Jesus said in Matthew 5 that those who choose to be disciples are the “salt of the earth” and the “light of the world.” What is that kind of language intend to arouse in those who would embrace faith in the world? At the least, those words signify that we are called to be visible in the world, and impactful in the life we share in it.
Anne Lamott, in her story of her own coming to faith, writes starkly about the despair in which she lived, and the role that addictions had played in her life. With stunning frankness, she describes her own journey to faith. Telling her story with a disarming honesty, she writes that her faith story “did not start with a leap but rather with a series of staggers.” She also lets her readers know that the members of a tiny Presbyterian church were key players in her own life saving discovery. She writes, “I want to mention once again that I do not think I would be alive today if not for the people of St. Andrew Presbyterian Church, Marin City, California.”
German Lutheran theologian, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, who notably resisted the regime of Adolf Hitler, formed a confessing movement that stood as a faithful witness when much of the church had capitulated. Near the end of his life, while in prison, he would write, “I thought I could acquire faith by trying to live a holy life or something like it. Later I discovered and am still discovering up to this very moment that it is only by living completely in the world that one learns to believe.”
So, on Sunday at St. Mark’s, we’ll reflect on what it means to be “salt” and “light” in the world. The sermon is titled, “Blessed Are You Who Bear the Light,” arising from Matthew 5: 13-20. The Gospel passage will be read by Patrick and Becky McClellan. There will also be a brief mission moment by the St. Mark’s Refugee Task Force. We will sing, offer prayers, and have a moment for children. We will also celebrate Holy Communion.
If you have been a part of the St. Mark’s community for years, or if you are just discovering us, we look forward to connecting with you on Sunday. To join the 10:30 service online, visit www.smumc.church, and click on the Live Stream banner.