Without labels

Apostles Peter and Paul

El Greco (1541-1614)
Apostles Peter and Paul, ca.1592
Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg

[Jesus] said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Matthew 16:15

I can’t control God with labels. All I can do is rest in the presence of the Divine and be filled with the gifts chosen for me.

All I can do is model myself—to the best of my ability—on Jesus, Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace, Compassion of God, Father of Mercies, God of All Comfort.

All I can do is let God be God and turn my will and my life over to God’s tender care and loving direction.

Fed on love

Bread_shop_in_the_street

Bread Shop in the Street, Old Jerusalem
By Grand Parc – Bordeaux, France, via Wikimedia Commons

[Jesus said,] “Just as the living Father sent me
and I have life because of the Father,
so also the one who feeds on me
will have life because of me.” John 6:57

When I feed on Jesus, the Compassion of God, I intentionally work on transforming my habits of impatience, self-centeredness, resentment, and fear. I intentionally practice following Jesus and his way of peace and non-violence. I intentionally do my best to imitate Jesus and his healing presence.

One

trinity

Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with all of you. 2 Corinthians 13:13

Place yourself where Wisdom, Love, and Life meet. Quiet your heart in the presence of Infinite Mercy, Endless Compassion, and Boundless Creativity. Rest in Unity, Community, and Wholeness.

Silent.
Listening.
Open.

Lightness of Spirit

Pentecostés_(El_Greco,_1597)

El Greco (1541-1614)
Pentecostés
Óleo sobre lienzo, 275 × 127 cm
Madrid, Museo del Prado
via Wikimedia Commons

Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” John 20:21-22

The breath of God, the Spirit of God has entered us through the breath of Jesus, the breath of peace, the breath of forgiveness, the breath of love.

The Spirit enlightens our minds to make the choice to offer peace, forgiveness, and love even when we would rather stay in our anger, resentment, and fear. The Spirit lightens our burdens of illness, grief, and woundedness by nudging us to put our attention on the Lord, on the saving grace of God’s presence and companionship and tender care. The Spirit is our dancing partner, the One who adds joy to the mundane and adventure to the ordinary, the One who directs our creativity and makes each day a new piece of artwork.

Words in action

Rembrandt, Christ

Christ, ca.1648
Rembrandt (1606-1669)
oil on oak panel
via Wikimedia Commons

[Jesus said,] “Now they know that everything you gave me is from you, because the words you gave to me I have given to them.” John 17:7

Peace, forgiveness, compassion, service, prayer, humility, love… these are words Jesus has given us. How have I passed these words on today?

 

Entwined with God

256px-005-a-Ruby-kindles-in-the-vine-810x1146

A Ruby kindles in the vine, 1905, 1912
Adelaide Hanscom, 1875-1931
via Wikimedia Commons

[Jesus said to his disciples:] “On that day you will realize that I am in my Father and you are in me and I in you.” John 14:20

Jesus, the vine that gives us life, is in us and we are in him. We are forever entwined with God, with God’s love and grace and goodness and compassion. We breathe with God, live with God, move with God, love with God.

We are the visible fruit of God’s healing and peace in the world. We are the trusted servants of God, trusted to forgive, show mercy, and practice non-violence. We are trusted to build up those who are broken, fragile, discouraged, poor, homeless, and suffering. We are trusted to bring the hope of the Resurrection and God’s eternal love to all those we encounter.

Untroubled hearts

The Way

Hermano León
Domingo V de Pascua

[Jesus said to his disciples:] “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You have faith in God; have faith also in me.” John 14:1

With all the natural disasters, wars, abuse, cruelty, greed, illness, poverty, and loneliness in the world, sometimes my heart is troubled.

Yet if I have faith in in the pure, unconditional love and goodness of God, then I need to invite Jesus, the Compassion of God, to be my companion. I need to have faith that his example will show me the Way through the messy human condition. I need to have faith in the Truth of God’s mercy and forgiveness. I need to have faith in the gift of LIfe eternal.

Followers of Christ

Good Shepherd

Early christian image of Christ as the Good Shepherd
Fourth Century A.D.
Museo Epigrafico, Rome

[The shepherd] walks ahead of them, and the sheep follow him, because they recognize his voice. John 10:4

We follow Jesus into quiet, secluded places to pray. We follow Jesus to dine with the poor and the outcasts of society. We follow Jesus to touch those with untouchable illnesses. We follow Jesus to wash the feet of others. We follow Jesus to forgive those who betray us. We follow Jesus to love our enemies. We follow Jesus to do the will of God, however counter-cultural it may seem. We follow Jesus to die to ourselves and rise to new life.

Speaking from the heart

Rembrandt_Christ_with_two_disciples

Christ with two disciples on the road to Emmaus
Workshop of Rembrandt (1606–1669):Corrected by Rembrandt
Pen and brush in brown ink, washed, heightened with white, on paper, circa 1655
Warsaw University Library
via Wikimedia Commons

Then [the two disciples] said to each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he spoke to us on the way and opened the Scriptures to us?” Luke 24:32

What language do I speak when I open my heart to others? The language of humility? sincerity? hope? faith?

When others speak to me from their hearts, in what language do I listen? The language of compassion? acceptance? non-judgment? peace?

Today I will practice speaking and listening with love. It’s the language we all share in common.

Honest doubts

Jesus appears to Thomas - John 20:24-29

JESUS MAFA. Jesus appears to Thomas, from Art in the Christian Tradition, a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN.

Thomas, called Didymus, one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples said to him, “We have seen the Lord.” John 20:24

I wonder how convincing the other disciples were about their encounter with Jesus. Thomas may have had good reason to doubt them.

And I wonder how convincing I am as a witness for Jesus. Do I embody the compassion and unconditional love and non-judgment of Jesus? Do I embody the mercy and forgiveness and non-violence of Jesus? Do I embody the service and healing and humility of Jesus?

Honest doubt nudges me to deepen my commitment to practice the God-qualities that comfort and encourage others, and that bring peace to my corner of the world.