Fear

My husband and I went to a baby shower this weekend for our neighbor and her wife. We enjoyed reconnecting with our neighbors and meeting their friends, some who traveled from other cities to welcome the new baby. While it was a celebration of joy, every guest I spoke with expressed worry or fear. All of the guests at the party were afraid for their own well-being or the well-being of a child or friend.

This presence of fear is not something I find in all of my social circles. Many of my friends express concerns for their children’s decision making skills, or the quality of education available to them, or how their future may unfold. Most of them do not fear for the safety of their family and friends.

In Matthew’s gospel for today (25:31-46) Jesus very bluntly states that whatever we Christians do “for one of these least ones” we do for him. This is a radical statement by Jesus that most Christian people do not take seriously. Many of us do not consider members of the LGBTQ community “the least ones.” Yet they are often not welcomed in our community churches and they are maligned by bishops in many countries, especially the United States. The USCCB, in their March 20, 2023, “Doctrinal Note on The Moral Limits, to Technological Manipulation of the Human Body” (https://www.usccb.org/resources/Doctrinal%20Note%202023-03-20.pdf) set off a firestorm of conversation that stretched into many months of misery for those in the transgender community and those who care for them.

For the first time ever, I lwalked out of church during a priest’s sermon at a local parish (not my own), who began his talk with, “The United States Bishops issued this great statement about a current issue…” My husband and I never heard the rest, but his congregation did, and many other Catholics at other churches heard it as well. This statement directly created a hostile atmosphere within our parishes towards the transgender community. How often do we Christians say, “the least of my brothers” and then qualifiy it: certainly not that group of people. Jesus cannot mean them. Statements such as these embolden the faithful to villify entire subsets of people.

I had a conversation with an old acquaintance who works for her diocese. We had an interesting talk about the LGBTQ community. She bluntly told me that she thinks that eventally the church will be inclusive toward gay and lesbian people, but that they will never accept transgender individuals.

Heavy sigh.

And yes, she knew about my son before she made the comment. Her attitude did not develop out of the blue. It is informed by the culture she lives in and the words of the bishops about the LGBTQ community. This type of attitude only adds to the stresses already being endured by these people and those who love them.

During Lent, let us please be mindful of all of the least of our people, anyone who could stand a bit of compassion and dignity. May we Catholic Christians begin to envision a world where everyone feels safe, where the topic of conversation at a baby shower is the baby and not fear.