Remembering Matthew Shepard

The day after he would have turned 48 years old, the Cathedral gathered to remember gay rights icon Matthew Shepard, and to equip ourselves to fight for the world Matt would have wanted.

Matt’s parents, Dennis and Judy Shepard, joined us for the annual service to commemorate their oldest son, who was killed in 1998 at age 21 simply for being gay. His death electrified the gay rights movement and led to the passage of the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act in 2009.

Matt’s ashes were interred in the Cathedral in 2018, and every year the Cathedral community joins with the Shepard family around his birthday to celebrate his life.

In a brief homily during the service, Congregation Priest Associate Rev. Spencer W. Brown spoke of Matt’s legacy, drawing from Psalm 121 with its declaration: “I lift up my eyes to the hills; from where is my help to come? My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth.”

“We come here, yes, to mark tragedy and to celebrate life, to seek hope and consolation, to be comforted, inspired, and allow the bathing tears of sorrow to flow. We come here because this time, this day, this season is special.

And we leave here not in despair, but strengthened. We leave this place renewed by a life so well lived, the witness that we have in Matt and his family, and so many who know his story. We leave here with the courage to face, yet another day.

We know that the sun rises. We know that the end of this season of preparation ends with hope and joy, and we know that the darkness still perseveres. It darkens the skies of the world with evil and hatred, with fingers pointed in shame and blame, especially at our trans and siblings seeking to destroy members of the community, ripping apart relationships and demonizing those who already experience unthinkable torment.

Our help comes from that which is unending. Our hope comes from Christ, who draws all to himself, who will never leave us, and who will raise us up with him on the last day, and who calls each and every one of us.

Beloved, love does indeed win. Hope wins. Peace will win, and we have the power to leave this place changed, renewed, restored, ready to face the world with kindness and grace and mercy with acts of justice and witness.”