It never ceases to amaze me how the Spirit of God seems to work through what we might normally refer to as coincidence. As I look upon the last three weeks, I have seen an outpouring of love, support, and Christian spirit for those who faced the devastation of the earthquake in Haiti. We have been bombarded by the pictures, the film clips, the stories, the news updates, the pleas for aid; indeed it has been hard to get away from it. And yet through it all, we have responded through prayer, through contributions, and even through sacrifice. It is ironic that three American United Methodist pastors died amidst the rubble – two officials with UMCOR (The United Methodist Committee on Relief) and a volunteer who were all there to discuss the plight of the Haitian people and what the church could do to help, even before the earthquake hit.
Was it coincidence that they were there? Was it coincidence that the lectionary took us into the 12th and 13th Chapters of First Corinthians at the same time? After all, Paul was addressing a church that was being torn asunder by disputes over issues that were as much secular as they were theological in nature. As I listened to the political commentators debate the value of giving aid to Haiti, and whether or not they deserved our help, I was astonished to hear the same arguments being raised within the church. And I found reassurance in Paul’s assertion that the Church is the Body of Christ which celebrates both a unity of spirit and the diversity of peoples, races, situations, gifts and graces, while being held together by the preeminence of love. He ends Chapter 13 with the words “And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love.” (13:13) I was struck at how relevant Paul’s words to a Greek church almost two thousand years ago, are to us today, as we continue to ask how we are to live out our mission and purpose in today’s world.
I also found myself drawn to Jesus’ parable of the Good Samaritan in the Gospel of Luke, in which the one who had the least commitment to assist, but showed the greatest compassion was the one Jesus singled out as being the true neighbor, and thus fulfilling the greatest commandment. For in Luke, the statement to love God and neighbor is not separated into two, but contained within the same commandment. No matter how much we try to avoid it, or create loopholes for ourselves, it is impossible to get away from the fact that as Christians we are commanded to love, and that part of that love is to be active in assisting those of God’s creation who are in need. If there is one commandment which dominates the Gospel of Jesus Christ, it is the commandment to preach, teach, practice, exhibit, demonstrate, and exist in the love of God. As Paul asserts, all the faith piety, sacrifice, proclamation, and knowledge in the world are meaningless if not driven by the overriding presence of love.
As Christians we are called to be a people of love; indeed, we cannot escape the fact that if we seek to serve a God of love, love has to be the beginning and the end of our faith, our life, and our very being.
Yours in Christ, Pastor Dave
