Ordinary Time 
Pause
Could we with ink the ocean fill,
And were the skies of parchment made;
Were every stalk on earth a quill,
And every man a scribe by trade;
To write the love of God above
Would drain the ocean dry;
Nor could the scroll contain the whole,
Though stretched from sky to sky.
from “The Love of God” by Frederick Martin Lehman (1917)
Listen
We love because God first loved us. Those who say, “I love God” and hate their brothers or sisters are liars. After all, those who don’t love their brothers or sisters whom they have seen can hardly love God whom they have not seen! This commandment we have from him: Those who claim to love God ought to love their brother and sister also.
1 John 4:19-21
Think
One of my favorite lines in the wide world of Broadway musicals is from Les Misérables: “To love another person is to touch the face of God.”
I love that it connects how, by loving other people, we are also experiencing being near God.
1 John also reminds us that loving others and loving God are connected. Christians can get a bad rap sometimes because we claim to love God but treat other human beings as if they are beneath us. In fact – the author calls us “liars!” That word is meant to dig at us a little bit. We don’t want to be called that word.
So, it seems we have two options: we strive to love God and we work equally hard to love our siblings in this world, or we live a dishonest faith by saying we love God, but don’t love others. Which would you choose?
Molly Shoulta Tucker
Pray
Loving God, thank you for loving me into this moment. Remind me that by striving to love others as you love them, I am also nearing you. Amen.
Go
O love of God, how rich and pure!
How measureless and strong!
It shall forevermore endure —
The saints' and angels' song!
from “The Love of God” by Frederick Martin Lehman (1917)
