Here's to the LGBTQ+ People Who Keep Climbing the Tree
In the Gospel of St. Luke, we meet a man most people would rather ignore. His name is Zacchaeus, a chief tax collector. In his time, that meant he was considered a traitor, a collaborator with the oppressor, a man who had no place in the holy assembly.
Yet the Gospel says:
“He was seeking to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was small of stature. So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see Him, for He was about to pass that way.”
(Luke 19:3-4)
I think of LGBTQ+ Christians, who have been told in a hundred different ways that they are too small, too sinful, too unwelcome to see Jesus. They show up at church doors only to be met with cold glances, sermons that condemn them, or long silences that say, “We don’t want you here.”
And yet, like Zacchaeus, they still climb the tree.
They keep showing up, hearts aching with the desire to see Jesus. They keep praying in quiet corners of chapels, singing hymns softly under their breath, praying the Rosary in the early hours, attending Mass in places where they are unseen, yet deeply seen by God.
Zacchaeus was not a perfect man. He was not admired or accepted by his community. But Jesus, seeing him in that tree, said:
“Zacchaeus, come down quickly, for today I must stay at your house.”
(Luke 19:5)
And so, Zacchaeus came down. The crowd grumbled, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.” But Jesus called him, loved him, and brought salvation to his house.
I believe with all my heart that Jesus says the same to every LGBTQ+ person who is still climbing the tree. He sees your effort. He sees your desire for Him. He sees your loneliness, your questions, your longing for community, your tears when you feel shut out, your hidden prayers when you wonder if He can truly love you as you are.
He says, “Come down quickly. I must stay at your house today.”
The crowd will grumble, as they always do, about who Jesus should love. But Jesus never listens to them. He looks up at you in your tree and calls you by name.
Come down. Let Him into your home, your heart, your life, just as you are. Let Him eat with you, walk with you, and whisper to you that you, too, are a child of Abraham, that salvation has come to you, that you, too, are His.
“For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.”
(Luke 19:10)
If you are tired, if you are weary of climbing, know that Jesus sees you. Let Him love you today.
As Pride Month ends, some will tell you that you have no place in the Church, that your time of being seen is over for another year, that your longing for belonging is out of season now.
But the Gospel is not bound by a calendar.
Jesus does not stop looking up into your tree on July 1. He does not stop calling your name when the rainbow flags come down. He does not stop saying, “Come down quickly, for today I must stay at your house.”
You are loved every day, in every season, in every quiet, hidden place where you still dare to hope for Him. And He, in return, still comes to seek and to save what is lost.
Even now, He is passing by. And even now, He sees you.
🌿 The Good
Colorado Rushes Aid to Faith Communities After Attack
Just weeks after a June 1 firebombing targeted a “Run for Their Lives” chapter in Boulder, Colorado is stepping up to protect faith communities under threat. Governor Jared Polis announced yesterday that the state will accelerate grants for security measures at churches, synagogues, mosques, and religious nonprofits, with up to $500,000 available annually per site to harden doors, install cameras, and train staff in emergency response. While federal aid has been slow, Colorado’s commitment sends a clear message: faith communities deserve to worship, gather, and serve without fear. In a time when religiously motivated violence is on the rise, it is a rare and hopeful reminder that government and faith can work hand-in-hand for the protection of the vulnerable.
Read more at Axios
⚠️ The Bad
Supreme Court Deals Blow to LGBTQ+ Protections
In a sweeping set of decisions issued yesterday, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld new restrictions on LGBTQ+ rights in healthcare, education, and employment, ruling that religious freedom exemptions can take precedence over non-discrimination protections. Christian legal groups celebrated the rulings, calling them victories for “religious liberty,” while LGBTQ+ advocates warn these decisions will allow hospitals to deny gender-affirming care, schools to expel LGBTQ+ students, and employers to dismiss workers based on sexual orientation or gender identity under claims of religious objection. These rulings mark a sobering step backward for LGBTQ+ Americans seeking equal treatment under the law, exposing the fragility of hard-won civil rights when pitted against politicized religious claims.
Read more at AG News
🩻 The Ugly
Turkey’s Cartoon Protests Spark a Free Speech Crisis
Massive protests swept Istanbul yesterday after a satirical magazine published a cartoon allegedly depicting the Prophet Muhammad, igniting violent clashes between demonstrators and riot police. Protesters hurled stones and stormed the magazine’s offices, while police responded with tear gas and rubber bullets. Turkish authorities have launched criminal investigations into the cartoonists and editors, signaling an impending crackdown on press freedoms. The incident has inflamed tensions between religious reverence and free expression in Turkey, a nation already grappling with increasing authoritarianism. As the protests ripple outward, this confrontation threatens to chill journalism and dissent far beyond this single cartoon, reminding us how fragile civil liberties can be when religious fervor meets state power.
Read more at The Times
🙏 Homework
Continue to pray against the incorrectly named “Big Beautiful Bill” making its way through Congress. Despite the marketing, this bill will destroy families, hurt children, and cause irreparable harm to America for years to come. Pray for the legislators considering this bill, that their hearts may be turned toward compassion, truth, and justice rather than fear and cruelty. Pray for the families who will be most impacted if it passes, especially the children who will bear the weight of decisions made far from their voices. And pray that we, as a people, do not lose our courage to stand for the vulnerable in the face of laws that promise “greatness” but deliver only suffering.