Whole-hearted integrity is hard
Today’s Readings: AM Psalm 106:1-18; PM Psalm 106:19-48; Lev. 23:1-22; 2 Thess. 2:1-17; Matt. 7:1-12
Each day this week in the Daily Office, we have been hearing bits of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. Yesterday his message was to stop the worrying. (Easier said than done!) “Do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?” (Matthew 6:25) How does he suggest ceasing the whirling minds of those trying to keep their children and themselves nourished? Jesus calls the crowd to slow down and enter into a contemplative posture, to “consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin”. He then goes to comparison: the grandeur of the flowers in the wild rivals the regal attire of the famed King Solomon. I appreciate that his words of guidance do not disparage those who wear nice clothes; rather, he instructs the listeners to get their priorities aligned in choices around living and praying: “strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (v. 33)
Today Jesus continues sharing wisdom and inspiration as he addresses our inclinations to judge the people around us. The teacher and rabbi says, “Do not judge, so that you may not be judged. For with the judgement you make you will be judged, and the measure you give will be the measure you get” (Matthew 7:1-2). In essence, you get what you put in – heading right back at you! As I sit with Matthew’s gospel for today, a piece of music comes to mind. A version of this paradigm is contained in the lyrics of The Beatles’ song “The End”. Paul McCartney sings, “And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make…” Maybe they were not pointing to the Golden Rule, but Jesus is, for he wraps up this portion of his sermon in this way: “In everything do to others as you would have them do to you; for this is the law and the prophets.” (v. 12)
Again and again, Jesus calls us to find balance. To adjust our expectations. And to live with integrity, walking the walking and talking the talk of faith in God. Jesus’ teachings point us toward living whole-heartedly. And none of us are whole when we are comparing and complaining, missing the goodness and potential for growth that is within us. I wonder, as you revisit these portions of the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 6-7), what sticks out for you? What spiritual goodness is God calling you to cultivate in the week ahead?
Blessings in Eastertide,
Katherine+
Connections in Your Life
Spend a bit of time this weekend re-reading Jesus' Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7).
What creative expressions come to mind as you ponder the nuggets of wisdom? Do you think of songs or art or slogans? Tap into your own creative inspiration.