Friday 15 November 2024

Today is Friday 15 November in the 32nd week of Ordinary Time. Ladysmith Black Mambazo sing: ‘Uthando Olungaka’: ‘Who will separate us from the love of God?’ That’s a good thought to enter into prayer with, to begin my prayer today: to rest easy in the love of God, to know that I am safe in that love which nothing and no one can take away from me. (Lyrics currently unavailable) Today’s reading is from the Second Letter of John. 2 John 4-9 I was overjoyed to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as we have been commanded by the Father. But now, dear lady, I ask you, not as though I were writing you a new commandment, but one we have had from the beginning, let us love one another. And this is love, that we walk according to his commandments; this is the commandment just as you have heard it from the beginning—you must walk in it. Many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh; any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist! Be on your guard, so that you do not lose what we have worked for, but may receive a full reward. Everyone who does not abide in the teaching of Christ, but goes beyond it, does not have God; whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. The writer of this letter, John, is delighted that some of his tutees have followed his instructions, simply to love one another. It’s not as if it’s anything new, he says. It’s basic. How simple do you find the basic Christian command to love? The writer continues with his instruction: ‘be on your guard’. When might you sense that warning? It might be as clear as a bell, or it might be a faint whisper. Reflect on that for a moment… As you hear the passage again, imagine the scenes: the letter being written; and the letter being read. As this reflection draws to a close, you might want to ask God to help you to love when it’s difficult to do so. You might want to ask for a greater awareness of anything that isn’t quite right. You can ask for the gift of discernment. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.