Thursday, April 5, 2012

Jesus Died A Queer's Death (Mark 15:33-39)

                When noon came, darkness fell on the whole countryside and lasted until about three in the afternoon. At three, Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “‘Eloi,eloi.lamasabachthani?’“ which means, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?” A few bystanders who heard it remarked, “Listen! He is calling on Elijah!” Someone ran and soaked a sponge in sour wine and stuck it on a reed to make Jesus drink, saying, “Let’s see if Elijah comes to take him down.”
                Then Jesus uttered a loud cry and breathed his last. At that moment the curtain in the sanctuary was torn in two from top to bottom. The centurion who stood guard over Jesus, seeing how he died, declared, “Clearly, this was God’s Own!”
Mark 15:33-39

Jesus died a queer’s death. Hate, ridicule, scorn, anger, humiliation, beatings – there is very little difference between these dynamics in the death of Jesus and in the lives and death of countless queer persons.

As a minister I am accustomed to speaking of a “peaceful death” or a “troubled passing.” With Jesus, and others who died as objects of abuse, we must use the term “victim.” Here the death of Jesus intersects with the queer community.

There’s a simple truth among queers – we are often at the mercy of heterosexual supremacy. Disempowered and marginalized we are the victims of an attitude and cultural posture that sees us as expendable. The Romans said of Jesus, “What’s one less Jew in the world?” Heteroarchy says of us “What’s one less fag in the world?”

This should be the end of the story – they the eternal oppressors and we the eternal victims. Yet, the death and resurrection of Jesus hints that this stalemate can be broken. Furthermore, it is the victim that has the power to break it. Only the victim can forgive the perpetuator of a crime. Society cannot forgive the perpetuator, the perpetuator cannot forgive him or herself, only the victim holds the power to forgive and to unlock a future that breaks the cycle of violence.

From the christian point of view, in Jesus, the Sacred became the victim of the anxiety and discontent of the world. In Jesus, the Sacred as victim forgave the world of this violent lashing out.

I am not Jesus. It deeply hurts when I am belittled because I am gay. My own sense of desperation and wounded esteem arise to repay hurt with hurt. I am ready to fight and deliver punishment with all the ferocity I can muster. Forgiveness is not on my radar.

As a queer person of faith I wrestle with the invitation to repay evil with good. It is hard to forgive when society persist in condemning me. So, at the foot of the cross I wrestle…

6 comments:

  1. Thank you. Your words helped inspire my own reflections on Good Friday today.

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  2. Thanks for the important reminder in this post that Jesus' response was emphatically not one of anger and hatred towards his executioners.
    Difficult is it is, we must find a way to respond positively, and in love to our own persecution.

    On another note, it is wonderful serendipidity to find that the previous comment on this post is from Kittredge. As I write this, I am in the midst of preparing a short post which promotes and links you both.

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  3. I appreciate the kind words you both have shared. Interestingly they came at a point where I was beginning to wonder if this project was worth pursuing - at least publicly. Terence you have been generously gracious on your blog toward this project. Kittredge you have inspired me to put art work and images with my written thoughts that might help explore the subject in ways prose dosen't allow. Serendipidity or God's grace? Thank you both.

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  4. Jesus - the Victim - the hate of the world poured out onto Him by the "Bullies" - those who crush and demean all who oppose their idea of "who, what" a person should be...but the Father absorbs the hatred of the world - laid upon His beloved Son - the message of the cross is NOT satisfaction for rejecting God - it is not about sin only - NO - the message is about evil in its attempt to destroy good - the Father thwarts this attempt - for in Christ's acceptance of the Father's Will - the Father can absorb the evil and hatred of past, present and future - rendering its effective futile - extracting good - for He has saved all human kind from the death grip of evil - all are freed - all reconciled to Him - all will be brought to him - not a single soul claimed by evil - and in the Resurrection the final act of salvation is played - eternal death is conquered - "Oh Death, Where is Thy Sting" ?

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  5. Perhaps, the 'hate' of the world extends beyond 'hate' for others, gay or not gay...the reason they crucified Him is because they hated God. "If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would not have sin; but now they have both seen and hated Me and My Father as well. 25"But they have done this to fulfill the word that is written in their Law, 'THEY HATED ME WITHOUT A CAUSE.' 26"When the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, that is the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify about Me ; (had you not said we see you would not be guilty, but since you say we See, your sin remains)...for on the contrary, as derived by man's self "centered' nature (separate in nature, sinish. selfish) we are 'lovers of men' (people) rather than lover's of God; why else is there the first commandment to Love God with all your heart and all your soul and all your strength. unless it's a msis translation, in the New testament "MIND" was added ("do you not know, we now having the Mind of Christ..?)... He has not 'saved' all human kind form the death grip of sin, only those who have received Him that which is of the Same Spirit of The Father, and "I and the Father are One"...

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    Replies
    1. Stephen - thank you for this insight. I agree the anger and hatred we show toward God (because we feel failed by God?) is at the heart of spiritual violence. Thanks for the scriptures.

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