Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.” Luke 10:37b

Uplifting Moments column
By: 
Pastor Wade Reddy
Wayne Zion Lutheran Church

Dear Friends in Christ,

     Mercy, a divine word. A word of action opening ourselves to Christ’s love and compassion for others. In Jesus’ statement that follows the parable of the good Samaritan, he teaches a scholar of Moses’ law what it means to be a loving neighbor. A neighbor not afraid to love not only the Lord with all of one's soul, might and mind, but also one’s neighbor as oneself. In this parable of loving God and neighbor, the Samaritan stops, cares and provides for a fallen victim of both a robbery and an assault, who had been passed over by a priest and Levite, both keepers of God’s message to the world. Jesus asks the scholarly attorney which of these, the priest, Levite or Samaritan, was the loving neighbor to the beaten traveler lying in the gutter? His response was clearly articulated and without hesitation: “The one who showed him mercy.”

     Mercy is a relational word. It is how God relates to us. It is a divine word of giving one's heart to stop and serve the needs of others. And in so doing, we serve our God. In this time after Pentecost, the longest season of the church year, we continue to observe and take in Jesus’ teachings about the Kingdom of God among us. We take heart and grow in our gift of faith. Nurturing our faith, we too are not afraid to love not only our Lord with all our soul, might and mind, but also love our neighbors both near and far. In our Kyrie, a short liturgical prayer, we sing Kyrie eleison or “Lord have mercy” on us. God takes delight in this relational call to worship, and also in our response to show mercy to others. Jesus said, “Go and do likewise.” May we take opportunities to show mercy to others through our time, talent and treasures gifted from God to each of us for the glory of God.

     On behalf of the Monticello Ministerial Association, thank you for serving, giving and praying for those in need who receive mercy through your Monticello Food Pantry and Neighbor Helping Neighbor charitable outreach program.

     In Christ’s Love

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