Monday, December 1, 2008

World AIDS Day...

Today is World AIDS Day... and I join millions of others in prayer and solidarity. One of my dearest brothers - one part of the first gay couple I celebrated the blessing of marriage with - is HIV positive. His first partner died of AIDS and it broke his heart and ripped apart his life.

Many years later, while visiting my congregation in Tucson, the Gay Men's Chorus he was a part of sang for us... and the rest is history. This couple joined the church, became VERY active in the leadership and eventually celebrated their marriage in our Sanctuary. It was one of those moments when you KNOW God is real: gay and straight together, everyone weeping tears of joys, two TOTALLY hot guys in tuxes with the greatest flowers in town, make up for the mothers done by the reigning drag queen AND the Tucson Gay Men's Chorus singing the music of the liturgy. And then the party afterwards... OMG!

I guess it is almost 10 years ago and they are still together, loving one another and caring for and encouraging other brothers to learn the ways of love in Christ. I give thanks to God for my two friends and pray that one day there is a cure for HIV/AIDS. I also pray that one day the wounds of poverty throughout Africa and Asia will not keep healing from those who need it the most.

an oblique sense of gratitude...

This year's journey into and through Lent has simultaneously been simple and complex: simple in that I haven't given much time or ...