Upcoming Sunday Epistle
Readings
Sunday 3 September
2017
Romans
12:9-21
Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is
good; love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing
honor. Do not lag in zeal, be ardent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in
hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer. Contribute to the needs of
the saints; extend hospitality to strangers. Bless those who persecute you;
bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those
who weep. Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty, but associate
with the lowly; do not claim to be wiser than you are. Do not repay anyone evil
for evil, but take thought for what is noble in the sight of all. If it is
possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never
avenge yourselves, but leave room for the wrath of God; for it is written,
“Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” No, “if your enemies are
hungry, feed them; if they are thirsty, give them something to drink; for by
doing this you will heap burning coals on their heads.” Do not be overcome by
evil, but overcome evil with good.
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What
a beautiful reading! Here Paul pushes
Christians to excel in showing the love of Christ to others. It is not an easy love of which the apostle
speaks. This is tough love. It is love not only of those who love us but
of those who hate us as well. This is
love that transforms the world, bringing transformation in places where we
could not begin to envision transformation that brings forth relationship. When I was in Oklahoma City for EYE, I was
struck by the powerful witness of 3 youth who shared their life stories. Two of them were 16 year old young men who
live in Jerusalem, but have experienced vastly different upbringings. One is a Palestinian and a Christian. The other is an Israeli and a Jew. It was amazing to see these two young men
speak together of their friendship and what they have overcome to build their
relationship. The third is a 17 year old
who now lives in Vermont but who was raised in Baghdad. She is a Muslim. You might think that she had a certain degree
of safety as a Muslim in Iraq. You would
be wrong. The reason that she and her
family came to the States was that her family was targeted with a roadside
bomb. Her first year in our country was
her 7th grade year in school.
She shared that on her first day her class was invited by the teacher to
introduce themselves to the person next to them. Max assumed that as she was from Iraq she was
“one of those terrorists.” The young
woman resisted the urge to correct him, to confront him with anger. In time, she shared, Max became her best
friend. No one could have imagined on
that first day of 7th grade that she and Max would ever form a
friendship. It would have been much
easier to not form such a connection.
But when we share with love, even when love is not first given, it is
amazing what can spring forth.
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Father Timothy
Alleman
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