For those who were at Summit UU Fellowship yesterday for our worship service, this post will 'sound' familiar! This is an excerpt from my sermon "Reimagining Valentine's Day". To my mind it is important enough to repeat.
My congregation has four incredible individuals who are currently serving as representatives to the statewide Marriage Equality Leadership Team. They helped with the special worship service and hearing their reasons for being involved in this work was moving. Contrary to what you might be thinking, only one of the four is gay. The other three are straight allies. One rep. got involved as a way to honor a lesbian friend who passed away recently. Another rep. has served our country in the armed forces and in the local police force; serving to defend our national and state constitution that calls for equality for all. I am so proud of these men and women! They inspire me.
I do hope to hear from you, readers, as to who inspires you to stand on the side of love and take risks for the sake of others. Please leave a comment on this blog, rather than send me a personal email. It's nice for all those who are reading Pulpit of Joy to see what you have to say!
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I know that there are many people who don't care much for Valentine’s Day. As one who does love the holiday, it's hard for me to empathize! I have always loved Valentine's Day. Maybe my inner child just refuses to grow up. Maybe I get a kick out of giving my loved ones candy and heart-shaped cards. Maybe I love the special attention I recieve from those who love me. Maybe I'm just addicted to chocolate! But I've been thinking for a few weeks about looking at this holiday as a day that embraces a love that goes beyond flowers, cards, and chocolate. How about reimagining Valentine's Day?Standing on the Side of Love is a Unitarian Universalist public advocacy campaign that has indeed called us (all people of faith) to re-imagine this day as a national "standing on the side of love" holiday–a day that celebrates the power of love to transform communities. In case you are not familiar with this new campaign, you should know that it works with congregations and communities to confront exclusion, oppression, or violence based on identity – whether that identity has to do with sexual orientation gender identification, immigration status, religion race, ability or any other label that society uses to limit their rights. It's a powerful campaign with the potential to make a real difference in the world. (You can check it out: http://standingonthesideoflove.org/)
The love that is needed on Valentine's Day is one that takes risks for the sake of others. In a recent letter from Rev. Lindi Ramsden of the Unitarian Universalist Legislative Ministry of California, she shares "Legend has it that the original Valentine was martyred at the hand of the Romans who arrested him for performing illegal wedding ceremonies for Christian couples. Marriage and religious liberty have had a long history."
Love requires that we boldly stand on its side; engaging in acts of salvation and liberation. It is imperative that the difference between liberal and liberating be known. Ministers Marjorie Bowens-Wheatley and Mark Morrison-Reed have defined liberal as “freedom to”, as in freedom to believe what you want or freedom to define your own spiritual path; while liberating means “freedom from”. Think freedom from the structures of oppression; freedom from the threat of harm or death; freedom from struggling just to stay alive or to keep your family alive.
“What is the depth of your love?” This question was asked by the scholar and activist, Cornel West. “What price are you willing to pay? What burden are you willing to bear? Be honest about it.” Standing on the side of love means taking a hard look at the depths of your love and looking into your own heart to find the answer to those questions. Consider who it is that inspires you to stand on the side of love. Maybe it is your daughter who is gay, or your nephew. Maybe it's the same sex couple that live next door. Maybe it's someone in your congregation or workplace. Maybe it's a straight ally.
From Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” - "But though I was initially disappointed at being categorized as an extremist, as I continued to think about the matter I gradually gained a measure of satisfaction from the label. Was not Jesus an extremist for love: “Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.” Was not Amos an extremist for justice: “Let justice roll down like waters and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.” Was not Paul an extremist: “I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus.” Was not Martin Luther an extremist? “Here I stand; I cannot do otherwise, so help me God.” And Abraham Lincoln:”This nation cannot survive half slave and half free.” And Thomas Jefferson:”We hold these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal…” So the question is not whether we will be extremists, but what kind of extremists we will be. Will we be extremists for hate or for love? Will we be extremists for the preservation of injustice, or for the extension of justice?"
I will choose to be an extremist for love and will reimagine Valentine's Day from here on out. How can I choose otherwise?
May all of my sisters and brothers know the joy of a liberating love.
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