Readings:
Ephesians 1: 11-23 and Luke 6: 20-31 (The Beatitudes)
From the letter to the Ephesians:
I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ,
the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation as you come
to know him, so that, with the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may know
what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his
glorious inheritance among the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness
of his power for us who believe, according to the working of his great power.
Meditative Reflection:
We
pray for the spirit of wisdom and of revelation:
·
The justice of
the reign of God will come for the poor – may God’s mercy rest on us.
·
Abundance will
come to those who are hungry – may God’s mercy rest on us.
·
Joy will come in
the morning after a night of weeping – may God’s mercy rest on us.
When,
O Holy One, when? How long must we wait?
Our forebears hoped, and we hope. We
hope for the end of hatred and of oppression: no striking others; no taking
another’s possessions; no possessing many things without sharing what we have
been given by you.
But
you made us free: free, not only to
hope, but to choose—and then to live into our choices. Have we chosen to live with compassion? Is that the hope to which you call us?
No
matter what the oppression, are you calling us to live freely? Without concern for the outcome? For you have promised a glorious
inheritance. Is this the outcome?
How
does your great power work, your immeasurably great power? Have our forebears suffered? Have our forebears oppressed others? Is what we experience a sign your economy, Holy
One? Or is there more than we
understand?
How
can we show compassion, when our nature seeks to control? You created us, you have sustained us, and
you love us—as you did our forbears.
Have us seek to care for others as you care for them—and for us. Help us to love, to give, and then leave
judgment to you. May we share with
others out of our riches. May we offer
to others out of our abundance. May we allow others to enter into our joy.
Enlighten
the eyes of our hearts, Holy One, as you did our forebears, your saints, to see
the needs around us—to listen for your whispered word—to discern your holy
will. Lead us, guide us, sustain us as
we seek to follow even your most difficult command to love our enemies and do
good to those who hate us.
We
long today—and every day—to share in your glorious inheritance among the
saints. By your grace, through our
faith, make us worthy to stand before you at the hour of our death and to live throughout
eternal life in your glory.
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