Working at Love: Creation and Stewardship

24Sep
‘You have heard that it was said, “You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.” But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous.

-Matthew 5:43-45


Working at Love; A Reflection on Love, on Care of Creation,

on Stewardship

Love:In today’s reading, Jesus is telling his followers that it is not enough to love their neighbors, they must also love their enemies and pray for them too. It made me wonder why the second commandment hadn’t just said love everyone. Then I remembered that the first commandment left instructions on how to love the Lord thy God - with all thy heart, with all thy mind, and with all thy soul - it made me wonder if we might also consider working at loving each other with all our minds and all our souls. 


Creation: My French Quarter home was ‘created’ about 160 years ago. Over the past 13 years of our residency, there has frequently been construction, because all creations need loving care. Skilled and unskilled laborers have worked hard together under demanding conditions, often with bodies bruised and broken. Several years ago I heard a familiar voice coming from across the street. It was one of my favorite carpenters, speaking to some of his friends. He was saying ‘You see that house - that’s my house. Several years ago I worked on that house, I built all the doors. I really love that house.’ His voice was excited and proud. I love that he not only loves this house; I love that he feels ownership of it due to the work he put into it. I love that he and I got to work together. Together, we will have left this house better prepared for the future, perhaps for another 160 years.  


Stewardship: A Sunday School lesson in stewardship often begins by saying all that we are and all that we have are gifts from God. I think stewardship is how we use those gifts, how we put each of those gifts to work day by day, in gratitude to God and to his glory. I believe stewardship is meant to be a labor of love for each of us - love for our Creator, love for his creation, love for each other, love for the role we play in carrying our faith forward here at Trinity. 


As Bishop Curry has often said ‘If it’s not about love, it’s not about God.’


Musical Reflection - They'll Know We Are Christians by our Love -


God our Creator, you gave us hearts to love. Help us to open our hearts generously and joyfully, always in your service. Amen.

CommunityCompassionLovePentecost Stewardship

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