One of the phrases which is used by Metropolitan Community Churches as a denomination is “the holy integration of sexuality and spirituality”. What a powerful phrase! Our sexuality is part of how we express ourselves in the world. It is more than just who we are attracted to sexually. It is always pleasing to me when I see photos of our LGBT siblings around the world that the body language, hair styles and clothing are often familiar, even though we don’t speak the same language or have much else in common. In the same way, it is fantastic when I discover someone who finds God in the ways that speak to my soul too. Over the years, I have broadened out a great deal in how I worship and experience God. There would have been no dancing in church or speaking in tongues when I was a devout Catholic! It is wonderful though, to connect with folk who, like me, find God in the silence, in nature, in mystery. These moments of belonging, of recognising self and God in one another, help us to accept and affirm who we are.
In her recent ‘coming out’ interviews, Vicky Beeching talked about the fracture that she experienced between her faith and her sexuality. The wonderful power of the phrase “the holy integration of sexuality and spirituality” is that it encapsulates the divine energy that is experienced when we encounter wholeness, rather than fracture. As we blend and meld these aspects of ourselves, we grow more fully into the person God created us to be. When we are able to worship God freely and passionately, we are fed spiritually and move towards wholeness. When we are able to love and embrace ourselves fully before God, freely and passionately, our worship is uplifting and unselfconscious, unburdened by guilt, shame or deception. It may be a rather unBritish thing to do, but sometimes when I am out in the open air, looking out to sea or standing in the middle of a wood, looking up at the canopy of leaves above me, I just want stretch my arms up and out and shout “Yes!” Yes to life, Yes to God, Yes to who I am in that moment. We need those moments of “Yes!” to see us through those times when life is hard, or harsh or just plain tedious.
The fruit of the Spirit described by Paul in Galatians include joy, peace and love. When we enjoy that holy integration of all that we are, then the power of the Holy Spirit becomes manifest through these fruit. This week, I invite you to notice when you are feeling the most whole and holy, and even risk a very unBritish “Yes!” offered up to God.
God bless
Cecilia
In her recent ‘coming out’ interviews, Vicky Beeching talked about the fracture that she experienced between her faith and her sexuality. The wonderful power of the phrase “the holy integration of sexuality and spirituality” is that it encapsulates the divine energy that is experienced when we encounter wholeness, rather than fracture. As we blend and meld these aspects of ourselves, we grow more fully into the person God created us to be. When we are able to worship God freely and passionately, we are fed spiritually and move towards wholeness. When we are able to love and embrace ourselves fully before God, freely and passionately, our worship is uplifting and unselfconscious, unburdened by guilt, shame or deception. It may be a rather unBritish thing to do, but sometimes when I am out in the open air, looking out to sea or standing in the middle of a wood, looking up at the canopy of leaves above me, I just want stretch my arms up and out and shout “Yes!” Yes to life, Yes to God, Yes to who I am in that moment. We need those moments of “Yes!” to see us through those times when life is hard, or harsh or just plain tedious.
The fruit of the Spirit described by Paul in Galatians include joy, peace and love. When we enjoy that holy integration of all that we are, then the power of the Holy Spirit becomes manifest through these fruit. This week, I invite you to notice when you are feeling the most whole and holy, and even risk a very unBritish “Yes!” offered up to God.
God bless
Cecilia
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