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Watch the full service on our YouTube channel by clicking here.
Romans 12:9 New International Version
Love in Action
9 Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.
Psalm 63:8 New International Version
8 I cling to you;
your right hand upholds me.
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Ah!—now we know.
We’ve been so troubled, trying to make things make sense.
How could they do that?
Let children die in Africa.
End research on cancer in children.
Drastically cut aid to veterans.
Rob from the poor to give to the rich.
Side with the aggressor against the victim.
What, in the name of common decency, is wrong with them?
Then the Car Guy said it out loud. He told us what he is fighting against.
Empathy.
He said empathy is destroying civilization.
There is too much of it, he says.
Empathy is the ability to feel the pain of others.
It is the essence of love.
It is the heart of morality.
It is the foundation for the Golden Rule.
“Do unto others—”
When Car Guy said to get rid of empathy, I remembered.
These guys can’t feel the pain of those dying children because they are sociopaths.
Bless their hearts.
They can’t help it. That’s how sociopathy works. Look it up.
A chief trait is the inability to feel empathy for others.
So, stop expecting them to suddenly hear the cries of grieving mothers and change their ways.
Won’t happen.
They are not going to feel your pain.
Nor the pain of dying children.
But I can’t help wondering: Why are so many Christians attracted to sociopaths?
Looks like they would know better.
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Hey! Let’s do something good. Let’s go to church this Sunday.
Worship is at 11:00.
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Service for Jim Lee
Saturday, March 15, 11:00 a.m. at St. Matthew
We will provide lunch for family and friends after the graveside. All are welcome at the service, whether you knew Jim or not.Discovering God Class
Another great discussion last week! Everyone needs to know—and have a chance to discuss—the kinds of things we are learning in this class. The teachings of Jesus are verified here every week.
Class at 9:45. Breakfast after.Breakfast this Sunday
This is a “Winston Sunday.” Feel free to help.
Breakfast is at 10:30.Second Sunday of Lent
Mary preaches this Sunday. Kristi may well be back after her COVID spell. The choir will likely be back in the choir area.
Eyes on the Prize
There will be some misery and chaos for some time to come, but I don’t plan to keep my focus on it. For at any given moment, life is better than we can imagine it to be.
To live in this world—rough as it is from time to time—is an honor and a privilege. We are blessed to be here. And we are loved, watched over, and cared for.
Despite the national sorrow, we are called to trust and rejoice. This will be a wonderful and joy-filled year at St. Matthew.
Expect misery from Washington.
And nothing but amazing grace from our Lord Jesus Christ.See you Sunday.
God Bless—MBGive Thanks – We had a gracious and well-attended Ash Wednesday service—and a great meal before it. Thanks to all!
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Poem 78 by Ralph Waldo Emerson
Write it on your heart every day is the best day in the year.
He is rich who owns the day,
And no one owns the day who allows it to be invaded with fret and anxiety.
Finish every day and be done with it.
You have done what you could.
Some blunders and absurdities, no doubt crept in.
Forget them as soon as you can, tomorrow is a new day;
Begin it well and serenely,
With too high a spirit to be cumbered with your old nonsense.
This new day is too dear, with its hopes and invitations,
To waste a moment on the yesterday’s.©
I attended the funeral of a friend this past Saturday and this Emerson poem was part of the program. Ralph Waldo Emerson was a 19th-century American philosopher, minister, and writer. He held these ideas: people are best when they are independent and self-reliant, and not puppets of society and its institutions; intuition is a higher form of intelligence and can lead people to do the right thing; all creation is essentially unified; and divine experience is inherent in everyday life.
I stumbled on the first three lines of the poem, scoffing at the idea that happy thoughts make everything better. But the next two lines made me smile, “Finish every day and be done with it. You have done what you could.” We all hold a lifetime of joys and regrets, some of us are more comfortable with regret. I believe God has no intention that we hold on to anything from the past. I believe God intends for us to live in the present, basking in the eternal light and love of our risen Savior. This is a very difficult task for me and I know I am not alone. I cling to the things that I am comfortable with, things behind me that cannot be changed. I want to cling to every moment that I am experiencing now, joyful or sorrowful, knowing that God is with me in all these things. We urgently need to focus on today and what we can do today to share the love of Christ with the world. Jesus tells us in Matthew 6: 34, ‘Don’t worry at all then about tomorrow. Tomorrow can take care of itself! One day’s trouble is enough for one day.’ (JB Phillips New Testament).
Max spoke Sunday about the mustard seed and the little things we can do to cause something good to grow. I pray for us to all have those little things in mind as we move through this day knowing that this new day is too dear, with its hopes and invitations, to waste a moment on yesterday’s.
I am preaching Sunday. We will talk more about clinging. My love to all, Mary
PS: I am hearing from all of you how lovely the fellowship hall decorations are. Thanks so very much to Cindy, Sheila, Lindsey, and all the others recruited to spiff up our fellowship hall!