Reflection for Sunday, Dec. 27
Reading: Colossians 3:12-17
Brothers and sisters:
Put on, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved,
heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience,
bearing with one another and forgiving one another,
if one has a grievance against another;
as the Lord has forgiven you, so must you also do.
And over all these put on love,
that is, the bond of perfection.
And let the peace of Christ control your hearts,
the peace into which you were also called in one body.
And be thankful.
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly,
as in all wisdom you teach and admonish one another,
singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs
with gratitude in your hearts to God.
And whatever you do, in word or in deed,
do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus,
giving thanks to God the Father through him.
As I read through today's selections, I found it difficult to ignore the dividing forces in our country, our world, and many of our homes. Deep into the most trying circumstances of our lifetimes, we struggle to repair the brokenness that has become commonplace. My pragmatic self reads the Bible as parts historical text, spiritual text, repair manual, and GPS, and today's reading fits the last two of these, a guide on how to act, but more importantly, how to Be.
Families today are fractured by disease, poverty, hunger, politics, religion, and so many other forces, and yet today's reading from Colossians assures us that Grace, as my wonderful father-in-law used to say, "is all around waiting to be grabbed." God makes it all sound so easy. If we are compassionate, kind, humble, gentle, patient, forgiving, and loving, all the rest will be easy, right? Well, maybe not; we also need to set things right with those we have wronged. We also need to join together with prayer, song, and most of all by listening to one another. The road in front of us is a long one with many twists and turns and potholes, and along the way, we will struggle to stay on it at all, but God provides us with a roadmap (GPS coordinates?) so that together we will reach our destination and create that bond of Perfection.
Dave and Maureen Kenna