Love God. Live the Eucharist.

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October 11, 2020: Step Up

I have always felt bad for the man at the end of the gospel. I mean, who knows how to dress for weddings these days? Should I wear a formal suit and tie? [Show an outfit of suit and tie] Maybe it’s just casual/ [Show an outfit of Polo shirt and khaki] What if it’s a destination wedding? Which Hawaiian shirt is best? [Show a Hawaiian outfit].

 

But remember, it’s a story. It did not happen. It’s meant to teach something. The entire gospel is a story, a parable. Think about weddings (especially before COVID), they are occasions for bigness . . . lots of food, lots drink, big party, big hair, big cost . . . large in every way.

 

The image of a wedding feast is meant to represent God’s bigness. God’s grace, God’s overflowing love, God’s generosity, God’s compassion. All big things. All overflowing.

And yet some don’t understand it . . . they are too busy with others things. They forget, or neglect to acknowledge all the good around them.  

 

We all can get caught in that. We get so burdened with work, or with worry that we can’t see the good things God has given us. Instead all we can do is complain. For example, “God, this is working right.” Or, “God I don’t like this person or situation.” So we complain, we compare, we get grumpy.

 

And yet God continues to lavish goodness on anyone, even those who don’t seem to deserve it. God’s grace rains on the good and the bad. God gives wonderful gifts to even those who don’t act like you, or think like you. That is, those un-deserving ones.

 

And what should our response be? Well, that is represented by the man not properly dressed. He doesn’t have the right attitude, the right response. It’s not about what he is wearing, but it’s a metaphor about what his outward actions are.  

 

For we are all invited into God’s grace. We are all called to appreciate good things around us. But it’s not JUST appreciating or thanking God (and those are important), but it’s the next step in LIVING a response to God.

 

God gives you joy, what’s your response? Go spread joy.

God gives you kindness, what’s your response? Go be kind.

God give you forgiveness, what’s your response? Go forgive.

 

St. Teresa of Calcutta (Mother Teresa) said, “When one reaches the highest degree of human maturity, one has only one question left: How can I be helpful?”

 

You have a chance to be helpful. We have a need at our church, we are asking each of you to consider who you can be helpful.  

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