Michaelmas Sermon 2020: Michael With Sword and Scales Gospel Reading: Matthew 22: 1-14 Dear Community of Christians, There are two powerful images attributed to the archangel Michael. If we look at the one picture, we see the archangel with the raised sword in his hand; the dragon under his foot and therefor under his power. His gaze goes over the dragon into the distance, where the dragon cannot cast a spell. The other picture shows the archangel in an upright figure, with the scale, weighing souls. And sometimes we even find both motifs in one picture. Let us immerse ourselves into the two pictorial statements, then, so to speak, they can begin express themselves. We have to face the archangel and also the dragon as very high divine spirits. From the beginning it was not clear if Michael would become master about the dragon. Courage, trust and the help of the angelic choir were qualities which made Michael's victory possible. There is probably no question that we are currently standing as human beings in the midst of the confrontation with very dark forces that have one thing in mind, the human being to dehumanize! People shall be taken into spiritual bondage and then function only as an intelligent machine. To battle against such strong forces, it needs a great force of incredible courage and an unambiguous certainty that our fight for the future of spiritual man is essential for survival of mankind. But if we fail the fight to bring spirituality into the world in the right terms and to lead a spiritually oriented life, then the scales of the archangel will be affected. After death, the souls of men are weighed. We may then be faced with the question: "How courageous have you been and how big was your love for the development of the future of humanity?" Courage’s decision is like a sword. Then we will get help; whatever,this might look like. With our trust and the help of grace, we must not be fearful to be weighed. Rev. Ute Koenig
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Dear members and friends of our Community, My last letter to you was written in the midst of the frightening news of Corona. We know, from the beginning, there were controversial references of scientists about these kinds of sickness. It helped me to look at different reports in the Gospel, with the question: can we learn something about the healing deeds of Jesus Christ? Actually, he has given his healing forces to everybody who needs it. And we can differentiate about 4 kinds of healing deeds. -The question of healing has to come from the person its selves. (Lk. 7. V. 7 the question was, speak only a word, then my boy will be healed) -He wanted to know, does the person he stood before, really would want to be healthy again? (John 5, V.6, Have you the will to become whole?) -He also looked at the destiny of the individual people: Was it the right moment that they wanted to became healed? (Luke 9, V,3 The blindness does not stem from his sin nor from his parents; but rather, through it the working of the divine in him is to become manifest.) -And also do people appreciate their healing and thanked the spiritual world for this gift? (Luke 17, V.15 One of them turned back when he became aware that he had been healed, praised the revelation of God… and thanked him.) All diseases are based on the possibility to take an inner step of development, which made the healing only possible. The healing in the Gospel must not only be seen on the physical level. Some healings may have to do with a mental-spiritual development. And they all based on their individual decision and their clear will to be healed. Maybe we can look at this worldwide "disease crisis" with the question: "How do we have to face it?" under the aspect, has the view of my personal task become clearer? Is my attitude what I got told about the Virus make me especially fearful? Or is my task to develop trust, and courage towards my personal perception and bring my will forces with all the different information into the right place in my thinking and feeling. Our mental-spiritual development is faced with the challenge of finding new courage and unswerving will in order not to be subject to the dictates of the materialistic "health thinking". Our I, who works with Christ, it will give us the security to go our individual way in courage and in freedom, yes, to continue it. Not only our personal development will depend on it, the development of humanity is at stake, if materialistic thinking continues to prevail and we do not become active in reversing our thinking and acting. Warm greetings Rev. Ute Koenig
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