“Will you strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every human being?”
“I will, with God’s help!”
— From the Service of Holy Baptism, BCP
I believe those words, along with the other four questions that precede them, those resonate questions that make up our baptismal covenant into the Christian faith and identity, are some of the sweetest words to hear, and yet some of the most difficult words to live out. If the Christian faith were easy, a country club, I guess everyone would do it! That is why it is so reassuring that the questions are followed by the answer, “I will, with God’s help!” God knows that Christ’s walk, the journey we are called into, is not an easy or light one, but one of responsibility, and that God will be with us in and throughout the journey.
In the midst of challenging times, thankfully, we have something to celebrate, God’s ray of light breaking through some of the darkness we’re currently experiencing, that says something about this push for justice and peace that has been so inherent in the DNA of St. Thomas the Apostle for so many years, and I think it needs to be shouted from the rooftops!
On Monday, June 15, the Supreme Court of the United States of America ruled 6-3 that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the federal law which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex, now also protects employees on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity! Justice and peace are now available to the LGBTQIA community in ways they simply were not before, particularly places without specific state protections. Moreover, receiving this ruling in June, the traditional month set aside for LGBTQIA pride celebration, makes it all the sweeter.
Five years ago (in June!), the LGBTQIA community took a huge step forward with another Supreme Court case granting same-gender couples equal access to marriage as opposite sex couples. While that was exciting, in the state of Texas, for example, a couple could be married on Saturday, and by Monday morning find they had no employment. This week’s ruling brings that additional security of justice and peace.
This is the kind of justice and peace that have been hallmarks of the hard and intentional labor that St. Thomas the Apostle has been known for across its 70 years, and I know you will want to celebrate this joyous event in all the ways that we can. We all should. Our baptismal covenant has won the day, again!
The favorable verdict was written by conservative Justice Neil Gorsuch, an Episcopalian. I find myself wondering how many times he too has recited and responded to the question we each get asked…
“Will you strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every human being?”
“I will, with God’s help!”
In great joy,
Fr. Christopher+
