Wednesday, April 4, 2012



it's holy week
the ancient story
of betrayal, arrest
and crucifixion
of Jesus.

we tell the first story
and i suppose
as we do we reflect on our own stories.

on weeks like this i hear the voices
of the crowd shouting for Pilate to hear...

i also hear the voices speaking and shouting
in the here and now
announcing conclusions and judgment
with nonchalant
confidence
unaware of the misguided,
unimformed
nature of thier words
or the deep hurt
thier condemning words
create.

she...
and ordained elder of the church
spoke
to answer the questions
asked of her.

she answered the questions
and then added her commentary
as to why the church she serves
does not acknowledge the
the adopted policies and commitments
of the national church concerning those
who are gay.

she...
a woman
who at another time and era in the church
was subject to the same condemnation ...

as others have and continue to say
the Bible
does not allow,
affirm, confirm, agree, accept
women
to be ordained.

she...
forgets just how many left the church
and never returned
because she a woman
knelt down to be ordained
by the hands and affirmation of the church.

she said...
concerning the gays
"the Bible clearly says..."

forgetting as she pontificated
that others continue to hold
clear understandings of the Bible's message
concerning her God given indentity...

that others continue to believe her ordination
is an abberation of God's Word.

she forgets the condemnation
others hold
over and against her...

or she chooses to reject those who condemn her
because she discovered a different way
to read and hear the Bible's message and intent
concerning the leadership of women in the church.

whether she forgets or rejects
doesn't really matter
because she affirms her ordained calling
to serve the church.

what she fails to do
is listen to her own words
and to consider
that if indeed
Scripture
has in the past
been opened and understood in a way
that pushes past formerly held condemnations...

it just might be
a possibility for this day.

but she failed
to think about such possibilities
as she boldly and

non
chalant
ly

spoke her mind
all the while
unaware that she
was firmly condemning
the loved one
of the one with
whom she was speaking.

she failed to care...
she failed to think...
she failed to consider why
the one who asked her the questions
asked them.

she fails to consider
her words hurt
and destroy
the body of Christ.

certainly
this is something
for her
and others
to think about
during these days we
call holy..

when God
did for us
what we failed to do...
and what we fail to do...
and what we continue to fail to do.

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