In the Christian Year, today is Reformation Sunday -- the Sunday when mainline Protestant churches celebrate Martin Luther and the Protestant Reformation.
Today's Gospel lesson was Matthew 23, an uncharacteristically scathing commentary by Jesus on the hypocrites of his day.
This morning's sermon combined these two items into a question that I thought might be a good thought for Brothers and Sisters: As we look around today, who needs reformation?
Welcome to Brothers and Sisters, the weekly meetup for prayer* and community at Daily Kos. We put an asterisk on pray* to acknowledge that not everyone uses conventional religious language, but may want to share joys and concerns, or simply take solace in a meditative atmosphere. Anyone who comes in the spirit of mutual respect, warmth and healing is welcome.
If you read the Matthew passage, it is certainly easy to think about people, groups, and institutions who need reforming: politicians, CEOs, corporations, Republicans, Tea Party people, candidates, Wall Street, lobbyists, polluters, Democrats, pundits, the press, anyone on Fox News...
The list is endless, because in addition to The Usual Suspects, each of us has our own private list. Spouses, children, parents, our third grade teacher, our boss, our employees, the next-door neighbor ... and so on.
As the pastor noted, it's easy to do just that: read the passage and aim it outward. But the question of the day is this: What about us? What about ME? Do I need Reformation of my own?
And of course, I do. We all do. Not with propositions nailed to a door -- but with ongoing growth toward understanding, compassion, and wholeness. We all need ongoing re-forming.
Let us, then, strive to be more accepting, more patient, more loving. And more open to the re-forming that is, indeed, the mark of life itself.
::
Floor's open. What's on your mind and heart tonight?