Give each other a 'lift'

Prayer of Jerome (342)

Lord, thou hast given us thy Word for a light to shine upon our path;
grant us so to meditate on that Word, and to follow its teaching,
that we may find in it the light that shines more and more until the perfect day;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Psalms
Chapter 113

1

Hallelujah! ¹ Praise, you servants of the LORD, praise the name of the LORD.

2

Blessed be the name of the LORD both now and forever.

3

From the rising of the sun to its setting let the name of the LORD be praised.

4

High above all nations is the LORD; above the heavens God's glory.

5

Who is like the LORD, our God enthroned on high,

6

looking down on heaven and earth?

7

The LORD raises the needy from the dust, lifts the poor from the ash heap,

8

Seats them with princes, the princes of the people,

Acts
Chapter 1

15

During those days Peter stood up in the midst of the brothers (there was a group of about one hundred and twenty persons in the one place). He said,

16

"My brothers, the scripture had to be fulfilled which the holy Spirit spoke beforehand through the mouth of David, concerning Judas, who was the guide for those who arrested Jesus.

17

He was numbered among us and was allotted a share in this ministry.

20

For it is written in the Book of Psalms: 'Let his encampment become desolate, and may no one dwell in it.' And: 'May another take his office.'

21

Therefore, it is necessary that one of the men who accompanied us the whole time the Lord Jesus came and went among us,

22

beginning from the baptism of John until the day on which he was taken up from us, become with us a witness to his resurrection."

23

So they proposed two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was also known as Justus, and Matthias.

24

Then they prayed, "You, Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which one of these two you have chosen

25

to take the place in this apostolic ministry from which Judas turned away to go to his own place."

26

¹ Then they gave lots to them, and the lot fell upon Matthias, and he was counted with the eleven apostles.

John
Chapter 15

9

As the Father loves me, so I also love you. Remain in my love.

10

If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and remain in his love.

11

"I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete.

12

This is my commandment: love one another as I love you.

13

¹ No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends.

14

You are my friends if you do what I command you.

15

I no longer call you slaves, because a slave does not know what his master is doing. I have called you friends, ² because I have told you everything I have heard from my Father.

16

It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name he may give you.

17

This I command you: love one another.

 Reflection:

All our being is in the hands of God.  “From the rising of the sun, till its setting” and the whole night as well.  Whether He is acknowledged or not, he is at the forefront of all we do.   We often think of those that are called in a special service (pastor, missionary, theologian) in the kingdom of God as being the set apart ones, but the truth is, each one of us has been called by God.  Consider how much the Father loves the Son – Jesus says that as deeply as God loves Him, so He (Christ) loves us. It fully demonstrated in that Christ laid down His own life for us.  His call to us is that we would love one another in the same way.  “You are my friends if you do what I command” – and this is the command: “Love one another”.  This is a love that is founded in the Glory of God.  Our Psalm reading stated:

 “The LORD raises the needy from the dust, lifts the poor from the ash heap, Seats them with princes, the princes of the people”.

Now when we look at each other, we might not see each other as the “needy from the dust, or the poor from the ash heap” – But the Psalmist is pointing out, that God who is all powerful and the Lord of Creation itself enters into the lives of His people in grace, mercy and compassion.  When he enters that relationship the rest of that encounter with him is that he ‘raises’ the person up – takes them from a low place and leaves them in a high place.

Likewise, our encounters with each other - when I engage you do I raise you up to a higher place – do you feel lifted, stronger, encouraged? Or, do I knock you down so that you feel like you’re in the dust and just been dumped into a burning ash heap?  This is part of the command of Love that Jesus gives us “As the Father loves me, so I you…”

By which ever manner we have come to be in this place working together … you have been “allocated to share in this ministry”.   It may not have fallen to you by the casting of lots, as with Mattias, but never the less, you have been chosen – how do you know? Well, for starters, you are here. We don’t know a lot about Mattias, other than he was one of the people that had been following the disciples from the time of the baptism of Christ. He “had accompanied Christ the whole time”.   We know nothing about him from before – or after, other than he was faithful person who was trusted enough to have his name forwarded as a replacement apostle, - his primary claim to fame is “the guy who replaced Judas” – that’s some shoes to follow.  Christian tradition reports that he faithfully and consistently preaches and advanced the gospel to his death. 

Our call is in the task that we have before us, whatever it might be, is to do our ministry  in a way that “accompanies Christ the whole time”.   Let us too seek to remain in Christ’s love in all we do.  In our conversations together, in the work that he has called to be in our hands let us be part of raising one another up.  

May those we encounter, whether by phone or in meetings, or support, or work with,  be lifted to a higher place because of their encounter with us- because Christ himself loves us with an unfailing love.

This command I give to you “That you love one another”.

  A Prayer of St. Clements

You, Lord, through your works have revealed the everlasting structure of the world. You, Lord, created the earth. You are faithful throughout all generations, righteous in your judgments, marvelous in strength and majesty, wise in creating and prudent in establishing what exists, good in all that is observed and faithful to those who trust in you, merciful and compassionate; forgive us our sins and our injustices, our transgressions and our shortcomings.

Do not take into account every sin of your servants, but cleanse us with the cleansing of your truth, and "direct our steps to walk in holiness and righteousness and purity of heart," and "to do what is good and pleasing in your sight" and in the sight of our rulers. Yes, Lord, "let your face shine upon us" in peace "for our good," that we may be sheltered "by your mighty hand" and delivered from every sin "by your uplifted arm"; deliver us as well from those who hate us unjustly.

Give harmony and peace to us and to all who dwell on the earth, just as you did to our fathers when they reverently "called upon you in faith and trust," that we may be saved, while we render obedience to your almighty and most excellent name, and give harmony and peace to our rulers and governors on earth.  Amen. 

Anyway, I was just thinking

Neil