Come, Labor On

From the historic bronze doors at Los Angeles City Hall.

Photo by Levi Meir Clancy on Unsplash

Sent Forth in Peace

“Peace be unto you” – John 20:19b

Here is how it transpired:

John 20:19, 21 "Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you…. Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you."

This happened when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews. When it was quiet and dark, Jesus came and stood in the midst. His words were those of calm, comfort, and commission, “Peace be unto you," and “as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.”

We have been sent as Jesus was sent into the world to lift others.

Who can I lift today
From dregs or rags or rubble?

"Who will lift me?" replies the bit of me within me
Whose focus, inverted and cross-eyed causes me to
Stumble over unexpected opportunities.

"Refocus!" Shouts the me within me that can see,
Refocus and move forward and ask again the first question.

Who can I lift today and in the lifting, lift myself.
Who can I encourage?
Who can I bless?
Who can I walk alongside and with that one,
Share a burden?

Who can I love?
To whom can I give myself?
Who will be my brother or sister,
Or lifelong friend,
Whom I have never met?
Who will you bring along my path today, Oh Lord,
By divine appointment to change my life
As I give myself away?

I stand before you on tiptoe, Oh Lord,
With childlike anticipation and wonder,
Waiting for the moment and the person
That you will bring along my way
To lift today.

 

Alive in Christ

John 20:4 - "But when the morning was now come, Jesus stood on the shore: but the disciples knew not that it was Jesus."

When the morning was now come, and it was early, Jesus stood on the shore to make himself known, alive and life-giving.

But the disciples knew not that it was Jesus. Yet, they were about to find out and life was about to take on its next level of meaning.

Those are the three movements of this scene in the act of the post resurrection drama. The disciples are out in the boat and Jesus is on the shore. Miracles were about the happen, but none more important than the reaffirmation that he was, indeed, alive and that because of his life, they were more fully alive than ever.

Even more so, the legacy of personal failure was about to be turned into a legacy of purposeful life as Peter was, himself, reaffirmed in his life mission to take care of Jesus’ Sheep.

What does it mean to be alive?

Asked to summarize a life,
I hesitated,
Overwhelmed by complexity,
Ambiguity,
Perpetuity,
Jaded acuity.
Then proceeding,
Declared
Beloved,
Significant,
Unique,
Necessary for me
To be me and
You to be you and
Us to be we and we to be
Us.
Respect.
Honor,
Loss.
Gratitude.
Life-gift.

To serve.