Scripture: Matthew 16:15 (NRSV)
"He said to them, 'But who do you say that I am?'"Reflection:
My mother loved to cross-stitch. Her favorite piece was a simple message she stitched and framed, which was displayed in our house throughout my childhood: "Love one another."My mom got sick in her forties and passed away in her early 50s. Since that time, my one-and-only sibling, my sister, and I have grown closer. We often talk on the phone, although it is difficult to get together in person due to geographical distance. This summer, I had the pleasure of traveling to my sister's home in Ohio for a visit. This was my first visit to my sister's current home, and my jaw dropped when I walked in. My eyes welled up with surprised and joyful tears. As soon as you enter my sister's home, there's a large wall in the entryway. Only one small frame adorns this wall: "Love one another."
My mother's cross-stitch. I didn't even know my sister had it.
We embraced. My sister leaned in and simply said, "Mom's favorite."
Jesus asks, "But who do you say that I am?" Sadly, we live in a world where some people do hurtful, even evil things. Whether it's hate, violence, neglect, abuse, or even apathy, silence in the face of this evil, the question remains. Who do we say Jesus is? How we respond might be the most important task we complete in our lives.
Love one another.
Prayer:
Dear God, help us respond to you. Help us love one another. Amen.Originally from North Carolina, Rev. Zack Mabe is beginning his 13th year as Pastor of the Terryville Congregational Church.
the Rev. Zachary Mabe Mabe
pastor of Terryville Congregational Church
August 23, 2017