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We all are to be gather together loving God and one another.

April 1, 2023

Ezekiel 37:21–28  |  Psalm 85:1–7  |  John 11:45–53

When I finally agreed to participate in this blog, I worried about what reading I would be assigned. For me, writing has never been an easy process. When I first read these reading, oh boy, did I regret my volunteering. Then I remembered the process of reading scripture 3 times and see which phrase draws you in. This helped along with giving the spirit time to speak to me. My three highlighted phrases

From Ezekiel we hear:

“I will make them one nation in the land…. never again shall they be divided” and “ I will be their God and they shall be my people”.

Psalm 85 v7:

“Show us your mercy, O Lord, and grant us your salvation”

John 11:

” ...Jesus was about to die…, to gather into one the dispersed children of God”

Jesus gave us two commandments; love the Lord and love one another. Through loving one another, the world would be peaceful and one people. This is our calling, to work everyday to love and accept our fellow human beings as we want to be loved and accepted. This brings me to our Presiding Bishop’s call for the “Way of Love; Practices for Jesus-Centered life” as a way of life. For each of us to have an intentional commitment to a set of practices and a commitment to follow Jesus.

Reading Psalm 85 reminded me of my late husband, reading the psalms every evening to our children. I thought that this was unusual for bedtime stories, especially when Midd wasn’t a regular at church and it was from the King James version. Looking back now, it became an anchor and wonderful memory for our family when he suddenly died.

Both the reading from Ezekiel and The Gospel reminds us all that we all are to be gather together loving God and one another.

Fran Gammell-Roach