Mission: Completed

Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you—that everything written about me in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms must be fulfilled.” Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures, and he said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. And see, I am sending upon you what my Father promised, so stay here in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”

Then he led them out as far as Bethany, and, lifting up his hands, he blessed them. While he was blessing them, he withdrew from them and was carried up into heaven. And they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and they were continually in the temple blessing God.

Luke 24:44-53 NRSVUE

Inhale, Exhale!!! Muli! Isang mapagpalayang hapon sa lahat!!! Happy Pride!!! We are still on our easter preaching series, and our gospel today is about the ascension of Jesus, sa totoo lang, medyo nahirapan ako sa text na ito, compared dun sa last 2 weeks. We are now on the Gospel of Luke, while ang texts natin nung mga nakaraan ay mula sa John. Nabangit ko last time na yung gospel of John yung pinaka latest na na naisulat or yung bunso sa 4 na gospel, pero sinasabi naman na ang gospel of Luke yung pinaka modern, possibly dahil sa greek education ni Luke kung saan attributed ang gospel, na isang physician at companion ni apostle paul, bilang hindi nga sya hudyo, at gentiles din ang kanyang audience at hindi familiar sa jewish customs, careful sya sa pagsulat at well researched ang kanyang account ng story of Jesus’ life death and resurrection, Luke also stated his goal upfront,  “So that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.” (Luke 1:4). Isa sa mga highlights ni Luke ay ang inclusivity at deep concern ni Jesus for the poor, the marginalized and the oppressed. Pati narin ang prominent attention to women’s stories, more women are named and honored dito compared to the other gospels.

So para sa mga katulad ko na kamakailan lang talaga fully na exposed about the Journey of Jesus, I invite you, halika at bakahin natin ito ng sama sama, let’s struggle through it together. 

umpisahan natin sa kaunting review, since connected naman ito sa susunod kong preaching na supposed to be for next Sunday, advanced reading narin, bilang sequel  ng gospel of Luke yung book of Acts of the Apostles. 

So yung ascension story ay sinasabing naganap on the 40th day after ng easter, kung saan si Jesus diumano ay nagpaalam na for the last time sa kanyang mga disciples, eto yung moment na aakyat na sya sa langit, langit na forever nang magiging palaisipan para sa ating mga queer, dahil sabi nga nila, ay hindi naman daw tayo mapupunta doon. 

Ang preaching ko today ay pinamagatang “Mission accomplished” so after easter nga ay nagkaroon ng series of appearances si Jesus sa kanyang mga tagasunod. 

Imagine, 40 days na pala yun, pero kasi sa pagkaka kwento like sa Gospel of John,  tila parang naganap lang sila immediately after the resurrection, although hindi din naman talaga nabangit dito sa ating text na it was a 40 day period, very significant yung 40 days noh sa mga stories sa bible as period of transition or transformation. 40 days daw sa disyerto si Jesus and then sa Exodus, 40 years daw ang mga Hebrews nagpaikot-ikot sa disyerto before they entered the promised land. Although pag sinabing 40 days or 40 years sa bible does not mean literal na 40. It means a long time, and specifically a long process or journey of transformation – pagbabago. Pagpapanibago. Napaisip tuloy ako kung may connect din ba yung 40 days observance natin pag may namamatay, kung saan ito daw yung time na aakyat na sa langit ang mga yumao. 

40 days, parang campaign period sa Pilipinas, though saatin, exactly 45 days sya pag national, not including the day before and yung mismong araw ng election. Pero unlike sa Bible parang halos wala naman transformation ang 45 days campaign. Parang walang pagbabago towards improvement. Parang pagbabago towards becoming worst. Anyway, So for 40 days after ng kanyang muling pagkabuhay ay nangangampanya parin si Jesus sa kanyang mga tagasunod, proclaiming the Kingdom of God and preparing them for a time when He will no longer be with them. Pero let’s not forget din that yung kampanya nyang yun was what lead to his death. Jesus was somewhat an activist – a human rights activist – who denounced the political powers – Roman Empire – and religious elite establishment oppressing the people during their time.

At this point parang sinasabi ni Jesus na “So eto na nga tayo noh, tulad ng nasusulat noon pang panahon ni Moises, at ng mga propeta, ang lahat ng ito ay naganap na, andito na ako, anjan kayo, malaking bahagi ng Jewish faith ang mga naganap noong panahon ng Exodus story, in the same way na malaking bahagi ng Christian faith revolves around the death and resurrection of Christ. 

Earlier, I said na medyo nahirapan ako to write about the ascension story, personally, mas madaling arukin yung Jesus in human form kesa dun sa Jesus na may super powers or yung glorified, and exalted version. Mas lapat for me yung Jesus Christ that lived and dwelt among us, mas madaling intindihin na hung humanity ni Jesus is in  way God’s solidarity with the human experience, and the revelation of His Love for us. Hindi man ganun katagal ang kanyang pananatili sa piling natin, physically. pero yung pangako na patuloy nya tayong sasamahan at sinasamahan ay pang habang buhay. 

