In last Sunday's sermon, Mo. Storm spoke about Jesus' decision to heal a woman on the Sabbath against the wishes, on religious grounds, of some around him. First cautioning against the common (and dangerous) assumptions Christians make about first century Jewish practice, she gets to the hard but timely message of the passage, as relevant for Christians as for other faith traditions: there is never a break from our religious obligation to help those in need. From the sermon:
We live right now in a time when stepping up is so vital, that we have to be prepared to do it whenever and wherever we’re called. Food insecurity is a vital concern for millions across our country. People are being unlawfully detained and are scared. Basic healthcare is becoming more and more out of reach. It turned out OK (for now) for Soo, but other kids are being separated from their parents, with no warning and sometimes no access to legal help. Take a global view and I could go on: the famine in Gaza, the bombings in Ukraine … I’m sorry this isn’t a relaxing summer sermon. That in itself is an illustration of the larger point. There is no break from our Christian calling to be alert and responsive to the needs of the world.
