Monday May 14, 2007

Today’s text

1 John 4:17-18

“We love because God first loved us. Those who say, ‘I love God,’ and hate their brothers and sisters, are liars; for those who do not love a brother or sister whom they have seen, cannot love God whom they have not see. The commandment we have from him is this those who love God must love their brothers and sisters.”

Prayer

I do not want my life to be a lie, Holy One. For you are truth, and more than anything I want to dwell in you, my heart living in face-to-face unity with your divine heart so that there will be nothing false in me.

There is, of course, for I am not pure of heart; my eye is not singular, given to you alone. Unjust anger, snap judgments and rejection of others come far too easily to my mind and well before I truly listen and know the truth of others lives and hearts. I value others for what they can give me, not as you love them, a flowing fountain of compassion whose reach knows no limit.

This is how you love each of us and me. You forgive my divided heart and the hard words that live in me, spoken or not, awakening again the desire of heart that never left, that was always there: to love as you love, to embrace all reality and every face with compassion that flows also in me when I know myself in you.

This is your will, the holy work you never abandon. Thank you.

Show me what is to love and not just in word or thought. Teach me how to love each face I meet. Give me a seeking heart that seeks this alone from you its only source. Amen.

Pr. David L. Miller