The last line of the scripture today was,
O you, his people—bless God!
Bless God indeed! This is the day the Lord God made, may we rejoice in it!
At this moment, we sing, we dance in our seats, we sing praises, we rejoice. But we have not been feeling this way all of the week. At least not me, not all the time. When I read about certain events, I am saddened.
For example, last Saturday in Albany, there was a shooting. Actually, there were 5 during the weekend over the span of 3 days. One of those shootings was mentioned by Reverend Ken, who was visiting us since he will be preaching June 4. His good friend and fellow preacher Reverend Reginald Graham, owns a barbershop on Second Avenue, where he has a Bible in the window and plays Gospel music while people get their hair cut. He keeps the atmosphere healthy and positive.
Last Saturday, someone shot a spray of bullets through the front window, killing his friend and employee, Tyrone Stanley, and wounded his grandson and a 19 year old. You can imagine the fear that permeated the barbershop.
Over the 5 shootings, 10 people were wounded, with 1 fatality.
1-4 Up with God! Down with his enemies! Adversaries, run for the hills!
When this happens, can you keep the faith? Can you believe that God is here in our midst? Can you believe that God’s will be done?
Peace Pilgrim wrote this story in her book:
One day a lady said to me, “Peace, I’m praying with you for peace, but of course I don’t think it is possible.” I said, “Don’t you believe peace is God’s will?” “Oh, yes,” she said, “I know it is”. I said, “How can you tell me that which is God’s will is impossible? It’s not only possible, it’s inevitable, but how soon is up to us.”
Yes, how soon we will drop our fear of others, how soon we will drop our need to destroy what we are afraid of, is up to us. God’s will is peace!
The scripture said, “Gone like a puff of smoke, like a blob of wax in the fire— one look at God and the wicked vanish.”
When you are filled with Love, when you remember that you are made in God’s image, when you drop fear and only display love, that is when the violence and hate are gone like a puff of smoke.
Sometimes I don’t get it, sometimes I am confused by this. I wonder how can I believe this, and also believe in the horrible news that surrounds us. It is then that I stop and come back to my faith that God’s will be done. That I don’t know God and could not ever imagine the breadth and power of all that God is. God’s will be done, not my will.
So then I wonder what is my job? My purpose? Why am I here at this time? It is then that I remember. I am here now, with you, to bring God’s light and love to you. So that we can remember that we are all God’s children. And to remember that fear, anxiety and hate are not of God. They are human traits, not God traits.
So, if we are anxious about the news, it is up to us to stop watching it. Can we possibly look at the news and hear about it, like we did in this sermon, and instead of feeling fear, turn to love? Turn to compassion? Let us do so now.
I want you to imagine those who were in that barbershop last Saturday afternoon. Without getting caught up in negativity, I want us all to take in a deep breath, breathing in the light and love of God, and as we exhale, sending it to Reverend Reginald, bathing him in loving energy. Breathe in God’s love, and send it to his grandson. Breathe in light and love, send to Tyrone and his family and friends. Breath in God’s love and send it to anyone else who was in that barbershop. Breathe in God’s light and love and send it to all who were affected by the multiple shootings last weekend.
Sit for a minute and feel God’s love coursing through you. You are God’s heart. You can change the world by sending compassion to those who cannot feel God’s love.
So now is the more challenging part. We must send God’s love to the shooters. These people are so filled with hate or fear that they would use a gun against people. They would kill. God’s commandments are to love everyone, no exceptions. God says that thou shall not kill. These shooters, whether they are in Albany or somewhere else in the world, if they own a gun with the purpose of shooting anything, have temporarily forgotten God’s will.
Jesus says that we must forgive ourselves and others. We must act as Jesus did, and follow his example. We saw that after some mass shootings at churches and temples, that the congregations have later forgiven the shooters. So, can we do that?
We start with ourselves. Let us pray.
Dear Forgiving and Loving God, please grant us forgiveness for the times that we got lost in hate, anxiety or fear. Help us to come back to you with open hearts filled with love, filled with Your love. Forgive us. Amen.
Now that we are forgiven, let us pray for the perpetrators.
Dear Loving and Forgiving God, please forgive the shooters, not only in Albany last weekend, but also those who have used guns to kill, here as well as around the world. In this sanctuary at this time, we have filled our hearts with your love and we now send compassion to those who have yet to feel your love. May we be the conduit today of your love, so that their hearts may break open, and be flooded with your love and your truth. The truth that at the very base of all understanding is nothing except your energy of Love. May it be so. Amen.
Earlier this week I was walking my dog and came across two women I have known in the past. They knew me from my past profession as someone who helped their children in school. One asked if I was still doing that, and I told them I was now an ordained preacher.
One of them was having an existential crisis, and did not know how to deal with it. She has donated to an organization for years that supports children, allowing them to go to school and have a better life. She truly believes in this mission. However, the head of the organization is of the belief that God does not approve of the LGBTQ+ community. He told the supporters that he wants to place a preacher in the organization to teach this idea.
This woman did not know what to do. Stop donating? Confront the head of the organization? She believes in her heart that God does not discriminate, so she does not want to change her beliefs. So she asked me what to do..
I reminded her that there are two sides to these things. And that the opposing sides are created by people and the media, not by God. When you believe that you are right and the other is wrong – no matter which side you are on – you are being judgmental. Hmmm, who is allowed to judge? How can we know what is right or what is wrong?
Ultimately, it is best if we do not judge. If we can simply rest in love and compassion, then we are sending out positive energy into the world. If we judge in any way – even if we think it is the right way – then we are sending out criticism, hate or fear; in other words, negative energy, into the world. God wants us simply to love.
How challenging! So that means we would have to send love to those who hate or fear the LGBTQ+ community! And send love to the political party that is opposite of what we believe! And send love to the people in government who are pushing platforms that are negative. Or to the media, or to those protesters who support things we don’t, perhaps even those who support guns!
Let us take a moment, and choose what we have opposed all of our lives. Think of a few things that you are passionate about. Right to life versus abortion? Gun rights versus restrictions? Nondiscrimination?
“The principle of non-discrimination seeks to guarantee that human rights are exercised without discrimination of any kind based on race, color, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status such as disability, age, marital and family status, sexual orientation and gender identity, health status, place of residence, economic and social situation”.
I think God would agree that none of us should discriminate. After all, we are all One, and that means discrimination against anyone is also discrimination against ourselves.
So, now, from your heart that is full of love, send out God’s light and love to those who you fear, those who cause you anxiety, and those you oppose. This is true freedom and this is God’s Will.
Back to the scripture:
“When the righteous see God in action (this is you, sending love) they’ll laugh, they’ll sing, they’ll laugh and sing for joy. Sing hymns to God; all heaven, sing out; clear the way for the coming of Cloud-Rider. Enjoy God, cheer when you see him!
God is here right now. Everyone cheer! Amen!
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