Easter’s Grand Rainbow Diversity (1 Corinthians 15:55

“Death is swallowed up in victory. Death, where is you victory? Death, where is your sting?”

1 Corinthians 15:55



New Gay Christ by Aka Gô
http://www.artsetter.com/artwork/alain-gauthier/new-gay-christ

On Easter weekend queer christians celebrate life overcoming death, light overcoming shadows, love overcoming hate. I also revel in the variety of expectancy with which the resurrection of Christ is embraced among the queer community’s mixture of needs and hopes.

I rejoice with those, who upon finding the Temple curtain torn, experience Christ as our Revealer who tore the veil between this temporal world and eternity, and makes it possible to transcend the separation between us and God. Elizabeth Barrett Browning wrote, “Earth’s crammed with heaven / And every common bush afire with God / But only he who sees, takes off his shoes.” I celebrate you queers who run barefoot with Christ.

I take delight with those, who upon finding the tomb empty, experience Christ as our Liberator who breaks our chains, calling the queer community into the struggle against hostile powers. Allan Boesak of South Africa stated, “God will ask, ‘Where are your wounds?’ And we will say, ‘We have no wounds.’ And God will say, ‘Was nothing worth fighting for?’” I celebrate you les-bi-gay-questioning-intersex-asexual folk who are renewed in your commitment to fight for equality whether in familial and friendship relations or in the broader society.

I cheer with those, who upon finding renewed life, experience Christ as our Model who shows us the path to wholeness.  Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote, “What lies behind us, and what lies before us are small matters compared to what lies within us.” I celebrate you queer sisters and brothers who are discovering that what lies within is infinitely treasured by God.

I share gladness with all sexual minorities who have been told they are perversions of God’s design, yet upon discerning that God’s love is unconditional, experience Christ as our Savior, who redeems us from sin of hetroarchy and justifies us through queer faith. I think of the mantra of my own denomination, the United Church of Christ, “No matter who you are, or where you are on life’s journey, you are welcome here.” I celebrate you queer youth and adults who having been lost, are now found.

I appreciate the faith of those parts of the world-wide queer tribe which are in situations of suffering that cannot be changed, but only endured. Your faith recognizes Christ as the Suffering Servant who walks through the valley of shadows with us. Your faith reminds us that God is Emmanuel who stretches out upon the cross of the world. I think of the personal communications of my acquaintance Sandy Eastman, “I know sometimes my life feels frantic and I feel like I’m at my wit’s end, but I also know that is where God lives.” I celebrate that we queers are not alone during the bittersweet moments of life.

Easter has a grand diversity among queer believers which we revel in as it meets our numerous needs and enkindles our countless hopes.