Pentecost season, the season in which we receive the Holy Spirit to do what we were meant to do for “the kingdom of God has drawn near” as we heard this Sunday from our gospel reading in Luke 10.
Pentecost is also called ordinary time. The time when the ordinary is marked as extraordinary, the time when we study what it is to be disciples of Christ.
Luke’s gospel gives to us this opportunity. We follow Jesus and the disciples, we get parables of the Good Samaritan and the Prodigal Son that we receive from no other gospel. These teach us about ordinary circumstances and how they turn into the extraordinary form of God’s love for us. How we can reach out to those beyond us. How we should love our neighbor, no matter who they are.
Our Presiding Bishop, Michael Curry, who preached at the royal wedding, has opened to us this ordinary way also. It is called the Way of Love. It is based on the Benedictine rule of life, now this is not rule or law in the ordinary sense. It is based on a Greek root and means trellis. A way we can grow with support. This way helps us be supported in the work of being disciples through all of life.
First, we are to turn: Pause, listen and choose to follow Jesus. One of the most important questions I had to write on in seminary was why I follow Jesus. It helps to root us in our walk, define the day we decided to and why we decided to.
Second, we learn: Reflect on the scriptures each day, especially on Jesus’ life and teachings. We have a daily set of scriptures we read through the year called the daily office. It takes two years to go through the whole Bible and includes the gospel readings so we can pay attention to what Jesus taught.
Third, we pray: taking time to dwell intentionally with God. Prayer draws us to relationship with God. Through prayer we can acknowledge our inmost thoughts, hurts, hopes, fears and release them so they don’t have a hold on us, or release the power of praise and joy which the Spirit brings.
Fourth, we worship: gathering as a community. Discipleship is about community. It is about how we work out the differences of the older son and the younger son. How we mirror God’s love by helping the stranger. We were meant to be in community to learn from one another and with one another. Jesus wasn’t alone he called a group of 12 to follow him.
Fifth, we bless: share faith and unselfishly give and serve. We are called to do something. This past week in Luke, Jesus sends out the 70 to share peace, to share the kingdom of God drawing near with those who accept it and those who don’t. When we are blessed we want to share that blessing with others.
Sixth, we go: cross boundaries, listen deeply and live like Jesus. Jesus crossed the boundaries of what was acceptable at the time. He associated with sinners, talked with women, healed Roman and Jew, included Samaritans in his parables. He crossed them so we might learn what it is to listen, to love with the abundance God has, and to learn. This is counter-cultural in today’s world. We think we don’t have to listen, we think we have all the answers. Remember, God appeared to Elijah in the silence.
Seventh, we rest: receiving the gift of God’s grace, peace, and restoration. A time to rest, a time to reconnect with family, a time to just be instead of do. Resting is vital to our Christian life. It gives us time to heal and be restored. This way we have the stamina to keep walking this way of discipleship.
If you are interested in learning more about this Way of Love the website for this is here https://www.episcopalchurch.org/way-of-love. Enjoy this ordinary time and grow in grace and peace to love and serve the Lord.
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The Rev. Annette Joseph has been the priest at Holy Cross Episcopal of Poplar Bluff for the past seven years and is also the priest of St. Paul’s Episcopal of Sikeston. She is the mother of five and blogs daily at http://arjoseph.blogspot.com/.