The nature of the gift gives us much information about the giver.

What’s in the present tells us about who gave the present.

God’s gift of Jesus tells us about who God is.

It became clear to me last Wednesday: 

here were people who are lying in a symbolic manger.

According to Sam Weicker, he performed 10,725 ministerial acts at St. Mathews, including 3,745 baptisms, 3,374 confirmations, 1,681 funerals.

But rejoice: there are still faithful youth, and they are here and ready to worship, learn and meet, especially in a format that is geared to them.

So today, in a lazy mid-Summer hot Sunday service,

we have the best, or perhaps worst, 

story of sex and violence in the New Testament,

a story which has inspired artwork and artistic interpretations throughout the ages, from painters like Lucas Cranach to composers like Richard Strauss:

“The Dance that caused the prophet’s death”

Do we keep our faith when miracle healings DON’T happen?

is our faith all in vain, when these intercessions don’t become reality?

What happens if the sick woman for whom I am praying dies?

We need to help refugees and to oppose policies that degrade human rights of refugees and immigrants (for example the current inhuman practices along the US-Mexican border, and the immoral and wicked separation of children and parents).

I’d like you now to think about this:

who for you is wicked?

if you had to name somebody who is wicked, who would that be?

today, now, 

who is wicked?

By being silent, the women leave room for God.

The story is then not as much about what the women did or saw,

but it’s about what God did!

The focus is on God! 

But if God is love and loves the whole world,

how can anyone perish?

If God is all love for all,

how can anybody be excluded?