Fr Robert Hendrickson

Dear Friends in Christ,

This week we find ourselves with today being the 3rd of July and tomorrow being the 4th, Independence Day. The collect for today, the Fourth Sunday after Pentecost, begins, “O God, you have taught us to keep all your commandments by loving you and our neighbor: Grant us the grace of your Holy Spirit, that we may be devoted to you with our whole heart, and united to one another with pure affection…”

How different would our national life, our culture, and our daily lives be if we took that first line seriously? What would it look like if this simply summary of the law was the way we ordered our lives and thought about the time, resources, commitments, and energy that we have?

To be devoted to God with our whole heart and united with one another in pure affection is the encouragement we need these days. It is also the commitment we need too.

There’s a lovely simplicity here that might help us. We all know those simple things we are sometimes reminded of when considering our actions. Would you want your mom to see that? What would Jesus do? But sometimes those simple reminders are exactly what we need.

Not long ago someone told me the framework they use when trying to make a decision or assessing their choices is “What is the most loving thing I can do?”

What is the most loving thing you could do today? It needn’t be some grand gesture. It might be something quite small in fact – as simple as a smile or a conversation. Ultimately though that is what this all boils down to – making the most loving choices we can. One after another. That is how we will keep the commandment to love our neighbor and in that we might just show forth how we love our Lord too.

What is the most loving thing you can do next?

Fr Robert