Worship - 16 February 2025

Summary of this week's theme

A week is a long time in politics, so it has been said, and in our fast-moving world, even four weeks can feel like an eternity. But let’s go back to 20 January, when the Episcopal Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde preached a sermon on unity, which echoed Micah 6.8: ‘What does the Lord require of you but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?’

Bishop Budde warned against the ‘culture of contempt,’ where division and disrespect take hold. She emphasised that Jesus calls us not just to love our neighbours but even our enemies, to be merciful, to forgive, and to welcome outcasts. She challenged her congregation: prayers for unity mean little if our actions deepen divisions. True faith is lived out, not just spoken.

This connects with Luke’s Sermon on the Plain, where Jesus proclaims blessings on the unlikely - the poor, the hungry, the grieving - promising that they will be filled and comforted. Unlike Matthew’s version, Luke also includes woes: warnings to the rich, the satisfied, and the popular. Jesus issues a wake-up call to those with power to act with justice. Are we paying attention?

Jesus’ blessings bring hope to those who feel unseen, saying, ‘You are beloved.’ As the Church, we must ask: how are we communicating that hope? How are we making these blessings a reality? His words challenge us to reconsider our world’s priorities and amplify compassion and generosity.

That journey begins with humility. American Lutheran minister Nadia Bolz-Weber warns that religious nationalism - the prideful attempt to wield divine authority over others - has always failed. Human arrogance cannot stand against God’s strength. History has seen many such regimes fall, yet God remains.

Which brings us to beavers. In the Czech Republic, they built dams where human bureaucracy stalled. Their quiet, persistent work is a lesson in humility - a quality seemingly in short supply in our world. Humans often believe in their own invincibility, but our existence is fragile. We are deeply blessed by God’s love, yet we easily overlook it.

The prophet Jeremiah warned against relying on human strength alone. As Eugene Peterson paraphrased, ‘Cursed is the strong one who depends on mere humans … and sets God aside as dead weight.’ Our help comes from the Lord, who never tires of hearing our prayers or offering us comfort.

And perhaps that is the really good news: we are special, but we aren’t that special. Thanks be to God.