Year A -- 3 before Lent
There are 2 sermons & some liturgical resources here...
Matthew 5:38 "You have heard that it was said, `Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.' 39 But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. 40 And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. 41 If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. 42 Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you. 43 "You have heard that it was said, `Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' 44 But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47 And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
When VIPS from all over the world came for Nelson Mandela's inauguration in 1994 as the first black president of South Africa, alongside the princes and presidents, ambassadors, & prime ministers, sat three prison guards from his long years of captivity. Their presence as the new president's personal guests of honour was a powerful statement of forgiveness and love for his enemies
Later Mandela described the day he left prison "As I walked out of the door toward the gate that would lead to my freedom, I knew that if I didn't leave my bitterness and hatred behind, I'd still be in prison."
We all love our friends, but Jesus tells us to love our enemies too. How is that possible? It doesn't mean we approve of what our enemies may be doing. It does mean that we see all people as being important to God. Since all of us are created by God - including our enemies - we must treat everyone with respect and kindness. Showing that we care may be just what our enemies need in order for them to see God's love.
Jesus also tells us not to judge other people. We can't know everything about another person the way God does. Only God sees the heart. We see only a small part of another person's life. We can judge a person's specific behaviour, but we must not try to judge the whole person. That's God's job, not ours. Let's judge ourselves instead, examining the areas of our lives that are not in line with God's commands.
Do you have any enemies or even people you treat like enemies? If so, think about who they are and name three things you can do for them. If they have trouble, suggest:
What should we do?
Don't resist or retaliate or talk badly about anyone.
Forgive them and start afresh.
Be generous.
Love friends and enemies alike. Help everyone when you have the chance.
Greet friends and enemies alike.
List their good points in your mind.
Pray for everyone.
Teach them about Jesus
Why?
Because God blesses everyone equally v.45, and we should be like God v48. This links in with the words of Jesus earlier in the Sermon on the Mount, 20 "For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven."
How?
Know Jesus teaching.
Imitate Him, not the world. E.g. Forgave those who crucified.
Contra redemptive violence.
Pray for them v44. 44 But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you
Do good to them
Rely upon the Holy Spirit.
On Friday 11th July 2003 thieves stole a car from a garage in Lower Gornal near Dudley owned by Henry Raybold. They reversed the car that Henry was working on, knocking him down in the process. He died soon afterwards in hospital from head injuries. Talking about Henry his son Paul said, "His Christian faith was very important to him and this had a great effect on the way that he lived his life. The Christian faith is very important to myself and my brother and we would like to extend the hand of forgiveness to the people who did this act. We would like to see them brought to justice through the correct legal ways of this country. Jesus said to us that we must forgive those who harmed us. It is very difficult, but Jesus committed us to do that and with all my heart I believe that this is the way Jesus wanted me to go and I will go that way."
When we realise how much our Father in heaven has loved us, who were once his enemies, but are now his friends, then we shall want to love as he loves us. We shall want to be like ever more like our Father and we shall heed the challenge of verse 48: "Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
May God help us to embrace the kind of love that enables us to pray for our persecutors and love our enemies
Opening Liturgy:
One: Welcome to all God's people who are gathered today! It is Christ who has brought us together and the Spirit who binds us as one.
Many: We come to worship God, the creator of all that is good. We come to hear the good news of peace that Christ brought to all. We come to receive the power of the Holy Spirit.
One: And we come to celebrate the church, a motley group of people brought together by a common love. We celebrate these people who shout the light bedazzling "yes" of God against the dark deadening "no" of the world.
Many: We gather as the people of God, to participate in Christ's mission of peace in the world and to receive again the hope of the Spirit.
One: Jesus is our Lord! We have come to sing and to worship.
This is the liturgy spoken on the rubble of the cathedral in Coventry
immediately after it was destroyed by German bombers during WWII:
All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God
The hatred which divides nation from nation, race from race, class from class, FATHER FORGIVE
The greed which exploits the work of human hands and lays waste the earth, FATHER FORGIVE
Our envy of the welfare and happiness of others, FATHER FORGIVE
Our indifference to the plight of the imprisoned, the homeless, the refugee, FATHER FORGIVE
The lust which dishonors the bodies of men, women and children,
FATHER FORGIVE
The pride which leads us to trust in ourselves and not in God,
FATHER FORGIVE
Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.
Sending
This is the day that the Holy One has made.
We will rejoice and be glad in it.
Go in peace and serve the Lord.
We will seek peace and pursue it!
Amen.
Candle Litany
Leader: We will light six candles as symbols of our sorrow for the wounds of our world. After each candle is lit, we invite you to a time of silent prayer. I will cue you for the Congregational Response printed in your bulletins.
All Lighters: Lord God, we mourn the violence we have brought to the face of the earth.
Lighter 1: We mourn that our children learn to fight rather than love as they play with their toys. (Pause.)
Lighter 2: We mourn that we lack respect for the creation you lovingly gave us to protect. (Pause.)
Lighter 3: We mourn that sometimes the life-giving union of a man and a woman results in despair and leads to the taking of a life by abortion. (Pause.)
Lighter 4: We mourn that our lack of visionary thinking leads us to believe that violence is sometimes the only solution to an already violent situation. (Pause.)
