Weekly Liturgy : May 12-18
- Simon
- May 12
- 3 min read
Updated: May 22
John 13:31-35
NRSV Version
When he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him. If God has been glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself and will glorify him at once. Little children, I am with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and as I said to the Jews so now I say to you, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come.’ I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
REFLECTIONS
Thoughts from Simon:
The context of this week’s scripture reading is the Last Supper; the final meal Jesus shared with his closest friends before he was arrested and lynched. Just prior to Jesus opening his mouth to speak, Judas, a key member of his inner circle leaves the room and is on his way to betray his friend and rabbi to the religious authorities at the Temple.
In this crucible of crisis, grief, loss and pain Jesus tells, no, commands his people that no matter what happens they are to love each other.
Christians believe that Jesus is the earthly image of the invisible God of the universe. Meaning, Jesus shows the world who God really is, and what it means to be truly human.
Time and again, when faced with rejection, cynicism, persecution, even violent hostility Jesus reacts in love, forgiveness and non-judgement. He shows that neither the violent and vengeful gods of Rome, nor the god of the Temple, demanding never-ending blood sacrifice, are the true face of the Father, Abba, the loving Parent and Creator of us all. Jesus teaches even today that the gods of greed, fear, judgement, and the dehumanizing grind created by an out-of-control money culture and nationalism are not the true God either.
Jesus shows us that God is pure love. He helps us see that the universe and we ourselves are created out of and for love. Jesus commands us, in the strongest terms he can, that to participate in the life of God and to discover our true humanity we must love, no exceptions.
PRACTICE:
Outward Mindset Application
How do you see and experience the people around you asking to be loved? Are there ways in which you can love, for example, by being present to someone, or by listening, or honoring or encouraging another person?
Non-Violent Communication Question of the Week
When someone is angry or upset or frustrated with you or at you, are they criticizing you personally or are they expressing an unmet need for love and connection? Perhaps you could reflect on an interaction where that happened and think about the real need underneath the anger.
Pathways toward Centeredness
What are the ways that you need to be loved? How do you find those things in your life?
Questions for Reflection
Why does Jesus command us to love one another? What might that say about who God really is?
“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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