09/14/2025
In the name of the Creator, the Redeemer, and the Sustainer we ask that our minds be open to God’s Word, our hearts be open to God’s love, and our soul’s be open to God’s hope for the world. Amen.
It has been a very big week in the wider world. We had another school shooting, we had the shooting of an activist, we were reminded of a recent shooting of a government representative, children are being killed in Gaza, Russia is still at war in Ukraine, and the list goes on.
Each one of these tragedies has a “Bad Guy”. And I know that our knee jerk reaction may be that we want to be the first on the band wagon to judge these people, to condemn them. They will be judged by the governments involved. Those that committed the crimes here in America will be put on trial and judged by the courts and a jury of their peers. But very few of us will be on that jury, so that’s not our job, as much as we may want it to be.
Our job, as Christians, is laid out in our Gospel today in the parables.
" "Which one of you, having a hundred sheep and losing one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the one that is lost until he finds it? When he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders and rejoices. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, `Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.' Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.
"Or what woman having ten silver coins, if she loses one of them, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it? When she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, `Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost.' "
We are to help those that are lost to find the way back to the fold. We are to celebrate when it happens and love them. I think we have the harder job.
The shepherd says `Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.' And the woman says `Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost.' We must find these people, show them how to have faith, hope, love, and charity. And when they repent we are to rejoice. And until they do, we still must love them.
Jesus said that the greatest commandment was to love God, and that the second most important commandment was to love your neighbor. It’s easy to love someone that we like. It’s easy to love someone that we know. It’s easy to love someone that we understand or agree with. But our neighbors don’t stop there. Every human being is our neighbor, and we must find ways to love them all. And when we can’t, when we fall short due to our humanness, we ask God to love those people through us.
There is a song that came across my tablet this week that I found helpful during all of this violence, while I was having trouble feeling love for people who committed such heinous acts. And to be honest, when I was having trouble loving one of the victims. I want see if it may help you as much as it has helped me. If you know it, please feel free to sing it.
ALL IN ALL
[Verse 1]
You are my strength when I am weak
You are the treasure that I seek
You are my all in all
Seeking You as a precious jewel
Lord to give up I'd be a fool
You are my all in all
[Chorus]
Jesus Lamb of God
Worthy is your name
Jesus Lamb of God
Worthy is your name
[Verse 2]
Taking my sin my cross my shame
Rising again I bless your name
You are my all in all
When I fall down you pick me up
When I am dry You fill my cup
You are all in all.
I want to be clear on something. Loving these neighbors of ours does not mean accepting violence or hatred in our communities, our nation, or our world.
Violence should never be tolerated. Whether it is towards someone innocent like those school children, someone you like or agree with, or someone whose values are against everything you believe in.
In Matthew 5:9 Jesus says: “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God”
Jesus also said in Matthew 26:52: “Put your sword back into its place. For all who take the sword will perish by the sword.”
Ladies and gentlemen,
We are called upon to work towards non-violent solutions. We are called to lift up in thoughts and prayers all those who are grieving the loss of a loved one from the violence we have witnessed this week and to love them. We are called to lift up in prayer each person who died and to love them. And yes, we are called upon to pray for and love each person that committed one of these violent acts or in some cases those that ordered those violent acts. And when we struggle with this, we can lean on Jesus, our All in All, to love them through us.
Let us go forth into the world to love our neighbors, to serve the Lord, and to work towards an end to violence and hate in our communities.
