Tag Archives: Gospel of John

Fools for Christ

1 Corinthians 4:10-13

They anointed and wrapped his dead body, and placed it with sorrow and reverence in an empty tomb.

And in a spectacular display of God’s power and love, Jesus played the greatest April Fool prank of all: He rose from the dead.

When Simon Peter arrived after him, he went into the tomb and saw the burial cloths there, and the cloth that had covered his head, not with the burial cloths but rolled up in a separate place. Then the other disciple also went in, the one who had arrived at the tomb first, and he saw and believed.
John 20:6-8

A morsel of mercy

Amish farm field, wheat up in shocks
By Nyttend (Own work) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Today I feel the need for a light touch, a dash of comfort, a grain of healing. If I am feeling this way, perhaps others are too. May I be graced with the goodness to offer compassion to each member of our human family.

Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness. Psalm 51:3

God so loved the world

Carl Wilhelm Friedrich Oesterley (1805–1891)
Israel Mourns Near the Waters of Babylon

Despite the pain, suffering, and grief that may be today’s burden, let me not forget to give thanks for the gifts of family, friends, and unexpected kindnesses.

By the streams of Babylon
we sat and wept
when we remembered Zion.
On the aspens of that land
we hung up our harps. Psalm 137:1-2

Cleaning house

Rembrandt (1606-1669)
Jesus Driving Money Changers from the Temple
etching, state i/ii, 1635
Connecticut College Wetmore Print Collection

It is my hope that God’s grace is driving greed, self-righteousness, and indifference to the suffering of others out of my mind and heart. I would like to be cleansed of all that prevents me from loving God, my neighbor, and myself.

[Jesus] drove them all out of the temple area… John 2:15b

Light witness

Today I will testify to the light of God’s love, compassion, healing, and peace with kind, respectful, nonjudgmental, and nonviolent words, attitudes, and actions.

A man named John was sent from God. He came for testimony, to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to testify to the light. John 1:6-8

Hunger pangs

Pieter Breugel the Elder (between 1526-1530 – 1569)
Caritas (Charity) – The Seven Acts of Mercy – Detail of the Feeding of the Hungry
pen in brown ink, 1559

Hungry.

For love. Compassion. Peace. Kindness. Generosity. Forgiveness. Understanding. Acceptance. Encouragement. Companionship. Hope. Meaning. Purpose. Rest.

Today I ask the One who is the bread of life to feed me. And I pray for the grace to share what I am freely given with everyone I encounter.

[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. This is the bread that came down from heaven. Unlike your ancestors who ate and still died, whoever eats this bread will live forever.” John 6:57-58

Holy mission

By Gunnar Bach Pedersen (Own work (Own photo)) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

God sends each of his sons and daughters every day to bring love to the world, to be peacemakers, to promote justice, to help the poor and ill, to comfort the lonely and grieving, to forgive wrongs.

Can God trust me with this holy mission?

For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him. John 3:17

 

All together now

Simone Cantarini, 1612-1648
Holy Trinity, 17th c.
Biblioteca Nacional do Brasil

God’s Holy Spirit lives and breathes with, in, and through us. We are in the Lord, the Lord is in us. We are dependent upon the Lord, and the Lord depends on us to be the eyes and ears and hands and hearts of God’s love and compassion in the world.

[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

Like this

Jacek Andrzej Rossakiewicz, 1956-2016
The Prayer of Jesus
oil on canvas, 1990

Faith to walk the way of peace and nonviolence and forgiveness.

Faith to be guided by the truth of our common humanity that demands generosity towards the poor and compassion for the suffering.

Faith to choose life with, in, and from the healing power of love.

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

Whose voice

Berger afar en pied
Marion Lavabre, 2009

Today I will listen for the voice of the Lord in sacred Scripture, in the quiet of alone time, in the rhythm of nature.

I will let the love and compassion of the Lord’s voice drown out the voices of fear and doubt that attempt to lure me from the peace of God’s presence.

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