Rev. Ernie Hess –
When I read Mark 12:28-34, the gospel lesson suggested by the lectionary for this coming Sunday, I thought, what a great text for my first official Sunday as your pastor. Because this text clearly tells us what our priority in life, both as individuals and as a faith community, should be – love for God and love for neighbor. But then the lyrics to that pop song by Tina Turner popped into my head. That’s the way my mind works sometimes.
Oh what’s love got to do, got to do with it
What’s love but a second hand emotion
What’s love got to do, got to do with it
Who needs a heart when a heart can be broken.
Love is more than an emotion, but to love does mean that your heart can be broken. Actually, inevitably it will be broken because love opens us up to the pain of loss and to the pain of others. But this kind of broken heartedness can be a good thing, because our hearts are being broken open so God’s love can flow in, among and through us. So what’s love got to do with it? Everything!
Listen to Pastor Ernie’s message on November 1: What’s Love Got to Do With It? Everything!”