20th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Proper 15), Year A

    A Vision of an Inclusive Community

These Bible passages invite us to push the envelope on what we mean when we say that "all are welcome" in our families, churches and synagogues.

This week's lectionary Bible passages:

Genesis 45:1-15 & Psalm 133 or Isaiah 56:1, 6-8 & Psalm 67; Romans 11:1-2a, 29-32; Matthew 15:2-28

"The Gospel - how dare we exclude, how daring we include!"

Ron Hopson

"In order to be inclusive, we are called to enter into dialogue even with those with whom we disagree. It is difficult work, but more authentic."

Deborah Appler

"Isaiah's vision makes room for you and me alike. Those of us among sexual minorities find God's favor."

Sarah Carpenter-Vascik

"In a society that valued men and women based on procreative status and inheritance rights and even excluded foreigners and sexual minorities, but gives them a name better than sons and daughters"

Mona West

	Are there family 'coming out' stories in your community of faith that have caused some to experience a blessing and some to experience a curse?

In considering Isaiah 56:1, 6-8, it is interesting that the creators of the Revised Common Lectionary left out one of the most meaningful set of verses in all of Scripture for LGBT people. The omitted verses from the Isaiah reading for this Sunday are a profound promise for sexual outcasts: "For thus says the Lord: To the eunuchs who keep my sabbaths, who choose the things that please me and hold fast my covenant, I will give, in my house and within my walls, a monument and a name better than sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name that shall not be cut off" (verses 4-5).

In a society that valued men and women based on procreative status and inheritance rights and even excluded foreigners and sexual minorities (eunuchs) from the worshipping community (Deuteronomy 23:1-8), Isaiah's version of community after the Exile not only includes sexual minorities, but gives them a name better than sons and daughters — an honored place beyond procreative privilege.

Having said that, it is important to notice about this passage that the inclusion (bringing the foreigners to the holy mountain) is premised upon obeying the rules of the insiders (keep the sabbath, hold fast the covenants). What if I don't observe the sabbath? What if I don't do burnt offerings and sacrifices? What if what brings me joy, is desecration to you? Am I still welcome at the table? True inclusivity means accepting the ultimate concerns of the "other" even if they are not my ultimate concerns. True inclusivity means figuring out a way to live with and welcome people who don't worship my god or keep my holy days.

	Who are people we exclude from our table because we do not think we can learn from them?

Psalm 67 describes a worshiping community giving thanks to God for abundance and blessing. In verse 3, the psalmist declares "let all the people praise you." How might we read this psalm in light of the thoughts on blessing and inclusive worship above?

In Matthew 15:2-28, the theme of inclusive community continues in the gospel lesson as a Gentile woman challenges Jesus to practice what he preaches. In the beginning of this chapter, Jesus has been calling people to go beyond purity laws (washing th hands before eating) to true holiness — what comes from the heart. He claims "It is not what does into the mouth that defiles a person, but it is what comes out of the mouth that defiles" (verse 10).

How interesting that right after this teaching, we have the story of a Gentile, non-Jewish, woman, whose first words to Jesus out of her mouth are cries of mercy for her sick daughter. Just as Jesus invited the Pharisees to go beyond their tradition with regard to purity laws, the Gentile woman challenges Jesus to go beyond his traditional understanding of his mission: "I was sent only the lost sheep of the house of Israel" (verse 24).

Jesus was himself too narrowly focused. He perhaps had gotten caught up in his own particulars so much so, that he couldn't see the enactment of his program (God's realm) being offered to him through this Gentile Canaanite woman. Thus, Jesus himself needed to be challenged to open up. Perhaps this is a lesson for well-meaning and well-trained clergy persons who have a clear view and deep attachment to God's program — who themselves (ourselves) may sometimes be vulnerable to missing that opportunity to enact the realm of God by ministering to a real outsider (whomever that may be). No one is beyond correction, not even Jesus!

	When have we made false assumptions about people based on incomplete information and pre-judgements? Who have been some people or incidents who have caused us to think outside of our box?

Once again, in reading Romans 11:1-2a, 29-32, it is interesting to consider what has been excluded from the lectionary reading. Paul continues his presentation of his understanding of God's work among Jewish and Gentile communities. In verses that have been left out of the lectionary selection for this Sunday (verses 17-24), he uses the image of grafting branches onto an olive tree to speak about God's inclusion of Gentiles into the community of faith. In verse 24 he uses the Greek phrase para phusin, "against nature," to speak of God's act of incusion of Gentiles. This is the same phrase he used at the beginning of his letter to the Romans to speak about the need of Jew and Gentile alike for the grace of God (Romans 1:26-28). How interesting that the same phrase that has been lifted up to condemn LGBT people in Romans 1 is used by Paul to speak of God's inclusion of all people in chapter 11.

All these texts — including those omitted from the lectionary — are good news to all people who have been marginalized based on narrow definitions of church or synagogue or narrow traditions and theologies that invoke Scripture to justify their exclusion. Even the creators of the lectionary cannot keep God's word of inclusion silent.