Weekly Liturgy : May 4-10
- John
- May 4
- 3 min read
John 14:15-21
NIV Translation
“If you love me, keep my commands. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will bein you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.”
REFLECTION
from John
Sometimes I fall into the trap of thinking that being a Christian means behaving in ways that keep me on God’s “good side.” Sometimes this very text has caused me to think that God’s way of relating to me is primarily through a system of rewards and punishments based on how well I am “keeping his commandments.”
But I have to remember that this text comes in the context of the Last Supper. Jesus’ disciples are anxious, trying to imagine the possibility of a life without their friend and leader. Jesus words are supposed to be comfort. Not threat.
So what else could Jesus mean here?
It helps me to think of the way I relate to my own friends, and siblings, and parents, and partner; the way love operates between us, pulling us into deeper awareness and understanding of one another. When I love these people in my life, I want to behave in ways that are kind to them and serve them and honor them. Not for reward, but for the goodness of what exists between us, for the mutual joy we experience in our shared relationship. Our “one-ness.” A one-ness that persists even when we aren’t in physical space with each other.
The idea that this is what God wants to experience with me is a comfort.
May it be so. For all of us.
PRACTICE:
Outward Mindset Application
Before completing a task, pause and ask: how might my action cause someone to feel?
For example, before pressing send on an email, reread what you’ve written and imagine how your recipient will feel as they read it.
Non-Violent Communication Question of the Week
This week, try to slow the pace of your speech by 10%. What do you notice about your interactions as you do this?
Pathway Toward Center
Activism (Loving God by seeking change on behalf of the powerless):
The primary election season is near. One of the best ways to participate in community and influence change is by voting. Spend some time this week getting to know your local candidates and issues.
Questions for Reflection
How do you understand Jesus’ words: “If you love me, keep my commandments”? Is this threatening language? Inviting language? Comforting language?
“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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