ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
October 3, 2024
Jesus gave the world more than the world can fully understand, but part of what was given was a legacy of love. We have many examples of people who gave witness to love with extraordinary acts of love. Humanity is better off because of their breath-taking example. Yet the life and witness of Jesus seem to have a life of their own and within them a power that I can only describe as the Holy Spirit. There are times in human history when an event or the actions of an individual/group have repercussions well beyond a single life or that unique moment. Jesus said, “They will know you are my disciples when you love one another” (John 13:35). Even in human history, when Christianity was doing a poor job of reflecting the love of Jesus, there always appears to have been a remnant, though the institutional church often described these people as outliers or heretics. These folks tended to be the conduit by which love was carried from one generation to the next. When I think about the Spanish Inquisition, the selling of indulgences, the torture and killing of those accused of witchcraft, the abuse of indigenous peoples, and the list goes on, to still have extraordinary acts of love is nothing short of a miracle. Jesus, among other things, provided this world a legacy of love.
There are days, O Lord, when it feels as if I am riding a wave of loving kindness and mercy. Even when the world around appears to have a whole lot more hatefulness and bitterness, there is an underlying current giving hope as it has power, purpose, and your Spirit within it. Thank you! Amen.
