Go: Arise
5 May 2024
Miak Siew
Summary: There are two possibilities when people who have been bullied or oppressed are freed or gain power. There are two possibilities – the bullied, once they have power, becomes the new bullies. The oppressed once freed, become the new oppressor. But there is another way – the way of Christ, the way of the wounded healer – they do the work of healing other people who are hurting, they stand in solidarity with others who are suffering, they stand against bullies and oppressors, and they work on liberating others who are oppressed.
That is what we are called – “Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you.” Isaiah 60:1
On the first evening at Iona where I had my retreat last December, I joined some of the other retreat participants to chat after dinner. We ended up sharing about what led us to signing up a retreat at Iona.
One of them shared the verse from Isaiah 60 – “Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you.” Well, it may just be another verse – but I happened to be wearing the only t-shirt I had with a Bible verse on it – this t-shirt I got from MCC’s general conference in 2019.
“Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you” is directed at a people in a time of oppression, darkness, exile and suffering. During this season of Easter, we proclaim the risen Christ – our light that has come.
Last week, during the newcomers meeting, I shared with those at the meeting of how some of us are post-gay – how many LGBTQ folks in our midst we have worked on and reconciled our faith with who we are. That is, for many LGBTQ folks, the reason they come to FCC.
“Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you!”
I was reflecting on what I shared – and I thought – what exactly is post-gay? I think it is different for each person. Post-gay may mean being reconciled, and our sexual orientation and gender identity is just another aspect of who we are. And for me, it goes beyond that.
<M> What does post-gay mean for you?
Post-gay means for me personally how I, and we as a community, moved beyond G. First to L, then to LGB, them LGBT, then LGBTQIA+. How my circle has grown wider, richer, more diverse. Moving beyond my fears of rejection, and being anchored in knowing I am beloved, and recognizing the goodness in myself, I am able to move out to my comfort zone to be vulnerable and allow people different from myself in.
Post-gay also means beyond reconciling my faith and my sexuality – there is something more.
Because when I hear “arise,” I hear Jesus words “Rise, take up your bed and walk.” KJV Well, we are all more familiar with the newer translations – “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.” (John 5:8-9) similar verses (Mark 2:11) and Matthew 9:4
Rise! Rise above the situations and circumstances life has thrown at you – the mats of our lives where we languish and suffer – and journey together towards growth and wholeness in Christ as a community.
“Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you!”
We are not just to arise, but also shine.
As we are made whole, as we are healed, we are also to shine.
At FCC, we have found ways to lift up our stories – your stories – so we can shine. We told our stories in various ways – our stained glass tile project that you can see online still, our 20th anniversary book (that is still available!)
That is why one of our anthems is “Testify to Love.” The congregation just really gets into the words in the chorus –
For as long as I shall live,
I will testify to love.
I’ll be a witness in the silences
When words are not enough.
With every breath I take,
I will give thanks to God above.
For as long as I shall live,
I will testify to love.
“Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you!”
<M> in what ways do you think God is inviting you to shine?
In the past couple of months, we have been working on relaunching SafeHaven. SafeHaven is a community group for LGBTQIA+ Christians and all people, who are looking to connect, be empowered and educated through progressive and queer-affirming Christianity. Named after Safehaven, what has become Free Community Church today, SafeHaven carries on the spirit of supporting the LGBTQIA+ community in their journey of faith and reconciliation, and advocates for inclusion and diversity in our society.
The first event SafeHaven is organising is the the doublebill screening of the two documentary films – 1946: The Mistranslation That Shifted a Culture and 牧者(The Shepherds) on 18 May 2024 to commemorate IDAHOBIT (International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia & Transphobia) at The Projector at Cineleisure. I am very excited that the director of 1946, Sharon “Rocky” Roggio will be flying here, and this is the Asian premiere of the film.
Tickets are now on sale at http://fcc.li/SafeHaven. Tickets are at $15 for each show, and we have also set aside some tickets as “Pay as you can” in line with our stance that our activities should be accessible to everyone. (this is how we live out our values, our “politics” as a community, a mini-polis)
Many of you have caught both films – and i hope that you invite friends and family to watch them so they can hear the stories of LGBTQ Christians, and know some history – especially how the word “homosexual” got into the Bible in the first place. This would be an opportunity to witness to God’s amazing love for the LGBTQIA+ community.
There is another side to the Isaiah 60 though. The book of Isaiah is not easy to interpret – The book of Isaiah likely took shape over a span of several centuries during which considerable turmoil and disruption in Syria-Palestine occurred. This period also witnessed the rise and fall of the Assyrian and Babylonian Empires, and the eventual rise of the Persian Empire.
Especially in the light of what is happening in Gaza, I want to highlight the problems how verses from the Bible like verses 10-12 are read literally without taking into account this background and mistaken the current state of Israel with the Israel referred to in the Bible.
Isaiah 60:10-12
“Foreigners will rebuild your walls,
and their kings will serve you.
Though in anger I struck you,
in favor I will show you compassion.
Your gates will always stand open,
they will never be shut, day or night,
so that people may bring you the wealth of the nations—
their kings led in triumphal procession.
For the nation or kingdom that will not serve you will perish;
it will be utterly ruined.
Isaiah – or more precisely – the writers of Isaiah – wrote this speaking on behalf of God – we need to consider that these words are also the words of a people who wondered why their God had abandoned them, and the hopes and dreams of a people whose city was destroyed, and now oppressed by another Empire, with its people (the elite in particular) scattered and exiled.
