Sunday, March 29, 2026 - The Stones Would Shout Out
March 29, 2026
Deborah Laforet
The Stones Would Shout Out”
Let us pray. May the words from my lips and the meditations of my heart be guided by your
Spirit and be words of wisdom for this day. Amen.
Let’s hear the last two verses of that scripture reading once more and then watch a quick video.
Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, order your disciples to stop.” Jesus
answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the stones would shout out.” (39-40). Let’s hear what sounds
we might hear from stones.
Play video clip.
The people had rallied around Jesus, and they would not be silenced, and this scared the
Pharisees. Often, the Pharisees are judged for their fear, condemned as religious authorities who didn’t
want Jesus taking away their power, but there was also a real fear of the Roman Empire, who had come
to Jerusalem several times to quash rebellions violently. The Pharisees feared another uprising by the
Jewish people and another violent reaction by Roman soldiers.
But how do you silence a people, oppressed by an Empire, marginalized by society, full of hope
in this person who seemed to perform miracles and speak of God’s justice so profoundly? They cried
out of their longing and their joy. Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes! Hosanna! As Jesus said, “if
these were silent, the stones would shout out.”
For those of you who haven’t been with us over the past four Sundays, we have been discussing
emotions. There are five in the Pixar movie, Inside Out, which gave personalities to the emotions that
live in our bodies. We discussed Fear, Anger, Disgust, and Sadness. The last one is Joy and we will
meet her on Easter Sunday.
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We’ve also been referencing the Emotional Wheel, that many therapists use. This wheel contains
seven main emotions. The two not found in the Pixar film are Bad and Surprise. Today, we are focusing
on “Surprise,” which encompasses being startled (shocked or dismayed), confusion (disillusioned or
perplexed), Amazement (Astonishment and Awe), and Excitement (Eagerness and Energetic). It’s a
great word for today as Jesus comes riding into town, not on a majestic horse, but a donkey, and not with
a crowd of armed soldiers, but with common people crying out his name with hope and even joy.
It’s also a great word for this P.I.E. Day as we acknowledge the Transgender Day of Visibility.
We often celebrate P.I.E. Day on a Sunday closest to March 14th, (or 3.14 π), but we missed it this year
so we get to celebrate today with our friends from Trinity. As an Affirming congregation, we strive to be
a space of belonging that is Public, Intentional, and Explicit, and today we are celebrating P.I.E. day on
the Sunday closest to the Trans Day of of Visibility, celebrated every year since 2009 on March 31st. On
this day we hold up the struggles and the celebrations of the trans community.
Let’s watch another video.
Often, when we talk about Pride or P.I.E. or of being an Affirming church, we speak of the grief
and the hardships of people who constantly struggle against the hate that is directed towards them, of
legislation that makes their lives more difficult, and of faith communities who have demonized the
LGBTQIA+ community and called them sinful. Today though is not about that. Today is about
celebration and joy
No one would come out of the closet if they only thought their lives would get worse. They
come out of the closet to be free, to be themselves, to live a better life. Pride parades are joyous events,
where people wave flags, sing and dance, and put themselves fully on display because there aren’t many
places where they can do that. The LGBTQIA+ community does not always want to be seen with pity
and to always be held up as a community of grief, hardship, and objects of hate. They want to be seen as
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people living their best lives, as people who chose to go against what is typical and what is the norm, to
live with joy and freedom, no matter the consequences.
I have one more video for you.
Jesus said, “If these were silent, the stones would shout out.”
Pride parades may surprise us and make us feel shock and astonishment. Finding out a friend is
gay or trans may surprise us and make us feel confused and maybe even dismayed, but the reason they
have told us is because they cannot remain silent any longer. They cannot contain themselves. They
want us to know who they really are and they want to share in that joy with you. So imagine their
surprise when people push back, sometimes violently, and tell them they are wrong, they must repress
what they feel, and they are abominations.
As an Affirming church, we open our doors, and we create a space for people to share their joy.
We tell everyone that they are loved, wholly and completely. We tell ourselves that we are all gifts of
God and created to love and be loved.
I’d like to end by sharing in some words written by a minister from the United Church of Christ
in the U.S. Unfortunately, it’s not printed, but it is on the screen. I invite us to say these words together.
A Sacred Text for Trans Visibility
In the beginning, there was breath—holy and expansive—
carried in every body, every voice, every form.
And God said:
You are enough. You are whole. You are mine.
To be visible is not a concession. It is a calling.
To be trans is not a burden. It is a blessing.
To live boldly in your truth is a sacred act of resistance,
a mirror of the Divine who transcends all binaries and boundaries.
We gather today as people of faith, allies, and beloveds, to say:
Trans people are not an afterthought.
You are not a side note in the story of liberation.
You are the movement. You are the miracle.
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Your bodies are not up for debate. Your identities are not problems to be solved.
Your leadership is not optional—it is essential.
And in a world that legislates hate and erases truth,
we speak back with love, with fire, and with faith:
We see you.
We need you.
We honour you.
We follow you.
For the Spirit is moving through your courage.
Justice is marching in your name.
And the church, if it is to be the church at all,
must stand with you—visible, loud, and unafraid.
Amen. Ashe. And so it is.
Written for the National Trans Visibility March Empowerment Service
By Rev. Derek A. Terry, Acting Executive Director of the Open and Affirming Coalition of the United Church of Christ