Could Have Been the Start of a Bad Joke

 

Last Thursday I was traveling home from New York. Traveling in the dining car was a Rabbi, two Presbyterian ministers (from 2 different sects), a Methodist minister, and me an Episcopal priest. (No this is not the beginning of a bad joke.) Also traveling in the car was a transwoman.

We had all said brief hellos and over the first two hours engaged in short conversations interspersed with longer times of silence. I’m not sure how this conversation got started, but I overheard one of the male ministers ask the transwoman if he could ask her some questions because he really wanted to understand her world. My ears opened as did the other people in the car. She responded, “Certainly. I don’t mind at all. I actually would like it. And don't worry you can't ask me anything I haven't been asked before.” He responded, "But please reserve the right to not answer anything you don't want to answer." I am not going to share specifics as I truly believe the conversations we had were personal and sacred and deserved to be preserved for the people in the conversation. But I would like to share some things.

We all gathered around and began talking, questioning, and most importantly listening. There was a lot of conversation, questions, explanations, and long silences. We began sharing perspectives from our different denominations, our own experiences, and culture. We talked about how the past and current administration and their policies impacted our lives on a daily basis. One question I was asked, “How is it impacting you sharing your faith with me a man who serves in a denomination that doesn’t recognize women’s ordination?” Instantly I responded, “Sad.” His reply, “Me too.”

These conversations went on for over 3 hours. As we were beginning to pull into the station where all but 2 of us were getting off, the car became silent, and I saw a notification come across my phone. A woman who has been a friend for many years and who went to high school with my husband has a son who after surgery had a complication and was being transported to Children’s Hospital ICU. She was asking for prayer.

I looked up at everyone and read her post. No words were spoken as we all stood up and clasped hands. And then we began to pray. 

So no, the gathering of these particular people in this particular dining car at this particular time wasn’t the start of a bad joke. It wasn't a joke;
it was a glimpse of the Kingdom of God.