I do believe that God says to those languishing in suffering, oppression and darkness “Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you.” Yet, at the same time, I do not believe that those who will not serve you will perish and will be utterly ruined.
Have you been bullied when you were younger? Have you ever wanted the bully to get punished, or somehow suffer or ruined because you suffered?
I have. I have wanted to hit back somehow.
<M> What do you think happens when the tables turn, and the bullied becomes the ones who have power?
There are two possibilities – the bullied, once they have power, becomes the new bullies. The oppressed once freed, become the new oppressor.
This is driven by fear – because they do not want to be bullied, hurt, suffer or wounded again so they become the new bully. Hurting other people is a way to warn people don’t mess around with us. And often that’s what at the core on anger – I want to invite you to pay attention to it – whether it is in yourselves, or in the angry people you encounter.
Be alert to those who peddle fear. Because that isn’t Jesus’ way. Be wary of those who tell you to be afraid. That other people are out to get you.
Because there is another way. There is always another way. And I believe that’s Jesus’ way. The way of love. The way of the wounded healer.
When those who have suffered, who have been hurt, who have been oppressed – when they emerge out of their situation – they are liberated from oppression, they can become liberators for other people.
The wounded healer closest to my heart is Rev Yap *Rev Yap’s story in I Will Survive: Personal GLBT Stories in Singapore
It was 1944, and the Japanese Occupation of the Malay Peninsula was coming to an end. Malaya and Singapore were still under military rule, and I was only 15 years old.
One evening, while watching a documentary in a makeshift movie hall, I was yanked out of my seat by some Japanese military police officers, and forcefully thrown to the ground a number of times until I could no longer stand on my feet. After being taken to a police lock-up, I was later released.
I was not aware of any crime that I had committed. Perhaps it was just an event to satisfy the sadistic needs of some military police officers, and I was the unexpected and unfortunate victim. I had met with injustice. My leg was injured, and I was crippled for life as a result. That was 76 years ago.
My future changed abruptly. How did I face it? Over the next few months, in the midst of my gradual recovery I was fortunate to be befriended by a group of Christian youths who showed me love and compassion. Although I was not a Christian, I received their care and concern. I soon became a member of the Wesley Church in Ipoh, Malaysia.
After completing my education I returned home and was appointed to pastoral work in the Methodist Church. I was consecrated as the first Asian Bishop of the Methodist Church in Malaysia and Singapore in 1968. I resigned from the episcopacy to take up an appointment as General Secretary of the Christian Conference of Churches in Asia. CCA’s mission was to co-ordinate the Asian churches to engage in education, evangelism, development and social justice. I identified with the victims of injustices wherever they were found.
In a way, I felt I was trying to be a “wounded healer.” At the age of 15 I was able to pick myself up from the ground to walk haltingly, but I was never able to run again because of my injury. Now, I felt I needed to help others to get up, stand tall and walk proudly. It was with this orientation in my life that I came forward naturally at the opportune time to support the struggles of the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community. Here is a group that experienced unjust rejection and stigmatization. They bear the guilt imposed upon them. They were sinned against by those who claim that homosexuality is a sin.
In all my time knowing Rev Yap – he had did not have any anger at the Japanese, but connecting his suffering to the suffering of others.
This is the way of wounded healers.
The wounds they have suffered, instead of reminding them of those who wounded them, became ways they connect to the pain and suffering of others.
We often don’t realise we have a choice here. We can choose to be angry wounded people or become wounded healers.
“Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you!”
Get up, take up your mat and walk.
** My journey – I remember my younger self at the talk organised by FOTF Homosexuality: truths and myths in 2003, 20 years ago. I was so angry hearing the things they said at the talk – they spoke about extreme things like fisting at the talk. They painted the worst picture of lgbtq people and presented it as though that was us. At the Q&A I was so choked up with emotion I couldn’t even speak and that was me years ago with that kind of anger. iI many ways I felt hurt by them.
Today I’m in a different place. I try to understand where they come from but you know what – I’m not interested in being angry at them and punching them or seeking revenge. I spend my energy for those who are suffering and struggling because of what they what they have done and what they are doing. That is my story of being a wounded healer because the story in John chapter 5 has a second part.
After Jesus told the man stand up get take your mat and walk and that man stood up, took up his mat and walked there was part two. The religious people around, seeing that the man had been cured, you know what they said? It is the Sabbath, it is not lawful for you to be carrying your mat.
This guy has been sitting there for 38 years and just got healed and what you’re concerned with is the Sabbath law?
That resonates so much with how I feel about religious conservatives who still make an issue of lgbtq folks and some of them really sees us not really a church. Have you not seen the healing of the people here? The journey that we have taken? That’s why we tell our story that’s why we testify because we want people to see how God has worked in our lives. But people are so obsessed with just lgbtq and they think it’s a sin and they don’t see the work that God has been doing in our midst.
That is why I think that this is our next chapter. We celebrated 20 years of being a church. What’s next is “Arise, shine for your light has come and the glory of the Lord Rises upon you.”
For as long as I shall live,
I will testify to love.
I’ll be a witness in the silences
When words are not enough.
With every breath I take,
I will give thanks to God above.
For as long as I shall live,
I will testify to love.
