The Final Question

Throughout the Gospel of Mark, we witness a series of scribes, Pharisees, and Sadducees challenging Jesus with trick questions and complicated theological litmus tests, either seeking to reveal his perceived spiritual heresies or to set him up for trouble with the religious and civil authorities, or both. This Sunday, we will hear the final question posed to Jesus in the Gospel of Mark, this one by a scribe in Mark 12:28-34. In this instance, he is not interested in trapping Jesus, but seems to come to Jesus out of true curiosity. Mark points out that “seeing that Jesus answered (the others) well,” the scribe asks Jesus: “Which commandment is the first of all?”

As a faithful Hebrew, Jesus knows the right answer here, and he recites the Shema—the refrain from Deuteronomy 6:4-5—that he learned as a boy from his father and mother: “Hear, O Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might.” This would have satisfied the scribe, but Jesus doesn’t stop there. Unprompted, he adds: “The second is this: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these.”

For Jesus, one cannot just love God in the abstract. The way that we love God is by loving our neighbors. The two are inextricably linked. The Most Rev. Michael Curry, Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, once preached about this passage: “When Jesus said love your neighbor, he placed no limitation, no asterisks, no emphasis on who your neighbor is. Your neighbor is everyone who has been made by God, which is everyone who has breath.” To absorb and to truly live out these two commandments, following in the path of Jesus Christ, is an incredibly difficult and challenging act of faith.

Perhaps that is why Mark notes after this interchange: “After that, no one dared to ask him any question.” (12:34) Is there a neighbor who is particularly difficult for you to love? Can you and I see the face of God in that person, and realize that they are inextricably related?

Grateful Together, Giving Together, Growing Together: Hear from CCC Parishioners this Sunday

SUNDAY, OCT. 31

We invite you to learn what a difference your pledges and gifts make to our community as we reflect with gratitude on the many blessings of our lives. On Sunday, we’ll hear from parishioners Emily Shrock at 10 a.m. and Maria Luisa Sanchez at 1 p.m who will share what the act of giving means to them and their spiritual development at CCC.

We’re also sharing stories of our impact throughout the week on our Youtube, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to highlight community organizations who transform our collective gifts into life-giving programs and services.

Additionally, your pledge dollars in 2021 supported The Sharing Place which provides free food to families in need and is located inside the Lawrence Education and Community Center (LECC). The Sharing Place is staffed by volunteers recruited from the community and local church congregations.

Through several local partnerships like ours,  donations are used to purchase low cost food and pay the basic day -to-day necessities it takes to keep the food pantry going. In addition to donations, The Sharing Place is able to purchase low priced food from Gleaners. Also, Gleaners provides USDA certified product every month. Twice a month, The Sharing Place is able to shop at Midwest Food Bank where all food items are free to the food pantry.

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Halloween Costumes Welcome!

SUNDAY, OCT. 31

Happy Halloween! Children are welcome to wear costumes to any worship service on Halloween! We will have treat bags for all our trick-or-treaters, whether they are disguised as angels or demons—or if they’re angels or demons disguised as children!

Situational Awareness and Self-Defense:
Cathedral Women Dinner & General Meeting—All Are Welcome!

WEDNESDAY, NOV. 3, 6 TO 8PM

The Cathedral Women welcome back IMPD Community Relations Officer Jeffrey Patterson, who will facilitate a course centered around situational awareness, verbal de-escalation, and self defense. Dinner will be served at 6 p.m. in the Parish Hall, and the meeting will start promptly at 6:30 p.m. Officer Patterson will begin his program at 7 p.m. All are welcome! Childcare and interpretation will be provided. Please RSVP to April Culbertson at 317-730-2642 or april.culbertson@gmail.com.

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Día de los Muertos at CCC

Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is a rich spiritual experience where CCC comes together to collectively thank God for the lives of those before us and to hold space for each other as we process the loss of our dearly departed. While this tradition has been a part of our multicultural congregational practices for many years, the loss and grief that have coincided with nearly two years of pandemic life have added a sense of heaviness to these celebrations.

From Friday, Oct. 29, through Sunday, Nov. 7, CCC offers many ways for members and visitors to engage with this joyous and healing experience.

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Commemoration of All Faithful Departed

SUNDAY, NOV. 7 AT 6PM

Since the 10th Century, the church has set aside a day to commemorate the departed: not those Saints with names we pass down through the ages, but the everyday saints in our parishes, in our families, and in our lives. Join us to pray for and remember all the faithful departed. We will pray by name for members of the parish who have died, and for your loved ones, whether they died this year or 20 years ago. We invite you to submit names through the link below. This service will be sung by the Cathedral Choir and will feature music by Spanish-Renaissance composer Tomás Luis de Victoria, among others.

SUBMIT NAMES OF THE DEPARTED

All Saints’ Procession

SUNDAY, NOV 7. AT 10AM AND 1PM

Have you chosen your saint yet? There’s still time! CCC’s annual All Saints procession honors the everyday saints who have been instruments of God through a tumultuous year. The All Saints processions will take place on Sunday, Nov. 7, at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. All are welcome! Choose a saint meaningful to you, or contact Anne Tordai for suggestions.

EMAIL ANNE

Be Anxious for Nothing: Loss and Joy in Unexpected Change

MONDAY, NOV. 8 AT 7PM

What do the Bible, the Torah, the Qur’an, and Sacred Music say about change? How do we hold space for grief and still find opportunities for joy and growth?

In CCC’s event as part of the Spirit and Place Festival, we’re partnering with the Indianapolis Hebrew Congregation, Progressive Baptist Church, and Masjid al-Mumineen to explore how sacred storytelling and music bring us through the pain and joy of unexpected change.

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Racial Justice Ministry Team

TUESDAY, NOV. 9 AT 7PM

CCC’s Vestry is taking the call to racial justice seriously, and at their September meeting they officially established a Racial Justice Ministry Team. Your help, input and insights are needed to make this team a success.

Michael Landon, the chair of the team, invites each of you to consider how you can work towards justice for all people. The first meeting will be held via Zoom on Nov. 9 at 7 p.m.

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SAVE THE DATE: Installing New Canons

SUNDAY, NOV. 21 AT 10AM AND 1PM

It is with great joy that we install The Rev. Canon Hipólito Fernández Reina, The Rev. Canon Thomas Kryder-Reid, Canon Mariann Scott, and Canon Christopher Caruso-Lunch as official canons of Christ Church Cathedral. Don’t miss this special part of our worship services on Nov. 21, as we also celebrate Christ the King, the last Sunday in the liturgical year!

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