Never forget the Cross. That's an axiom. Upon it, the Lamb of God took away all the sins of the world. There is more we could say, but I won't, for prudence and clarity.
I realized the other day that we should not forget the Incarnation. He would be Priest and Victim at Calvary, but his willingness to do it was plain when he became one of us. God isn't some ogre in the sky, waiting to smack you with a clipboard; he came to take away your guilt, your shame, all of the things that make you (and me) less us than we are supposed to be.
The fear of Hell won't make you love with any love worth sharing. The heart-knowledge that, on that day, we got a fresh start that will never be undone, that will change the world. Feels a bit odd writing about this on Pentecost Sunday, but really, the Holy Spirit pours the love into our hearts, by which we know and see that we are loved.
There is no more waiting, no more "How long, O Lord?," in a certain sense, because God answered our cries in Christ. I used to think the saints were crazy. Yes, they are the saints, and it wasn't in any impious way, but I wondered how they could suffer so much, and have so much joy. A ton of them have asked God to suffer. Once you know at the deepest level of yourself that God is your Father, there isn't anything that can take your joy. They became witnesses of the Lord in suffering, precisely because the Light of the world is greater than any darkness.
My friend Johnny sang it this way: "'cause tonight's the night the world begins again." God's love and mercy makes today always the time to begin again.
Holy Spirit, pour into our hearts the love that will change the world. Remind us that we are children of the Father, who will never be orphaned. Speak it deep in our hearts, deeper than any fear or temptation will ever reach. We ask this through Christ, Amen.
I realized the other day that we should not forget the Incarnation. He would be Priest and Victim at Calvary, but his willingness to do it was plain when he became one of us. God isn't some ogre in the sky, waiting to smack you with a clipboard; he came to take away your guilt, your shame, all of the things that make you (and me) less us than we are supposed to be.
The fear of Hell won't make you love with any love worth sharing. The heart-knowledge that, on that day, we got a fresh start that will never be undone, that will change the world. Feels a bit odd writing about this on Pentecost Sunday, but really, the Holy Spirit pours the love into our hearts, by which we know and see that we are loved.
There is no more waiting, no more "How long, O Lord?," in a certain sense, because God answered our cries in Christ. I used to think the saints were crazy. Yes, they are the saints, and it wasn't in any impious way, but I wondered how they could suffer so much, and have so much joy. A ton of them have asked God to suffer. Once you know at the deepest level of yourself that God is your Father, there isn't anything that can take your joy. They became witnesses of the Lord in suffering, precisely because the Light of the world is greater than any darkness.
My friend Johnny sang it this way: "'cause tonight's the night the world begins again." God's love and mercy makes today always the time to begin again.
Holy Spirit, pour into our hearts the love that will change the world. Remind us that we are children of the Father, who will never be orphaned. Speak it deep in our hearts, deeper than any fear or temptation will ever reach. We ask this through Christ, Amen.
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