Hello,
I didn’t hear the news yesterday morning when I woke up to get ready to
go to worship/work. So, I didn’t
know about the shooting in Orlando.
One of my parishoners mentioned it to me as I greeted her outside, but
the conversation was short and I didn’t capture the horror of the events. When I got home after church I found
out what happened.
What does one say….what does one do?
Interestingly enough, the appointed Gospel lesson yesterday
was Luke 7:36-50, the story of Jesus’ encounter with two people: one person who
was known as a “sinner”, and another person who was well known as one who was
not. As I studied these verses
from Scripture, it became clear to me that the point that Jesus was making as he interacted with these two people
is that one of these people understood the truth of who they were and the other
did not. The one who was called a
“sinner” saw the pain that sin was
bringing to that person’s life and the community, so that person went to Jesus
to do something about that sin.
The other person, who thought himself to be sinless, didn’t see any pain
emanating into the world from him, and so he didn’t go to Jesus in hopes of
having his life transformed.
Instead he pointed his finger at others: Jesus and that “sinner”. Jesus, in response, applauded the
“sinner” and told the “sinless” man how blind he was.
Thus the point of my sermon: none of us is sinless and Jesus
welcomes with transforming grace those who seek to do something about their
sins.
Eventhough I didn’t know the depth of the tragedy which was
inflicted in Orlando, I would say that my sermon is what I would have said to
this horrific event, and what I would say what one can do. Although the natural response might be
to look at the sin in others (and certainly there is sin enough in everyone for
us to see), a more productive and Christ-directed response would be to take an
honest look at ourselves and seek to do something about the pain and suffering
that our sins bring into our lives and the lives of others.
The pain that the Orlando shooter inflicted upon the world
is far too clear and needs to be clearly addressed, and I will leave it to
those who have the power and authority to address it to do so. But here is what I am going to do: I am going to shine the light of truth
on my life so that I can see the pain and suffering that I add to this world. My selfish thoughts. My self-preserving fears. My myopic vision. My calloused skin and heart. And I will go to the one who I trust
will use the cross of Good Friday and the empty tomb of Easter to transform me
into one who might be an agent of peace and compassion in my corner of the
world, and as that one tosses me into the world that I might create a ripple of
God’s transforming grace that will grow into a tsunamic wave of divine peace
and compassion as all those who bear Christ’s name do the same.
I hope that what I am saying here is not seen capitalizing
of an act of unspeakable pain to advance the Christian faith, as if to say that
if everyone was Christian things like this would never happen. In fact, I don’t believe that is true,
for I know the sin that still resides in my heart, and the hearts of all
people, that often escapes my heart….sin that will fester and grow lest I take
an honest look at it and do something about it. And so, that is what I will do, and invite all who are named
Christian to do. It is my hope and
prayer that when we who are Christian do this we might be part of the balm of
healing that my Christian faith tells me is why God sent his Son into the world
and what God’s desire is for all the world.
Have a great week.
God’s grace and peace, (ggap)
Pastor Jerry Nuernberger
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