[Propertalk] Part 2 - Sermon for Trinity Sunday

[joeparrish]

Forwarded: 

(Part 2, continued from Part 1)

From my Android phone on T-Mobile. The first nationwide 4G network.

-------- Original message --------
From: Judy <judy_boli at ecunet.org> 
Date:05/21/2016  6:08 PM  (GMT-05:00) 
To: Propertalk <propertalk.topic at ecunet.org> 
Subject: [propertalk.topic] Sermon for Trinity Sunday 

Dear Friends,

 

This Sunday’s sermon is entitled “Trinity Sunday” 

 

SECOND- It’s not just the earth we are supposed to manage.  If you look at Psalm 8 again, you’ll notice we’re also supposed to care for the animals on this planet.  In terms of animals, let’s check out our knowledge base.  What did God give us to eat when we were first created?  (Take answers.)  Sure- plants- fruits, grain, greens.  At that time, did God give humans permission to eat animals?  No.  It was only AFTER the fall- when Adam and Eve had to kill animals to cover their nakedness; when humankind had to sacrifice a lamb or other animal so its blood could cover their sins- only then were we given permission to take animal life for our own food.  Relax- I’m not trying to turn us all into vegetarians- we can all go home and picnic and eat our barbecue!  After all- we constantly heard of Jesus eating fish and performing miracles with them; and many of his disciples were fisherman.  But there is a message, a principle for us in this.  The Israelites respected all forms of life.  Their practices were very much like those of the American Indians.  Any animal life they killed, especially domesticated animals, was considered a sacrifice.  The blood was drained (like orthodox Jews do today and then mark the meat as “kosher”), and what they considered the best part- the fat- was offered to God at the altar.  That’s why we read in the Bible of a “sweet-smelling sacrifice”- a smell like the outside of Kentucky Fried Chicken wafting up to God.  Only the rich gorged themselves day after day on huge amounts of animal meat- and the prophets scorned them in God’s name as being wasteful.  The common people ate meat sparingly- a little meat and a lot of fruits, vegetables, and grains.  What amazes me is this- doctors have discovered that is the healthiest way to eat- it’s the way our digestive tract must have been designed by our Master Creator.

 

Now that we’ve got the facts, test yourself.  Do you respect all animal life like God taught the Israelites?  Do you buy more meat than you can possible use and then let it spoil, or do you give away what you cannot use?  Do you gorge yourself day after day on meat?  When your meal includes meat or fish, do you remember to thank God for the animal life that was sacrificed so you can have health and energy yourself?  If you hunt or fish, do you kill as quickly and painlessly as possible and then only kill what you can eat?  Have you ever seen someone purposely aim their car to hit a squirrel, a cat, or another of God’s creatures?  If so, do you speak up- even if it costs you a friend or makes you look stupid in someone’s eyes?  Do you speak up against cruelty in all its forms?  If you own a pet, do you care for it well even if doing so is inconvenient?  Do you let your dog run wild to run in traffic and possibly attack children or animals?  Do you speak up against dog and rooster fights?

 

I know you’re about to say- Rev. Judy, you’re expecting a lot.  No, I’m not- GOD is expecting a lot.  Did you notice the thought for the week on the back page of the bulletin…“People may doubt what you say, but they will believe what you do” (Anonymous).  What’s true about people is also true of God- God may doubt what you say (especially since he knows our hearts), but he will believe what we do.  So, start today to show God you love him.  Check out your yard.  Plant some flowers.  Pick up some paper.  Shut off the water while you’re brushing you teeth.  Take care of all of God’s creatures.  May God bless us all as we nourish and care for this beautiful planet Earth, beloved by God- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  I challenge you to think up one way (small or large) that you can show God you appreciate the lovely world he made by caring for it in a new way, then take it to the altar.

 

For anyone who is interested, this sermon and updated African-American wisdom statements are posted on our parish’s web site under “Sermons & Stuff”. The address is: http://www.stpaulsepisag.org .

 

Blessed preaching,

Judy Boli

St. Paul's Episcopal Church

Saginaw, Michigan

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