The Pastoral Letter from the Episcopal and RC Bishops, plus my remarks 3 Advent 2014

The link to the Bishops' pastoral letter

http://jerusalem-crossing.com/2014/12/15/547/

And my remarks following the reading of the letter:


There are a number of remarkable things about this letter.
First, in anyone’s memory this is the only time the RC and Episcopal Bishop have written a joint encyclical, a joint pastoral letter.
Secondly,
The RC Bishop signed a letter that included the following statements:
Gone are the days when we ignore leadership and authority in the voices of women
And
we ask you to be pioneers again in supporting the efforts….of all women and all men.
Did you hear that? Not some women and some men. Not simply men and women who follow the exact teaching of the Vatican, but All Men and All women.
This letter is also remarkable because of it’s prophetic tone.  Both Bishops are calling us out of our pews, out of these doors and into the streets. Both Bishops are saying that as the least of us go, so goes the whole of us. That as long as one person is hungry, one is naked, one is in prison, one is left out and pushed down, we all are.
This letter is a call to action, crying out to all of us who call Jesus our savior and redeemer, to stand up for those who cannot stand, to speak for those without voice, to love those who feel unlovable and to not rest until every single human being is respected and treated justly. Every single one.
Yes, this letter is remarkable…but you know what will be more remarkable?
If each and every one of us takes this letter as our clarion call and that, from this day forward we will follow the lead of Bishop Malone and Bishop Franklin, boldly living our lives in the way Jesus has instructed us too. Loving our neighbors. Always and with no exception.
I have never been so proud to be an Episcopalian, and I have never been so proud of our Bishop. Join me in making him as proud of us as we are of he. Amen.