Perspective

07Jul

What then are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not withhold his own Son, but gave him up for all of us, will he not with him also give us everything else? Who will bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? It is Christ Jesus, who died, yes, who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who indeed intercedes for us. Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will hardship, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written,


‘For your sake we are being killed all day long;

  we are accounted as sheep to be slaughtered.’


No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

-Romans 8:31-39


In this chapter of Romans, Paul is giving us perspective that exceeds the length of our own lives. Perhaps that’s why many passages in this chapter are used in funerals. Earlier in the chapter he reminds us not to be slaves to fear and to remain hopeful, for that is what saves us. Finally he says to continue to “work for the common good” just before the passage here. 


It seems interesting to me that this comes from the book of Romans. Michael and I visited Rome for the first time this year, and between seeing the ruins of the Coliseum and the power evoked by Vatican City, it was easier (for a moment anyway) to realize that the things that consume our attention can be distractions to what is truly important. The power the Coliseum once evoked is, well, in ruins.


St. Paul is inviting us to reflect on what really does keep us from Christ. The reassuring answer is “nothing”. Nothing at all. 


So don’t be afraid. Continue to work for the common good. Trust. Hope. Share the abundance of God’s Love. 


Musical Reflection - In Christ Alone - Stephen Macleod


Loving Jesus, you are both crucified and resurrected every day. Help me to have compassion on the crucified, and live into the resurrection of Christ's Love. Amen.

Compassion

Posted by Maria Elliott

Maria Elliott has been Trinity since 1994, first as a parishioner and then for sixteen years establishing the office of stewardship and development, and currently as the Director of Pastoral Care and Spiritual Life. 

WIth a degree in Music and Business from Drake University in her native state of Iowa, Maria went first to New York to work for a concert artist management and then for the Arts department at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine.  At the Cathedral, Maria was confirmed, met and married her husband, The Reverend Michael Kuhn, and began an accidental career in the Episcopal Church. She has served on the Diocesan Stewardship Committee, the boards of The Episcopal Network for Stewardship and the Consortium of Endowed Episcopal Parishes, as a Stephen Minister, and currently Education for Ministry Mentor.

Maria’s interests include playing the oboe in the New Orleans Civic Symphony and using the Narrative Enneagram as a spiritual tool. Her daughters, Hallie Wilkins and Sophie Bedaña are Trinity School alumni. 

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