St. Paul, in today's first reading, 1 Timothy 3: 14-16, speaks about the Church as"the household of God", the "pillar and foundation of truth," the "Church of the living God." God is alive, active, caring, loving. God is parenting, mothering, fathering. God is actively disciplining us as his daughter/son. God is guiding us, celebrating us, comforting us, coaching us, counseling us! As members of the Church we are members of God's household where truth reigns, justice abides, grace abounds. We are members of a household where love grows, peace abounds, good thrives, differences are accepted, talent is given an environment where it is developed and expanded. In God's household, each person is cherished, loved, understood, lifted up, challenged, made strong in weaknesses, led to his/her truth, taught to cope with difficulties and confront that which is evil and unwelcome! No one in God's family is left to be bullied, abused or shamed--bullying, shaming, abusing of one another is brought to a halt and replaced with that which accepts another as a work of art in process, as one on the way to the eternal Kingdom, as one dear to God and possessed by God, the Potter molding the clay, strengthening the person as a vessel of grace, and making one a manifestation of God's image here on earth!
We are members of the household of God, a spiritual palace, where the work of God may remain invisible to some but not to others, a place where each person is listened to, where each person's needs are met and the Spirit reigns supreme!
What a gift, Lord, Thank you for making a place for each of us in Your Kingdom here on earth, the Church, your household, your family and being our Shepherd here on earth until we come to our place in your eternal Kingdom!
No comments:
Post a Comment