Reign of Christ

This Sunday is the last Sunday in the Christian liturgical year, traditionally known as "Christ the King" Sunday, and in many modern churches as "Reign of Christ" Sunday. Interestingly, most of the scripture texts are about shepherds and sheep, with the implication that Jesus is the shepherd par excellence. But much more of the focus is on how we are to act, whether we are shepherds (as in Ezekiel) or sheep (as in Matthew). The Matthew text, in particular, is familiar to us, and rather than reflect at length on it, I want to share with you some other readings that play with these same themes, both drawing on the Matthew text. I hope you'll read these and the scriptures for Sunday and consider what our still-speaking God might be saying to you. Blessings and peace, and I hope to see you Sunday! 

- Manda

A reading from the Islamic tradition:

       On the day of judgment God Most High will say,

       "Son of Adam, I was sick and you did not visit Me."

       He will reply, "My Lord, how could I visit Thee

       when Thou art the Lord of the Universe!"

       He will say, "Did you not know

       that my servant so-and-so was ill

       and yet you did not visit him?

       Did you not know that if you had visited him

       you soon would have found Me with him?"

       -Hadith of Muslim

"You Who Bless" by Jan Richardson

You Who Bless

You
who are
yourselves
a blessing

who know
that to feed
the hungering
is to bless

and to give drink
to those who thirst
is to bless

who know
the blessing
in welcoming
the stranger

and giving clothes
to those
who have none

who know
to care
for the sick
is blessing

and blessing
to visit
the prisoner:

may the blessing
you have offered
now turn itself
toward you

to welcome
and to embrace you
at the feast
of the blessed.

(To see a longer reflection and art work by Jan Richardson on the Matthew text, click here.) 

Texts for Sunday:
Ezekiel 34:11-24 
Matthew 25:31-40

Remembering and Re-Membering (for Sunday 9/11/11)

If you're old enough, I'll bet you remember exactly where you were and what you were doing at various points on September 1, 2001. My friend's son, Sam remembers a lot. He was on the 34th floor of the first tower that collapsed. As he and his co-workers struggled to work their way northward, his persistent 'memory' is of all the Chinese Women who kept giving them cold washcloths. He knows this probably only happened once, but it was a strong enough memory and a strong enough gift, that it's his strongest, clearest memory. It's a memory that 're-members' him out of his private horror and into a community of people who were helping each other just get through the day.

Sam's memory of the Chinese women with the washcloths, reminds me of Pam Swiereinga showing up with frozen washcloths in baggies, on the hottest day for the hottest funeral ever. And, it reminds me of Jesus washing the feet of the disciples. All of these are simple, personal gestures create powerful memories of being helped and served at an important time. AND,  all of those memories re-member us to communities of help and care and support.

These are Jesus' words at the institution of communion: "Whenever you eat this bread and drink this sup - rremember me." I think he is calling us to the memory: remember Jesus, especially the disciples who knew him. But, these words of remembrance call us more sacredly and more powerfully to find in communion the ways to re-member ourselves to Christ, to each other and to the whole human family. So, as you spend time this weekend unavoidably remembering 9/11, 2001, I urge you to also find ways to re-member yourselves to the Body of Christ and to the church and to one another, families and friends.

Join us for communion this afternoon at 5:00 p.m., pray for many of us as we pack meals tomorrow for Feed My Starving Children and join us for worship on Sunday as we celebrate the baptism of Taryn Martha Zonder!. It's good to do some re-membering, I think.

Blessings Always, Laura Lee

Texts for This Week:

+Luke 9:46-48

*John 13:1-10

Note: The texts in bold type will be read in the worship service and the one with an asterisk will be used as the focus for the proclamation of the word.