Gracious God,
Is it the glitter? Some people think it's the glitter that makes the Pride parade like heaven. Pearly gates and streets of gold - surely heaven has as much glitter as a Pride parade. There’s definitely enough glitter there to make a person believe that the Pride parade is like heaven.
Some people, of course, do not think the Pride parade is like heaven. After all, who would let all these people in? Surely there’s some kind of form to fill out, one must be given clearance, and at least abide by the dress code.
Speaking of, what is the dress code for heaven? What documentation is required? Of course, this is the strongest argument that the kingdom of heaven is like the Pride Parade: all are welcome. We don’t get to decide who is in and who is out. Everybody’s in. Everybody.
Or maybe it’s that the kingdom of heaven is like the Pride Parade because it is a protest against bigotry. Against hate. Against fear. A protest against being someone you aren’t. Against the idea that only some of us are worthy. A protest against anything that does not lift up love.
That’s quite the parable, isn’t it? The kingdom of heaven is like the Pride Parade, where all are welcome and love wins. We’ll know it by the glitter. And the love. Thanks be to God. Amen.