Ordinary Time

Pause

Breathing in: Holy Spirit, enter in

Breathing out: Holy Spirit, bring your peace

Breathing in: Holy Spirit, enter in

Breathing out: Holy Spirit, bring me life

Listen

After this I looked, and there was a great crowd that no one could number. They were from every nation, tribe, people, and language. They were standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They wore white robes and held palm branches in their hands. They cried out with a loud voice:

“Victory belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.”

Revelation 7:9-10

Think

I grew up watching Mister Roger’s Neighborhood. In the show, Mister Rogers always asked in song, “Won’t you be my neighbor?” As followers of Christ, we are called to love our neighbor. Neighbor isn’t a well-defined word when we think of how we apply it to our lives. I have a neighbor in my building, an office neighbor, and a childhood neighbor. All are equally my neighbor. We have countries that are our neighbors as well.

Imagining this great crowd of every nation, tribe, people and language, I envision a world in which we call everyone our neighbor. When we consider someone our neighbor, we behave as if the kingdom of God is already here, as if we are already living as people wearing robes and waving palm branches to our God. We would help clothe and feed and shelter one another. Won’t you be my neighbor?

Sarah Karber

Pray

Inclusive God, expand my understanding of neighbor. Help me reach out to my neighbor who is next door and in the next country. Amen.

Go

Those who find me find life; they gain favor from the Lord.

Proverbs 8:35