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This is a blog that I post to several times a week although not necessarily daily. These reflections are triggered by the scripture found in the lectionary used by many Christian denominations. While I am part of the Catholic tradition, these posts are not --or rarely--sectarian. I try to put myself in the space of a of Jesus Christ and listen to words that come to me as I read and pray the scriptures. Each post also includes a photograph. These rarely have any connection to the content of the post but are simply pleasing images that I capture as I make my pilgrimage through life.

Thursday, November 22, 2012

All I have to do is open the door!


"'The Amen, the faithful and true witness,
the source of God's creation, says this:
"I know your works;
I know that you are neither cold nor hot.
I wish you were either cold or hot.
So, because you are lukewarm, neither hot nor cold,
I will spit you out of my mouth.
For you say, 'I am rich and affluent and have no need of anything,'
and yet do not realize that you are wretched,
pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.
I advise you to buy from me gold refined by fire so that you may be rich,
and white garments to put on
so that your shameful nakedness may not be exposed,
and buy ointment to smear on your eyes so that you may see.
Those whom I love, I reprove and chastise.
Be earnest, therefore, and repent.
"'Behold, I stand at the door and knock.
If anyone hears my voice and opens the door,
then I will enter his house and dine with him,
and he with me.
I will give the victor the right to sit with me on my throne,
as I myself first won the victory
and sit with my Father on his throne.
"'Whoever has ears ought to hear
what the Spirit says to the churches.'"
Revelations 3:14-22

While some passages from Revelations may be difficult to understand with obscure and poetic references, this one is pretty simple and direct. This is directed to the church in Laodicia which had been co-opted by the affluent and success oriented culture of that region. One gets the impression that the church had been planted and disciples gathered but eventually it became part of the prevailing culture. All the right words were said; all the correct gatherings were held; all the money was contributed. Yet, there was an absence of spirit and life. They neither sinned nor prayed but followed all the rules and withheld the one thing desired by the Divine One: their love of God and neighbor.
They were rich and affluent and had no need of anything. Yet in the midst of that affluence, they were wretched, pitiable, poor, blind and naked. Clearly the church in Laodicia sounds like the church in America, subject to the same temptations to think they we do not need anything; we have it all. We do have it all...all of the wrong things. We lack the one thing necessary.
Jesus knocks at my door, every second of my existence. He desires deeply to enter my life and to share fellowship and nourishment with me. All I have to do is open the door and he does all the rest. How hard can that be?
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Location:Charissa Run,Rochester,United States

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