“Refrocking”

The Rev. Frank Schaefer was jubilant yesterday, discussing what’s been dubbed his “refrocking” in the United Methodist Church (UMC), calling it a “huge” decision for LGBT rights.

The UMC’s Judicial Council ruled this week that he would continue to be an ordained minister in the church, overruling a Pennsylvania church jury that had defrocked him in 2013 after he’d both officiated over his son’s same-sex wedding several years earlier and refused to promise that he would not perform same-sex marriages in the future.

“It was a very technical argument, and some argue that I got off on a technicality,” he said about the decision, which didn’t change church doctrine opposed to gay marriage. The church’s high court rather overruled the jury decision, it stated, because the penalty was wrongfully handed down for a violation not yet committed. Schaefer had been given a 30-day suspension for officiating over his son’s wedding, but the Judicial Council said he could not be penalized further, with defrocking, for the possibility of a future violation.

However technical the decision, Shaefer believes it was a big step forward. “Yesterday’s decision, I felt like, wow, now I got my day in court,” he said in an interview with me. “Justice was recognized and done in an LGBTQ case and it’s huge. To me, it’s a very, very huge decision.”

Schaefer, who was transferred from his conservative congregation in Eastern Pennsylvania to one in California in July, said he will not back down on speaking out for equality for LGBT people in the church, including marriage equality.

“One of the things I vowed during this whole period was that I will never be silent again,” he said. “I will continue to be a voice and one of the things we encourage all pastors to do is declare that they will be willing to perform a same-sex marriage if they are asked to do that. We call that the ‘open altar’ action. And so, we are working toward all kinds of strategies, and plan all kinds of strategies for our General Conference in 2016…I am hoping and praying that something will change at that conference, because if it doesn’t I fear that a schism might be a real possibility.”

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Sunday Gospel of Revised Common Lectionary

When the Pharisees heard how Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, they came together. One of them, a teacher of the Law, tried to test him with this question, «Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the Law?». Jesus answered, «‘You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your mind’. This is the first and the most important of the commandments. But after this there is another one very similar to it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself’. The whole Law and the Prophets are founded on these two commandments» (Matthew 22:34-40).

What do we understand from Jesus’ answer recorded in today’s gospel passage? I think it is imperative to initially examine each of the three indispensable messages independently.

The first one “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind,” seems to be rather self explanatory. We are commanded to love God above all else. It does not mean that we come to church on Sunday and say we love the Lord, and then the rest of the week we live as if we do not even know who God is. It does not mean that we wait until we are in trouble or sick or have a life altering problem to be in relationship with God. To love the Lord with all one’s heart, with all of one’s soul and with all of one’s mind means that there is no part of our life that is segregated from or more important than our love of God.

The second one that Jesus gave us is the commandment that either causes the greatest struggle or is simply ignored. “Love your neighbor as yourself.” This commandment is similar to a restatement of the Golden Rule restated: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” On the surface, loving one’s neighbor as oneself would seem an easy thing to do. If we want to be treated good, then we treat others good. If we want to be treated with respect, then we treat others respectfully. If we want to be treated with kindness, then we treat others kindly. Although similar, the essence of this commandment differs somewhat from the Golden Rule. Whereas the Golden Rule speaks of general respect for oneself and others, this commandment speaks specifically of love. It speaks of loving other people in the same way that a person loves oneself. This is very difficult because many people cannot truly love someone else because we do not love ourselves. So unless one loves God above all else and one loves oneself, it is impossible to live according to these two essential commandments.

And the third and final indispensable teaching in this gospel passage is “All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” The succinct summation of our entire faith rests on loving God with everything we are and have and loving our neighbor as we love ourselves. These words of Jesus make it impossible for me to understand and reconcile how a disciple of Christ can justify judging and excluding any person or group of people from the Church or how anyone can consider any person or group of people inferior to another. Such actions and view points fail to embody the love of God and neighbor Jesus commands in today’s holy gospel, for if a person truly loves one’s neighbor, then the person loves indiscriminate of gender, race, socio-economic status, intelligence, sexual orientation, or any other identity criteria. If one professes to love God and self, then one is commanded by the scriptures to love every person without condition or qualification, just as much as one loves oneself. It is for this reason that the Church must cease being mired in irrelevant dogmatic canons and antiquated moral codes and affirm these two commandments as the foundation of faith.

Jesus affirmed love in action by washing the disciples’ feet and in word by giving us a new commandment to love each other as God unconditionally loves us. Jesus did not die so we can be judgmental and exclusionary towards each other; rather, Jesus gave His life out of unconditional love for us. Jesus gave us these commandments for a reason. In hopes that by following these commandments, “`Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: `Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” we would be able to be children worthy of His ultimate sacrifice.

“We must cultivate that sacred silence which makes people remember the words of Jesus: ‘See how they love one another.’ How often we find ourselves speaking of the faults of another. How often our conversation is about someone who is not present. Yet see the compassion of Christ toward Judas, the man who received so much love yet betrayed his own master. But the master kept the sacred silence and did not betray Judas. Jesus could have easily spoken in public—as we often do—telling the hidden intentions and deeds of Judas to others. But he didn’t. Instead, he showed mercy and charity. Rather than condemning Judas, he called him his friend.”

— Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta, Thirsting For God, p. 41

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The Touch of God

“Many people think they don’t need to walk into a Church to encounter God, but you can only (truly) touch God in the Church. God could have called down from Heaven and forgiven all sins and welcomed humanity back into Paradise, but God chose instead to take on flesh and touch humanity. There are many ways to call out to God, but only one way to touch God. When the Precious Body and Blood of Christ touches your lips, your sins are forgiven and you are healed, because the touch of God heals and you live forever.”

Authored by Fr. Athanasios Haros / Edited for inclusive language by Fr. Vladimir

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Icon of the Mother of God “O All-Hymned Mother”

Commemorated on October 6/19

The Icon “O All-Hymned Mother” derives its title from the thirteenth Kontakion of the Akathist to the Most Holy Theotokos. “O All-Hymned Mother who bore the Word, holiest of all the saints….”

The Mother of God wears a crown, and clasps Her child to Her breast with both hands. Christ is held in Her left arm, and rests on Her left shoulder. He is facing Her, and both of His hands are placed below Her neck.

Instead of the usual stars on Her head and shoulders, the faces of angels appear in three circles. This is similar to the Arabian Icon and the “Stone of the Mountain not cut by Hands” Icon on the iconostasis of the cathedral of the Transfiguration at Solovki.

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Jesus: The Lamb of God

“He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth” – Isaiah 53:7.

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“Hawaiian” Myrrh-streaming Iveron Ikon of the Theotokos

Commemorated on September 23

The Miracleworking Hawaiian Myrrh-streaming Iveron Icon of the Theotokos appeared inexplicably giving myrrh in the home of a pious Orthodox Christian couple on September 23 / October 6, 2007, in Honolulu, Hawaii. Since it’s manifestation, it has been recognized by the Synod of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia as miraculous and genuine. This icon is well known to have cured many pious individuals of cancer, blindness, kidney and liver diseases, chronic pain, and demonic possession. It currently resides at the Russian Orthodox Church in Honolulu, but frequently travels throughout the world bringing forth healings and cures to all who have shown faith and love to Our Lord Jesus Christ and His Most holy Mother.

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Wisdom of the Saints

“You change your life by changing your heart.” — St. Benedict of Nursia

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