Weekly Liturgy : June 9-15
- Simon
- Jun 9
- 2 min read
Updated: Jul 10
John 16 : 12-15
“I still have many things to tell you, but you can’t handle them now. But when the Friend comes, the Spirit of the Truth, she will take you by the hand and guide you into all the truth there is. She won’t draw attention to herself, but will make sense out of what is about to happen and, indeed, out of all that I have done and said. She will honor me; she will take from me and deliver it to you. Everything the Father has is also mine. That is why I’ve said, ‘She takes from me and delivers to you.’
REFLECTIONS
Thoughts from Simon:
In the Christian world this coming Sunday is a special day to celebrate the Holy Trinity – God as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Describing God as Trinity has been a deeply held belief for Christians since ancient times.
As I have gotten older, and especially since my time with Church @ the Park, I have come to understand that what is most important in life is not correct thinking, but instead right living. Put another way, attempting to find the right words to describe God is a lot less life-giving than trying to practice the ways of living that God has revealed though Jesus: Loving each other, non-violence, non-judgement, seeing that everyone is beloved and belongs.
I can so easily get tied up and angry about what I or other people should think, and I have, in the past, spent a lot of time trying to persuade other people what they should believe. In the grand scheme of things, I’m not sure this is very helpful.
Now, I believe that spending my time trying to actually be the kind of person that Jesus showed is the way of life and joy. Perhaps that is true for you as well.
PRACTICE:
Outward Mindset Application
Next time you find yourself in an argument with someone, take a breath and ask yourself what you are trying to achieve through the conversation.
Non-Violent Communication Question of the Week
What is more important to you, trying to convince someone that your ideas are right or to be curious and learn more about another person’s perspective?
Pathways toward Centeredness
When you find yourself in an argument or stressful situation, try to practice the 3 deep breaths technique.
Questions for Reflection
Who or what is the Spirit of God, the Friend, to you? What does the Spirit do or give; how does She show up?
“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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