The Beloved Ones

Even with the compassion of Jesus directly in front of him, Peter cannot help but let his attention be drawn into comparison with the so-called “beloved” disciple now arriving to the scene. “What about [them]?” is a question we all navigate to some degree, as though certain that others must experience a greater divine favor. Join us as we seek to dismantle that destructive lie, and allow yourself to receive the boundless love of God meeting you precisely where and as you are.

Scripture & Quotations

• John 21:20-23

• Psalm 139:13-18

  “You (and every other created thing) begin with your unique divine DNA, an inner destiny as it were, an absolute core that knows the truth about you, a true believer tucked away in the cellar of your being, an imago Dei that begs to be allowed, to be fulfilled, and to show itself. “You were chosen in Christ before the world was made—to stand before God in love—marked out beforehand as fully adopted sons and daughters”. This is your True Self. Historically, it was often called “the soul.””

  - Richard Rohr

  “There are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal. Nations, cultures, arts, civilizations - these are mortal, and their life is to ours as the life of a gnat. But it is immortals whom we joke with, work with, marry, snub and exploit…”

  - C.S. Lewis, The Weight of Glory

Reflection

• Living in Gratitude: If a regular rhythm of gratitude is not currently a part of your spiritual practice, consider beginning a gratitude journal (whether hand-written, or even as a note on your phone). Each day, take a few moments to name (3) things in your life for which you experience gratitude (people, places, experiences, sensory details, conversations, blessing given, blessing received… and so on). A practice which interrupts our clinging to envy, resentment, and comparison over what ISN’T, and grounds us in an abiding appreciation for the goodness that IS. Start with a week, and be attentive to what you begin to notice.

• Naming the Light: For the next week, try to go out of your way to call out the goodness you witness within a neighbor, co-worker, or even a stranger with whom you may interact. “I see you,” can be a simple, yet powerfully profound blessing in a world where so many feel unloved and unseen.

• Peeling the Onion: Pastor Mike presented the image below, representing the layers of vulnerability we consider in our invitation to embrace authenticity.Who are those with whom you are regularly vulnerable, or the few with whom you share the sacred trust of being even more open?

The Disciples Peter and John Running to the Sepulchre on the Morning of the Resurrection - Eugène Burnand, 1898