Glory be to Jesus Christ. Today we heard two
Gospels, one for the regular designated Sunday
Gospel and the other in commemoration of the
Sunday before the glorious Elevation of the Cross,
which we celebrate tomorrow. In this morning's
Gospel reading from Matthew, the evangelists
tell us that the Pharisees instructed one of
the lawyers to approach Christ with a kind of
a trick question. This text says that they tempted
him. The question is, which master is the greatest
commandment? Now, it's important to note why
this question was raised in the first place.
At the time of our Lord, there were some 613
commandments based on the old Mosaic law. 613.
365 of them were negative and 216 were positive.
That all the Jews were required to follow. So
thus the importance of this trick question. Master,
which is the greatest commandment? Jesus answered
by quoting from the Old Testament, from the book
of Deuteronomy. Love the Lord your God with all
your heart and soul and mind. This, he said,
is the first and great commandment. And the second,
Jesus said, is equally important. Notice, equally
important. Love your neighbor as yourself. On
these two commandments, the whole structure of
the testament is based. It summarizes The belief
and faith in God. They contain, these two contain
all of the teachings. But throughout history,
there are always those who have tended to separate
belief in God from their daily actions. And the
way a person can can show his or her love for
God is by reflecting it to others. As St. John
in one of his epistles says, how could you love
God whom you can't see if you can't love your
brother whom you see? So throughout the New Testament,
The supreme virtue, the supreme question, the
supreme answer is always, how do I love God and
do I love others? Jesus said, a new commandment
I give unto you, that you love one another. But
he didn't stop there. That you love one another
as I have loved you. And we heard in the gospel,
God so loved the world, so loved us, that he
gave his only begotten son, that whoever believes
in him should not perish, but have everlasting
life. Jesus, by this teaching, has forever linked,
forever. The love of God with the love of man.
And in that unsurpassable love, which he demonstrated
before the night he was crucified, he gathered
his apostles at the Last Supper. He took off
his outer garments, wrapped a towel around him,
And washed the feet of his disciples. Who could
ever forget. That incredibly magnificent parable
of the Good Samaritan. Again. It's love. By this
act Jesus said. You link these two commandments.
God. and let love forever. And on this Sunday,
before the cross, before the feast of the Elevation
of the Cross, and before, shall we, in quotes,
the Feast of Glendy, I want to recognize and
express thanks And admiration to all of you who
have worked so faithfully, willingly, lovingly
in promoting this event. And I want to say that
all our parishioners, except those who are over
85, as Father Lawrence said last year, they are
exempt. but should be in one way or another involved.
And the reason I say this is because everything
you and I do as Christians must be rooted in
what the Lord said. I have come not to be ministered
unto, but to minister, to minister. Glendi, from
the beginning, was never simply, as I understood
it, and I'm here since August 1st, 1990, so I've
been a participant in this activity. It never
was, nor is it simply, a... Attempt. To increase.
The coffers of the church. It's more than a fundraiser.
It is an expression. Of our outreach. To the
community. It is an expression. Of our opportunity.
To do evangelism. An opportunity. To show love.
For Christ. his church, and for our community.
Now I should end here with a period. But I can't.
Because when I reflect on the multitude of blessings
that we in this community have received throughout
these past years, I want to suggest that we give
thanks to God. We give thanks because, as you
heard in both scriptures, we have countless blessings.
And because of that, I want to suggest that our
parishioners Those of you who can. Instead of
wearing bibs, I want you to wear aprons. And
I say this for this reason. Bibs are for those
who are more interested in being served than
in serving. Hear me. Bibs are for those who think
that the church exists for them and for their
needs. Bibs are for those who have not completely
understood the implications of the great commandment
and the second that is equally as important.
Love God with all your being, your total being.
Love God and the loving God. You can't help but
loving your neighbors. Now, aprons, on the other
hand, are for those who are willing to make an
effort. For those who are willing to serve God
in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Aprons
are for those who want to see the church grow
and have decided that lukewarm faith, separating
belief in God and serving others, is not what
the Christian faith is all about. When the church
ceases, To be missionary in its outlook. And
in its ministry. The church ceases to be. What
God in Christ intended to be. On this Sunday.
I want to remind you. That on the great feast.
Of Pentecost. Let me recall what we sing. That
with the gift of the Holy Spirit, the whole world,
not just a part of it, but the whole world is
being brought into the net of God's kingdom.
This, among other efforts, is the reason We celebrate
this blending because it is an outreach, an evangelistic
outreach to others. And finally, an expression
to those outside of this community of the love
and concern. of our parish in bringing the world
into the net of God's kingdom. Amen.