These reflections are written as devotions for my parish church, Christ Episcopal Church, Yankton South Dakota.
PURE LOVE COVERS ALL
Love is at the center of all of Jesus’ teachings. If love nurtures and casts out fear, love also heals and protects. While not a quote from the first letter of John, another apostolic letter from Peter gives us another reason to constantly love, “Above all, maintain constant love for one another, for love covers a multitude of sins.” [1 Peter 4:8 NRSV]. Peter’s depiction of love covering a multitude of sins fits well with what John is trying to convey in his first letter.
The constant, nourishing love of God is experienced in the love we have for one another. It is the love of Jesus that covers the sins of the world; that protects us from the effects of our selfishness. Jesus likened Godly love to a hen gathering her chicks under her wings to protect them. [Matthew 23:37].
On this Mother’s Day, our attention is drawn to the nurturing and protective love associated with motherhood. A mother’s love can be both fierce and gentle. In many ways a mother’s love exemplifies God’s love.
Perhaps this is why Jesus’ mother, Mary, receives so much attention in the gospels. Mary embodied the heartfelt mothering love God intended Jesus to grow up with and grow into. Mary exemplifies the quiet concern and watchful eye that clues a mother into sensing when things are not right or who takes quiet, unspoken delight in watching her child prosper because whatever her child does always remains a part of her.
God’s love is like a mother’s love. God’s love is both fierce in its determination and gentle in its application. God is quietly patient and takes delight in watching us, God’s children, grow and prosper. It is that love which Jesus grew into and exemplified. It is that love we are called to present to the world.
All of us, men and women alike, are capable of taking on the nurturing role of mothers and exhibiting motherly love. Consider the father in Jesus parable of The Prodigal Son and the Samaritan who nurtured a victimized Judean in the parable of The Good Samaritan. We owe a debt of gratitude to all those who, in many ways, have mothered us along life’s journey.
God’s determined and gentle love is as prevalent and as freely given as the air we breathe, but like the air we breathe, it can become occluded by the pollution of distrust, exploitation, fear, and the hatred of others we produce, promote, and perpetuate.
We were made by the pure love of God and made to love God purely and that which God love. The purity of God’s love cleanses us from all the impurities we encounter. The purity of God’s love heals and refreshes us. Pure love always forgives, always redeems, and always restores. Pure love covers all.
Amen.
Now Thank We All Our God
Now thank we all our God, with heart, and hands, and voices,
who wondrous things hath done, in whom his world rejoices;
who from our mother’s arms hath blessed us on our way
with countless gifts of love, and still is ours today.
O may this bounteous God through all our life be near us!
with ever joyful hearts and blessed peace to cheer us;
and keep us in his grace, and guide us when perplexed,
and free us from all ills in this world and the next.
(Martin Luther 1586-1649)
* * * * * * * * * *
Until next time, stay faithful.
Norm
No comments:
Post a Comment