A NEW COMMUNITY

GOSPEL — MATTHEW 5:21-37
The Sixth Sunday After Epiphany

Anyone who has ever lived or worked with other humans likely knows that community is messy. We hurt each other, sometimes intentionally but often by accident. We say things we regret. We stay silent when we should speak up, or we impose our own beliefs on others when we should start by listening instead. We act rashly out of fear or ignorance or exhaustion. We trample over one another in an attempt to achieve, to win, to earn, or to protect what we assume is rightfully ours.

Jesus knows this side of humanity, and today he invites us to imagine another way. Today’s gospel sounds harsh to our ears, but it might actually be an invitation into a community that looks more like the kingdom of God: a community of radical inclusivity, compassion, and care for one another. In this type of community, no one can be simply thrown aside or left behind. Honesty and integrity are the foundation of communication. People are seen in their full, beloved humanity, not as objects to be consumed or cast aside for the sake of others.

In our world today, we might wonder if such a community is possible, but in worship, we get to practice living in a community of faith together every week. Through the reading of scripture, we are reminded of the larger story of God in which we find our meaning: a living story of love, grace, and mercy. We confess our sins before one another and receive forgiveness and a fresh start. We are given our identity as God’s beloved through baptism, and we are fed with Christ’s own body and united with one another in holy communion. It is Christ at work in us who makes true healing and reconciliation possible, both in our congregations and throughout the world.


From sundaysandseasons.com.
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