"Be with the Lord forever" (Transgender Day of Remembrance, TDoR 2023) (November 12, 2023)
Date: November 12, 2023
Occasion:
Transgender Day of Remembrance and candle lighting service at United Church of Hyde Park
Sermon
title: “Be with the Lord forever”
Scriptures:
Amos 5:18-24, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
0. Prayer
Would
you join me in the prayer after the candlelight.
Our God, Our Divine, Our Creator, bless
those who are in our hearts on this day of remembrance, named or unnamed -
young and old, of every race, faith, and gender experience whose lives were
stolen by violence. We pray in your embrace there is now comfort, there is now
love, there is now peace.
Bless those who survive, and continue to
see a new day rise in the rays of your sun. Bless every beautiful gender of
your creation. Bless us in all our different lives and experiences. We know
your image is abundant and refuses any limit or constraint that says there is
only one right way to be. We know in you, the possibilities are endless and
each and every are holy sparks of life. (prayer by Sonny Graves, UCC)[1]
1. the lens
and paradigm shift - the Text and Context
People read
the Holy Bible and sacred texts differently. Through various aspects, we would
like to know the truth and the will of God behind the texts we read. In church
and human history, we tried. Sometimes, we assume that we are doing great, but
sometimes, we are reluctant to admit that we have failed, again and again,
especially when we look around at what’s happening in our world.
For women in
the church and feminist theologians like many of us here today, the core
questions are many. The first wave of the feminist biblical interpretation and
theology in the 1960s focused on the patriarchy and androcentrism in the church's
daily life, biblical interpretation, and the theology we have adopted for
hundreds of years. The second wave of the feminist movement paid more attention
to different experiences that can contribute to liberation and social
transformation, such as from various social locations, from the late 1960s to the
early 1990s. The third wave of the feminist movement emphasized the
non-Eruo-American women’s experience, especially African American and womanist,
since the early 2000s.
However,
women’s voices outside the English or Europe were not heard enough. The
Transnational feminist criticism and movement challenge the meaning of “been
born as women” in the Western world and the presuppositions behind them. Korean
theologian and feminist, Chung Hyun Kyung (鄭玄鏡), argues, “As a Korean woman, I do theology in search
of what it means to be fully human in my struggle for wholeness
and in my people's concrete historical fight for freedom." (1990: 1)[2] She further
argues that “our body and experience are the text, and the Bible is the
context” and challenges the paradigm of biblical interpretation: the Holy
Bible is no longer the solo sacred text but should be reconsidered as a mean of
oppression in various ways. And I believe, today, we can also adopt this method
in seeking God’s message in our text and context, on the Transgender Day of Remembrance.
As
Christian in Hyde Park, we do theology in search of what it means to be fully human
in our struggle for wholeness and in our transgender siblings’ concrete
historical fight for freedom.
2. our Texts
– violence against trans siblings
Among the 67
names Tam read today, I cannot help to dig into some of their stories.
Lisa Love
Turman was found
shot and dead not far away from her home. Lisa was a graduate of Kenwood
Academy High School. Lisa was walking near 79th Street and Cottage
Grove Ave that night, when a car drove up and made a U-Turn, and Lisa’s cousin
witnessed that car stop in front of her. Lisa was shot in the chest and died at
the age of 35, on October 17. WGN reported this incident.[3]
Unique
Banks, a 21-year-old
Latinx transgender woman, was fatally shot during a home invasion in Chicago on
Monday, January 23. Banks’ mother, Alexandra Olmo, was also killed in the invasion
of the family’s apartment, the Chicago Sun-Times reports. Three other people —
Olmo’s boyfriend and two trans women — were seriously wounded, a law
enforcement source told the paper. The suspect is a 19-year-old man who lives
in the same building.[4]
There are
two other trans siblings from Chicago, Dominic Dupree[5] and Lovely
Page,[6] who lost
their lives from gunshot this year.
