Breath of the Spirit: God’s Accomplicehood
The primary definition of accomplice is generally someone who helps another person commit a crime. Today’s reflection reframes the term as God’s commitment to be with us in our endeavors to subvert structures of oppression and exclusion; and challenges us to be God’s accomplice in the sacred act of accompanying one another.
June 25, 2023: 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Jeremiah 20:10-13
Psalm 69:8-10, 14, 17, 33-35
Romans 5:12-15
Matthew 10:26-33
God’s Accomplicehood
A reflection by delfín bautista
Though we are in summer, today’s readings remind me of the Christmas message: God is with us.
Did the prophet Jeremiah know that his words would continue to impact communities thousands of years after they were spoken? Jeremiah’s words from today’s first reading provide a framework for dealing with haters. The reality is that despite the progress we have achieved through our advocacy and transformative ministries, we continue to engage individuals who create challenges to justice and hope. Jeremiah and I are not being defeatist or pessimistic; we hold onto and live into the real hope that despite the hardships we may endure we are not alone—God is with us through it all. We experience divine solidarity through communion with groups like DignityUSA and others who journey with us in countering prejudice, oppression, and hardship. Whether in-person or over Zoom or through social media, Jeremiah’s prophetic message is that comunidad abounds often in the most unexpected ways. God is with us and in us as we counter the attempts to restrict, marginalize, and ban queer and trans people—our joy and lives cannot be banned.
The redactors of Paul’s letter to the community in Rome and of Matthew’s gospel amplify Jeremiah’s message of God with us through Jesus’ accomplicehood. Jesus does not proclaim himself as an ally; rather he is in the trenches with us, experiencing what we experience from pain to ecstasy, intimacy to humility, dysphoria to euphoria. The biblical scribes remind us that just like Jesus widened circles, our accomplicehood can spark ripples in ways we cannot imagine. A smile, a thank you, a heartfelt affirmation, etc. can spread the Divine Presence—and can be used by the Divine to remind us that we are all equally blessed.
I leave you with questions for ongoing reflection inspired by the Psalmist: What are the reminders of God’s presence and solidarity in your life? How is God holding you and replenishing you? How is God holding and replenishing others through you—how do you embody the Divine accomplicehood?
mx. delfin w. bautista, MSW, MDiv. (they/elle/delfin) is a native of Miami, FL, is of Cuban and Salvadoran heritage, and currently serves as the Director for the Lionel Cantu Queer Resource Center at UC-Santa Cruz. A social worker and activist theologian, delfin is passionate about intersectional justice and resilience, especially around the experiences of queer and trans people of color. delfin currently serves on the board of directors for both Soulforce and enfleshed.
