The Spirit told me
to go with them and not to make a distinction between them and us...And I
remembered the word of the Lord, how he said, 'John baptized with water, but
you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit; If then God gave them the same gift
that he gave us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that could
hinder God? [Acts 11:12,16-17]
Kings of the earth and all peoples; princes
and all rulers of the world…Let them praise the Name of the Lord, for his Name
only is exalted. [Psalm 148: 11, 13]
I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the
first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more...the
home of God is among mortals...Death will be no more; mourning and crying and
pain will be no more. [Revelation 21:1-2,
3b, 4b]
Jesus said..."I give you a new commandment, that you
love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another,
By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one
another." [John 13:34-35]
A new Commandment from Jesus: love one another as I have
loved you. Sure, sure, we’ve heard it all before, many times. Peter had
to explain himself to the uncircumcised believers who
criticized him for going to Gentiles and eating with them. He told them
straight out that the Spirit directed him not to make a distinction
between them and us. Yet don’t we in our own time and place make
distinctions about who is worthy of our time and attention, let alone love?
But Jesus tells us clearly that we are to love everyone,
not just those we already love. He also doesn’t say only love the ones who will
love you in return.
Peter astonished his listeners with the words of Jesus and his own realization that
he himself received the gift of the Holy Spirit when he believed, as will
everyone. The writer of Revelation sees a new heaven and a new earth and
tells us that God's home is among us mortals.
But this mortal home is seething with rage, disparity, tragedy, poverty,
disease, fear, war, and so much more. It is in a pandemic of manipulation, exploitation
used for political expedience, and high levels of profiteering. It writhes with
increasing numbers of natural disasters and human-made horrors displacing and
killing so many of our earth-bound neighbors. And still we are called to love
one another as we are loved by Christ. Are we called to agree? No. Are we
called to like everyone? No. Are the views of others noxious or even toxic to
our own? In some instances, yes! In the face of so much, loving everyone
feels impossible. However we are also called to continue in prayer to work
toward this difficult goal.
We are attempting the kind of Christ-love, that in
the face of hostility from others and our own, asks us to remain calm and
respectful regardless of the other’s reaction. It is more arduous for some of
us than others, to let go of a nearly instinctive, or at least an impulsive need
to argue back, which, of course, only heightens the fervor of both sides. When
we know that what we believe will not be accepted by others, just as what they
believe will likely not be accepted by us, we can try taking a long deep breath
and quietly listen; otherwise, we can simply say something like God love us
both and knows our hearts, take care and move on. The reverse is also true.
If the other person chooses to move on, we must not follow on with our own blustering!
It is quite difficult in times such as these when opinions, frustrations, fear,
and anger divide us at a fevered pitch. Yet if we can try to give ourselves to this
pursuit of loving as Christ loves, more often than not, much more will come of
it; at the very least in reducing our own stress levels. But we have to hear the
words of Jesus, inwardly digest, trust them, and have faith that God will
indeed wipe every tear and death will be no more. The effect of this
consciousness within us is far from immediate and may never feel completely
satisfying but it can relieve the constant harangue of our own judgment of
others (and perhaps a bit of self-righteousness?) within ourselves.
How, then, can we hear these words in a new and different way? What can arouse
us from our distractions, our inattentiveness, our numbness, and call us to
action?
Our Creator continues to create but do we see? By actively loving others,
especially the unlovable, through our words and actions, we are co-creating
with God to bring the new earth into our present existence, now. There is joy
and goodness to be experienced, divisions among people to be repaired,
brokenness healed. Will every moment be as running through fields of roses and
daisies? Not even close. But by shaking ourselves out of complacency, by
dusting off our faith, and becoming a partner with God in Christ through the
Holy Spirit, the Church, and each other, we can change the tiny parcel of this
mortal home we inhabit. Anguish and anger within us could be no more or
at the very least, we can learn to set it aside.
We can create
love that heals or at least patches things up, love that warms an angry heart,
love that soothes the cries of grief, love that finds help, food, shelter, or
just a hand to hold. A smile, a kind word, or just listening. Even when
rejected, as we will be, there will be another to love and someone to love us.
Who am I to hinder God working in me? C.S. Lewis puts things more
bluntly: There have been some who were so occupied in spreading
Christianity that they never gave a thought to Christ…It is the subtlest of all
snares. To truly follow Jesus, to be known as a sincere disciple, all
we truly need is to know the love of Christ within us and share it.
Discipleship 101: love one another as I have loved you.
Everything
is NEW, again!
LET
US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY
Leader: ~ Forever and Almighty Lord, infuse us with the
willingness to live Your commandment to love family, friend, and stranger
alike, using a basin and towel more often than lofty praise with weak intent.
O God at
Home Among Us
Response:
We begin and end in You
~ Forever and Almighty Lord, guide us to be as Your voice in speaking and
acting on behalf of all who suffer because of actions by those who govern,
dictate, or control Your people on this earth, in this country, and in our
community. We pray especially for: add your own petitions
O God at Home Among Us
We
begin and end in You
~ Forever and Almighty Lord, release from anguish all who are chronically ill
in body, mind, or spirit, and refresh the stamina of all who give support. We
now join our voices to pray aloud for those in need…add your own petitions
O God at Home Among Us
We
begin and end in You
~ Forever and Almighty Lord, lift the hearts of the mournful as through You,
death is no more and our dearest departed have now risen to new and unending
Life in joy, free from tears and pain. We pray especially for: add your
own petitions
O God at Home Among Us
We
begin and end in You
~ Forever and Almighty Lord, we pause in this moment to
offer You our other heartfelt thanksgivings, intercessions, petitions, and
memorials, aloud or silently…add your own petitions
O God at Home Among Us
We
begin and end in You
~ Forever and Almighty Lord, grant additional grace to all You have chosen to
bring us Your Word and Sacraments, that together we may receive our Salvation
through Christ. We pray especially for: add your own petitions
O God at Home Among Us
We
begin and end in You
The Celebrant adds: Glorified Christ, Son of God and Man,
embolden us to be purposeful instruments of the continuous flow of Your
limitless love. Guide our hearts to joyfully participate in the perpetual
renewal of Your Creation, through our own repentance and love, that will lead
us to unending life in You. Amen.
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