The message of the Reformation, which began with Martin Luther's posting of the 95 Theses on October 31, 1517, really could be summarized with one simple phrase: “Free Gift.”  No longer would consciences be plagued with thoughts of what must be done to be saved.  Rather, hearts and minds would be lifted with the knowledge that salvation is freely given by grace through faith in Jesus Christ!  What a glorious message of hope and freedom!  Contrast that with laziness.  Free Grace does not permit us to be lazy.   No, we have no work to do for our salvation, but much good work to do to show God’s Love to our neighbor.  Yes, we have been freed by grace!  … But freed for what purpose?

We all can be overcome by temptation – sometimes over and over again. Often, we try to tackle temptation through sheer willpower. We simply “try really hard” to resist sin. But our own willpower can never overcome sin. Thankfully, God’s will has the power to transform our hearts and change our lives. So, as Christians, when tensions rise, rather than getting angry at others, we are called to be forgiving of others.  Instead of exacting vengeance, we wait for God’s justice.