I have used these letter symbols for hug “X” and kiss “O” all of my life. My mom taught me about them when I was young and I remember putting them on thank you notes to my Nana for gifts I’d received. A ‘cute’ way to offer a token of my affection rather than a committed statement like writing out the words, “I love you.”
This month of February heightens our awareness of love with the Hallmark commercials, storefront displays and special “package deals” at many restaurants and hotels promoting loving expressions to our special ones through cards, gifts and a night on the town. Great for those who can afford it and for those who have a ‘special one’.
Our gospel call is to love God, ourselves and ALL others ALL the time, every day. In this world where stress, poverty, under employment and continuing injustices of many kinds this call is daunting. As we prepare to enter the Lenten season of reflection, perhaps the Valentine’s Day reminder is our push into practicing loving acts every day.
People have edges: fear and misinformation often drive attitudes and action. Apathy and over-burdened lives cause many to miss opportunities to offer loving kindness to themselves and to others.
Friends, our community is so great at our Sunday morning welcome! Our community offers a wonderfully welcoming meal every Sunday afternoon too! We purposefully extend invitations to the greater community to our events and we welcome community groups to use our space for their meetings, classes and events. This is all good stuff, but sometimes it feels to me like X’s and O’s. It feels like a cute token of our love for these neighbors, strangers and friends. And, sometimes I wonder, is that how it feels to those who receive from us these acts of welcome?
This Lent I am asking us to pray deeply, talk seriously and work vigorously to heed the leading of the Spirit on our continuing quest to welcome ALL. Let us look, listen, speak and pray together about how every person experiences our ministry efforts and then let us create a spirit of willingness to further extend ourselves to offer God’s love to ALL through the ministry we share in this place. Commit to being in worship weekly, attend Pr. Eddie’s Sunday School faithfully, join Pr. Andy’s Monday study group, help Bread & Jam weekly and pray continually for one another and the world.
I love you ALL,
Pastor Kelly
“Martin Luther King called us to be lovestruck with each other, not colorblind toward each other. To be lovestruck is to care, to have deep compassion, and to be concerned for each and every individual including the poor and vulnerable.”
~Cornel West from the foreward to The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander