Today’s Reflection
Genuinely compassionate action for enemies, even those who harm us, grows as we imagine ourselves sharing in Jesus’s experience of offering compassion even as he suffered. We experience what Jesus experiences. The Christian spiritual traditions describe this as becoming the image of Christ or entering into union with God. Although many people have thought of “union with God” as disengaging from life in the world, Christian compassion practices show the opposite: The deeper the union with God, the more deeply we engage life in the world, offering compassion even to those we experience as enemies. Through that compassion, enemies become reconciled, “in peace” with one another.
—Andrew Dreitcer, Living Compassion: Loving Like Jesus (Upper Room Books, 2017)
Today’s Question
In what situations could Christian compassion guide you toward peace with others?
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Today’s Scripture
[Jesus said,] “I say to you that listen, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.”
—Luke 6:27-28 (NRSV)
Prayer for the Week
God, give us compassion and humility in our hearts. Let us be kind, gentle, generous, loving, giving, and forgiving wherever we may go. Amen.
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Lectionary Readings
(Courtesy of Vanderbilt Divinity Library)
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My caregiving of h. My interactions with my mother.
Both have abused me. Neither has ever apologized or even acknowledged that there is a reason for them to.
Restoration of relations with my son. We’re making progress, not there yet, but both therapy and medication are at work.
Christian compassion as our guide – this will never have a poor outcome.
I’m pretty fortunate to not be able to think of someone I am not at peace with. Maybe this speaks to my small circle. It also speaks to God’s grace in my life. It also is in part due to the transformation He has made in my heart. A few years back – my sister would have come to mind. I never imagined we would be able to get to where we are now…God changed me.
Got out for a bit of a very casual walk this morning. The rest of the day, thus far, has been on the couch – much like yesterday – Ryder Cup, ice machine…today I added in schoolwork.
Heading off to my friends for dinner and some time going through a few chapters of the book we are reading. Watching some college football will surely be part of it too.
A busy day tomorrow. Grateful for yesterday and today – and the low keyness of it all.
I got a text with some videos from the cruise. My dad was line dancing, my nephew was out there with him in the crowd.
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