“Jesus: The Man for the Other’

Mt. 8:28-34 “So everyone from the town went out to meet Jesus and when they saw him they begged him to leave their territory.”  “Jesus has always been the man for the other–always on the outside. He reaches out always to those no one else wants and for the most part is rejected by the in crowd. It is important to know that when we invite Jesus into our lives Jesus changes things. We become different so we make life different for others.. Even the good we do can we do can often be misunderstood.  But like Jesus, just keep doing it. Served meal last night, took remainder of food to the Haight, to bed early with cold. Deo Gratias! Thanks be to God!

“Follow Me”

Mt. 8:18-22

“Follow me and let the dead bury their dead.”

Each of us is called to “Follow Jesus”, but the question is how should I do it? For me the Gospel gives the answer–follow Jesus==the brave, the truthful, the loving–in everything, at all times, all of your life. The one thing I have learned is that when we cling to parts of  life long gone–ie my family, my former mainline denomination, my need for recognition–when we use the past as an excuse for not doing what must be done now and fail to grow spiritually and put off what Jesus calls us to do, then we are on the wrong road. People often look at me like they think I am  crazy when I tell them how I do ministry–but I am doing what I am called to do that is all I know, nothing else matters. Pride yesterday, sick all day, resting, cooking for tomorrow. Deo Gratias! Thanks be to God!

“Being the Outsider”

Mt. 8:1-4; Mt. 8:5-17

In both Scriptures Jesus deals with the “outsiders”. In the first he is casting out a demon and the second a
Roman soldier requested the healing of his daughter. Yesterday i held a service for a woman in her home “casting out a demon”. For this woman there was a “demon” in her house, and for the man in Scripture the demon was “leprosy.”  Before we can be cured we must asked “what is our demons.” For me my “demon” has always been the need for acceptance, approval–and the reality is I am an “outsider”. And it is with “outsiders” that I provide healing and find healing.  For in being an outsider I find like in our second scripture that compassion is what makes a divided world humane.Last night I spent several hours on the Haight with outsiders, I spent the afternoon with the “insiders” of our society–but the reality there is no difference–we are all in need of God’s healing. Deo Gratias! Thanks be to God!”

“Be True to Yourself”

Lk. 1:57-66  “Nativity of John the Baptist”

Cowardice asks the question: is it safe? Expediency asks the
question: is it politic? Vanity asks the question: is it popular?
But conscience asks the question: is it right? And there comes a
time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor
politic, nor popular – but one must take it simply because it is
right.
– Martin Luther King Jr.

An old minister once told me “There is no valor in compromise.”  John the Baptist followed that and I follow that as much as I can. It has gotten me into a hell of a lot of trouble, and cost me reputation and money at times–but you know–I feel good about myself, and I feel honest.  We are each  called by God in a special way, we are not meant to be carbon copies of someone else.  We are each to be new slivers of the Word of God made in the image of God, we are meant to spend our lives up to that. Served meal. great day. Deo Gratias! Thanks be to God!

“Beware of the Offers of Easy Solutions”

“Beware of the Offers of Easy Solutions” “Be on your guard against false prophets. .” Mt. 7:15-20

Beware of those who offer easy solutions to complex issues–who make anything better then the will of God–for wholeness of all people.  We are meant to become our fulfilled selves not our emptiest selves.With the oil spill, with homelessness we hear the easy way out—rather then the the most difficult–sharing equally, and using less oil, shutting down deep sea drilling etc.  People are always criticizing me for not having a bigger picture–but the reality is there are people who are hungry, and very much alone on these streets. I have spent the day going to food bank, meeting with Dustin, and hanging out with a seminarian doing outreach. Deo Gratias! Thanks be to God!

“Maintaining the Course”

“Maintain the Course”  Mt. 7:6, 12-14  “Go in through the narrow gate because the gate to hell is wide and the road that leads to it is easy and there are many who travel it.”

