In the Gospel reading for today [Matthew
23:], Jesus had seen that by their actions, those who were supposed to be
leading the people were in fact restricting them, imprisoning them in unfair
laws, limiting their movement by laying heavy burdens of unnecessary
requirements on them. The Church has placed burdens on people in the way it has
interpreted and taught the Bible and rules it has made.
For some years some in the church have been
shedding some of the burdens placed on them by past expectations and
understandings of Scripture. Many old perceptions have died or have been left
behind as people have been freed to understand things in new ways or have come
to know the historical Jesus better. At the same time there has been much
wandering in the wilderness. We have been burdened with the upkeep of grand buildings
sometimes built as a display of wealth and skills rather than to the praise of
God.
Many laments for congregations that have
been lost.
There is debate about whether sudden death
is less painful than anticipated death. Is it better for death to come suddenly
or for it to take months or years. I do not know. I think it is good to have
time for good-byes.
Paul worked hard to avoid being a burden to
the people he cared about. We can put burdens on people who are grieving by telling
them they should be behaving in a certain way, according to a certain pattern.
We can burden them with guilt by asking if they had done something differently
might their loved one still be alive. We can burden them by putting our
understandings of God, Christ and the Bible on them by saying things like, “God
took him,” or “His work on earth was finished.” These kind of things aren’t
always the comfort that is intended.
Can we make the path easier for others by
acting with compassion and love, n helping to rid them of burdens.
Rev Julianne Parker
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