Hello friends, I have prayed and considered how to begin a conversation with you in response to Bishop Budde’s call for mercy and compassion at the worship service last week at the National Cathedral. Here are my thoughts, which are much more serious than my usual weekly letter…
Throughout the Gospels, Jesus consistently calls for mercy, particularly for those who are vulnerable or rejected by society. Consider these passages:
“Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy” (Matthew 5:7). Jesus teaches that mercy is not optional; it is a defining characteristic of those who follow Him.
When Jesus declares, “I desire mercy, not sacrifice.” (Matthew 9:13; Hosea 6:6), He critiques those who prioritize rigid adherence to law over compassion. Upholding the “rule of law” without mercy is the very legalism Jesus condemned.
Last week, during the Service of Prayer for the Nation at the National Cathedral, Bishop Mariann Budde, the Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington, made a direct appeal for mercy and compassion to the the 47th president of the United States. The Bishop’s words have been considered controversial. I struggle with why they are considered inappropriate by some people.
(Here is a link to Bishop Budde’s full homily
https://edow.org/2025/01/22/a-service-of-prayer-for-the-nation-homily/ )
Bishop Budde’s words about LGBTQ+ children fearing for their lives and the plight of immigrants are not unsubstantiated accusations — they are supported by evidence of rising hate crimes and the devastating impacts of family separation at the border. Her call for mercy is grounded in Jesus’ ministry to “the least of these” (Matthew 25:40), where our treatment of the marginalized reflects our treatment of Christ Himself. Some have suggested that Bishop Budde replaced biblical truth with “woke ideology,” (we will consider the word “woke” at a later date) but the Bible’s calls for justice and mercy are timeless. Jesus’ teachings on mercy and justice come directly from the Old Testament. Consider the following:
“He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8).
“Do not oppress the foreigner, the fatherless, or the widow” (Zechariah 7:10).
Mercy for immigrants and LGBTQ+ people is not a political agenda—it is a Christian imperative. Christians are called by Jesus to be a voice for the voiceless and to challenge systems that harm the most vulnerable.
I have also heard people suggest that Bishop Budde’s words deepened divisions rather than fostering unity. However, true unity cannot come at the expense of truth and justice. Jesus Himself was divisive when He challenged the Pharisees for their hypocrisy and neglect of justice (Matthew 23:23). He reminded them — and us — that following God requires prioritizing “the more important matters of the law — justice, mercy, and faithfulness. ”Unity achieved by ignoring suffering is false unity. Instead, unity emerges when we stand together to address injustices and extend God’s mercy to those in need.
Prophets in Scripture often delivered uncomfortable truths to those in power. Nathan confronted King David about his sin (2 Samuel 12), and Jeremiah called out the leaders of Judah for failing to protect the oppressed (Jeremiah 22:3). Bishop Budde’s sermon follows this prophetic tradition by urging leaders to consider the human cost of their policies. Her message is not an affront to unity — it is an appeal to conscience. The Christian faith demands that believers speak out against injustice, even when it challenges those in power – even when it puts us at risk (just ask Bishop Budde). Mercy is not partisan — it is the very essence of Jesus’ teachings.
It would be easy to simply ignore this debate and go on doing ministry, mission and outreach together. Some of you may ask, “Why do we have to talk about this, Pastor Madeline?” Well here is why… because justice matters to God! Biblical justice is not a set of bullet points or a set of rules and guidelines. It is rooted in the very character of God. If God is love then God is also justice.
We are in for some rocky times ahead when we will be challenged to do what is right over what is easy. It is my prayer that we will always stand up for justice, compassion, mercy and love. May everyone in our community know that Key West United Methodist Church is a safe place to be themselves… whoever that may be.
To do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice. (Proverbs 21:3)
Grace and Peace
-Pastor Madeline
(Portions adapted from a letter by Nadine Smith on substack.com)

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