“Do whatever they (the scribes and the Pharisees) teach you and follow it; but do not do as they do, for they do not practice what they teach.” Matthew 23:3
Once you sift out the name calling and condemnation of this chapter, which sounds more like it was written by Matthew, than spoken by Jesus, you end up with this challenge to practice what you profess.
That is the challenge, regardless of what it is we profess.
If we claim to care for the environment, how do we show it? If we say the arts are important, what do we do to support them? If we feel we should embrace those who are new to our country, have we ever invited a new Canadian to dinner or done something to make a family feel welcome? Our faith tradition calls us to actively and practically practice the faith.
Peter
About Me
- Reverend Peter Lougheed
- Peter Lougheed is married to Jan, a Diaconal Minister, serving at Woodroffe United Church in Ottawa. They have three children, Tonja, Dan and Deb and a granddaughter Mackenzie. Growing up in a traveling family has led Peter to sojourns in Saskatchewan, India, Kirkland Lake, Shawinigan and Oshawa. Peter obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Victoria College and a Master of Divinity degree from Emmanuel College in Toronto in 1979. The Lougheeds served congregations in Gaspe, East Labrador; Kanata and Eganville, Ontario. Currently Peter sits on the Ottawa Presbytery Stewardship Committee.
2 comments:
This passage challenges us as Christians in an established worshipping comunity to think about how inclusive we really are.
We are a polite community and try to be a welcoming church, but sometimes it is rather super-ficial. We need to avoid inviting others to "come and be lke us", and instead try to incorporate some of their customs into our services, so we can meet different spiritual needs. If we get to know newcomers on a deeper level, find out what their worship traditions are and honour them when we can, we will be a more genuinely welcoming community.
I agree with Jeannie. So often we talk the talk, but don't do the walk. We have smiling greeters at the door, "Ask Me" people and oragnge mug, but as soon as we get into teh CE Hall, we talk business. No one follows up with the newcomer after the service to see what they thought, or if they might want to come back. Would the odd guitar piece or bongo piece really upset that many people? Perhaps someone from another group shoul be invited to speak to us? What is the entire congregation stood up one Sunday an marched down to Anglican church?
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