Today's readings are the call of Abram to the Promised Land in Genesis and the call of Matthew in the Gospel of Matthew. I asked the congregation what they wanted me to preach on and they wanted to hear about the call of Matthew and the healing of the Woman with the hemorrhage and the raising of the Official's Daughter.

I made the observation that much of Jesus' ministry was to call into community those who are outside and rejected: the tax collector, as well as the sick and the dead. Healing is not only forgiveness of sin, which is considered the root of disease, but also the welcoming of the alienated back into community. For this, Jesus was ridiculed.

Perhaps our congregation my take a lesson from this Gospel passage. It may be that a certain way of being Church may be on its way out. That doesn't mean that the message of Jesus is not needed in our society. Perhaps we are challenged by this Gospel passage to "do Church" in a new way: an extroverted, outgoing, inviting way. Perhaps, like Jesus, we need to extend ourselves to those who are rejected and alienated in society and preach the Good News of invitation, welcome, and fellowship with all.

Ver todos los episodios