Lectionary Year C
September 2, 2001
Hebrews 13:1-8, 15-16

Step V: Hermeneutical Bridge

(BB) Comment on Hebrews 13:1-8, 15-16

“Let mutual love continue” (v. 1) is the phrase that really catches my heart. I know that love is more than simply being open to experiencing the anguish of another person’s suffering. Love is the willingness to live with the helpless knowing that we can do nothing to save the other from his or her pain. I am speaking psychologically.

This text is a series of moral admonitions. Some of our churches hit the ceiling in their opposition to Gays but are strangely silent when it comes to fornication and adultery. I guess it’s because there are so many adulterers in churches and so few Gays. One should pick their sin to be against, I suppose.

Consider the parable of the Wedding Feast in our Gospel reading for today where the servant was to go out and invite total strangers to dine after so many had reneged.

I think a sermon on this text should not fall into the trap of declaring moralisms. Instead of a "Don’t do this or that" sermon I think the idea of letting mutual love continue would better serve the congregation. Also the sermon could tie in the following: "Through Him, then, let us continually offer a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that confess his name. Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God." (vv. 15-16) It needs to be put in a positive way instead of the double negative, which becomes a positive, in the last sentence.

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