The
communities of faith that we hear about in the Acts of the Apostles are
challenged over and over by Jesus’ commandment to love. They value God’s love,
they value Jesus’ love thus how they live, grow and change as a community of
faith demands that they extend this love to others. The laws, the rules, the
regulations change because the community tries to be inclusive and loving. The
community tries to look beyond its small world to a larger world. It is not
easy. It takes openness, dialog, discussion and sometimes change.
I read an
article a couple of years ago in which a member of our Church leadership used
an example from his childhood about having to wash his dirty hands before
eating. It was a rule in his family and even if there were guests they had to
wash their dirty hands before eating. A simple story and one that many of us can
relate to I certainly can as hand washing before meals was a rule in my house
too.
However,
to use the washing of dirty hands to address the complex struggles inclusion in
the church today seems a bit simplistic and invalid. Imaging people dealing
with weighty issues like sexuality, sexual orientation, birth control,
marriage, divorce, just to name a few, as people with dirty hands seems a bit
simplistic. Equating the washing of dirty hands with some profound struggles in
life seems disrespectful to people created in the image and likeness of God.
Yes, we
have many challenges to the community of faith today. Yes, there are no easy
answers which makes the job of leadership and faith difficult but to say all
people have to do is wash their hands make no sense to me!
God’s
love, Jesus’ love is a gift and yes there is a condition, the condition is our
love for God, for others and for ourselves. This condition is not easy within
our human nature and it is certainly not as simple as washing our hands. The
early church knew this and I think so do we!
Have a great Thursday everyone!
Daily
Prayer:
O God of Great Love, open our hearts to the gift of your love this day and
always. Help us to see your image and likeness in ourselves and in everyone we
meet. Grace us with the wisdom to learn, to listen, to discuss, to discern and
to grow. Enable us to move beyond what stifles growth so that your joy will
always be within us and that our joy will always be complete through the hope
of a world made new. Amen!
A
Runner’s Thoughts: “The woods are lovely, dark, and deep, But I have promises
to keep, And miles to go before I sleep, And miles to go before I sleep.” (Robert
Frost)
Daily
Blessing:
Thursday greetings and blessings to all! I hope this finds you well and having
a good day. The weather here in Manitowoc was cloudy and cold yesterday. The
wind was out of the northeast and it made my run yesterday afternoon not so
pleasant. I don’t think we are to see the sun again until Friday.
We had
another good day of retreat yesterday. It has been nice visiting with the
sisters on each of the floors in the morning and afternoon. Please continue to
keep the sisters on retreat in your prayers and if you can afford an extra
prayer for the preacher it would be greatly appreciated.
I ran
across a little saying some time ago, “Prayer may not change things for you,
but it for sure changes you for things.” So I will say a little prayer for all
of you today! May God bless your day with warmth, sun, good people, smiling
face, kind words, safe travels, easy decisions, productive meetings and much
love. May God enliven your day with his loving presence, grace and joy. Peace
in Christ’s Passion and Joy in the Risen Lord…Fr. Paul
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