October 29, 2023: May God’s words be spoken, may God’s words be heard. Amen.
Bible trivia question: How did scholars figure out that maybe, just maybe, the tradition that Moses wrote the first five books of the bible, the Jewish Torah, might not be accurate? Answer: The passage from Deuteronomy we heard today, for a start. Moses was capable of a great many things, but writing about his death and burial is probably NOT one of them.
There – now you can win your next bar bible trivia night.
But let’s turn our attention now to the gospel.
If you have been in church these past few weeks, then you know that Jesus has had a series of challenges with the temple authorities. Jesus, responding to the Pharisee’s question about which are the greatest commandments, replies quoting the Torah – quoting scripture from Deuteronomy and Leviticus. He tells them “’You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” Or in short – just love – everything else in all of scripture, as the great Rabbi Hillel put it, is just “commentary.”
The Pharisees seemed to know that Jesus had answered wisely – do we?
Do we really understand…do we really comprehend, the impact of this seemingly simple message? And, how do we live it out? These are questions that I pray are deep within our hearts in this age in which we live, for we are again facing such tragic news.
The victims of the shooting in Maine.
It seems unfathomable that we are once again mourning the tragic loss of many lives to an AR-15, a weapon of war in the hands of a civilian. This time in Maine – a place known for moose not murders. Among the victims were a 14 year old boy bowling with his dad, and an interpreter at the Maine Educational Center for the Deaf taking part in a cornhole tournament for deaf athletes, along with several of those who were participating.
On the website for the Maine Educational Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, is a statement from Karen Hopkins, Executive Director“Maine’s Deaf Community is grieving deeply. We lost four of our cherished community members in last night’s Lewiston shootings, two of which were fathers of children in our educational programs. Our community is incredibly tight-knit, full of heart and pride. The fact that these men were together is who we are. Togetherness is what makes us strong and will hold us during this devastating time. The lives of those lost in the shooting will never be forgotten. We are holding their families, loved ones, and our community in our hearts.”
[Mother Diana signs – “Our heart is with you.”]
These and 12 more join the more than 15,000 killed in the 565 mass shootings this year. Take that in – that’s an average of two mass shootings every single day in this country!
And once again we cry out to God in pain – for those lost, for their families, for our nation who seems to value access to weapons of war over the lives of God’s children.
We try to turn the page to another day, and begin to walk along again until the next time, hoping things will change, hoping our civic leaders will finally do something before the 566th mass shooting this year takes place. But sadly, there is waiting for us news about war in the middle east and a growing humanitarian crises there, added on to all that we have been witnessing in the invasion by Russia into Ukraine that is now in its second year.
And so we hear this gospel – we hear Jesus say that love is the greatest commandment – as we stand amidst the rubble of hate, of war, of gun violence, of death, of despair.
Where is this love?
How possibly are we able to feel it?
What are we to do with our rage and our grief?
How are we to love?
For that matter, what is love?
What is love?
Well first, we need to understand that love isn’t a noun. It isn’t some abstract thing. Love is an action verb. For that matter, so is faith. They are a lot alike you know.
Love cannot be measured, just demonstrated.
Faith cannot be measured, just lived.
Both don’t just happen. They are a choice we make each and every day.
And in this world of violence against our neighbor, we must make this choice to love – we must make this choice to live out our faith in Jesus Christ in our love for our neighbor.
Because too many people have died.
Too many people have killed.
And only love will overcome the violence.
Only love will defeat hate.
That is why our choice to be here on Sunday mornings is so important. Here we love in the real, in the heart, not the head or the abstract. We set aside our phones, our schedules, our to-do lists, to love God in body, mind and spirit. We are reminded that through Christ, death will never have the last word. We are nourished in the real presence of Jesus here at this table where everyone is welcome.
Here we give our children a sacred space to grow in love where they won’t be judged by what clothes they wear, who their friends are, how much money they have, or what talents they possess. We inherently teach them (and perhaps ourselves) that life is not about a to-do list, or texting, or gaming, or the latest Netflix download. They learn that it isn’t about keeping all that is ours, but giving of ourselves and our piggybanks to something greater.
All of us, adults and children alike, learn that life is not about how much you have, but how much you give and how well you love.
Here we learn about love – God’s all inclusive and unending love for us, and our responsibility to share that with all people – no exceptions.
And make no mistake about it – by our love of God and neighbor, we will destroy the walls that divide, and build bridges of love.
That is how we will change what is to what may be.
The world is filled with those who seek to destroy rather than lift up, who hate rather than love.
We can turn our backs and hope things change, or we can remember that our faith is rendered meaningless if it is not lived, and we cannot live our faith if we do not love both God and our neighbor with all our soul, with all our heart, and with all our mind.
That kind of love requires everything of us. It is radically inclusive, rooted in humility, and unconditional in its generosity. It is so powerful it will cause evil to take note and try to stop it.
This is something Archbishop Oscar Romero of El Salvador understood more than most. 
After bearing witness to the poverty and persecution in his country, and seeing his dear friend and fellow priest killed, he made a choice. A choice to love as God loves – to live his faith in action in the world – speaking out against the oppressive government. He could have chosen differently – other bishops, priests, lay people did. But Archbishop Romero knew that faith without that radical love God commands of us, is meaningless.
Archbishop Romero once said, “Let us not tire of preaching love; it is the force that will overcome the world. Let us not tire of preaching love. Though we see that waves of violence succeed in drowning the fire of Christian love, love must win out; it is the only thing that can.” On March 23, 1980, he was assassinated while celebrating the Eucharist.
You may remember his story, and perhaps even have the stewardship gift given to you a few years back representing his blood stained cincture – the rope belt a priest wears – which Pope Francis wore during the ceremony of his canonization. Then you were given a red rope bracelet.
Today you will be given another gift blessed at the altar. It is a heart shaped stone.
Let it remind you of the way in which your heart is filled with love in this place we call Christ Church.
Let it remind you of your baptismal vow to seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving your neighbor as yourself, striving for justice and peace among all people.
Let also be a reminder to let our hearts not be set in stone, but shaped entirely by love – God’s love.
We have a choice to make.
Do we live the faith we profess here?
Will we choose to love God and neighbor with such abundance and tenacity that it shakes the hearts of those who hate?
Perhaps these words of Archbishop Romero can be one for us a daily prayer, a way to help us choose wisely:
“Beginning with me, … may this morning be for us a renewal of our Holy Spirit, of the courage that we must have as Christians. And, if necessary, may confirmation become for us a sacrament of martyrdom. May we too be ready to give our lives for Christ and not betray him with the cowardice of today’s false Christians.”
The world was given an example of faith, of love – God’s great love – in the witness of Archbishop Romero.
Now, in this time of hate, it is our turn.
Now, in this time of violence, we must choose.
Let us choose to follow Jesus.
Let us choose to love.
Amen.
For the audio, click below, or subscribe to our iTunes Sermon Podcast by clicking here (also available on Audible):
The Rev. Diana L. Wilcox
Christ Church in Bloomfield & Glen Ridge
October 29, 2023
Pent 20, Proper 25 – Year A – Track 1
Hebrew – Deuteronomy 34:1-12
Psalm 90:1-6, 13-17
Christian – 1 Thessalonians 2:1-8
Gospel – Matthew 22:34-46
