Good morning.
Something a bit different today: many of you understand that the building is “temporarily closed” to all groups due to a sprinkler system malfunction. Just an update: we are scheduled to be fixed up tomorrow afternoon, and will be set for church on Sunday, and to host the Glory of God prayer meeting on Sunday evening. Please keep this need in your prayers, as you think about it.
Elizabeth Curry is looking for volunteers for the sunflower garden and asks if you are interested, please call her at 508-283-0549.
Recently, I’ve re-watched a monologue movie titled, “The Most Reluctant Convert.” Originally, a one man stage play written by and starring Max McLean, it chronicles C.S. Lewis’s journey from hard-boiled atheist to the most reluctant convert in all of England. And, what moved Lewis was the death of his mother (as a child), after which he lived with a traumatized father in an environment lacking love. However, the bond with his college friends, who lovingly presented reasonable arguments for Christ, worked in his mind and heart. Later, Lewis described an experience with the Spirit! Clearly, the love of his friends was compelling in his life.
In fact, we can go right back to the beginning of Scripture and see how the lack of love for a brother, sister or friend works in such destructive ways, whether in thought or in action. In his first letter, the great Apostle of love, John, does just that. He gave an example of what “lovelessness” looks like:
This is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another. Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own actions were evil and his brother’s were righteous. Do not be surprised, my brothers, if the world hates you. We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers. Anyone who does not love remains in death. Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life in him (1 Jn. 3:11-15).
St. Anselm wrote, “Give us love, sweetest of all gifts, which knows no enemy. Give us in our hearts pure love, born of your love to us, that we may love others as you love us.”
Oh most loving Father of Jesus Christ, from whom all love flows, warm our hearts, frozen in sin and cold to you and others, with this divine fire. Help and bless us in your Son. Amen.
Be blessed and be a blessing!
Seth
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