the Fruit of Service…

Friends,

I’m not 100% sure how to talk about an extraordinary and deeply troubling week. During Holy Week a noted Pentecostal pastor stood in the White House and drew a blasphemous comparison between the President and Christ crucified. By Resurrection Sunday, our President was hitting send on an expletive laden and mocking reference to Allah. Tuesday he suggested the destruction of an entire civilization. In this moment the bipartisan divide is preventing any kind of unified moral leadership of our Congress…..don't change the channel on me yet!

This is not a post about a certain politics. It is a note to emphasize that we are living in days that have serious consequences. It can be terrifying. But we are not the only ones to live in such anxious and angry times.

In the midst of this season, I have been reading so many authors who are writing amazingly thoughtful pieces. If you're willing to take the time, this essay by Laura Fabrycky, The Praying Woman of NATO, is worth the effort.

We've just celebrated the most consequential event in history in the death and resurrection of Christ. Often I have found myself thinking in the words of that old song, "Because He lives I can face tomorrow…" So though our cultural climate feels overwhelming, I'm holding to the promises of the hope of Jesus Christ, the crucified and risen Lord.

And, I'm drawing strength today from another woman of peace, who taught many to put our trust in Christ. St. Mother Theresa of Calcutta once wrote:

The fruit of silence is prayer.

The fruit of prayer is faith.

The fruit of faith is love.

The fruit of love is service.

The fruit of service is peace.

This is my prayer for you and for me, and for our nation and our world today. May it start with you and me.

Peace,

Jeff