micah 7:18-20. Sin is often defined as the �bad� things we do. Rather, think of sin as those choices and actions we make that harm our relationships with God, with others, and with creation. Make a list of your sins and ask for God�s forgiveness. Then imagine God taking your sins and throwing them into the deepest part of the sea. God of great love and forgiveness, take these sins of mine and cast them out into the ocean, Amen. March 21. My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Yet it was you who took me from the womb; you kept me safe on my mother�s breast. See Psalm 22:1, 9. Jesus was queer, but not in our sense, perhaps. He was queer enough to be mocked, scorned, despised, shamed, and forsaken just as the Psalmist he quoted from the cross. Jesus knows what it was like for us growing up, what it is like for us now. From the cross he saw his mother, possibly remembering when he felt safe at her breast. While Psalm 22 expresses bitter despair, it also speaks of hope and praise. Could this be why Jesus says its first line while on the cross, (Matt. 27:46)? Surely he knew the Psalm�s conclusion: �future generations will be told about the Lord, and proclaim God�s deliverance to a people yet unborn� (Psalm 22:30-31). Lord, save future lesbians and gay men from feeling forsaken by you. May they proclaim the deliverance you effect in us. March 22. As my life was ebbing away, I remembered the Lord; and my prayer came to you, into your holy temple. See Jonah 2:7. Ever feel like you were swallowed by a whale, and there was no hope left? Swallowed by a whale, with no hope left, Jonah�s assurance can be our own. Though our prayers are not allowed in many churches, our prayers will be welcomed in God�s holy temple, especially when we feel overwhelmed as Jonah in the belly of a whale. Holy One, thank you for welcoming my prayers. March 23. �Keep awake and pray that you may not come into the time of trial; the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. See Mark 14:38. Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weaknesses; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words. See Romans 8:26. God knows what we need even before we ask. God intercedes our sighs �too deep for words and comforts us. When we�re too tired, or ill, or speechless, our willing spirit works with the Spirit to make our intent known to God. Thank you, Spirit, for receiving my sighs too deep for words. My spirit is willing even when my body is weak. March 24. �Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven.� See Matthew 5:3. Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of heaven.� See Luke 6:20. The Sermon on the Mount in Matthew becomes the Sermon on the Plain in Luke. Matthew alludes to Moses giving the Law on a mountain to demonstrate Jesus� authority. Luke suggests Jesus� egalitarian approach by placing the sermon �on a level place� (Luke 6:17). There�s another big difference. In Luke�s version, physical needs are emphasized; in Matthew�s, spiritual needs. The �poor� in Luke become the �poor in spirit� in Matthew; those �who are hungry� in the first are �those who hunger and thirst for righteousness� in the latter. Jesus� ministry reveals he cared about both physical and spiritual needs. He teaches as well as feeds the multitudes. His healings reveal the integral relationship of body and spirit. Aware of our needs, spiritual or physical, we are blessed for we will be satisfied. May our hunger for your spirit remind us of those who hunger for our bread. |
 |
 |
 |
 |