[Propertalk] FW: [propertalk.topic] Sermon for Proper 3A: “Jubilee” or “Claim Your Freedom!”

[joeparrish]

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-------- Original message --------From: Judy <judy_boli at ecunet.org> Date: 14/12/2019  9:03 pm  (GMT-05:00) To: Propertalk <propertalk.topic at ecunet.org> Subject: [propertalk.topic] Sermon for Proper 3A: “Jubilee” or “Claim Your Freedom!” 

Dear Friends,

 (Part 2 of 2)

This Sunday’s sermon is
entitled “Jubilee” or “Claim Your Freedom!” and is based on the gospel (Matthew
11:2-11).  Here it is, Part 2 of 2.  

 



In
closing, I’m going to tell you a story about those attitudes, addictions, sins
that start small and grow to gigantic size. 
A mother was catching up with a week’s worth of laundry when, all of a sudden,
the sink started backing up. When she plunged her hand into the almost
overflowing sink and felt the drain, she found nothing. She called her husband
and together they bailed out the water and then took apart the trap. There was
no obvious clog. Next they used a plumber's snake to try and remove the
obstruction- all without success. All of a sudden, she noticed something
missing.  “Where’s that toy lizard that
was next to the sink?” she asked.  “What
lizard?” her husband asked.  “You know,
the one the kids were playing with that starts small and dry, but swells to 100
times its size when it gets wet,” she answered. 
A plumbers’ snake, drain cleaner, and finally a plumber’s bill of $123
got the swollen toy out of the drain.

 

Like our toy lizard,
negative attitudes, childhood abuse, sin, addictions often start small, and
then grow to life-choking proportions. 
How do you get out of these traps? 
Ideas:

1.  Limit the
activity you’re concerned about.  If it’s
illegal, obviously eliminate it.

2.  Just say NO,
and then think about something else.  Get
out of the house; go for a walk; call a friend; listen to good music.

3.  Talk about it
with your doctor or your priest or both.

4.  If it’s a
serious addiction and you can’t break free by yourself, get help.  Get into treatment; get some counseling, go
to Celebrate Recovery, join AA or NA or another type of support group.

5.  Give it to God at the altar- today, and then
keep your spiritual walk going through the week.  Come to Wednesday noon Mass and Thursday
evening Bible study, say your prayers five times a day, read parts of your
bulletin every day, read your Forward Day by Day booklet.

6.  Most important- NEVER GIVE UP!  If none of these seem to work- talk to
me.  Together with Jesus, we shall
overcome!

 

May God bless us as we
claim our Christ’s promise of freedom.

 

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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