Hated or Hater?

Saturday of the 6^th Week of Eastertide

John 15:18-25

“They hated me without a cause.”

That takes work.  It demands energy.  My guess is most of us know this:  Sin 101. 

Jesus is preparing his crew for his departure.  The warnings are real.  It will be a trying time to be on Jesus’ side.  But “spirit-directedness” is coming.  The Paraclete (the one along-side, the “lawyer for the defense”) will be their guide.

All that “abiding” talk precedes these warnings.  Abiding is the armor.

How about this from John Chrysostom in the 4^th Century:

Although I am human

I must aim my blows at demons;

Although clad in flesh,

My struggle is with incorporeal powers.

On this account

God has made my breastplate

Not from metal but from justice;

God has prepared for me a shield

Which is made not of bronze

But of faith.

I have, too, a sharp sword,

The Word of the Spirit.

Sounds like protection against the consequences of being “hated without a cause.”

More pertinent to my un-persecuted life, is the reversal of this. 

All that armor of the Spirit, for me, is given for my protection against becoming the “hater without a cause.”

Russian Icon of St. John Chrysostom

A Voice from Siena

Feast of St. Catherine of Siena, Virgin, Doctor

1347 – 1380
"Hope in the Storm Tossed Church"

Be who God meant you to be and you will set the world on fire. 
--- send me helpers/friends/guides to uncover that 

"who"                

Every step of the way to heaven is heaven.

 --- unless of course I am glued to the hellish;)

Father, I am hungry; for the love of God give this soul her food, her Lord in the Eucharist.

--- I could stand to be that direct and that aware of what I really need…for the love of God!!!

Love transforms one into what one loves.

--- Good news or bad news;)  help me to love truth & beauty & goodness.

In love with the Church,

she never stopped working for a better Church.

She challenged everyone from her heart

that burned with the love of God.

All before the age of 30!

St. Catherine, Doctor of Unity, Pray for us!

μένω

Thursday of the 5^th Week of Eastertide

John 15:9-11

Remain in my love.

The NRSV uses abide instead of remain to translate μένω.  Abide is for me so much deeper, and richer and more all-encompassing.  Remain seems to indicate that I will leave or perhaps enjoy a little coming and going…it is spatial.  But abide is different.  Abiding means that once I do, abide, whatever I abide in, is then a part of me.  It will go where I go.  Today, it sounds womb-like.  To abide in God’s love is to live, and breathe and move as one…

…covered by God’s womb-like protection

…fed by God’s womb-like ability to sustain and nourish

…reassured by God’s womb-like ability to absorb fear

Words are cool.

Acts 15:7-21

He (God) made no distinction between us and them.

And in this political climate wouldn’t it be nice to have conversations like those leading up to today’s resolution in Acts?  They disagreed.  They argued. They fought.  But their genuine honor of the other allowed for resolution. 

And in the end they all could agree...God made no distinctions regarding what a Christian ought to ‘look’ like.  If the Spirit confirms…well the Spirit confirms.

Tonight's Evening Prayer

God, come to my assistance.

         Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory to the Father and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:

         as it was in the beginning, 

         is now, and will be for ever.
         Amen.  Alleluia.

HYMN

SING TO THE MOUNTAINS, Bob Dufford, SJ

Refrain:

Sing to the mountains, sing to the sea.

Raise your voices, lift your hearts.

This is the day the Lord has made.

Let all the earth REJOICE!

V1:  I will give thanks to you, my Lord.

You have answered my plea.

You have saved my soul from death. 

You are me strength and my song.

V2:  Holy, holy, holy Lord,

Heaven and earth are full of your glory.

V3:  This is the day that the Lord has made.

Let us be glad and rejoice.

Now all death has turned to life.

Sing to the glory of God.

PSALM 145

Sung Response:

I will praise your name, my King and my God (x2)

SCRIPTURE READING

Acts 13:26-33

SHARED REFLECTION

…to us this word (LOGOS) of salvation has been sent.

         How do I witness?  In what ways does that witness “save”?

...sabbath after sabbath

         What has become so routine in me that I fail to see its power to create or destroy?

…”You are my child; this day I have begotten you.”

         Oops I think I forget that…daily;)

INTERCESSORY PRAYER

Response: We pray Lord…make all things new.

THE LORD’S PRAYER

MAGNIFICAT

My soul doth glory in your love ,O Lord.

My soul doth glory in your love, O Lord.
For you gazed on your servant with compassion,

And you reached out and took me by the hand.

Great are you God, and holy is your name,

Your mercy reaches to the end of time

Ah the lowly you raise to the heavens

And the proud-hearted have no part with you.

Ah, how you fill the hungry with your love

With empty hands the rich are sent away

You will always be mindful of your mercy

As you promised your people long ago.

My soul doth glory in your love ,O Lord.

My soul doth glory in your love, O Lord.
For you smiled on your servant with compassion,

And you reached out and took me by the hand.

Let us give glory to our loving God

And to his Son

Our loving savior Lord

To the Spirit who from them both proceeding

From now till all ages end AMEN

May the Lord bless us, protect us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life.

         AMEN

PEACE & HUGS;)