Los presbiterianos hoy en día podrían sentirse un poco como el hombre que corre y se arrodilla ante Jesús, pero esta vez haciendo la pregunta de cómo podemos ser realmente una Iglesia Mateo 25. Jesús probablemente respondería: “Ustedes saben lo que el Señor espera de ustedes, ‘hacer justicia, amar misericordia, y humillarse ante su Dios’ ” (Miqueas 6: 8). Sí, lo sabemos. Las palabras de Jesús son claras: “Humanamente hablando es imposible, pero para Dios todo es posible” (v. 26). La Iglesia Presbiteriana (EE.UU.) se ha comprometido a ser una Iglesia Mateo 25 que está activamente participando en el mundo, haciendo una diferencia en la vida de las personas y en nuestras comunidades.Īlgunos pudieran creer que ser una Iglesia Mateo 25 que elimina, de una vez por todas, la causas fundamentales del hambre, la pobreza, la opresión y la injusticia es una tarea imposible. Después de todo, la iglesia ha estado intentando hacerlo durante más de 2,000 años. La Iglesia ha de ser una comunidad de fe, encomendándose sólo a Dios, aun a riesgo de perder su vida There is a message for us in this lesson: Unless we leave what is not ours in the first place - call it family, possessions, knowledge, wealth, resources or even our very lives - unless we leave behind whatever may get in the way to truly follow Jesus, we will not be able to finally build congregational vitality, dismantle structural racism and eradicate systemic poverty. This has got to be the best “return on investment” ever! But Jesus reassured them, and he is reassuring us now that there is no one who has left house or siblings or parents or fields, for Jesus’ sake and for the sake of the gospel, who will not receive a hundredfold of what they left behind. They had left everything and risked their lives to follow Jesus. The disciples in our gospel lesson were perplexed about who could be saved. Those resources may become a hindrance when we entrust ourselves to others, rather than God alone, when we rely on what we think we know or what we own. Perhaps Jesus would tell us that we are doing what we are called to do, but that there may be times in which those resources get in the way of following Jesus completely. We have a wealth of resources: theological, liturgical, educational, financial and other resources that the church willingly shares with “the least of these” at home and around the world. I am very grateful for the abundant blessings that God has bestowed upon the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A). We have been doing exactly that for generations, which is in our DNA as people of the Reformation.Īnd we may ask ourselves: “Is this all that is needed or perhaps are we lacking something?” Jesus’ words, spoken out love in this gospel lesson, echo in our ears, minds and hearts: “If you wish to be perfect, go, sell your possessions, and give the money to the poor, … then come, follow me” (v. Jesus would probably respond: “You know what the Lord requires of you, ‘to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God’” (Micah 6:8). Presbyterians today might feel a little bit like the man running up and kneeling before Jesus, but this time asking for how we can truly become a Matthew 25 church. Jesus’ words are clear: “For mortals it is impossible, but for God all things are possible” (v. After all, the church has been trying to do so for over 2,000 years. Some may believe being a Matthew 25 church that eliminates, once and for all, the root causes of hunger, poverty, oppression and injustice is an impossible task. LOUISVILLE - The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) is committed to being a Matthew 25 church that is actively engaged in the world, making a difference in people’s lives and in our communities. “The Church is to be a community of faith, entrusting itself to God alone, even at the risk of losing its life Daniel Ervin and Mary Cordes in front of the College Avenue Presbyterian Church in Alton, Illinois, which has been sold with proceeds funding Matthew 25 initiatives of the new LoveJoy United Presbyterian Church.
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