Thursday June 6, 2013

Today’s text

Luke 7:12-15

Now when he was near the gate of the town there was a dead man being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. And a considerable number of the townspeople were with her. When the Lord saw her he felt sorry for her and said to her, 'Don't cry.' Then he went up and touched the bier and the bearers stood still, and he said, 'Young man, I tell you: get up.' And the dead man sat up and began to talk, and Jesus gave him to his mother. 

Reflection

I am here in this basement room, a safe place away to listen and hear, to see life with clarity and compassion, myself, too.

And doing this, I enter into the way of Jesus, the path of Spirit, a way of seeing life and death, struggle and joy and being moved to compassion for my life, the lives of others and the needs of the world.

This is the way of Jesus.

He comes to town with his friends and meets a parade of death on the way to the cemetery. He comes and sees, and seeing he is moved to stop the death march right there, moved with compassion to give life.

I hardly do this in this quiet room where gentle music plays. Or in my small way, is more happening that I imagine?

Sitting here, seeing myself and the hearts of others, I get ready for the day, preparing to walk the path of Spirit, the way of Jesus once more.

And even here I am seen and known by the One who sees us all and is moved with compassion on all that is in and around us that kills our souls and weighs us beneath burdens of sadness.

Don’t cry, he says to us. I see. I see and I love … you. I see, and I give you life and always will.

I see and tell you to get up and live in a world where I am and I love.

Once more, the Voice he is invites me to live and enter his way, to see and be moved, to see and act with care, knowing that I, too--we, too--are here to stop the parade of death and sadness, to give life and joy--no, to be life and to be joy.

But it all starts with the One who sees … each of us … and says, do not weep, do not fear. You are seen and known, never forgotten and always treasured.

So, get up … and live.

Pr. David L. Miller

Today’s text

Luke 7:12-15

Now when he was near the gate of the town there was a dead man being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. And a considerable number of the townspeople were with her. When the Lord saw her he felt sorry for her and said to her, 'Don't cry.' Then he went up and touched the bier and the bearers stood still, and he said, 'Young man, I tell you: get up.' And the dead man sat up and began to talk, and Jesus gave him to his mother. 

Reflection

Jesus gave her life back to her. He gave the son’s life back to him, too. Jesus gives life.

The message is clear enough, and we lose it when we focus too heavily on the miracle, asking questions for which we have no answers: Was the man really dead? Did Jesus really raise him? If so, how?

And … can I believe in a miracle like this?

Focus all your energy there and you miss the message. You spend all your time fixating on the wondrous elements of the story that you fail to hear Jesus words, spoken directly to your heart and mind.

"Don’t cry," is the first word. There are many kinds of tears: tears of joy, tears that flow when we feel deeply from the core of who we are, and tears of sorrow, of course.

The mother’s tears are from obvious sorrow. She has lost her son, and more: She has lost her only means of support in this ancient society. She has no husband, no son and certainly her society had no social security, no insurance, no pension system, no food stamps or Medicaid to care for her.

Losing her son, she was destitute and had plenty to cry about. But don’t, Jesus tells her. I am here, and I am for you. What I am you soon shall see, for I am life and where I am life, well, lives, flows, flourishes and breathes joy and peace.

So, don’t cry, just know this.

And the second word: “Young man, I tell you: get up."

Just get up. The power to do so is in you. You deny it; you doubt it, but the love and grace I am awakens it in you. Know me. Hear me. And get up.

Get up and live. That is what I want for you … and from you. I want you to live letting loose of the fullness the Loving Creator planted in you to beautify and grace his world.

I do not want you to live a half-way, colorless existence, but a life filled with the energy and confidence of one who knows there are great gifts in your mind and soul to be enjoyed, celebrated and shared.

So get up and be what you are, what the Loving Mystery has made you, no more cutting and curbing your words and actions to fit the expectations and boxes in which you and others enclose youself.

This yields sadness and dissatisfaction and dishonors the One whose breath animates your body and soul.

So get up. Get up and live. Make no apologies for who you are. Throw your heart into the day and give yourself to every moment. Get up and live.

Pr. David L. Miller