READINGS AND REFLECTIONS FOR THURSDAY 10 SEPTEMBER 2020

1 Corinthians 8 : 1 – 13      Psalm 139: 1 – 9; 23 – 24         Luke 6 : 27 – 38

 The Collect : 

God of the Church

your Son called us to be one in you:

heal our divisions, restore our unity

and empower us for the ministry of reconciliation;

through Jesus Christ our Lord,

who lives and reigns, with you and the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and for ever.

Amen

One question many Christians need to face is how to use the “freedom,” even the “authority,” they have to behave in ways that are responsible. The old inhibitions and restraints that Christians, especially Protestants, inherited (embedded in “code morality,” “blue laws,” and more) have passed from the scene in most communities. In days gone by, that inheritance, in spite of its faults, served as a social glue, holding people together in a common consensus. Losing these guidelines concerning behaviour within society and the church can be frightening for many people.

The message of Paul for the church of today is that one may well have freedom in Christ, but it must be used with discretion and, in particular, with care for the sake of the vulnerable. One’s own freedom in some matters of behaviour can be put aside, when a faith crisis for another is at stake. To relinquish one’s freedom is not to lose it; it is one way of using it.

This message may be more difficult when applied to corporate matters, so extra caution is called for in applying it to congregational life. For example, if a congregation faces an issue in which some members call for change, and others seek to preserve what is familiar, it can be too easy to consider one of the groups as “in the know” and the other as “the weak.” One should avoid thinking this way, and certainly not speak in these terms, for it only leads to feelings of superiority among some and the sense among others that they are not being heard.

Still, this text can be applied in a corporate setting. In that case, the use of freedom; indeed, the use of authority; will not consist of abandoning one’s convictions. Instead, freedom and authority will be used to accommodate the views and feelings of all, making way for communal discernment and working toward a consensus. In the end, decisions have to be made. But they are made best when steps are taken to open up dialogue, and when genuine care is actually demonstrated.

Loving our enemies and those who hurt us is never easy. But Jesus usually does not ask us to do the easy thing; Jesus asks us to do whatever brings about the most love. A way to show love for others is through service. Jesus talks about how it is easier to love someone who already loves us, –  what is rare is loving someone who has hurt us. This kind of service is hard to come by today. Our challenge is to be one of those rare people, one of those people who are able to give so much love and forgiveness even if it means not receiving anything in return. That is what Jesus is calling us all to do.

Take time to pray for someone who you may be having a hard time forgiving.  We pray too for those who we have a hard time understanding and loving. Fr. Jerome Cummings said, “Love is shown in your deeds, not in your words.”   As servants to all of God’s people may we show  show love and kindness to everyone we meet.

Let us Pray: