Sermon: 19th September '21

Inner and Outer Challenges

Gospel Reading: Matthew 6: 19-34

​“Do not be anxious about tomorrow; let tomorrow take care of itself. It is enough that each day has its own problems.”

Dear Community of Christians,

In our time this sentence about our anxiety and the problems of everyday life offers a constant challenge. Don't we have every reason to worry every day? Our personal freedom, our mental health, our life in community is in danger. This brings us to a crisis point for humanity.

But of course, at the same time, no one can ever rob us of our inner freedom.

We can still try to strengthen our spiritual health with prayer, with the sacraments and with an active interest in art.

And last but not least, in extreme circumstances, we can connect with each other inwardly, spiritually, in such a way that a community is created which no one can destroy.

If we consider both sides of our concerns, the earthly, and the spiritual, we can recognize we are drawn between two poles which constantly demand our full attention.

We are human beings who are living in the here and now and have to carry out this confrontation daily, both externally and internally. We need a clear prudent leader for our everyday decisions. And that can be no one but the master of the house, our I am. But how often is the master not present? How can we then make our decisions without the presence of our I am?

Wherever we want to turn, it is a matter of engaging our ‘I am’ for our concerns, be they earthly or spiritual ones. Only at the level of the active interest of our ‘I’ are we open to the truth and willing to fight for it. This is what it is all about. Certainly, our ego is still very small in relation to the other part of our physical and etheric being. It is vulnerable and hides behind the many excuses that we carry before us.

The dark forces of this world, and also the light ones have an interest in this crisis of humanity. Ultimately, could this be a matter of the further development of man and the world? This potential can only be reached if man becomes a co-worker with the forces of Light.

​For this future destiny it is necessary to develop a strong ‘I am’. An ‘I’ that is courageous, that can recognize the truth, that puts a stop to the adversarial powers; and that understands itself completely as a spiritual being. 

Rev. Ute Koenig