Sunday, Sunday...Love That Day!

Tom is always up first. No matter the day, he's the early riser. That means when I come downstairs, provided I'm early enough, a radio program called With Heart and Voice will greet me. Well orchestrated old hymns. Quite beautiful. Lovely way to start the day.

Sunday School, church service, out to lunch with friends, quiet afternoons that lead to delightful Sunday naps, and then whatever we want. Today I'm ruminating.

I had an epiphany in Sunday School this morning. A woman spoke of her years attending the church from whence we happened to come. We were speaking of our (now) Lutheran service that begins every single week with confession and forgiveness. She said that was one thing she missed during her stint at the less liturgical church. But then she equated the frequent altar calls at that church and others like it with our confession. Interesting correlation I thought. And yes, perhaps that would be the best use of a regular altar call -- a weekly coming clean.

At St. Paul's ELCA we do it this way: Most merciful God, we confess that we are in bondage to sin and cannot free ourselves. We have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. For the sake of your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us. Forgive us, renew us, and lead us, so that we may delight in your will and walk in your ways, to the glory of your holy name. Amen.

Should I be ashamed to admit that every week I need to pray this all over again? Yes, maybe. But I'm in good company. No one makes it through the week, all week long blameless. And, if I say I have no sin, I'm only deceiving myself.

Another "aha" moment came during the children's sermon. Pastor Brian asked the kiddos what they thought our "passing of the peace" is all about... Every week, mid service we greet one another, shaking hands and saying something like "the peace of Christ be with you". It's often shortened to "peace" or "peace of Christ" or, if I catch someone's eye from across several pews and an aisle, I've been known to point and flash the peace sign, two fingers up making a 'V' -- '70's style peace.

Anyway, that's what we do, and Pastor explained to the kids that this is our way of practicing peacemaking. When we leave church, peace is something we can take with us into all the world: school, work, sports, neighborhoods. Regardless how big or small our world is -- take peace, make peace, give peace away.

And now in my head I'm singing Give Peace a Chance. Isn't that just what Jesus would have us do? Give peace a chance, starting with me and you...take it, make it, share it.

So before we even got to the message for big people I was encouraged, spurred on to love and good works (like peacemaking). I guess that's why I try not to neglect meeting together, that's why I love going to church, that's why I love Sundays!

                                 Peace...

What to Say?

Almost every Sunday (at least during the weeks of Pentecost) we sing As The Grains of Wheat

As the grains of wheat once scattered on the hill

 were gathered into one to become our bread;

So may all your people from all the ends of earth

be gathered into one in you.

 

It's a lovely tune, but the words are lovelier still...and quite profound. They are particularly relevant in these days of cultural wars around the globe, in our own country, within Christianity, between denominations, and amidst individual churches.

 

I'm concerned with one aspect of the culture war as it relates to faith, specifically the Christian faith: to borrow from Justin Lee's, Torn, I'm concerned about Rescuing the Gospel from the Gay vs. Christian debate. I saw a thought-provoking post on Facebook, it was just what I'd been thinking. It said something like, Perhaps God made gay Christians to test His followers, to see if they would obey His command to love one another.

 

That's what I think about when I sing, so may all your people from all the ends of earth be gathered into one in you. I think about scriptures that tell us we are one in Christ. I reflect on Galatians 3:27-29 for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.  There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.  If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.

 

Love one another is a command to those who claim Jesus as Lord and Savior. There is no distinction, no caveat that says you only have to love those who believe and act just like you do. Rather, speaking to Christians, the Bible clearly says, love one another...meaning all fellow believers.  That's not an option, and it's not an invitation to judge or pass judgment on who is or isn't a Christian. We're to leave the judging of others to God, and live our own lives in obedience. 

 

I'm trying to do that, and I'll admit it's easier said than done. I want to pass judgment on all who limit the grace of Jesus to only those who live and sin as they do. I'm working at not judging others who sin differently than I do. Because that's what it boils down to.  

 

I'm a believer and follower of Jesus. So are my Mennonite neighbors. I don't dress like them or live my life like they do, but they accept me as a fellow Christian. And I return that favor, because I love them. I don't prefer to follow their practices, and I don't need them to follow mine. We both believe in one God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth. We believe in Jesus Christ, his only son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried...

 

Or to put it more succinctly -- here are the words to the song Lord I Lift Your Name on High:

You came from heaven to earth to show the way

From the earth to the cross my debt to pay

From the cross to the grave, from the grave to the sky

Lord I lift your name on high.



 



But back to the creed: I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Amen

 

Anyone and everyone who believes the words to the Apostle's Creed is my brother, sister, loved one in Christ. How they dress, how they live, who they love, what denomination they belong to or doctrine they ascribe to is of no concern to me. It's between them and God, who judges all people rightly, because He alone sees the heart.

 

Whew, what a relief. I don't have to judge others. God's got it covered. I just have to love. And that's what I needed to work through. That's what I wanted to say -- for my own benefit.

All God's people...may the peace of Christ be with us, with them, and also with you.