All Saints Sunday - All Saints Day Wednesday!

Love your enemy. What a tough subject especially today. In Luke, Jesus has a vision for the world that is so counter cultural especially for today. Jesus teaches the repudiation of privilege basked on wealth and the repudiation of retaliation that spawns violence (see New Interpreter's Bible, vol. 9 pg. 149). I wonder how a politician supporting non-violence would do in next week’s election. How do we deal with the violence in our own country and the violence around the world? Jesus suggests we take action. What does that action look like for us? It all can seem overwhelming.

I have always thought that we can make a difference. Each individual can make a difference but what a huge difference we can make as a community! We are already a part of the communion of saints. Those who have already come and those who have yet to come. We can gather energy from the cloud of witnesses that have come before by looking at how they overcame some of these obstacles. I think for the sermon, the idea would be to pick one of these witnesses that people are not overly familiar so that the story is fresh. Then I'm thinking of using an example from someone living to show how determination and perseverance is key to living into the gospel, and how all of this is important for the continuation of our faith in those yet to come.