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 . . . [Kill]
off everything connected with [the] way of death: sexual
promiscuity, impurity, lust, doing whatever you feel like whenever
you feel like it, and grabbing whatever attracts your fancy. That's a
life shaped by things and feelings instead of by God . . . .
So,
chosen by God for this new life of love, dress in the wardrobe God
picked out for you: compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength,
discipline. Be even-tempered, content with second place, quick to
forgive an offense. Forgive as quickly and completely as the Master
forgave you. And regardless of what else you put on, wear love. It's
your basic, all-purpose garment. Never be without it.
Let
the peace of Christ keep you in tune with each other, in step with
each other. None of this going off and doing your own thing. And
cultivate thankfulness. Let the Word of Christ—the
Message—have
the run of the house. Give it plenty of room in your lives. Instruct
and direct one another using good common sense. And sing, sing your
hearts out to God! Let every detail in your lives - words, actions,
whatever - be done in the name of the Master, Jesus, thanking God the
Father every step of the way. — Colossians
3:5, 12-17, The Message
Dear
Saints:
When
a catastrophe strikes the heart is moved to action. We see a need
and respond. It's almost a knee-jerk reaction. It happened in New
York on 9/11/2001. It happened when the Tsunami hit Indonesia. It
happened in the wake of hurricane Katrina, and during many other
"lesser" catastrophes. Our God has instilled in us a love
for our neighbor that seems to rise to the occasion when such
tragedies occur. In such times we catch a glimpse of our true
spiritual nature as people created in God's image. We are meant to love.
A
member of our congregation passed on to me a recent sermon by one of
our former interim pastors, the Rev. Peter Samuelson. I haven't asked
permission to quote him and do hope he will forgive me for assuming I
could do so without first asking him! He shared a moving story of a
woman he met recently while in Biloxi, Mississippi, that I'd like for
you to read. Her name is Andrea, and she's a nurse there in town.
When
the hurricane hit she was on duty at the hospital and was unable to
leave. Having been up all night before on her shift, she tried to get
some sleep, only to be awakened by staff who needed her help because
the windows were being blown in by the high winds. Running to a room
she found a man who had suffered a stroke and couldn't talk, but by
the look in his eyes she could tell he was frightened.
Just
as she and her co-worker were moving him out the window exploded in
on them. Andrea and her partner flung themselves across the man to
protect him from the flying glass. Later that day Andrea made her way
back to her room and noticed blood on her collar. Upon further
inspection she discovered shards of glass in her scalp and neck, and
would continue to for several more weeks.
Andrea
and her sister owned a grand, old two-story house that had belonged
to their family for generations. She later learned that it had been
flattened by Katrina—all, that is, but the stately staircase,
which stood as a monument to that marvelous, historical structure
that had not long before encompassed it.
As
she stood in the front yard of where her house once sat she cried
tears of joy and gratitude. "We are so blessed, she said."
Rev. Samuelson was impressed by her attitude. Then he goes on to say,
"She prayed with us. In her prayer she asked that the spirit of
love and cooperation that had been unleashed in the wake of the
hurricane might continue. To Andrea, the hurricane revealed the true
heart of humanity. It is a generous heart. It is a giving heart. It
is a helpful heart."
As
we move into this new year together, may I say how grateful I am to
know each of you? We have many "Andrea's" in our
congregation, and I feel privileged to be a part of St. Matthew and
the ministry we carry out here together. I pray, too, that 2006 will
be a year in which our "true heart" is revealed more and
more—a generous, giving, and helpful heart—and that
Christ's peace and love will continue to be planted and grow in our
midst—for one another and for our neighbor.
Your
co-worker in Christ,
Pastor
Larry |
