Scripture: 1st Peter 3:9-11
Do not repay evil for evil or abuse for abuse; but, on the contrary, repay with a blessing. It is for this that you were called—that you might inherit a blessing. For “Those who desire life and desire to see good days, let them keep their tongues from evil and their lips from speaking deceit; let them turn away from evil and do good; let them seek peace and pursue it.”
Thought for the Day: My sister, Beverly, introduced me to these words from the Dalai Lama. He wrote, “In daily practice, reflect on the benefits of love, compassion and kindness, then reflect on the disadvantages of anger. Such continuous contemplation, the growing appreciation of love, has the effect of reducing our inclination towards hatred and increasing our respect for love. By this means even anger can be diminished.” I find it interesting how every major religion places peace and love, blessing and goodness, above everything else. In turn, every religion defends those ideals by using methods that demonstrate a complete lack of trust in those ideals. We think defending them is the most important thing, when in fact living them is foremost. And as we live them, we do more than defend them…we embed them in the very fabric of ourselves, our community and the world.
Prayer: Guide me, O Great and Good God, using what you have taught the world through the many expressions of your incarnate word. Amen.
THIS SUNDAY’S SERMON
