Ordinary Time

Pause

I give you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, so you also must love each other.

John 13:34

Listen

Tell the nations, “The Lord rules! Yes, he set the world firmly in place; it won’t be shaken. He will judge all people fairly.” Let heaven celebrate! Let the earth rejoice! Let the sea and everything in it roar! Let the countryside and everything in it celebrate! Then all the trees of the forest too will shout out joyfully before the Lord because he is coming! He is coming to establish justice on the earth! He will establish justice in the world rightly. He will establish justice among all people fairly.

Psalm 96:10-13

Think

In this reading, the earth is celebrating because there will be justice in the world.

Sometimes, we feel burdened by things that we judge about ourselves and are afraid of what others think. We want all the bad, negative things we feel or see in the world not to exist. These verses are how we want to live: like the trees that shout joyfully and rejoice with the earth, the sea, and the countryside, because God is coming. Our Creator wants us to be in a relationship with God, with each other, and with creation.

The good news is that we can help each other grow and live into the Creator’s mission of justice and loving one another. Changing our negative ways to help the world be a better, more joyful place can also be scary when we think we must do it alone. But we have all of creation to help us along the way. We can start small by not being afraid of change and being willing to grow with God’s mission of love.

GJ Gordy

Question to Ponder:

What positive activity makes me feel joy? And how can I share it with my friends and family?

Pray

Creator God, thank you for your abundant creation, which rejoices in your presence.

Help me overcome my fear of change that makes me feel alone.

I know I am not alone with you and all of creation.

Amen.

Go

I give thanks to you with all my heart, Lord. I sing your praise before all other gods. I bow toward your holy temple and thank your name for your loyal love and faithfulness because you have made your name and word greater than everything else. On the day I cried out, you answered me. You encouraged me with inner strength.

Psalm 138:1-3