Easter Love?

HALLELUJAH HE IS RISEN. That’s what they say in my tradition. In my church. When I had a church. Before I was disappointed in a stance, and then deceived by a board. Two churches in three years. Some say, maybe church is not for you. I wonder this myself, what with my some-would-call radical views. Where could someone like me possibly fit in?

I felt alone today, waking up without a church to go to, getting all dressed up, admiring the sisters’ hats, singing the old songs – preferably the old ones anyway. Celebrating in community some kind of rebirth – because we Christians see the event in question in a number of ways. But then I started reading my bible, and looking at some commentary, and writing in my journal. And I realized, as the old saw goes, we are really never alone. “He will not leave you or forsake you” (Deuteronomy 31:6).

And then after all that, I stumbled back onto fabulous Glide Church’s online service. I drank my coffee with tears in my eyes as I worshiped from afar with this most loving and spiritual community. Now Glide is its own thing and I want to speak a little more on it down the line. Suffice it to say that at the end of the morning, as my daughter walked in holding a bouquet of purple Butterfly Pea Flowers, saying, “Happy Easter, Mom,” all was right in my little world.

I really have been looking for a safe place to worship. Safe from prejudice, safe from hypocrisy. Good luck with that some say, as they turn their back on their own church-going practice. I get it. Yet, I have hopes. (Glide has helped fuel those hopes). I want to be safe in my questioning, my wrestling. I want to know I am fully welcome — with all my views and thoughts — to worship in a church community.

N.T. Wright is a biblical scholar who I came across in my search for “progressive bible commentary.” It ain’t easy to find, my friends. While he’s not exactly radical, Wright spells things out in a way that makes room for one’s own thoughts. In his book, Broken Signposts, he focuses on the book of John. He writes that the resurrection of Jesus is “God’s yes” to the love that we humans know deep down is central to being human. It’s a kind of sharp reminder that we all better get on that love train right fast. It is our job.

And this theme of love, well it keeps coming up for me. Astrologically, politically, relationally… It’s got me thinking that love really, literally, has to go through us humans if it’s going to spread. Like, if one believes Jesus is love, and that they are supposed to spread said love, well, then there has to be an open flow. If we don’t love – ourselves and others — then that power stops at us. We block it. And it sure looks like there’s a lot of heart blockage going on right about now: Arguments around paying for graffiti removal from an empty office building in downtown Los Angeles, instead of efforts to fill that empty building with unhoused human beings; little girls who are raped being forced to have the child because of Draconian abortion laws; threats that until Hamas is “defeated” thousands of Palestinians will continue to be starved and murdered… Where, as Roberta Flack once sang, is the love?

John wrote in chapter 13 of the Bible that Jesus wanted us to accept a new commandment, to love one another the way he loved everybody. And even if you see Jesus as simply a good role model, and not the son of God, you have to admit that he was pretty cool with people. Lepers, cheaters, rich people, liars… He gave them the benefit of the doubt. Seemed he really believed in the ultimate possibility of the goodness of humanity.

I’m going to keep working on opening up my flood gates, even though it hasn’t always served me in the past. Like, I got hurt. Like so many of you got hurt when you leaned in with love and got back [fill in the blank]. We close up this pipeline of love through mechanisms of fear, self-criticism, and sometimes through the religious practice of looking upon ourselves and others as sinners. This is a whole other story for another time, but I must say it seems a concept that does not benefit people all that much. We stand behind the bars of an open cell explaining how we can’t do this and that because of ours or others’ crimes. We have been taught, in a myriad of classrooms, that we don’t deserve to fly and soar and wish and scream. But we do, in the name of humanity, in the name of love. (Thanks U2).

Glide Church, located in San Francisco’s Tenderloin district is doing the thing I want to be a part of. Their mission statement begins:

Glide Memorial Church believes and practices a Christianity where all people and all beliefs are welcomed. Grounded in imperatives of liberation; unconditional love; self, systemic and world transformation Glide Memorial Church nurtures the spiritual needs of our congregation and community…

I attended Glide one Sunday when I was in the Bay. And I felt at home in a sea of everybody – old, young, white, Black, brown, Asian, indigenous, straight, gay, trans, dressed up people and people wearing the same thing they’ve been wearing for the last month… I urge you to consider watching a service of theirs online and you’ll see what I mean. (Then consider donating to their outreach efforts). For me, ending Easter morning “at” Glide was perfect. I walked away reminded that, indeed, we have received a mandate to love. As an action. And not as an or else… but simply as a because. Because we were so loved.

Happy Easter, happy Resurrection Day, happy new season of love.