Weekly Liturgy : June 2-8
- John
- Jun 2
- 4 min read

John 14 : 8-17, 25-27
NRSV Translation
Philip said to him, "Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied."
Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still do not know me? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own, but the Father who dwells in me does his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, but if you do not, then believe because of the works themselves. Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father. I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If in my name you ask me for anything, I will do it.
"If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever. This is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him because he abides with you, and he will be in you.
"I have said these things to you while I am still with you. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything and remind you of all that I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid.”
REFLECTIONS
Thoughts from John:
“This week, we celebrate Pentecost.
I didn’t grow up in a tradition that remembered Pentecost well, or had very much language to talk about the Holy Spirit. So it takes work for me to remember the significance of the moment we humans received our “Advocate.” Here are four lessons out of this week’s text that are helping me do the work of remembering:
We know who God is and what God is like by looking at the way Jesus loved others.
The difference between God’s peace and our peace, is that we humans always leave someone out of God’s family. We like to accuse each other of not being enough.
God sends us the Holy Spirit, the Advocate and Defender of the accused, so that all our divisions are healed and we become one family in Christ.
The process of becoming one family looks like following the commands of Jesus, the only ones we need: Love God, and love others as God has loved us.
PRACTICE:
Outward Mindset Application
The Spirit of Truth dwells in all of us.
The next time you’re tempted to determine who is right and who is wrong, interrupt your thinking with the question: what if we’re both right? Or, could it be that I’m not the only one who is speaking truth?
Non-Violent Communication Question of the Week
Sometimes our conflicts arise when two or more of us are using contrasting metaphors to describe the same thing, or the same reality. What are some super-specific and hyper-objective words you can add to your vocabulary to help minimize conflicts of opinion?
Pathways toward Centeredness
Contemplation (drawing near to God in silence and solitude):
Find 10 minutes to practice Centering Prayer each day this week:
Light a candle to represent the presence of God with you. Focus your mind on one word that describes God to you. Spend your 10 minutes of silence meditating on this one word. If you notice your mind start to wander, don’t worry. It is just another occasion to return your loving attention toward God.
Questions for Reflection
What are the moments in which you feel most connected to a God of peace and love?
What are the moments in which you feel most connected to a community of peace and love?
“Liturgy” refers to the habits and practices humans use to form community around shared values and meaning. At Church at the Park, we desire to be a community of practice, becoming people who see the world through the eyes of the marginalized, making meaning through the lens of pain and suffering, and committing ourselves to non-violence in a wounded world. This weekly email is intended to provide pathways of practice for becoming the type of people who embody these values.
Many of our reflections on each week's text come from other sources. If you're interested in reading more of what inspires us, here our our two favorite reflections.

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