"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and all your soul and all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like this: Love your neighbor as yourself." Matthew 22:37-40
I have been blessed to be in the Diocese of Hawaii for their annual convention. Over and over I have heard the stories of people who work tirelessly in the care of their community - from children and elderly to the homeless and infirmed. Young and old alike told of how God transformed their lives as they were reaching out to others. How love flooded in, just as love and care was flowing out. For all of us who are worrying about the future of our Church or the future of our finances, I was clearly reminded this week that the only thing I really need to worry about is how well I love. How I love God and how I love my neighbors are really the greatest worries I want to have. God promises to supply all this other needs if I will but act in love.
So here is a prayer for all of us, striving in these challenging times to be faithful and true.
Blessed Creator,
in the beginning you brooded over creation,
hovering over water and earth,
forming majestic life
with your tender hands.
Your love breathed into the world and animated us all,
and your love continues to bring light and life to us all.
Help us today to be grateful and help us today to share.
Strengthen us for love's work, the reaching out to every one
the sharing what we have with all, the singing of your love
in the desolate and painful places.
You ask us to love, and we often fail,
but your love and forgiveness are as constant as the sunrise.
May we rejoice in your constancy and strive to shine
with your love.
Stretch us, as we journey forth, with bigger hearts for love,
more strength for service, and voices ever willing to sing love to strangers.
May your love be so visible in our lives today, that people we encounter
will give thanks to you for love made visible.
We ask this all in the name of him who is love incarnate, Jesus Christ,
Amen.
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