Sermons (Page 151)

If you’ve ever searched online for how to do something you might come across the popular wikihow.com. This site helps give instructions to people so they can better their lives through learning. One of their articles gives 10 steps on “How to Win an Argument when You Know You are Wrong.” A few steps include 1) recognizing the situation, 2) go on the offense, 3) inundate your opponent with questions, and 4) use faulty cause and effect. And the steps end with a ploy to end the debate quickly and move on while declaring your victory. And today’s Gospel reading is a flashback that is a bit faced paced, like those steps, and the story also seems to justify the end result…

It’s Fourth of July weekend in the United States and many of us have some time off to remember our nation’s independence. Yet, as a nation not all things are perfect. We’ve had our fair share of scandals over the years. Here in Illinois we can think of Rod Blagojevich attempting to sell Obama’s congress seat. We could also pretty easily think of the Watergate scandal as well. And there are plenty of scandals to go around outside of politics. We’ve got everything from Tiger Woods and his affairs to the Roman Catholic Church’s sexual abuse scandals. Scandals are a part of our world. And today’s Gospel reading is no exception…

Names, titles, and labels matter. We know this. Oh, we know this. With the Supreme Court’s ruling on Friday we all know that the label “marriage” carries incredible weight. It carries more weight that “civil union,” more than “domestic partner,” and more than the simple “partner.” Both sides of the issue have gone head to head over the ability to use the label “marriage” or withhold that label from a relationship. So we know that labels matter…