Guest Article -A Prodigal People
With her permission, I have posted the following sermon given by my wife, Lietta Ruger, as a guest article. Lietta is a social worker by vocation who recently retired from employment with the State of Washington and who has been an advocate for victims of abuse for most of her adult life.
We have 8 children and 11 grandchildren (a 12th on the way) with a son-in-law and nephew about to rotate out of Iraq after more than a year's tour of duty.
Lietta preaches a monthly sermon at the St. John's Episcopal Parish in South Bend, Washington. This article is an edited version of her most recent sermon given last Sunday, 3/21/04.
*** Verses for March 21, 4th Sunday in Lent Joshua 4: 19 - 24; 5: 9-12 2 Corinthians 5: 17-21 Luke 15: 11-32 Psalm 34 1-8
Note: Luke 15:11-32 is the Parable of the Prodigal Son
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Good Morning. As you know, I have son-in-law and nephew deployed in Iraq so over this past year I have taken particular interest in following events since 9-11 and in particular the resulting war in Iraq. Today is March 21st but do you know that yesterday was the one year anniversary of the commencement of that war in Iraq? Do you know that yesterday was also Global Action Day across the world with the theme "We still say No to War?" There were assemblies in towns, states, and countries across the world.
Also, if you follow the news reports, yesterday the Methodist Church upstate ruled in favor of the lesbian minister - a unanimous "not guilty" verdict - that she was not out of accord with the Methodist Church view of Christian teachings.
What does this have to do with today's verses? In my mind, it is somehow fitting that the verses on reconciliation would occur on the same weekend as these large scale world events with a united voice representing reconciliation as a sign of hopefulness. As for me personally, right now I sorely need some kind of indicators that HOPE is still alive.
I have followed, researched and read so much material on the war as it relates to politics, religion, social programs, national security, humanitarian needs and economic practices that I feel like I have taken a crash course in a college level curriculum - a course I would label "Ethics and Values in time of war-401" (not the '101' Freshman level curriculum).
I came across an area of study last week that seemed to push me over the edge into despair and I want to take this opportunity to talk about what I've learned.
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