Daily Office Readings for Friday of the FifthWeek of Epiphany: Year 2
Morning, Psalm 88; Evening, Psalm 91and 92:
Genesis 27:46 to chapter28:4 and10 to22; Romans 13:1 to 14; John 8:33 to 47;
Jesus said to them, ‘If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and now I am here. I did not come on my own, but he sent me.” (John 8: 42)
All of the reports of the Gospel, from all four of its sources, complement each other. From Matthew’s account we read, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.” (Matthew 5:9) Those of us who insist on peace are truly children of God. And as our Lord Jesus says, “If God is our Father we would love him,” and not only him, but all people.
Loving people does not necessarily mean agreeing with them. We can come away from an issue with different concerns about how things should be done. However, there should be some fairness and reasonable decency on both sides without harm or detriment to anyone; just different interests. Love bridges differences.
Love makes room for forgiving even when harm is done. If we are the victim, we pray for the strength to overcome what has happened. And, with God’s help, we can. If we are the perpetrator we pray for the strength to repent, acknowledge the wrong we’ve done and be accountable for what we have done. And we face those we have hurt. I believe it is the perpetrator’s soul that is most damaged when sinful acts are done. Repenting is truly an act of sincere love and thus, soul repair.
We are children of God as we make peace and have love for one another as our Lord Jesus has taught us. We have the Holy Spirit of God within us. This Spirit is trying to lead us and guide us. All we have to do is listen and follow. We should look at every person and understand that they too are saying that “if we are God’s child we would love them.” This is what the Holy Spirit of God is teaching us. We need to listen and do likewise.
“Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all their multitude. And on the seventh day God finished the work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all the work that he had done” (Genesis 2:1 and 2). So, for this evening and tomorrow day my friends, Shabbat Shalom.
What is Shabbat? Intro to the Jewish Sabbath – YouTube
Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine, Russia, Israel, Palestine and our schools.
As we listen to what the Spirit of God is saying to us, let us live to love and serve, and to teach others to love and serve, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John
onewhoponders 