1 Corinthians 12:12-14 Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.
Paul reminds the Corinthians that though there is only one body, it is made up of many diverse parts – Jews, Gentiles, slaves, free – to which we could add women, men, old, young. However, for many people, there is no place for the LGBTQ+ community. The phrase “gay Christian” is as oxymoronic as “Good Samaritan” was in Jesus’s day. Yet, there are many LGBTQ+ folk who have professed faith in Christ and have been baptized into the body of Christ by God’s spirit. Their sexual orientation – like other identifiers such as class, race or status – has not disqualified them from being part of the body. How do you react to the phrase? Why do you think this particular identity marker has made participation in body life so challenging? How would you respond to someone who said, “It is impossible to be gay and Christian at the same time?”
Prayer: Creator of all people, in our amazing diversity of size, shape, color, and giftedness: guide us, by your grace, to recognize the beauty and fitness of all whom you have made in your own image. Give us gifts of humility and generosity of spirit to recognize in all people, the face of our Savior, Jesus, and to practice his commandment to “love one another,” toward the end of bringing harmony and peace among persons of all colors, origins, and abilities, for the sake of your Kingdom. –Episcopal Diocese of West Virginia
Tongue on Fire 