Lighter 5: We mourn that we have looked upon the rich diversity of colour and nationality as divisive rather than full of creative possibilities. (Pause.)
Lighter 6: We mourn that we do not provide for one another's needs, but cling to our own desires and riches. (Pause)
All Lighters: Hear us God. We commit ourselves now: We know that violence is not the solution to any problem. As you said, "Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you."
Leader: Please join us with the Congregational Response...
Congregation: We declare ourselves now to be people of life, of love, of justice and of peace. Our mission is to bring these to others. We are the people of God. Amen
25th May 2008 – All Age Service
Matthew 5:38 "You have heard that it was said, `Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.' 39 But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. 40 And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. 41 If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. 42 Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you. 43 "You have heard that it was said, `Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' 44 But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47 And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
1. Churchill Picture
On the night of 14 November 1940, the city of Coventry was devastated by bombs dropped by the Luftwaffe. The Cathedral burned with the city, having been hit by several incendiary devices. Here we see Prime Minister Winston Churchill at the site.
2. Burned cross and altar Picture
Shortly after the destruction, the cathedral stonemason, Jock Forbes, noticed that two of the charred medieval
roof timbers had fallen in the shape of a cross. He set them up in the ruins where they were later placed on an altar of rubble with the moving words 'Father Forgive' inscribed on the Sanctuary wall. Another cross was fashioned from three medieval nails by local priest, the Revd Arthur Wales. The Cross of Nails has become the symbol of Coventry's international ministry of reconciliation.
3 Old and new cathedrals and rainbow
The decision to rebuild the cathedral was taken the morning after its destruction. Rebuilding would not be an act of defiance, but rather a sign of faith, trust and hope for the future of the world. It was the vision of the Provost at the time, Dick Howard, which led the people of Coventry away from feelings of bitterness and hatred. This has led to the cathedral's Ministry of Peace and Reconciliation, which has provided spiritual and practical support, in areas of conflict throughout the world.
On 10th May Jimmy Mizen was stabbed to death in a bakery by a man intent on conflict. His mother Margaret, a Roman Catholic said she feels only sympathy for her sons attacker and his parents. "What can I really say to them? You can imagine, that's their child. They held that boy in their arms as a baby. "They must be in pain. It's so painful to know that one of your children has been so cruel, so wicked. "People keep saying 'why are you not angry?' There's so much anger in this world and its anger that's killed my son. If I am angry then I am exactly the same as this man. We have got to get rid of this anger, we have just got to." She said that instead her son had left behind a 'legacy of love' that was shared among his family and friends.
Father Barry Mr Mizen said: "Perhaps we all need to look to ourselves and look to the values we would like and our responses to situations in our life. Sometimes we might be drawn into certain ways of our living. It is our choice but change has got to come from all of us."
When VIPS from all over the world came for Nelson Mandela's inauguration in 1994 as the first black president of South Africa, alongside the princes and presidents, ambassadors, & prime ministers, sat three prison guards from his long years of captivity. Their presence as the new president's personal guests of honour was a powerful statement of forgiveness and love for his enemies
Later Mandela described the day he left prison "As I walked out of the door toward the gate that would lead to my freedom, I knew that if I didn't leave my bitterness and hatred behind, I'd still be in prison."
We all love our friends, but Jesus tells us to love our enemies too. How is that possible? It doesn't mean we approve of what our enemies may be doing. It does mean that we see all people as being important to God. Since all of us are created by God - including our enemies - we must treat everyone with respect and kindness. Showing that we care may be just what our enemies need in order for them to see God's love.
Jesus also tells us not to judge other people. We can't know everything about another person the way God does. Only God sees the heart. We see only a small part of another person's life. We can judge a person's specific behaviour, but we must not try to judge the whole person. That's God's job, not ours. Let's judge ourselves instead, examining the areas of our lives that are not in line with God's commands.
What should we do?
Don't resist or retaliate.
Be generous.
Love friends and enemies alike.
Greet friends and enemies alike.
Pray for everyone.
Why?
Because God blesses everyone equally v.45, and we should be like God v48.
How?
Know Jesus teaching.
Imitate Him, not the world. E.g. Forgave those who crucified.
Pray for them v44.
Do good to them
Rely upon the Holy Spirit.
Do you have any enemies? If so, think about who they are and name three things you can do for them. If they have trouble, suggest:
1. Pray for them
2. Forgive them and start over
3. Never talk badly about them
4. Help them when you have the chance.
5. List their good points in your mind.
6. Teach them about Jesus
In The Art of Forgiveness, Lovingkindness, and Peace, Jack Kornfield describes an African forgiveness ritual: "In the Babemba tribe of South Africa, when a person acts irresponsibly or unjustly, he is placed in the center of the village, alone and unfettered. All work ceases, and every man, woman, and child in the village gathers in a large circle around the accused individual. Then each person in the tribe speaks to the accused, one at a time, each recalling the good things the person in the centre of the circle has done in his lifetime. Every incident, every experience that can be recalled with any detail and accuracy, is recounted. All his positive attributes, good deeds, strengths, and kindnesses are recited carefully and at length. This tribal ceremony often lasts for several days. At the end, the tribal circle is broken, a joyous celebration takes place, and the person is symbolically and literally welcomed back into the tribe."