By Scott Murphy
My friends, if anyone is detected in a transgression, you who have received the Spirit should restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness. Take care that you yourselves are not tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.
[Sermon and Class Helps: Year C New Testament (with focus on the Letters), Herald Publishing House, 2024, p. 19]
When we are willing to make our love and faith known, we make it possible for others to experience the hope that can fill their lives with joy. The blessings of a community formed in Christ-like love can be the stimulus of hope coming alive in another. When hope is alive, it opens a pathway for us to receive and share love.
In 1 Thessalonians 3:9–13 Paul expresses his love and joy for the community; he shares a moment of blessing with it. Paul’s prayer reminds people that the strength they can experience increases as they grow in love for one another and all, just as they experienced Paul’s love for them. In his prayer, Paul invites them to widen the circle and to see the Worth of All Persons. But as his prayer continues, he calls them to remember that Jesus strengthens their hearts as they continue to live faithfully with an attitude of holiness and prepare for Christ’s coming.
Their growth in communal love reflects their preparation for Christ’s coming. Paul’s prayer for the community does not counsel it to sit and wait for Christ’s coming; his prayer encourages people to keep living, loving, and caring for all. In this act of living and loving, discipleship will deepen.
Paul’s focus is not on what Christ has done, but on what Christ has been doing and Christ’s role in the future. This is what we are invited to ponder. To hope is to live purposefully, knowing God’s love so we can love one another as living expressions of life as disciples.
Prayer Phrase
“We love because God first loved us” (1 John 4:19).
Spiritual Practice
Sea of Light
Quiet and center yourself. Ask for God’s healing and guidance as you enter this time of prayerful presence. Close your eyes, breathing deeply and calmly. Imagine you are floating in a beautiful sea of light that rises and falls with each cycle of your breath. The golden light of this sea buoys you up, so you float effortlessly. Waves of light carry and wash over you, bringing wholeness and peace. Rest in the sea of God’s love; then offer a prayer of gratitude.
Today’s Prayer for Peace
Engage in a daily practice of praying for peace in our world. Click here to read today’s prayer and be part of this practice of peace.