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"You are the salt of the earth. but if the salt loses its saltiness, how
can it
be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown
out
and trampled by people.
You are the light of the world. A city on a hill can not be hidden.
Neither
do people light a lamp and put in under a bowl. Instead they put it on its
stand,
and it gives light to everything in the house. In the same way, let your
light
shine before people, that they may see your good deeds and praise your God
in
heaven." Matthew 5: 13-16
This particular passage that is attributed to Jesus comes in the Gospel
Matthew as a
part of the "Sermon on the Mount". I had never noticed that before. I have
used this
passage in funeral after funeral. I have used this passage to uplift the
family of the one
dead, to assure them the deceased was indeed the spice of life. That their
light was there for
all to see.
While I stand by those messages, I have taken a closer look at these
words...more
specifically the "who" of whom they were spoken to. I have started asking
the question of
"who" was Jesus talking to a lot these days. Especially in the light of the
onslaught of hate
and outright evil that is being slung at our community today by religious
"Reich" and the
mainline church it self. Yes, this evil and hate is even being protected by
our own
community when we fail to ask that question of "who" and than defend the
institution as
trying to be open to gays, lesbians, bisexual and transgendered people and yet
slam the door
squarely in their face with in-fighting, bickering, name-calling and rigid
positions of "my
truth is right because I have a degree." I think I need not dwell on
"those" in our
community who do this harm to us, except to say they know who they are and
that I believe
they too have gotten trapped by forgetting "who" Jesus was talking to.
So, in this sermon that day or days depending on who you believe, in the
interpretation of when and how these words came to be was Jesus talking to.
Who was
sitting on the hillside or in the meadows listening so intently to the words
of one who
seemed to understand their hurt, their need, their hunger? Understanding,
the "who" will
change the message and its impact. Understanding the "who" can and does
effect how we
relate to our God and to ourselves.
For the sake of simplicity, I am going to write from the point of view that
this was
one sermon at one particular gathering. The reader needs to be reminded that I
have no proof
this sermon was done this way. I have just the way the author(s) presented
it translated
from an old language into a newer and modern language. This raises all
kinds of issues that
are better suited for a different article.
Gathered that day, were people who in this time were the outcasts of
society. Yes, I
suppose their were main-line people there, but probably for the purposes of
seeing if Jesus
took any missteps on traditional teaching. Listening closely that day were
the lepers. These
were the people affected by a disease that was not understood and
contagious. They were
not allowed sanctuary within the mainline tradition of the temple. Instead,
they were
suffered off to some far corner of society to fend and make due for
themselves.
There were prostitutes, in an act of survival sold themselves to other
people so that
they would have food to eat. They served a need of the rich, but they too
were thought of as
the dregs of society.
There were those women who were childless and therefore considered outside
the
realm of blessing by a God who demanded procreation as that sign of
blessing.
There were the poor, who by their lack of money, land or prestige were
outcasts in a
society that demanded one have these things in ordered to be heard and to be
genuine
contributing member of that time.
There were the blind, the deaf, the emotional distressed, the physically
handicapped.
All of whom did not measure up to the standards set by the religious leaders
to be worthy of
God.
There were the outcasts of the society because they were not married.
There were
those who were not pretty enough, smart enough, strong enough to be
considered worthy of
the great institution care and or concern for their welfare.
Yes, God forbid, there were practicing homosexuals both of the men and women
type, and those who expressed their sexuality in ways that no person in
their "right" mind
would tolerate much less include as a part of the proclaimed good of
society.
OK, so even if we are homosexuals how do we relate or claimed to be all
those other
people that were there?
Are we not a people who are affected by a disease that is in reality little
understood,
is contagious and thought to be of our own doing a curse by God? Before you
object
remember there are people in our own community who say AIDS is about our
lack of sexual
responsibility and promiscuity and therefore we reap what we sow.
Are we not a people who prostitute ourselves to eat? Are we not a people
who look
for the rich, the famous, the influential to feel good about ourselves. We
can prostitute
ourselves in many ways aside from our sexual encounters.
Are we not accused of not contributing to society through the act
procreation? Yet at
the same time accused of gathering and influencing children to our side and
denied the ability
to give a child a home that is safe and loving?
