Proper 25A’26
25 Oct 2026
Deut. 34.1-12; Ps.90;
I Thess. 2.1-8; Matt.22.34-46
St. Luke’s NLR
The Rev. Carey Stone +
For now, we see only a reflection, as in a mirror, but then we will see face to face. Now I know only in part; then I will know fully, even as I have been fully known. 13And now faith, hope, and love remain, these three, and the greatest of these is love. from I Cor. 13 NRSV
The former presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church, Michael Curry used to say, “If it’s not about love, then it’s not about God.” Along that same line, here at St. Luke’s our shorthand phrase for the mission of the church is: “It Really Is All About Love!” Both of these phrases might sound like modern day and progressive catchphrases, but that’s why the word “Really’ has been added, instead of simply saying “It’s All About Love” which can be automatically agreed with, or easily minimized as trite, the word “really” is saying, “no – think again – this is not just some watered down cliché’ to make us feel good.”
In Matthew’s gospel today Jesus had just finished a round of arguments with the Sadducees. Following on their heels Jesus was put on the spot by the rival religious party of the Sadducees, the Pharisees – who asked him what was the greatest commandment, basically what do you think is the most important thing from God’s perspective? The religion of the day had come up with over 600 different commandments that one was supposed to be following in order to be pleasing to God – Jesus cuts through the fog for them and for us.
The very first word out of his mouth was – Love:
“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind… And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”
What do you know, “It Really is All About Love!”
This kind of sacrificial Love, as Jesus would demonstrate all throughout his life, was not mere sentiment but a lifestyle that affected every area and called for our full commitment. This kind of love is not an emotion, it’s an alignment of resources and when we surrender to this kind of love, it affects what we do with the time, talent, and treasure that we have been entrusted with.
It is not coincidental that this gospel reading lands right in the middle of our fall Stewardship Campaign.
Our stewardship, that is how we invest and spend our time, talent and treasure is an outward and invisible sign of the active love for God within our hearts, minds, souls, and lives. It is the answer to the question “What does love look like on the ground?”
Filling out a pledge card is so much more than paying dues in a religious club. It is putting our money where our mouth is: I really do believe in God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit and I’m committed to seeing that the Way, the Truth, and the Life is manifested and passed on in the world.
Jesus makes it crystal clear that our love of God is inseparable from our love of neighbor as we love ourselves.
When we support the ministries of St. Luke’s, we are giving that love real substance in flesh and blood, in words and deeds.
Right outside our doors sits a small kiosk: Annie Lea’s Little Free Pantry. To a casual passerby, it’s just a wooden box filled with non-perishables. But in the economy of the Kingdom of God, that little pantry is a monument to the Great Commandment. Every time someone anonymously leaves a can of soup, and every time a hungry neighbor quietly takes what they need, the love of God is made tangible. There is Plenty Good Room for the physically and spiritually hungry.
Our love for God is manifested by looking and caring for our Children and Youth ministries. When we fund these programs, and give of our time and talent, we aren’t just babysitting; we are actively teaching the next generation that their minds, hearts, and souls matter to God. We are passing the torch of the Jesus Movement to young hands.
Our love shows up by opening up the doors to our Clothes Closet each week, ensuring that clothing and dignity aren’t luxuries, but a basic human right provided freely to anyone who walks in off the street. There is plenty Good room for those in need of clothing!
Our love travels down the road to St. Francis House, where your stewardship allows us to minister directly to homeless veterans—men and women who sacrificed so much, being reminded through our care that they are seen, honored, and deeply loved by God. That indeed there is plenty good room for them in God’s kingdom!
Every dollar pledged, every hour volunteered, and every gift shared is a brick in the house that love is building. Our stewardship is simply the mechanism by which we take the love we celebrate at this altar and transform it into a force that changes the world.
Jesus came not as a political figure seeking the love of power but as a servant demonstrating the power of love.
My friends, human institutions ask for your money to survive. But the Church of Jesus Christ asks for your stewardship so that we can help the world thrive. We are not just trying to keep the lights on; we are keeping the light of Christ burning brightly through the pantry, the clothes closet, the youth known as “Luke’s Group,” in the sounds of handbells, and in the voices of the choir and out into the community.
When the pledges are gathered, when the budget is balanced, and when we look back on this season, let it not be said that we merely met a financial goal. Let it be said that we looked at our lives, looked at our community, and decided to give generously, boldly, and joyfully—because we finally realized that there is Plenty Good Room for everyone, that “It Really is All About Love!” Amen.