“In Christ, God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us.” - 2 Corinthians 5:19
The headlines over the past week have been dominated by the school shooting in Parkland, Florida. As we pray for the families, the school, and community, we struggle with the impact of such an act of violence. What is our response as God’s people? Standing in the shadow of the cross, another act of violence that Christ transforms, what we are called to do becomes clearer. As Paul writes in his letter to the Corinthians, the heart of the Good News is that, in the cross, Christ reconciled the world with God. The gulf between us was bridged and the wall came down. In this act of love, we were reclaimed. All the barriers we erect, sin, fear, doubt, hatred, were removed. This extraordinary act of sacrifice and love was the very opposite of any and all acts of violence. The cross was the ultimate act of love. Easter, with the proclamation that Jesus is risen, is God’s affirmation of the power and victory of that act of love. As God’s people, we are called into the world to be ambassadors of this good news of reconciliation and healing. In other words, we are to be about the business of acts of grace. Acts that are intended to unite, build up, and foster compassion.
In the weeks ahead, we will be in the good news business. We will be involved in acts of grace. On March 3-17, we will be hosting Family Promise once again as we provide shelter and support for the homeless in our community. On April 6-7, we will be participating in Feed My Starving Children, putting together thousands of individual meal packets to be distributed to hungry people around the world. On April 28, we will be hosting another Tag Sale for the community to raise money for Family Promise, our partner in ministry addressing the needs of the homeless. All of these acts of grace are designed to build bridges, bring people together, and make a difference in the world. Beyond these acts of our community of faith, there is action we can take in our own lives. Whether in our schools, our workplaces, or our community, we can be people of grace through all that we do and say.
What can we do in response to acts of violence? We can be God’s people. We can be ambassadors of reconciliation. We can be involved in acts of grace.
Peace,
Pastor Summer
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