( Sermon ) [ German Translation ] [ Announcements (German)394.39 KB ]
Dear congregation,
Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. This is the motto for this year. Actually a mission not only for this year, but throughout our lives. If you listen closely to the word merciful in German (Barmherzigkeit), you will hear two words in it: arm and heart. It means that our heart should have arms. Because God loves us and we love Him, we are to be merciful with other people: With those who annoy us, who are strangers to us, and with those who need our help. Jesus explains that it is no big deal if I only like those who also like me, or I share my things (e.g. toys) with those who would also give or lend me something at any time. It is much more difficult to do something good for those who do not like me, or to give something to those who I know will not or cannot give anything back to me. In the story of the Good Samaritan, Jesus even goes so far as to say that letting an enemy help you and letting go of all the dislike or bad thoughts is probably the hardest thing to do. We have a responsibility to each other - and that doesn't just include the people who are close to us anyway. Especially in this time, when everybody is supposed to do social distancing, many people become lonely. Others are really impoverished because they have lost their jobs. Others think the Corona measures are wrong and just get upset all day. The question would be quite topical: How can we let such people experience mercy? In the ancient church, a very long time ago, seven works of mercy were described:
- feeding the hungry
- giving drink to the thirsty
- clothing the naked
- welcoming the stranger
- visiting the sick
- visiting the prisoners
- burying the dead
They go back to Jesus' end-time speeches, which we find in Matthew's Gospel. How would it be to consider how we can fill or implement these "works of mercy" today. Who are we looking at? What needs do these people have? How might we fill their need a little?
One thing we can be sure of is that God, our Father, is merciful to us. His mercy, His love, stretches over us like a huge umbrella. (Leon under the great umbrella) There is no doubt that God protects and accompanies us, even when we are annoying or we complain. He will not leave us. So let us pass on this umbrella of mercy as a father would hold his umbrella over his own family. He is the care, the strength and the love. (Claudia under the second umbrella.) As a loving mother would stretch her umbrella for her children. She is the provider, the heart, the comforter and the power woman. (Kiera under the next umbrella. Like a big sister who would stretch her umbrella over her little brother. Stefan under the umbrella). She is the role model, the unbiased playmate and the protector. (Stefan under Kieras umbrella). Like a little brother surrounded by umbrellas, first and foremost God's umbrella. He will grow and pass on his own umbrella, to those he loves, but also to those who are strangers to him and need his help. For he has experienced it himself and will pass on what he has come to know. He is the Son of God, the mercy, the heart with outstretched arms. Stefan stretches out his arms:
God's mercy is like an umbrella, a tent.
HE gives it to me and to you and to all the world.
God's love is like an umbrella, a tent.
In it I am safe, because God holds me.
Amen
