Category: Joy

Do Not Be Afraid…

“But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid; for see-I am bringing you news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord.” [1]

“Do not be afraid,’ the angel said.   

You chose to make your lot with us, though we had nothing to offer you. 
You chose to come and live amongst us despite our turning against you.
You chose to live not as a ruler on our terms but as a shepherd and servant.
And you did these things so that nothing would ever be the same.

 So even though tyrants hold sway and violence appears to have the final word:
You, in your humility,
You, in your Majesty,
You, as Lord of All Creation, can categorically say:
“Fear Not, for I am with you.  Fear Not,  for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my victorious right hand.”  [2]

Prayer: Holy One, convinced that darkness will be the definitive word in these days and those to come, even the thought of the New Year profoundly troubles me.   I am perplexed and sorely afraid, not just for myself but for the most vulnerable: for the children caught in warzones, for those in the grips of poverty and hunger, and for the many facing deportation.   I fear the loss of liberties we had taken for granted.  I lament the loss of creatures and a planet we cannot live without.    Yet still you say, “Do Not Be Afraid.”   So, in your Righteous and Mighty Name, let me not cower, let me not waver, let me not forget that You and You alone are the Lord of All Creation.  Amen.

[1] Luke 2:10-11

[2] Isaiah 41: 10

Love’s Endeavor

“The endeavor to genuinely love engages all our emotions.” [1]

Imagine if love’s goodness includes facing the obstacle that challenges us?     Which, of course, seems counterintuitive.  If love is genuine, it should be experienced as uplifting, inspiring, or consoling, right?  Any indication otherwise refutes it as satisfying the auspices of love.

Yet what if authentic love insists on not being limited?    What if love means engaging ALL of our emotions?    Those we gravitate to, such as a sense of belonging, intimacy, trustfulness, and tenderness, and those we do our utmost to avoid: raw, fierce,  deeply honest, and fearful emotions.

Loving this way makes a “…personal, spiritual, ethical, and moral demand on us.” [1]  An insistent love, yes, but a wholly inclusive one.  A love not separated from the truth but bound up in it.  A love that is inconvenient and even hurtful at times.   But a love that also moves us beyond sentiment and into the realm of trustful connections, authentic living, and even joy.

Prayer: On this St. Valentine’s Day, Limitless One, we give thanks that your summons to love authentically is not in opposition to living joyfully.  Instead, in your fierceness and fullness, you seek to complete us, humankind, and all Creation.  May we, as your children, incarnate your love, a love not separated from the truth but bound up in it.  We ask this in all the holy names of God. Amen.

  [1]  Rev. Dr. Jacqui Lewis, an author and activist, Rev. Lewis is the Senior Minister for Public Theology and Transformation at Middle Church in NYC