In our first lesson for today, we see that the apostle Paul took advantage of the Athenians’ invitation to speak at the Areopagus, Athens’ most powerful and important venue, to preach the gospel, the “good news” that had turned his and the other apostles’ lives around. He used the Athenians own altar “to an unknown god” to get their attention, to demonstrate that his message was not so foreign as they had supposed, that it was universal, intended for all.

One would think that after 2100 years of the gospel covering the globe, God would no longer be unknown. Sad to say, that does not seem to be the case. Even those who claim to know God frequently seem to be focused on lesser gods, sacrificing their hearts and lives at the altars of status, security, wealth, power, prestige; their eyes dimmed to Divine Love, their ears closed to the Word of God. Jesus’ example of servanthood, his humility, his reaching out to the marginalized, his self-giving love in every situation, his call for us to love one another as he has loved us is ignored in churches around the world. It doesn’t have to be that way. We can make a difference—each of us and all of us.

If we hear Jesus’ call to love today, if we respond and resolve to live that out in all our relationships day by day, if we allow the Spirit of truth to abide in us, we can be the catalyst that can be used to make God known here and now. God wants to be known to us, and in us, and through us. We each can be the chalice of God’s love pouring out into the world, touching one person at a time, impacting one situation at a time. We can leave the tipping point to God, as Christ reveals himself in love to each and all as they are ready, to turn each life around from useless pursuits to the way of Love.