Dear Friends:

Can good be accomplished through evil means? Can truth be determined by lies? Can oppression and cruelty be eradicated by more oppression and cruelty? Jesus asks, “Can Satan cast out Satan?” “Is a house divided against itself able to stand,” Jesus questions? Abraham Lincoln, in his famous debate with Stephen Arnold Douglas in 1858 likened a house divided to the United States’ enslavement of people. Lincoln argued against a moral wrong insisting that slavery could not be expanded into the newly established territories as the country settled west. While Douglas argued on the concept of popular sovereignty, stating that each territory chooses whether or not they would hold slaves. Lincoln debated Douglas’ stand as it violated the words of the Declaration of Independence, “that all men are created equal.” Relentless, Lincoln accused Douglas of upholding moral wrong. Is it possible to establish good things through evil means?

In John Milton’s Paradise Lost Satan justifies evil as Satan is quoted as saying, “Evil, be thou my good.” Oh, how Satan will have his way with us. Our trouble comes when we distort the truth of the Holy Spirit, are made blind to good, call good evil, and name evil as good, eventually cutting ourselves off from God to such an extent we become unreachable by God. This is Jesus’ claim on the unforgivable sin. On Sunday we’ll look at what is repeatedly reported as those words of Jesus we wish he had never said. “…but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit can never have forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin.”

My first years of learning about sin were in Detroit during the race riots. Mother and Daddy regularly stood strong for civil rights. The time was ridden with evil and hatred to the point of significant danger. Because my parents were in the newspaper business, it wasn’t unusual for them to be front and center of horrible injustice. At the same time they witnessed hardening of hearts to the point of folks believing their evil acts of oppression and injustice against African Americans was the right thing to do.  Today, I imagine too many of us find we have not traveled very far from the evil of racism.

With such a conviction of wrong, God can stand at the door and wait. Worse, to live a life grasping evil and pronouncing it good we make ourselves unreachable by God. Is Jesus right? Can our evil make us unreachable by God? We’ll explore this for a bit on Sunday as we look at Mark 3: 20-35.

Also on Sunday, we’ll recognize graduates as well! Graduates of all kinds:  preschoolers graduating to kindergarten; elementary ages graduating to middle school, middle schoolers to high school, high schoolers to college or vocational school, undergrads to graduate school, graduate school and on and on.  Come, let us ask for God’s blessing upon your job so well done!!!

Finally, you’re invited this Saturday June 9, at 10:30 to the ordination of Seldon Walker and eleven others being ordained, God willing, to the sacred order of deacons. Thank you for shepherding Seldon along in this process. The day will be full with all hands on deck as we expect about 600 folks. Should you wish to help as an acolyte, sing in the choir, usher, set out water and cookies, clean up, greet, escort folks throughout the building, or drive to pick up supplies (we need to pick up coat racks in Vienna), please, contact me: clergy@epiphanyec.org. Your help will be a true gift.

Once again, Epiphany, our time is full as we continue to explore and make God’s kingdom known through your good works.  Thanks for always striving to make a difference!

Many blessings,

Hillary