This
violence is from transphobia and unsecured feelings. They happen when people
have deeply rooted negative beliefs about what it means to be transgender,
nonbinary, and gender nonconforming and those whose identities don’t fit into
typical gender roles.[7] The
understanding of gender and the scale of the violence might also be quite
different in different ethnic and cultural groups. But the external violence is
real.
I feel
heartbroken to know the following stories. Myles Fitzpatrick, from
Manville, New Jersey, committed suicide at the age of 17.[8] Levi
Martin, from Lakeville, Massachusetts, committed suicide at the age of 17.[9] Nove
Dunne, from Manchester, New Hampshire, committed suicide at the age of 14.[10] The
internalized fear and loneliness took those teenagers' live away.
Today, there
is an insert in our bulletin. You can find all those 67 names that we hold
sacred remembrance today. And you can also read their stories by using the QR
Code and link on the insert. If you are joining us online, there is also a link
in the comments and the description. Please read their stories this week.
Chicago is
one of the most progressive cities in the US. For a long time, we might have
assumed that LGBTQ equal rights are the outdated agenda for us. A recent survey
this August pointed out that Illinois has become the magnet for transgender
students seeking protections in school and health care (Chalkbeat, Chicago).[11] Many
states passed considering anti-trans legislation, not only Florida. At least 14
states passed laws regulating bathroom access, sports participation, or pronoun
and name changes, particularly in K-12 schools.
Additionally,
at least 18 states passed laws restricting gender-affirming health care,
primarily for minors. Families, who have the resources and mobility, started to
look for ways to protect their trans children. Illinois is one of the safe
landing spots.
However, four
among 67 names we heard today are from Chicago and Illinois. Two of them are
from the south side of the city, where our congregation is located, and our
denominations also categorize us in this region. We know that living in Chicago
and Illinois is not like living in paradise at this point. And we, as the
followers of Jesus still have a lot of work to do.
3. the
Context – offerings and “peace”
In the Book
of Amos, the prophet delivered the message from God, asking the people of God
to repent. Prophet Amos pointed out all unjust incidents all around the
country, for “who oppress the poor, who crush the needy,” (Amos 4:1) and
“They hate the one who reproves in the gate, and they abhor the one who
speaks the truth.” (Amos 5:10) That was a society where the vulnerable were
not protected, the truth was not allowed to be told or shared. Therefore, God, Adonai/Adonoi,
sent all the enemies to invade Juda and Israel, bringing more tragedies and
punishment to the people of God, who were rarely still worshipping God or
listening to God at that time.
Remember
this vision from the Book of Genesis: Prophet Amos declares, “I overthrew
some of you as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, and you were like a brand
snatched from the fire; yet you did not return to me, says the Lord.” (Amos
4:12). I believe who hear this scripture today knew that it was the lack of
hospitality that caused the Sodom and Gomorrah destroyed by the fire from the
heaven, not caused by homosexual behavior. Unfortunately, today, there are
still many Christians, and politicians who quote the story from Sodom and use
it as a reason to justify their behavior of oppressing the LGBTQ community,
especially targeting the transgender siblings. They assume they are doing the “right”
thing for their God and receiving benefits for their own good.
But, the
prophet says, “For I know how many are your transgressions and how great are
your sins—you who afflict the righteous, who take a bribe and push aside the
needy in the gate.” (Amos 5:12). Christians cannot earn any honor or glory
by hurting others, especially the minority and disadvantaged group of people.
I was reminded
of one thing during the book discussion regarding what the church could do and
say in our time. In the election this week,[12] Moms for
Liberty failed their campaign around the US. These conservative political
organizations advocate against progressive topics in school curricula, such as
LGBTQ+ rights. They should feel upset, not because their campaign did not win
by the general vote, but because of the punishment from God is approaching and
revealing among them. There was darkness, but now, we see lights. Just like we
lighten up the candle today, not only to remember our transgender siblings, but
also to remind us of the work we are working on can really bring hope.
