[Propertalk] Fwd: [propertalk.topic] Sermon for Easter 6B

[Joseph Parrish]

Begin forwarded message:

> From: Judy <judy_boli at ecunet.org>
> Date: May 12, 2012 12:50:58 PM CDT
> To: Propertalk <propertalk.topic at ecunet.org>
> Subject: [propertalk.topic] Sermon for Easter 6B
> Reply-To: propertalk.topic+owners at ecunet.org
> 

> Dear Friends,
> 
> Tomorrow’s sermon is entitled “Jesus’ New Commandment- LOVE!” or “A
> Love Shortage- Do Something About It!” or Happy Mothers’ Day!” and
> deals all the lessons.  Here it is:
> 
> Happy Mothers’ Day!  Do you know how Mothers’ Day started?  Listen to
> how amazingly their long-ago situation matches ours today!  The first
> known suggestion that the USA should observe a Mothers’ Day came in
> 1872.  It was proposed by Mrs. Julia Ward Howe in response to the
> human destruction of the Civil War.  Her purpose for suggesting
> Mothers’ Day was to stop wars; as women- protect our husbands and
> families and children from war.  She and her husband wrote an anti-
> slavery newspaper and she wrote the Battle Hymn of the Republic (“Mine
> eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord: He is trampling
> out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored; He hath loosed
> the fateful lightning of His terrible swift sword: His truth is
> marching on. (Chorus) Glory, glory, hallelujah! Glory, glory,
> hallelujah! Glory, glory, hallelujah! His truth is marching on.”)  Dr.
> Martin Luther King often quoted from this hymn.  He ended his “I’ve
> Been to the Mountaintop” speech with part of it: “Well, I don't know
> what will happen now. We've got some difficult days ahead. But it
> doesn't matter with me now. Because I've been to the mountaintop…Mine
> eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord.”
> 
> So you see- the real meaning of Mothers’ Day wasn’t about beautiful
> cards (although I love them), taking Mom out to dinner at a wonderful
> restaurant (although it sounds good to me), or buying a lovely gift to
> show her how much you care (although I’m surely not one to turn down
> presents).  Ladies- it was about sticking together to find a way to
> protect our husbands and families and children from war.  Has it
> occurred to you- we’re living in multiple war zones now!  Families
> fight!  Neighbors squabble!  Gangs kill!  Our beloved country is
> engaged in war after war after war.  Today’s sermon is really not
> about war, but about the opposite of war- peace and love.
> 
> Here are three actual letters from children to their pastor:
> 	Dear Pastor, I know God loves everybody but He never met my sister.
> Yours sincerely, Arnold. Age 8, Nashville.
> 	Dear Pastor, I would like to go to heaven someday because I know my
> brother won't be there. Stephen. Age 8, Chicago
> 	Dear Pastor, Are there any devils on earth? I think there may be one
> in my class. Carla. Age 10, Salina
> Now here are two letters to God from David Heller book, Dear God:
> Children’s Letters to God”:
> 	Dear God, My mom and my father are divorced. For 3 years.  Nobody's
> perfect. But why did you pick us?  I wish we were all with each
> other.  Maybe you could have them get along on weekends.  Please!
> Stephen (age 11)
> 	Dear God, Do you think there's enough love today? I feel there's a
> shortage. Love- Ken (age 9)
> 
> Have you ever lived a day when, like Ken, you felt there was a love
> shortage?  If you have, then today’s Bible lessons will speak to you.
> Let’s start with a story that illustrates the Gospel.  There was a
> little boy in the supermarket with his mother, and he was touching
> everything he could reach.  When he finally reached out and touched a
> carefully arranged display of canned fruit, the entire display came
> crashing to the ground.  In frustration, the child’s mother took her
> son’s face in her hands and looked right into his eyes.  “Son,” she
> said, “I told you not to touch anything.  Now look what you’ve done!”
> The little boy knew he was in for trouble, so he said the most
> touching words he could think of.  “Mama,” he exclaimed with his lips
> trembling and a tear coming out of one eye, “I love you.”  “No you
> don’t!” his angry mother replied.  He figured he was in even worse
> trouble than he’d thought.  “Yes, I really do love you!” he cried.
> “Son,” his mother replied in exasperated tones.  “If you really love
> me, you’d listen to me and do as I say!”  Has it ever occurred to you
> that God must be saying the same thing to us sometimes?  Every last
> one of our Bible lessons this morning is saying the same thing- “Love
> your neighbor, and that means everybody!”  Do we do it?  No!
> 
> Some years ago, Donna Motton suggested a thought for the week that
> we’ve used a number of times.  It says: “God’s grace may be free, but
> it requires a response and calls us to responsibility.”  A blunter way
> to put it is, “Don’t bother to call him ‘Savior’ if you won’t call him
> ‘Lord!’”  So how serious is God about this “Love your neighbor”
> thing?  Very serious!  As you know, John was probably Jesus’ favorite
> disciple, so he probably knew what Jesus expected.  In his first
> letter (1st John 4: 20) we heard the hard comment followed by the even-
> harder question: “But if we say we love God and don't love each other,
> we are liars. How can we love God (whom we can’t see), if we don't
> love our neighbors (whom we can see)?”  Finally in John 13:34 we hear
> Jesus give us a new commandment (not suggestion- command) that we love
> one another as much as he loves us.  I’m sure you remember the story
> (because I’ve told it many times) of the woman who asked Jesus how
> much he loves her.  You remember the answer: “This much!” and he
> stretched out his arms and died (on the cross).  That’s how much we
> are expected to love our neighbor.
> 
> We may not be able to do much about warfare between countries and
> gangs (although we should do what we can), but we most certainly can
> promote peace and love in our families and friendship circles.  But
> what if some of those very people are acting like enemies instead of
> loved ones?  You know what I mean- those people who are supposed to be
> loved ones who can be so mean to us or those we love.  When they are
> in our own family and cause problems at weddings or funerals, when
> they misuse our kindness, when they cause division in the family, when
> they embarrass us or even steal from us- how can we possibly love
> them?  Those mean people- has it occurred to you that God may be
> counting on you?  If they are truly off the right track, if they are
> truly mean, who else but you can God count on to love them?  Does this
> mean you have to like them?  No.  Does it mean you have to help them
> in any way they ask?  No.  But it does mean you need to give them
> another chance; it does mean you must drop your anger and bitterness
> against them; it does mean you must do what is best for them.  Again-
> check yourself out:
> •	Is there someone in your family, or someone who used to be a close
> friend, whom you avoid?
> •	Is there someone to whom you’re giving “the silent treatment?”
> •	Is there a feud going on in your family?
> 
> Remember at the beginning of the sermon, little 9-year-old Ken prayed
> to God that there was a love shortage?  Jesus said, “A new commandment
> give I unto you that you love one another as much as I have loved
> you.” How about- in honor of all those nurturing women who have
> affected our lives, and in honor of Jesus Christ himself- may we
> refuse to practice any kind of war for just this one day.  Maybe it
> will spread or extend.  May God bless us as we try to do something
> about that love shortage.  Amen.
> 
> For anyone who is interested, this sermon and updated African-American
> wisdom statements are posted on our parish web site. The address is:
> http://www.stpaulsepisag.com .
> 
> Blessed preaching,
> Judy Boli
> St. Paul's Episcopal Church
> Saginaw, Michigan
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