Far too often, Christians today talk a good talk but fail to live the Gospel message. We see this all around us, with more and more Christians expecting religious purity rather than being concerned with their own spirituality. They expect so many people in society to live by their rules when it comes to spirituality but cannot live up to those same standards.
Saint Paul reminds us to be doers of the word, not just hearers. Jesus reminds us that all too often people honor God with their lips, but their hearts are far from God. These are hard messages to stomach. Many people have chosen to go to churches that happily tell them what they want to hear, not what they need to hear.
Someone told me years ago that if you do not look at Holy Scripture through the lens of love, you miss the entire message. I find myself these days asking myself “Where is the Love?” just like in the song by the Black Eyed Peas. So many people live their lives angry, hateful, and abusive to all those around them. They hold so many grudges against the people around them that they find themselves alone.
This past week, I failed in that message myself. I was given a chance to show those around me grace, and I failed. Someone left me a note telling me to please mow my lawn. Rather than show them love and grace, I became angry, and I took my neighbors to task. I failed to walk the walk. And I have plenty of people to ask for forgiveness from.
But that just goes to show you that even I have room to grow. I, too, must walk the walk and not just preach a good sermon. Far too often, my sermons are being preached to me too.
I hope that this week we can all focus on walking the path of the Christ. And I hope you will join me at Saint Francis Parish walking that walk. Because it helps to have that support of your fellow human beings on this journey called life.
Pax et Bonum,
Bishop Greer