It takes personal discipline and consistent practice to get an education. It takes personal discipline and consistent practice for me to stay in ministry day in and day out.  To have a life dedicated to Jesus, to his path–to follow him we must choose the good over the easy, the better over the good.  We must live the spiritual life consciously.  I have had friends say to me they do not have time to pray during the day– ie to practice the “Liturgy of the Hours”. It takes me an hour and a half at the most through out the day to say the Office and to celebrate the Eucharist.  Last week in Chicago there was a young seminarian, who is queer, wanting to do a queer ministry–afraid of the how to survive, and I told her it is an act of faith–there are no guarantees–you step out in faith and take it one moment at a time. You maintain the course. Life is not easy, ministry is sure not easy–but it is hellar rewarding. I spent last night having dinner with Keenan, and then went to the Haight.  I bought dinner for one young guy and we talked for an hour.  Home to start preparing meal and to bed.   People always asked me about all the exciting things I do–well– it is simply being present, talking, listening. Deo Gratias! Thanks be to God!

“Judge As You Wish To Be Judged”

“God will judge you in the same way you judge others.”  Mt. 7:1-5

When I wonder how God will deal with me in judgment, all I need to do is to consider how I deal with others, this scripture says.  I broke down this morning and cried. I feel exhausted, and in some ways bruised by my week in this non-denominational church last week.  People tried to be so “nice”, but yet I was constantly on guard–because I am gay.  I have heard the word “gay” more in the last week then I have heard in a year, people trying to be so “pc”, yet their innate homophobia is present. They are working at it, and I can tell it is hard. One young boy talked to me about his struggle, and how he even though his leaders said it was “ok” to be gay, he felt the opposite. I tried to bring it up, but people simply became defensive–after all they are not homophobic, but homophobia was everywhere–you would never two people of the same sex holding hands in church, constant emphasis on the “family”–i e straight family.  For some reason I am in grief and feel a lot of pain over the week. They tried, really tried and are trying to see–but it was still hard for the “gay” man here. Deo Gratias! Thanks be to God!

“Your Heart Will Always Be Where Your Riches Are”

http://www.temenos.org “Your Heart Will Always Be Where Your Riches Are” Mt. 6:19-26; Mt. 6:24-34 Our heart will always be where we have our wealth–if our interests is security, fine things in life, then our heart will be money and material possessions. I walked down to Lake Superior yesterday and see a city like all cities–its emphasis is on weath–and so the poor are pushed aside. When are our hearts are divided by wealth, by our fears and conflicts over who belongs the divided heart becomes a restless heart for if we worship the opposites of life–things and God–we have no real center, no real security. We find ourselves far from God and grasping at sand.  To be truly happy, we must seek God above all else. Deo Gratias! Thanks be to God!

“Forgiveness Means Peace”

http://www.temenos.org  “Forgiveness Means Peace”  Stop a minute. Search your heart. Who is in your life that you have yet to forgive?  On being able to forgive that person for that situation rests your own eternal peace. Start now. In Chicago.Attended a homeless dinner last night put on by a church, really not very hospitable.  Tired me out, frustrated me.  I am completely exhausted still.  People asked me why I never visit ministries, churches, and catholic workers on vacation–this is why.  I have to get away from it all. Counting the minutes to I can come home to an exhausting week ahead. Deo Gratias! Thanks be to God!

“Life Is About Why We Do A Thing”

http://www.temenos.org “Life is About Why We Are Doing”:  Mt. 6:16-18:  Life is more about why we do something then it is what we do.  Even religious can become more about pride then it is about piety.  When we do something in order to have others see us doing it, it’s self-love, not the love of God that drives us. When people volunteer and get upset because they are not “appreciated” I remind them that I am never really appreciated, but the dong is because of why I do it–to serve God, to make known the love that comes from God, if it becomes about myself then I am in trouble. I am in Chicago, for a time away and for a meeting. Warm. Deo Gratias! Thanks be to God!