Tag Archives: love

Wisdom’s Way

I perceive the resplendence of wisdom when I stay aware of and act on opportunities to love my neighbor, forgive those who have hurt me, take responsibility for my words and actions, give food to the hungry, visit the sick and lonely, seek peaceful resolutions to conflict.

I find wisdom in my own loneliness, in my realization of my need for God’s guidance, comfort, and boundless love as I continue to make mistakes on the Way to perfection.

Resplendent and unfading is wisdom,
and she is readily perceived by those who love her,
and found by those who seek her. Wisdom 6:12

Nothing to prove

Sieger Köder (1925-2015)
Jesus Washing Peter’s Feet
“The greatest among you must be your servant.” Matthew 23:11

When I am grounded in love and compassion, kindness and patience, hope and humility, I have no need to perform for others to see. I can participate fully in life just as I am—frail, tired, encouraging, interested, sorrowing, accepting.

I have nothing to prove. I am a precious child of God.

[Jesus said,] “All their works are performed to be seen.” Matthew 23:5a

Love thy neighbor

When I love my neighbor as myself, I love the Lord, my God, with my whole heart, soul, and mind.

When I forget to treat myself and others with reverence, I have forgotten the reverence due to God.

Thus says the LORD: “You shall not molest or oppress an alien, for you were once aliens yourselves in the land of Egypt. You shall not wrong any widow or orphan.” Exodus 22:21-22

Pay it forward

James Tissot (1836-1902)
Le denier de César
opaque watercolor over graphite on gray wove paper, between 1886 and 1894
Brooklyn Museum

Love. Compassion. Kindness. Mercy. Forgiveness. Welcome. Comfort. Peace.

These belong to God. May I repay them to God by extending them to everyone I encounter.

[Jesus said to them,] “Then repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.” Matthew 22: 21

Dressed up

ESUS MAFA. The poor invited to the feast, from Art in the Christian Tradition, a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN. [retrieved October 15, 2017].

Here I am at the celebration of God’s kingdom among us. Love has triumphed over death. God’s Word leads us on the way to everlasting  life.

Today I will ask God’s Holy Spirit to help me find the right garment for this celebration. Kindness. Compassion. Mercy. Generosity. Peace. Nonviolence. Welcome. Joy.

[Jesus said,] “The king said to him, ‘My friend, how is it that you came in here without a wedding garment?'”  Matthew 22:12a

Nonviolence

James Tissot (1836-1902)
Le fils de la vigne
opaque watercolor over graphite on gray wove paper, between 1886 and 1894
Brooklyn Museum

Negativity. Pessimism. Put-downs. Sarcasm. Hostility. These are forms of violence that tackle me daily in the news, on the Internet, at the workplace, and sometimes from my own attitudes and behaviors.

My defense against the darkness of violence is to put my thoughts on God’s boundless love and wisdom, and to practice bringing the light of gratitude, kindness, forgiveness, and compassion to every circumstance in which I find myself.

Thank you, Lord, for being with me right now, in this moment. Help me to walk in the light of your love. Show me how to be a nonviolent presence in our troubled world.

Finally, sisters and brothers,
whatever is true, whatever is honorable,
whatever is just, whatever is pure,
whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious,
if there is any excellence
and if there is anything worthy of praise,
think about these things. Phillipians 4:8

Never too late to change

My first response is not always generosity to the poor. It is not always welcome to  someone I don’t know. Or forgiveness to someone who has hurt me. Or respect to someone who treats me with disdain.

But I always have the option to change my attitude and behavior. I can choose the way of love and kindness instead of the way of self-centeredness and resentment.

Jesus said to the chief priests and elders of the people: “What is your opinion? A man had two sons. He came to the first and said, ‘Son, go out and work in the vineyard today.’ He said in reply, ‘I will not, ‘ but afterwards changed his mind and went. Matthew 21:28-29

Worthy

Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard
11th c.
Byzantine gospel. Paris, National Library

God surrounds, fills, and blesses each human person with the same abundant love, compassion, and comfort. We don’t have to prove our worth to God. Whenever we show up for God, God is already there with a warm welcome.

Today I will make God’s boundless, unbiased love apparent by treating everyone I encounter with respect and kindness.

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the LORD. As high as the heavens are above the earth, so high are my ways above your ways and my thoughts above your thoughts. Isaiah 55:8-9

 

Today’s cross

JESUS MAFA. The Crucifixion; Jesus dies on the cross, from Art in the Christian Tradition, a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN. [retrieved September 3, 2017].

Some days, the cross is light and easy to carry. No matter what’s going on with me, I am able help others. I don’t take offense at others’ thoughtlessness. I remember to put God in the center of my life.

Other days, the cross is heavy and cumbersome. I may be in pain, out of sorts, sad, exhausted, worried. I feel alone with my burdens. I have to work very hard to believe I am in the presence of God.

Most days, the cross changes its weight from light to heavy and back again. It gets lighter when I remember to ask God for help. It gets heavier when I feel victimized by its pressure. It gets lighter when I take an interest in others. It gets heavier when I am self-engrossed.

As I maneuver with my cross each day, I hope to die to myself a little more. I hope to follow the way of Love and Compassion with firmer footsteps. I hope one day to be raised to new life in the Lord.

Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.” Matthew 16:24