The historical and human Jesus has completed his mission but our mission begins. Jesus prepares us for 40 days and then when he is about to leave passes the mission to his disciples. He promises them the Holy Spirit, 

If we do the math, ilang episodes na ng 40 days, at 40 nights, ang lumipas, nakakailang 40 years narin from the time of the first christians, more than 2000 years ago. Marami nang nagbago, marami nang pagbabago, towards a more radical and inclusive world, pero at the same time, marami rin ang may mission to go backwards, against inclusion and diversity, taliwas sa example ni  Jesus to be welcoming to strangers, kaya’t natapos man ang mission ni Jesus ay nagpapatuloy ang laban para sa atin. 

The same is true sa ating DIY church, na nakailang episodes na rin ng transition, exodus, near death at rebirth, sinong makaka limot sa eksena one Sunday sa yellow room sa cubao, when at 4 pm eh nasa tatlo or apat na piraso lang kami, kasama na si Rev. Joseph, kung saan kami ay na real talk kung gusto pa ba nating magpatuloy bilang simbahan, sa totoo lang, at that point, parang ang daling sumuko nalang, it was the most convenient thing to do, pero pinili parin nating magpatuloy, kahit halos wala nang pinanghahawakan kundi by the grace of God nalang talaga, prayers, prayers nalang ika nga. 

If you ask the people na naka witness nun, kung aabot ba tayo sa ganito, sa kung nasaan tayo ngayon, maaring sabihin nilang hindi. Sabi nga, malayo pa, pero malayo na, bilang isang legacy member, sanay kami na mag ikutan lang ng leadership role sa simbahan, ikot-ikot lang, kaya ngayon na may mga bagong tao nang gumagampan, nag vovolunteer ay talagang nakaka taba ng puso, pero at the same time may konting takot parin, na what if mapaso, mamatay ang ilaw sa kanilang puso, which is hindi rin naman talaga maiiwasan, sa kahit ano pang community, maaaring hindi ito ang community para sa kanila, dahil lagi rin naming sinasabi, na hindi lang dito sa open table mararanasan si Hesus at ang pag-big ng diyos. 

Mahaba pa ang lakbayin, para sumakses at umabot sa mission complete stage, pero malayo layo narin ang ating narating, our mission continues habang mayroon pang mga kabataang queer na naoopress sa kanilang mga tahanan at  simbahan. The fire keeps on burning hanggang sa umabot tayo sa point na hindi na kailangan ng Open Table MCC, and that’s the goal, for us to no longer make sense dahil ika nga ay na mainstream na ang idea ng isang queer christian. Kelan yan? Maybe in another 2000 years. Kelan lang ba na-ordain mga babae at kelan lang ba nagkaroon ng women rights sa simbahan at lipunan? Kaya, mga another 2000 years pa ang Open Table MCC. At habang hindi pa ito nagaganap, ay tuloy lang sa mga ganap, tuloy lang sa pag gampan, one Sunday service at a time. Samahan pa ng iba pang ganap gaya ng katatapos lang nating Drag Bingo Fund raising, personally, akala ko aabot nadin ako sa mission complete sa earth sa pagtatapos ng buwan ng mayo. Imagine, having to stage a fund raising event upang opisyal na ipinakilala ang Pride Cares na charity arm ng church. Then samahan mo pa ng preaching series ko. May mga moments talaga na parang gusto ko nalang bumitaw, at bitawan ang lahat. Madaling mag give up pag wala kang maasahang tulong, and that’s not the case. How can I give up while everyone else is doing their best and trying to squeeze in our tasks habang patuloy sa pakikibaka sa mga personal na ganap at eksena. Hindi perfect, may slight disappointments but everyone was worthy of the disappointment upang magpatuloy. Matapos ang drag bingo, ilan sa ating mga brilliant na deacons at leaders ay kasalukuyang nasa Bangkok, upang umattend ng conference ng mga queer affirming churches in Asia, and at the same time, Rev. Joseph and a couple more people are preparing to attend the Global MCC denomination’s general conference sa July. Gaganap at gagampan despite the dangerous situation sa US today with it’s current administration, sa kabila ng pisikal na pagod, at threat to security, ay pinili natin na mag participate sa mas malawak na gawaing pangkapayapaan, karapatang pantao, at pagkakapantay-pantay. After all, we are Easter people. Tayo ang pagpapatuloy ng kwento, kwento ng pag-ibig at kabutihan ng Diyos. When Jesus ascended, he promised the Holy Spirit to empower and dwell with us and within us – all of us – walang if’s and buts. For the longest time, queer people have been told to wait, hide or change in order to be accepted by God, the ascension story promises a future for you, and it’s not a second tier one, you don’t have to erase yourself to belong in God’s Kingdom. Remember Accla, the ascension is not about Jesus leaving us – It’s about Jesus reigniting the mission, so para sayo na isang queer Chrisian, hindi ka isang after- thought, you are not less holy, less loved or less called. You do not have to change your sexuality and/or gender identity to have a joyful and fulfilling life as a follower of Jesus. The risen and ascended Christ today sends you out on a mission and promises you the gift of the Holy Spirit. 

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