Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and undergo great suffering at the hands of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “God forbid it, Lord! This must never happen to you.” But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; for you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.” Then Jesus told his disciples, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit them if they gain the whole world but forfeit their life? Or what will they give in return for their life? “For the Son of Man is to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay everyone for what has been done. Truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.” Matthew 16:21-28
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All of us love imperfectly. Peter, who just moments before had been declared the rock of faith, now becomes Satan for his unwillingness to hear what Jesus has to face. All of us who love our children, our siblings, our families and our friends, never want to hear what is to befall them. We don't want to lose them and, in our desire to keep things as they are, we fail to love folks as they are, present in this moment and no other. Peter, like all of us, is afraid for his teacher and friend. And, he is afraid to face such loss. We all have to face loss throughout our lives, it is part of being alive, and we are afraid, which can keep us from loving well in the time we have. We are invited to love in every way possible. As Paul writes in the 12th chapter of Romans, "Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honor. Do not lag in zeal, be ardent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints; extend hospitality to strangers."
A Litany for Sunday in Labor Day Weekend
Loving Creator, you have given us hearts
that swell and break with loss and grief
yet you urge us to share love in all directions
never flagging despite our fears and temptations.
Precious Savior, let our love be genuine as we hold fast to the goodness given.
The seasons are beginning to change before us
the storms are rising across our many oceans
we have so much to fear and worry about
that we can forget to put loving others first.
Precious Savior, let our love be genuine as we hold fast to the goodness given.
The long days of summer are getting ever shorter
the leaves will soon turn and the lights will dim
we see our friends crippled, aging and dying out
and we fear there is no longer time for our lives.
Precious Savior, let our love be genuine as we hold fast to the goodness given.
You gave up you life, so we might all live and thrive
yet we too often doubt your promises of new life.
Precious Savior, let our love be genuine as we hold fast to the goodness given.
You showed yourself to terrified women and disciples
and broke through their locked doors and locked hearts.
Precious Savior, let our love be genuine as we hold fast to the goodness given.
Pour out your Holy Spirit upon us so we are renewed
to love and serve the world with full and overflowing hearts.
Precious Savior, let our love be genuine as we hold fast to the goodness given. Amen.
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