Sermon: Twenty-Fourth Sunday after Pentecost
Rev. Amy Welin (Proper 27): Without context, we are left to our own devices. We read meaning into the words, and construct our own interpretation, distinct from what a person may be trying to say. This is what happens when we listen to gossip or rumors – we hear a partial truth repeated out of context, and then we make up the rest of the story in our heads.
Context can be a very subtle - sometimes almost invisible to us - and still it is very powerful. This can be part of the difficulty with interpretation of the Scriptures, because not only are they many centuries old, they also were written in different languages, and their situational context is occasionally ambiguous. We hear a story, and we cannot take it at face value if it is going to teach us well. The context of our scripture lessons influences what they actually say to us. In each passage, God says something about the challenge of living a faithful life. Read More Read more • Leer más → “Sermon: Twenty-Fourth Sunday after Pentecost”
Rev. Amy Welin (21 Pentecost/Proper 24): Whom will you serve?
We live in a world that values independence and accomplishment. Many of us find the concept of being a servant unpalatable. We like to think that we do not serve anyone. And yet, we do.
Many have been observing the actions of Pope Francis this year. He embraces simplicity. He declined to live in the papal palace, choosing to live in a modest apartment. He rides in Fiats and not limousines. I imagine that he is a nightmare for his security team, as he tends to mingle with ordinary people, as well as to advocate for them. He goes to lunch with the homeless and visits tenements.
His image is all about living as a servant of God and humanity.
Do you have an image to maintain? Many of us do. How do you feel about cultivating the image of servant?
La Rev. Amy Welin
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Rev. Amy Welin
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