I was very tired when I left the assisting minister meeting last night. The meeting lasted 2 1/2 hours, but it was incredible meeting where I learned so much from all those sitting around the table. We talked about mission trip disasters (missing flights, lost luggage, and trying to fend off an aggressive huckster). We talked about the gospel reading for May 6th. We talked about hour highs and lows. These are people I have come to love and respect during my internship. They are what it means to be church. God wants to be in relationship with each one of us and God wants us to be in relationship with each other. John 15:12 “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you." Can the gospel be that simple? Love one another. Can the gospel be that complex? It is easy to to love the people who love you. I love my mom and my sisters. I love the friends who have supported me emotionally and financially through my seminary journey. That is easy. I can't say I love the people who have sent me nasty notes that disparage my status as a transgender Latina. I cannot say I love the people who fly confederate flags from the back of their trucks or the ones who I see on TV who fly nazi flags (notice I did not capitalize their identifiers. It is my way of disrespecting their beliefs and my lack of love for what they believe in). Lord, how can I love them if I know all they want is to re-open concentration camps to kill and burn me and all those in the LGBTQ community? Love is not simple. Love is hard. I have to pray everyday for guidance. I have to pray everyday for the strength and courage to keep love in my heart when it is too hard to love.
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