Daily Office Readings for Wednesday of Proper 5: Year 2
Morning, Psalm 72; Evening, Psalm 119:73 to 96;
Ecclesiastes 9:11 to 18; Galatians, 5:1 to 15; Matthew 16:1 to 12:
“For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything; the only thing that counts is faith workingthrough love.” (Galatians 5:6)
We have already seen in Chapter 3 of Galatians that “There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus,” (Galatians 3:28). Paul continues now challenging the sacred religious tradition of circumcision. Faith working through love means everything. What we do to our bodies has little to do with our heavenly value. Today we can get our bodies tattooed, pierced, tucked and “Botoxed” and while it may impress certain human interests they have no value in the next life. And I also feel such practices don’t devalue our bodies either. They are all forms of art, personal art.
My own personal observation is that once circumcision was of no importance, women become equal recipients of God’s grace in human eyes. Women have always been equal recipients of God’s grace in God’s eyes.
What counts in the next life, and what will get us to the next life, is belief in God and love for our fellow human beings. When we live by a code of faith in the love of God and truly believe that God is overseeing what we are doing, and that God is good, all the time, we will live a life of love for all people. And the truth is, we will love them even if they ink themselves, pierce themselves, tuck themselves and/or “Botox” themselves. In God’s love we will overlook their (and our) little makeovers and love them for who God made them to be with God’s indelible Word stamped forever on their hearts; even if they themselves are unawares.
Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine and Russia, Israel and Palestine, and our schools including St. Augustine in Raleigh, North Carolina.
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
Let us pray:
Most holy Omnipotent Lord God, you know our inmost selves even better than we do; awaken our values of godly understanding in order that we might dismiss our concern for outward looks of human pride, and develop our inward art of love for you, and for all human kind. Amen.
onewhoponders 