Created in God's Image: A Memory of Matthew Shepard
Last week was the anniversary of Matthew Shepard’s lynching due to his sexual orientation. This Thursday is the anniversary of his death. His life and his legacy are reminders to continue to advocate for a world that is more just, tolerant and compassionate to all people. In that light, we are posting Vicar Allison’s sermon from Pride Month this past spring.
On an unusually warm February day during my first semester at UW, I found myself sitting outside, enjoying the sunshine and soaking in some vitamin D. The way that campus is set up, the very middle of campus is called ‘Prexy’s pasture’ and it is surrounded by the majority of the academic buildings. I was sitting on one of the benches in front of the art and sciences building for the university. At one point while I was sitting, I got an uncomfortable ache in my back and went to go check it. I felt that there was a plaque on this bench.
On this plaque it read: “Matthew Wayne Shepard. December 1, 1976-October 12, 1998. Beloved son, brother, and friend. He continues to make a difference. Peace be with him and all who sit here.” I was shocked. I had heard of Matthew Shepard. I had heard of what had happened to him. But it took until this moment for me to realize that he went to my school.
For those of you who may not know or remember, allow me to tell you who Matthew Shepard was and why his story is an important one for us to hear for our Reconciling in Christ Sunday.
Matthew Shepard was a Junior at the University of Wyoming in the Fall of 1998. He was majoring in political science with a minor in languages. He was also involved with the Wyoming Environmental Council, and was an altar boy in the Episcopal church when he was growing up. Matthew has been described as "an optimistic and accepting young man who had a special gift of relating to almost everyone. He was the type of person who was very approachable and always looked to new challenges. Shepard had a great passion for equality and always stood up for the acceptance of people's differences.“
On the night of October 6, 1998, Matthew was at a local bar in Laramie where he was approached by two individuals. I will not be naming them here today, because this story is not about them, it is about Matthew. These two individuals offered to give Matthew a ride home that night, but instead, drove him to the edge of town, where he was tied to a fence post and brutally beaten.
Matthew was found the following morning by a bicyclist who thought he was a scarecrow. When he was found, his face was completely covered in blood, except for two lines where he had been crying. Matthew would die six days later in a hospital in Fort Collins. He never regained consciousness. He was 21 years old.
After his death, his murderers were put on trial for what they had done. When asked why they attacked Matthew, they stated that his sexual orientation was the reason. You see, Matthew Shepard was gay. His murderers felt that they had the right to kill him because of who he was. During the trial and Matthew’s funeral, the notorious Westboro Baptist church came to picket the trial. In response, some students and friends of Matthew made large angel wings out of PVC pipe and bed sheets to keep the ugly posters from being seen.
In our gospel reading for today, we see Jesus speaking with the disciples before his crucifixion. The line in this gospel reading that I can’t help but focus on is verse 27 “do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” Jesus tells the disciples again and again throughout the gospels that he is going away and is trying to prepare them for his departure, but they were never ready. It is only with time and prayer and the aid of the Holy Spirit that we begin to see how God might be working in the midst of terrible and confusing events.
I often wonder about what Matthew thought of while he was tied to that fencepost. I wonder if he thought of his family, or friends, or when he was going to be found. While I lived in Laramie, I would often look at the night sky and see things I had never seen before due to the lack of light pollution. Did Matthew also look up at the sky that night and wonder where God was?
In 2009, the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act was signed into law. This law expands the previous hate crime law to include a victim’s actual or perceived gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability. Matthew should not have had to die for a law to be passed that protects queer people.
Matthew was laid to rest at the National Cathedral in Washington D.C. in 2018, 20 years after his death. Every year on Matt’s birthday (Dec. 1) his parents and the community gather to celebrate his life and legacy and to advocate for a world that is more just, tolerant and compassionate. People take pilgrimages to honor a young man who changed the nation.
As I said above, it was not until I sat on this bench that I knew Matthew went to the same school as me. I sat there in my junior year, the same class Matthew was in when he died. This, in part, is because the community in Laramie wanted to move on from this tragedy. It was a defining moment and something that entered the consciousness of the nation about their home. However, we cannot let these influences push us toward silence.
I recently encountered someone who was uncomfortable with how “in your face” the month of pride is. And since it is Pride Month across the nation and the world, many posts have been circulating on social media. But one of the posts rang true to me. “Pride is important because someone tonight still believes they’re better off dead than being themselves.”
Matthew’s life was taken from him. Statistically, queer youth, adults, and especially trans women of color are some of the most at-risk populations. At risk of experiencing hate crimes like Matthew, at risk of being influenced to believe that the world would be better off without them, at risk of legislation being waged against their existence.
So we, queer people and allies alike must do as Jesus said and must not be afraid. Queer people must trust that we have always existed and that we are loved and created in the image of God. Allies, you have more of the heavy lifting in this mission. Jesus says,“do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” Allies, we must carry this message on to the LGTBQ community. We must take spaces and try to see them through the eyes of a queer person to ensure it is one they can be safely. We must have the difficult conversation with your relative who doesn’t think it should be that big of a deal. We should have faith that the Holy Spirit is not abandoning us in the midst of terrible and confusing events.
Remember, the Spirit assures us that we are never abandoned, even in the midst of the loss, pain, and sorrow that are part of life in this broken world.
Holy Trinity Lutheran Church and the DC Metro Synod are Reconciling in Christ organizations. What does this mean?
Well, in part, since 2015 at Holy Trinity it means there is a certificate in the narthex stating that we are Reconciling in Christ and it is stated on the“Who We Are” page of our website. Truly it means that we believe in the full welcome, inclusion, and equity of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and asexual/aromantic (LGBTQIA+) Lutherans in all aspects of the life of their Church, congregations, and community. We desire to keep expanding this welcome, liberating those who are forced to live in the margins. To keep dismantling barriers and building bridges. To keep working until all of God's beloved have equity. A Reconciling in Christ congregation believes that God values and embraces each person as a beloved child, that the Spirit gives a diversity of gifts for the common good, and that Jesus Christ calls us to work for justice.
Queer people have always existed. We have always existed. And have been made and created with God’s intention and loving care. In Psalm 139 it says: “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.”