Brian’s Reflection: Monday, May 10, 2010

Week by week we are learning that
recognizing Jesus isn’t so easy ……

Br. Scott Borden, OHC, in a sermon


Boy – Br. Scott got THAT right in spades! To my mind, it is THE major problem within the Christian community: Who is Jesus? It is not a simple question to answer.

Much of the Gospel is propaganda. All Scriptures are. They are filtered through the minds of human beings who have agendas. The real trick – or perhaps I should say discernment – is to hear “the true voice of God”. I often feel sorry for God. What a challenge to have to deal with us human beings and our devious ways!

I feel I’ve heard the Message. After all, I’ve been “at it” for over 40 years. I feel that I have been blessed and graced to discern Who/What “God” IS essentially. And I’ll tell you: it really helps to be Gay. It allows me to see the Gospel from the point of view of the despised; to see how Jesus knew that the non-despised couldn’t really get it. I feel I’ve developed a “sense” for discerning when people are “using God” for their own personal, prejudiced, exclusive, narrow, self-serving, not-open-to-the-revelations-of-the-spirit ways. And Yes: I am aware that my position can also be seen as just like “theirs”. Such is Life. But I am disgustingly self-assured about this! I have believed that if we could get through the slave thing and the woman thing, and STILL trying to get through the patriarchal thing, we could get through the Gay thing. But it ain’t easy! It has so far taken most of my Life. And we’re not there yet!

Anyway. Jesus is indeed not easy to recognize. I love that scene in the garden between Mary Magdalene and Jesus! It is an amazing Symbol. A triumph of the wiliness of God. Ultimately, our spiritual task is to discern the true nature of God. Is it to be found in a God who is invoked as a justification for hate or warfare or prejudice or xenophobia or ignorance or rejection or fear or exclusion?

No. A thousand times No.

God is about universal love and respect of the amazing diversity of Humanity.

How much more wonderful this World would be if we could let go of our pettiness and embrace the wonder of the tapestry of Humanity.

Brian+