Again, he said to them, ‘I am going away, and you will search for me, but you will die in your sin. Where I am going, you cannot come.’ Then the Jews said, ‘Is he going to kill himself? Is that what he means by saying, “Where I am going, you cannot come”?’ He said to them, ‘You are from below, I am from above; you are of this world, I am not of this world. I told you that you would die in your sins, for you will die in your sins unless you believe that I am he.’ They said to him, ‘Who are you?’ Jesus said to them, ‘Why do I speak to you at all? I have much to say about you and much to condemn; but the one who sent me is true, and I declare to the world what I have heard from him.’ They did not understand that he was speaking to them about the Father. So Jesus said, ‘When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will realize that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own, but I speak these things as the Father instructed me. And the one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what is pleasing to him.’ As he was saying these things, many believed in him. Then Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, ‘If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.’ John 8:21-32
Today we celebrate Labor Day in the US. We honor the work of laborers and honor their contributions to our country and communities. Many people see this day as one last summer splurge, one last party before the fall sets in. And into that confusing understanding of this day, Jesus reminds his disciples and us that we will know the truth and it will set us free. Today we honor laborers and yet many in our history have been bound and enslaved. Many governors and bishops took away our native clothing, languages and practices and we were not free to live as who we are. We are invited today to understand that being disciples and knowing truth, means being free to serve others and set them free as well.
Loving Creator, you created us all to be free
and though people have enslaved each other
that was never your design or your desire
you want that all should live freely at home.
We have looked on others as less than us
we have stripped the other of all freedoms
entombing ourselves in ignorance and despair
finding that truth and love are far from us.
Help us to draw close to you this day and always
so we might know the truth and be set free
set free to bring our service, healing and freedom
to a world hurting, aching for your truth and love. Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment