Living
3 after Easter.
This is more of a meditative message that is topical on the subject of what our Easter Christian lives can look like instead of just going with the the world in their habits of anger, unforgiveness, lust, desire for more ( money) & conflict. It seems whenever we gather that the Church can either be part of the problem or part of the solution. Of course we should be applying the golden rule in our relationships whomever they are with. ( This should certainly include those who do not attend the parish, or any church, or reject the teachings of Christ altogether )---Matthew 7:12 and I must confess after looking for it in the NT, I could not find it until I googled it!
" All things, therefore as many as if you might desire that should do to you the men so also you do to them. This indeed is the law and the prophets." Greek translation literally . Of course the world says it differently, do unto others before they do it to you. Or he who has the gold makes the rules. Today's Epistle from I Peter says this in other words. " As strangers and pilgrims, dearly beloved, I beseech you, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul..." 1 Peter 2:11
The things that matter to us most do not seem so dear to us when we get the news someone has died, or someone is gravely ill, or someone we have quarrled with has to have surgery....Do they really? No, they don't, and then we may think to what we may have done differently to mend that friendship. It may be that we were never very open to those who differed with us at all. I like the little quote I was reading in Thomas Moore's sequel book, The Soul's Religion- Cultivating a Profoundly Spiritual Way of Life: " You've been told, and it was a mistake, that I am an intelligent man....but , first of all , I am not intelligent....Secondly, I never to try and make up my mind about a case until it is finished." Inspector Maigret in Georges Simenon's Maigret in New York. Moore comments, " the detective surrenders himself to a mystery until in his imagination facts gather together and reveal connections and motives that had been invisible up to then."
Could part of our problem be that we are making up our minds before we have all the facts about situations and others? That is a profoundly shallow way to look at things, isn't it? We should surrender ourselves to the mystery that God has created, and His providence ( control in love ) over things. It is easy to pre-judge without knowing. It is sad to keep on the track of an unloving, unforgiving spirit without knowing all the facts, and we will never know all of the reasons that people do things.
Today's prayer for the day expresses our need to live up to our Lord's call to be different, thoughtful, loving, reflective, Christian living in our conficts, and our call to follow our risen Lord as we read on Easter in the Epistle, " If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear then ye shall also appear with Him in glory." Colossians 3
" ALMIGHTY God, who showest to them that are in error the light of thy truth, to the intent that they may return into the way of righteousness; Grant unto all those who are admitted into the fellowship of Christ's Religion, that they may avoid those things that are contrary to their profession, and follow all such things as are agreeable to the same; through our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen." PB 173
sermonillustrations.com
A young man said to his father at breakfast one morning, "Dad, I'm going to get married."
"How do you know you're ready to get married?" asked the father. "Are you in love?"
"I sure am," said the son.
"How do you know you're in love?" asked the father.
"Last night as I was kissing my girlfriend good-night, her dog bit me and I didn't feel the pain until I got home."
Source Unknown.
This is more of a meditative message that is topical on the subject of what our Easter Christian lives can look like instead of just going with the the world in their habits of anger, unforgiveness, lust, desire for more ( money) & conflict. It seems whenever we gather that the Church can either be part of the problem or part of the solution. Of course we should be applying the golden rule in our relationships whomever they are with. ( This should certainly include those who do not attend the parish, or any church, or reject the teachings of Christ altogether )---Matthew 7:12 and I must confess after looking for it in the NT, I could not find it until I googled it!
" All things, therefore as many as if you might desire that should do to you the men so also you do to them. This indeed is the law and the prophets." Greek translation literally . Of course the world says it differently, do unto others before they do it to you. Or he who has the gold makes the rules. Today's Epistle from I Peter says this in other words. " As strangers and pilgrims, dearly beloved, I beseech you, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul..." 1 Peter 2:11
The things that matter to us most do not seem so dear to us when we get the news someone has died, or someone is gravely ill, or someone we have quarrled with has to have surgery....Do they really? No, they don't, and then we may think to what we may have done differently to mend that friendship. It may be that we were never very open to those who differed with us at all. I like the little quote I was reading in Thomas Moore's sequel book, The Soul's Religion- Cultivating a Profoundly Spiritual Way of Life: " You've been told, and it was a mistake, that I am an intelligent man....but , first of all , I am not intelligent....Secondly, I never to try and make up my mind about a case until it is finished." Inspector Maigret in Georges Simenon's Maigret in New York. Moore comments, " the detective surrenders himself to a mystery until in his imagination facts gather together and reveal connections and motives that had been invisible up to then."
Could part of our problem be that we are making up our minds before we have all the facts about situations and others? That is a profoundly shallow way to look at things, isn't it? We should surrender ourselves to the mystery that God has created, and His providence ( control in love ) over things. It is easy to pre-judge without knowing. It is sad to keep on the track of an unloving, unforgiving spirit without knowing all the facts, and we will never know all of the reasons that people do things.
Today's prayer for the day expresses our need to live up to our Lord's call to be different, thoughtful, loving, reflective, Christian living in our conficts, and our call to follow our risen Lord as we read on Easter in the Epistle, " If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear then ye shall also appear with Him in glory." Colossians 3
" ALMIGHTY God, who showest to them that are in error the light of thy truth, to the intent that they may return into the way of righteousness; Grant unto all those who are admitted into the fellowship of Christ's Religion, that they may avoid those things that are contrary to their profession, and follow all such things as are agreeable to the same; through our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen." PB 173
sermonillustrations.com
A young man said to his father at breakfast one morning, "Dad, I'm going to get married."
"How do you know you're ready to get married?" asked the father. "Are you in love?"
"I sure am," said the son.
"How do you know you're in love?" asked the father.
"Last night as I was kissing my girlfriend good-night, her dog bit me and I didn't feel the pain until I got home."
Source Unknown.
Comments
Post a Comment