Last Saturday the weather was gorgeous here in Saskatoon so Tiff and I decided we would go downtown to walk around and enjoy it. We didn’t really have anything planned except going to the Delta Bessborough so we could buy tickets for the Herbie Hancock concert that is part of the jazz festival beginning later this month.
After we parked the car at the mall, we walked south towards the Bessborough. While standing on a street corner waiting for the light to turn, we noticed that a parade was headed in our direction. It was Saskatoon’s gay pride parade. Tiff and I decided to watch it go by so we could see if any of our friends were taking part.
We did see a few friends, one of whom was kind enough to give Tiffany a flower. I also noticed that one of the Anglican churches was taking part in the parade. At the end of the parade there was a gentleman carrying a cross on his shoulder. At first I thought he was also marching in the parade, however, it quickly became apparent that he was a protester.
The police ushered him onto the sidewalk right beside us. He wasn’t bothering anyone, in fact he wasn’t saying a word at all. However, I think the cops didn’t want to take the chance of something bad happening. I support his right to protest but I suppose there is a time and a place for everything.
Following the guy carrying the cross was a motor home with his picture emblazoned on the side. I thought it would stop so they could pick up the guy with the cross, however, it continued on 3rd Avenue following the parade. Tiff and I ended up following the parade too. We were walking with a friend of ours who was taking pictures of the parade with his partner and a friend of theirs.
During the walk we had lots of laughs with our friends. At the same time, seeing that motor home trying to keep as close as possible to the tail end of the parade, I kept asking myself, how would Jesus respond to a parade like this? Would He be a sour-faced protester like the guys in the RV? Would He take part in the parade, holding a banner aloft like the people from the Anglican church were? Or, would Jesus walk along the side of the parade like we did?