Are we not a people who are poor? We can't afford or get health insurance
for our
partners. We can't protect our property and pass on to our loved one
without a fight and at
the cost of huge amounts of money that no other married couple is expect to
expend?
Are we not blind both spiritually and physically to the world around us?
Are we not
told we are blind for not seeing the only right relationship with God is to
follow the
traditional teachings and beliefs? Are we not emotional distressed by
broken relationships,
unacceptable relationships, broken families, unacceptable families? Are we
not physically
handicapped when we are denied the ability to defend our country, denied
access because
the cost is prohibitive?
Are we not outcasts because our relationships do not meet the standard
definition of
"marriage" and therefore are denied the benefits afforded to those who meet
that
definition? Is not our love for each other defined as a perversion and
sick?
Oh yes, are we not in many cases considered not pretty enough, muscled
enough,
young enough, or working in the right field to be considered worthy not only
by main-line
society but our own people as well?
Are we not a people who within the scope of our own sexual practices
scorned each
and everyday by our own people who say things like: "all they show on TV are
the bad
parts of our community, the drag queens, the leather people, the dykes with
their exposed
breasts, and all those strange people with wild hair color and body piercing
and tattoos."
Yes, my friends, each of us are sitting on the hillside and listening to
the words of
Jesus. We are the "who"! He in fact is speaking to each and everyone of us.
He is in fact
telling all those people (us), that we are the salt of the earth, we are the
light of the world!
We are right there for all to see. We are all there to experience a new day
a new message.
How you say? How can it possible be? Remember these words of Jesus are
spoken to you,
you are on the hillside. Jesus is talking to you.
Salt is a common commodity today and it is relatively in expensive. Yet at
the time
of Jesus it was very costly. In Rome a main road is named "via salaria" or
the way of the
salt. That name is said to have dated from ancient times when a roman
solider could have
been paid with salt. Salt in these times and having access to it was the
difference between
life and death. Salt was preservative, it kept food from spoiling. It
added flavor and zest to
that which otherwise was ordinary. Salt gave its recipient character and
integrity. Salt
was not potential but rather reality.
When Jesus called those persons on the hillside that day "the salt of the
Earth" he
paid them a high compliment. He pays us today a high compliment. We are
the people who
add a spice and a zest to life. We by virtue of who and what we are the
preservative of life,
that which gives flavor and zest to that which is otherwise ordinary.
Salt by its very nature gives to rather than extracts from. We as gay,
lesbian, BI and
transgendered people give to our society rather than take from. In being
ourselves we give
and contribute to the beauty of creation rather than take from. Just as
salt adds and
enhances everything that it touches so do we. Our people have added the
beauty of
incredible art, expression of love, expression of emotion not found anywhere
else in our
society. We add zest and flavor to life itself. We have even taught the
world to die with
dignity and grace.
Salt becomes apart of everything that it touches. Despite what some would
have you
believe...we are apart of everything. We have touched, influenced, and
participated in
every part of creation. We can not be extracted by laws, beatings, or even
killing. Because
we have penetrated life itself, our world is having new discussions around
sexuality and
what it means. Our world is discovering new ways of looking at
relationships, how the
roles of men and women in relating to each other are important. How roles
within a
relationship can be redefined to include and meet the needs of both
partners. Because we
have penetrated the world in which we live, there are new ways of defining
modes of dress,
architecture, honesty and integrity. Oh, yes, my gentle friends, we are
giving to the world in
which we live, not taking from it.
It is because of this zest, this spice, this giving that indeed we are the
"light of the
world!" Jesus that day told us to not hid who and what we are, rather let
it shine so that
all may see. In other words we are not to be ashamed of who and what we are
but rather a
bright light so that our world may see clearly that God created diversity,
differences, and
tolerance of that diversity and differences to bring about wholeness rather
than brokeness.
My sisters and brothers salt penetrates and preserves. Light brings sight
and
penetrates that which is dark. We are those on that hillside, we are
receiving these words
today right this moment. We are indeed that which gives rather than takes
away. Let us
not forget this day we in all of our vast differences are the "who" in this
message. We
indeed are "the light of the world!"
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by John J. McNeill
by Marilyn Bennett Alexander, James Preston
Other Writings By Rev. Paul Turner:
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