Tuesday, March 27

A United Kingdom

Narrative Lectionary Daily Devotions written by Kace Leetch from Clergy Stuff.

Jesus was entering a turbulent time in his ministry. He was soon headed for the cross, which would include a violent rending of the community. Some would love Jesus to the end; others would despise him unto death. Families, communities, and political allies would be torn apart as Jesus' work culminated in this moment.

But a rending of the community was not what Jesus wanted. He wanted for his death to mean more -- to be the bridge that could unite families and communities under one God, one love. Jesus had to work his way through brokenness before he could hope to achieve unity. His life, offered freely in love, would be the catalyst for social change, global unification, and spiritual transformation. 

Today we are still rent. Our families, communities, and political allies are still divided. We live in a world where Jesus' vision for humanity has not yet been fully realized. At the same time, we have been given the tools and the model for living and working toward unification of humanity. Because of Jesus' sacrifice, this world has been transformed already into a place where hope, love, and meaning thrive. Even while we wait for his transformation of the world to be complete, we can work every day to bring this world closer to it. 

Tiny thing... the other day I went to eat in a brand new restaurant. A server brought us our drinks, and although I speak virtually no Spanish, I told her, "gracias." Her face lit up with a huge smile that made the whole table smile. A bit later she returned and asked me in Spanish if I spoke Spanish. I replied "un poquito," which means, "I took French, not Spanish, but I hope 'poquito' is something close to 'a little'." She responded that she speaks "poquito" English, and we shared a tender human moment of vulnerability and connection.

I have started to dabble in learning some Spanish for this very reason... I can only imagine how isolating it must feel for her to be living and working in a country that speaks a language she doesn't understand, and that doesn't speak hers. If I could learn even enough to have conversations with the people I encounter (more often than I'm probably even aware), that might just move my corner of the world a tiny bit closer to the unification of humanity Jesus desired for us. So...

Yo soy una mujer. Mi nombre es Kimberly. Estoy aprendiendo espanol. Amo al pueblo de Dios.

Narrative Lectionary Text: John 17:20-26

”I ask not only on behalf of these, but also on behalf of those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one. As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. The glory that you have given me I have given them, so that they may be one, as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become completely one, so that the world may know that you have sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.

"Father, I desire that those also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory, which you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world. 

“Righteous Father, the world does not know you, but I know you; and these know that you have sent me. I made your name known to them, and I will make it known, so that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.”