Lent 3

• St. Patrick
• You shall not murder
• Good News

Yesterday some of us participated in the St. Patrick's Day parade and skit. This was entertaining and created a lot of laughter. Demographic surveys indicate that middle America wants church to be entertaining. There isn't much joy in the commandments we heard in Exodus. 20:13 You shall not murder.

God is speaking directly to the the people and in Hebrew He says, "you shall not kill." We live in a spiritual dark age. We count how many have died in war and atrocities. Stalin killed more than Hitler and Mao killed more than Stalin.

There is no moral reason for anyone to murder. There are just reasons for was but not moral reasons for war. Cain murdered Able and God forgave him, sent him away and protected him. Seven generations later, Lamech boasts about murdering so God starts over by giving Adam and Eve, Seth. Seven generations after Seth humankind isn't any better, so God starts over with Noah. After Noah, humankind is still evil so God starts over with Abraham.

God speaks directly to the people without a state, church or a priesthood. God is not about killing. Animal sacrifices were done to replace human sacrifices. Jeremiah says that God never asked for sacrifices and that they should take those dead animals and eat them.

It is good news. God's weakness is stronger than our strength. Strong in a weak and foolish fashion.