Church Inclusive: Twentieth Sunday After Pentecost, 15 October 2023

Dearly beloved Franciscans

With the Israeli-Palestinian conflict on the forefront of many of our minds, I find myself deeply aware of how many of our human narratives and societal paradigms operate from a position of taking sides. Even our language may at times reflect this as we speak in terms of right and wrong, good and bad, winner and loser. I am grateful that as an Anglican we do not believe in the “infallibility” of our Archbishop or any other leader for that matter.  We are permitted to disagree and to follow our own conscience.  As people of faith what are we called into?  There seems to be a refrain in our Gospels which speaks not so much of taking sides and of judging who is right and wrong, good or bad,  but rather having a God-viewpoint which will always seek to protect the sanctity of all life and not be in support of any form of killing.  On a microcosmic level, are we willing to be missionaries and proponents of the sanctity of all life, rather than retaliatory or selective about who deserves to live or die?

We choose life as we meet in community, whether online or in-person, herewith our link for live-streaming:https://www.youtube.com/@st.francisanglicanchurchpa9465

Love and Grace,

Michelle