Every Sunday in October we will be exploring God's generosity to us and our responses to God. I know, the story of the angel's announcement to Mary that she will have a child belongs in Advent . . . or does it?

We here at West End UMC are called to be the loving light of Christ wherever we go. St. Paul in his letter to the Philippians says that we are to shine like stars.

"Who are you to judge the servant of another?" That is the question that St. Paul puts to the followers of Jesus in Rome, and to us. Since we live in a time of swift and harsh judgments, often based on very little or inaccurate information, how can we take this question seriously enough to attempt to live it out today?

Everyone is in debt, and I'm not talking about student loans or mortgages. St. Paul says that the only debt that counts is the debt of love. We have received such a wide and welcoming love from God that we could never pay it back, but we can "pay it forward" by loving others.

Jesus' disciples try to send the crowds away so they won't have to be responsible for them. Jesus won't let even his closest followers get by with that.

Just let the weeds grow along with the wheat? What kind of gardening advice is that?

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