Some of you are my teachers, helping me to train and refine my voice by sharing your knowledge and experience. Some of you are MCC Austin members and friends who trustingly offer me your ears and eyes each week as we journey through our faith and the scriptures together. Some of you are friends who heard my voice before I even did, and encouraged me to turn it up...

You are such blessings to me, not only because you help me listen for my voice, but also because of what you allow me to hear in yours. Thank you.

Ezekiel 12:1-11 (NRSV)

The word of the Lord came to me: Mortal, you are living in the midst of a rebellious house, who have eyes to see but do not see, who have ears to hear but do not hear; for they are a rebellious house. Therefore, mortal, prepare for yourself an exile's baggage, and go into exile by day in their sight; you shall go like an exile from your place to another place in their sight. Perhaps they will understand, though they are a rebellious house. You shall bring out your baggage by day in their sight, as baggage for exile; and you shall go out yourself at evening in their sight, as those do who go into exile. Dig through the wall in their sight, and carry the baggage through it. In their sight you shall lift the baggage on your shoulder, and carry it out in the dark; you shall cover your face, so that you may not see the land; for I have made you a sign for the house of Israel. I did just as I was commanded. I brought out my baggage by day, as baggage for exile, and in the evening I dug through the wall with my own hands; I brought it out in the dark, carrying it on my shoulder in their sight. In the morning the word of the Lord came to me: Mortal, has not the house of Israel, the rebellious house, said to you, "What are you doing?" Say to them, "Thus says the Lord God: This oracle concerns the prince in Jerusalem and all the house of Israel in it." Say, "I am a sign for you: as I have done, so shall it be done to them; they shall go into exile, into captivity."

Many lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (GLBT) people are reclaiming the word queer as a word of power and personal identity rather than a word of oppression. To be queer in this new understanding is to live outside the traditional social, political, religious, and sexual constructs. By this definition, Ezekiel's is the voice of a queer one, crying in the wilderness.

Ezekiel's message is particularly poignant for the GLBTQ community during Advent. As the Western world moves toward Christmas, GLBTQ people are often more painfully aware of our status as exiles among our families of origin and our Christian family than at other times. We carry our baggage, we retreat into the darkness of our closets, and we cry: How long, O Lord? How long will I be told not to bring my partner of 18 years to Christmas dinner? How long will I be welcome to contribute to my church's seasonal giving initiatives but not to contribute my gifts of teaching or preaching or leadership?

Yet we queer folk are not exempt from Ezekiel's overall message, which is that we must turn from our rebellious ways and turn back to fully right relationship with God. But the ways we must turn from are not the ways that we love our same gender partners, nurture our children, or do our best to create family. The ways we must turn from are the same as those of all humans: selfishness, greed, idolatry, violence against people and the universe, dishonesty, withholding blessings and denying forgiveness.

Ezekiel's words call us to deep thought and honest reflection, but when read in Advent, they also give us great hope. Once again the star, the stable, the promise, unto us too a child is born, and he shall be called, and our exile shall end....

Prayer:

O, Emmanuel,

Your love extends to the ends of the earth with no boundaries and no margins. As the Holy Night draws near, may we draw nearer to you and to each other. May we-all of us exiles in some way-embrace one another in understanding, affirmation, and love. Amen.