No matter who you are or where you are on lifes journey, you are welcome here!
On this Mental Health Sunday, may we commit to do just that: to be a sanctuary where everyone is welcome exactly as they are; where we will not be afraid to talk about mental health; where we will push our legislators and leaders to provide funding and support for mental health for all; where we will hear God’s call to simply reach out to others and ask “are you okay?”
We may not have Jesus’ gift of miracles but we do have the gift of love.
It’s about all of us. We’re not in this alone. When Simon Peter was lost and afraid he went back to fishing – to what he’s always known, what brings him comfort – the rest of them went with him. He said “I’m going out to fish” and they replied “we’ll go with you.”
Fear is part of the human story. Their story is our story. We’re afraid of what we don’t know, afraid of who we don’t know, afraid that there’s not enough for us or that someone else will get there first. We’re afraid that we’re alone, afraid to speak out and stand up. Afraid of what comes next.
But God’s part in this story tells us differently. Ever since the beginning, God’s word says “don’t be afraid.”
If we march with Jesus, we choose an alternative to an oppressive and injust empire. If we walk with Jesus, we choose love as an alternative to violence and vengeance. if we stand with Jesus, we choose an alternative to feeling like we have to shoulder all the burdens alone.
This is not the warm and fuzzy Jesus that I hope to find
What does it mean to be protected by God?
Stop holding onto to our worries about whether there is enough – enough food, enough things, enough possession and just be held by the God who knows what we need.
Stop holding on to our concern about whether we are enough – let go of our quest for power and prestige and glory and just be held by our God who loves us exactly the way that we are.
“Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you”
Oof.
Jesus can’t really mean that, could he? Just a few words to describe a complex deed.
It sounds so easy but feels so difficult.
“Love your enemies.”
Well, let’s assume, just for a bit, that there are no metaphors here – that Jesus is being straightforward about what we’re supposed to do. How do we do that? How do we dig deep enough to find a love deep enough to open our hearts to someone we think of as our enemy?
“One piece of teaching that’s sometimes given to preachers – at least progressive preachers – is that we are called to “comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable.” That certainly seems to be what Jesus is doing here. If you’re poor or hungry or sad or excluded, don’t worry – everything will be fine someday. But if everything seems to be going well for you today, watch out, bad times are coming.”
“It’s not about doing it perfectly. It’s not about singing with a fancy voice or preaching with fancy words or helping others solve all of their problems. It’s about being present; fully present to each other as Christ is present to us.”