My First Same-Sex Wedding (Reflections on Pentecost 2)

“Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.
For I have come to set a man against his father,
and a daughter against her mother,
and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law;
and one’s foes will be members of one’s own household.” (Matthew 10: 34-36)

First, I have to say that it was a huge honor, and that Colleen and Michelle are two of the most charming, funny, and oh-so-much-in-love people it's ever been my privilege to meet. They've been a couple for years, and now, following the US District Court's May 20^th ruling which struck down Pennsylvania's prohibition against same-gender marriage, these two were able to speak their vows before God, family, and friends and unite in a legal marriage. I officiated the ceremony, both sets of parents blessed them, and the assembled congregation joined in the joy of a human rights triumph long overdue.

I just wish I could convince my sister that this is a good thing. But dealing with conflicting views is just part of what it means to be a Christian and to be part of a family.

Let me say for the record that my sister Lorraine is one of the very best, most loving, decent, and committed Christians I've ever known—and I don't say this just because she's family! She has been a Sunday School teacher and a parochial school teacher for decades, passing up better paying jobs in public education for the joy of doing the only thing she's ever wanted to do: tell children about Jesus Christ. Today she writes curriculum for a Christian textbook company, and she has twice gone on mission trips to the developing world to help spread the gospel. Her credentials are unimpeachable.

But she and I have to agree to disagree on the subject of same-sex marriage. I see the issue as being a recognition that God's love and justice are extended to the entire human family, regardless of sexual orientation. Lorraine sees it as a violation of scripture. Both of us take our positions based on our love of the Bible and our dedication to being Christ's disciples.

Please don't get me wrong. Lorraine and I still love each other as brother and sister. When we disagree on something, we're much more likely to just change the subject than start a whopping family fight. We've never feuded and we never will. But we'll always stand up for what we believe to be right.

From the time Matthew wrote his gospel until today, taking a stand for Jesus is bound to cause some kind of blowback. To embrace Christ will always mean pushing against the status quo, and even our own family members may not understand why we do what we do. In the world of the gospel text, being on the outs with family was almost a death sentence within the culture. It's a little less severe today. All the same, however, if we're not committed enough to face some opposition, maybe we're not committed enough.

The LED sign outside Faith Lutheran Church of Philadelphia reads, “ALL are welcome.”

We mean it.

Thanks for dropping by, and my very best wishes for a lifetime of happiness to Colleen and Michelle!

PS – All baptized Christians who wish to receive Christ's true body and blood for the forgiveness of sins are welcome at our communion table, too. We don't care if you're Protestant, Catholic, Pentecostal, or Orthodox. In a world where religious factions are busy murdering each other, it's time for Christians to show some unity. Let's ask the Pope to welcome us back to the table. Just click here.