The poet Mary Oliver asks the essential question, ‘Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?’ I think Jesus answers in our gospel lesson today by saying ‘become more aware of fallen angels among us trying to impose their will on others.’ And the reason Jesus says the harvest is plentiful but the laborers are few, is because Jesus invites us to be like God and not submit to the contagion of violence.
The Hot weather seems to make us all a bit “hot and bothered,” Jesus speaks to his disciples about the importance of focus as they follow him. His words are sharp yet full of endurance and sustenance.
In a world covered by shadow, the demoniac becomes the very gift of light. And as we can, where we can, even in a moment such as this, we must choose life and walk in that light.
By embracing LGBTQ+ people to be a part of our community, we become a more perfect reflection of the Triune God. This, my friends, is why we celebrate a Pride Eucharist.
By those graces we can pray, Come Holy Spirit, and enkindle in the hearts of your faithful the fire of your Love … and we can mean it.
In that liminal space between what was and what would be, they had a choice. They could give themselves over to despair or they could trust Jesus’ promise. And in the Ascensiontide of our lives, we have the same choice.
We cannot forget who and whose we are, if we wish to have a legacy in this world. It will not be for the money, or success or achievement that we are remembered—Jesus’ gifts are not the way the world works, remember. It will be in the ways we loved.
Friends, we live in a sinful, broken world. We do not have to look farther than today’s headlines to see that. But we are people of resurrection hope. A community rooted in “agape”; the love of Jesus Christ. And we are called to be signs of that love. To be a healing, reconciling, despair-conquering sign of joy to the world.
Instead of focusing on our “production” – our doing – we affirm our place in God’s fold, and we love one another. We nurture dispositions of compassion and generosity. We cultivate graciousness and mercy. And when we love well, that love – God’s love of us, and our love of one another – it’s that love that will inspire our service and collective action: we cannot reorder this process and fulfill God’s hopes for the world!
While it has already been 2 weeks since Easter, we are still glowing with the Easter morning joy. The disciples were surprised with God’s new and different way of sharing his love with the world. What are the ways that you hear God calling you by name to share the story of hope into the world in new and creative ways?
