Where would we be without others to show us the way? Every one of us came to the faith having first been introduced to belief by someone else–a parent, a teacher, a friend, very rarely a stranger. Each of us has also grown in our faith by reason of the examples of others. We must each grow into salvation (1 Pet. 2.2).
In our gospel lesson for this coming Sunday (John 14.15-21) Jesus tells His disciples that they will keep His commandments if they love Him. Note the collective pronoun “you”. We come to faith, we grow into salvation, and we express our faith in and love for God together. My faith is never complete if it is wholly personal, if I seek to pick and choose what it is in the life of faith and the life of the Church that fits into my life at any given moment. My faith becomes more complete because Jesus asks the Father, and the Father sends us the Spirit, but note that the Spirit is sent to us (collective “you,” John 14.16). So, let us live in the Spirit as one Body. How do we do this? We do this by each acting as a member of one Body; by knowing that as a member of this Body we are each called to lead others in the way of salvation. This means that I am fooling myself cruelly if I ever think of faith and the life of the Church in terms of “What’s in it for me?” It means that I have to focus not just on what God calls me to do in worshipping Him, but what He calls me to do in serving others and in recognizing that they are a part of me, and I of them.
In sports people speak of “team spirit”. In faith we have the one true Spirit, but the corollary is that we are a team. Let’s never forget that we build up the Body of Christ when we serve each other, when we recognize that every one of us is called to some ministry, and that the people to whom we minister will be people whose ministry we will one day need. Where would we be without others to show us the way? Where will they be, if we do not show them the way?
New to the prayer list: We pray for all who have suffered loss from tornadoes and flooding, and for all those who work to bring them aid and comfort.
Mass in the Grass will be next Sunday, 5 June, at the Pryor residence, 626 Hwy. 47N. If you can help with set-up and supplies, please contact the parish office to get Mary Ann’s cell phone number. There will be no Pentecost luncheon on 12 June. Given the late date of Easter this year, MiTG will serve as our seasonal opporunity for a parish luncheon.
Thanksgivings: Thanksgivings are offered to Katie Chandler for all her work to support and revise the parish website, and to enhance the communications of the parish through electronic media.
Music this week: Psalm 66.7-18, A Hymn Tune Psalter
Pro. 398, I sing the almighty power of God
Seq. 439, What wondrous love is this
Off. Anthem: If ye Love Me, Keep my Commandments (Thos. Tallis)
Rec. 488, Be thou my vision
Com. 324, 325
