Song: “Holy Spirit living breath of God”
Christ has no body on earth but ours
No hands but ours, no feet but ours.
Ours are the eyes through which he looks out on the world
Ours are the hands which show kindness
Ours are the feet that carry us to help one another
So help us to harvest Love.
Song “Will you come and follow me”
Loving God we thank you for the breath in our bodies
For a new day and a new week
Forgive us when we mess up and it goes badly wrong
Help us to listen to one another and to you
To be a healing presence
And to show love
So that become the people of God
Amen
Song “A new Commandment”
We say the Lords Prayer in our own language
Reflection on John 13v31-35
John continues his record of the farewell teaching of Jesus at the Passover supper and his focus is love. Judas has left the disciples and so Jesus is teaching the remaining disciples on life after he leaves them. Jesus is making the point that they will not be able to follow him. Peter wants to know Jesus' destination, but Jesus makes the point that he cant! Peter knows the opposition of the authorities and declares his willingness to die for Jesus, but in response Jesus predicts Peter's denial. Faced with this void, Jesus gives his disciples a new commandment, they are to love each other as he has loved them. This is self-sacrificial, self-giving, selfless love. As a result of our faith we grow in love and experience its blessing.
This new commandment is Christ's love for broken humanity embodied in us, his disciples. This is our distinguishing mark. You must show compassion. This is how we will be recognized, not by our money or our status but by our compassion. Those who say they are Christians and do not exhibit compassion are false. We are told to keep on loving. Compassion encompasses forgiveness and mercy (Heseth and Zedek in the Old Testament?) Jesus has loved the disciples so they can love one another. He is the ground and measure of our love. Compassion is the proof of our discipleship and its token. It is by this we will be known as Jesus disciples. Amen
Song “Broken for me”
Prayers for our world our countries, our families and friends and ourselves
Song “Here I am Lord” https://youtu.be/9xYRDAUMU68
This is the day God has made
We will rejoice and be glad in it
We will not offer to God
Offerings that cost us nothing
We will seek peace and pursue it. Amen
Song; “Great are you Lord”
L