As
Christian in Hyde Park, we do theology in search of what it means to be fully human
in our struggle for wholeness and in our transgender siblings’ concrete
historical fight for freedom.
Being a
Christian, a follower of Jesus Christ, was not easy in the first century. Some
of them were Jewish and most of them were not Jewish. The “orthodox” Jewish
people treated those Jewish Christian like outsiders and oppressed them in
various aspects. The church was a mixture of races and religious and cultural
backgrounds. People have different thoughts about being a Christian, who is
Jesus, and what Christ sacrificed for them. They fought against each other, and
some were asked to leave the church and community. Some of those early
Christians lost their life and became martyrs merely because they were
different and strange to the rest of the community members.
St. Paul
reminded the members of the Thessalonian churches to hold on to their faith in
God. The oppression was real, but the Holy Spirit and the example of the risen
Christ can bring you hope to face all the challenges you will encounter. The
house of God is for everyone and allows everyone to reveal their true selves. I
believe our church, Hyde Park community, the city, and the state, are working
on this and becoming the safe place for every child of God.
Living an
authentic life and maintaining the image of God is not easy in our time,
either. However, I found a strong connection between the trans siblings and the
early Christians. Some of us might have heard God’s trumpet, especially our
trans siblings, that we lighted the candle for today. May they rest in God’s
heaven and peace, where there is no violence, but unconditional love. May all
who live authentically and work on bringing love to the universe, will continue
to encourage each other by saying:
“Then we
who are alive, who are left, will be caught up in the clouds together with them
to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will be with the Lord forever.”
Amen.
4. Closing
prayer
Bless our
scars, both physical and emotional, for we know they not only bear witness of
our pain and trauma, they also draw the body maps of our healing, of something
forever changed, that carries wisdom, and resilience.
Bless the
courage of our hearts here today and move in us as resolve to root out
injustice, ignorance, cruelty, and despair. Move in us as mercy that opens us
to compassion, and forgiveness. Move in us as hope that lets our minds and
hands work for reconciliation and restoration of love to one another and
abundant life for all.
Bless us as
we carry today, and every day this legacy of love and hope: For those who have
died, For those who still live, And as the sweet justice for children yet
unborn.
For this we
pray, Amen. (prayer by Sonny Graves, UCC)[13]
[1]
https://disciplesallianceq.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Benediction-written-for-a-Transgender-Day-of-Remembrance.pdf
[2]
Chung Hyun Kyung, Struggle to be the Sun Again – introducing Asian Women’s
Theology (Orbis, 1990)
[3]
https://tdor.translivesmatter.info/reports/2023/10/17/lisa-love-turman_chicago-illinois-usa_3858a890
[4]
https://tdor.translivesmatter.info/reports/2023/01/23/unique-banks_chicago-illinois-usa_9ac98f72
[5]
https://tdor.translivesmatter.info/reports/2023/10/13/dominic-dupree-dominic-palace_chicago-illinois-usa_f180da82
[6]
https://tdor.translivesmatter.info/reports/2023/08/16/lovely-page_chicago-illinois-usa_8aebe654
[7]
https://www.plannedparenthood.org/learn/gender-identity/transgender/whats-transphobia
[8]
https://tdor.translivesmatter.info/reports/2022/11/07/myles-fitzpatrick_manville-new-jersey-usa_73de610b
[9]
https://tdor.translivesmatter.info/reports/2022/12/22/levi-martin_lakeville-massachusetts-usa_423c6ee8
[10]
https://tdor.translivesmatter.info/reports/2023/05/17/nova-dunne_manchester-new-hampshire-usa_e8d2f9b4
[11]
https://www.chalkbeat.org/chicago/2023/8/29/23849555/transgender-laws-youth-florida-desantis-schools-education-illinois-lgbtq/
[12]
https://www.businessinsider.com/booking-banning-moms-for-liberty-just-got-canceled-us-voters-2023-11
[13]
https://disciplesallianceq.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Benediction-written-for-a-Transgender-Day-of-Remembrance.pdf
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