"The Passion" February 29, 2004

What a great time to be alive! What is hottest topics in the news this past week "Same Sex Marriages?" I was visiting one of our members in the hospital this past week and I got off the elevator and directly ahead of me were an array of newspapers for sale. What was the topic on the front page "Same Sex Marriages" - an anti-marriage amendment to the constitution. On the radio, on the TV, on the internet "Same Sex Marriages". Our own Brian and Tim appeared on the news a number of times this past week. Many of us have become involved in letter writing campaigns, signing petitions, and in general speaking out for justice for our relationship and families. This past week I had the opportunity to talk with a writer from the Tribune Review and a conservative paper called the Christian Pittsburgh and I was able to respond to a conference that was held yesterday on conversion therapy for glbt people. I don't know about you but I don't have to be converted I'm just fine the way I am. But that's another a subject for another time. The second hottest topic has been about Mel Gibson's movie "The Passion of Christ." Sitting in restaurants I've heard people talking. Walking through hospital corridors. Even at my dentist office this past week I was surrounded by three of the office secretaries wanting to know what I thought about the movie. While at the same time they all shared their thoughts and opinions. I told these women upfront that I haven't seen the movie but that the movie has certainly sparked a lot of dialogue about religion that might not otherwise have happened. I don't believe I've ever had so many conversations with complete strangers about religion.

The Passion what does that mean to us as people of faith. When you look up the word passion in the dictionary it gives several definitions: These are a few of them -any intense, extreme, or overpowering emotion or feeling. Ardent affection or love. Intense sexual desire. Then there is the word Passion with a capital "P" that is defined as the suffering of Christ especially after the Last Supper and on the cross. I went a little further and looked up the word in Sarah's Children's Dictionary by Webster and it gave these definitions: A powerful or very strong feeling such as love, joy, anger, or hatred. A strong like, for example, "The whole family has a passion for sports."

The Christ that I know had passion and lived passion. Jesus, the child of God, who lived on this earth had a passion for those who were oppressed or disenfranchised. Jesus had a passion to see wrongs righted. A passion to set free all of those who were held captive by guilt, shame, disease, power. The Jesus I know lived that passion out as he taught, ministered, lead, challenged, and turned over the tables on the things that he saw were wrong in his day. Did he get angry?  Sure enough - angered as those who would abuse or otherwise denigrate another person? Did he experience great joy? I am sure he did as he celebrated the good in human beings, as he watched a beautiful sunset over the sea of Galilee, or shared a meal with those closest to him. Did he demonstrate extreme love? Of course... that's what characterizes his being from birth to death to resurrection. Did he suffer those last hours of his life?  Indeed!  He endured the pain and agony of a criminal's death that we will never comprehend. But I'm also sure he suffered when he saw what one person could do to another person. When he saw the poor and the beggars sitting at the temple gates. When he saw those in power take the best seats at the table and throw the crumbs to those with no power. When he saw the women treated as second class citizens. When he saw people walk on the other side of road when a Samaritan came down the street. When he saw the injustices in the religious and political systems of his day. Jesus lived the passion and had passion that would change the course of history and transform human lives.

So what does all of this say for our Lenten journey in 2004? An unknown writer offered this prayer: "Let us take up the cross and follow you, Lord Jesus, for by so doing we share in the liberation of the world." We are called, I believe, to live the passion of Christ. In our every day lives we must carry the cross for those who suffer -the poor, the homeless, displaced refugees, glbt people, people who are the victims of child abuse, violence, rape, and hatred. We are to have a passion for those who are disenfranchised, for those who can't speak for themselves. In the passion of Christ we see an innocent victim of violence in a religious and political structure that didn't want to change. Passion demands us to take the time to stand up for what is right. To go that extra mile to live compassion in our world. To use our time and energy and financial resources to fight any injustice that would keep people as second class citizens and that involves us taking action so same sex couples experience equality. We must live each day so that peace is a reality in our world and community and our hearts. We must have a passion that puts our faith central in all that we do. Will we be called to die for our faith? Probably not, but we sure are called to live our faith passionately. To be extreme in wanting our world to be a better place. To work tirelessly for what is right and good and holy. To serve those around us and to treat people with the same passion that Christ had in his life.

So this Lent I invite us first to pray about Christ's passion. The way that Jesus lived and died the passion of a loving savior. What in your life do you need to give up this Lenten season that will help you to live your faith more passionately in our world? What is it that keeps you from being all that God intends for you to be? What is that you must take up during this season that will help you demonstrate your passion, your compassion for others?

This Lenten season is a time for reflection, but especially this year, it is a time for action. There is too much happening in the world around us that needs the passion of Christ that we can bring to the people who we meet on in our lives. May our journey to Easter be one of renewed passion in the life, death, and resurrection of Christ.