For the fourth Sunday after Pentecost, Rev. Cari preached on Matthew 10:24-39, a text full of “hard sayings” from Jesus. She started with a reference to a sermon by the Rev. Ha Na Park at the recent meeting of the Pacific Mountain Regional Council, called “Break.”

Then, she reminded herself and the congregation of the Family Systems Theory mantra, “Define self, stay connected.” Opening up the text further, she landed on that hardest of “hard sayings” at verse 39… “You who have found your life will lose it, and you who lose your life for my sake will find it.”

In other words, the break will come. But it’s how we handle the break, when it comes, that Jesus is inviting us to consider.

She closes the sermon out with an analysis of the backlash of hate toward the 2SLGBTQiA+ community, as well as those who practice religions other than Christianity, not just in the US (where there is more news coverage) but also in Canada.

The break is already here for many among our community. How we stand with and walk beside each other matters.