Good morning…
“The Gospel tells us constantly to run the risk of a face-to-face encounter with others, with their physical presence which challenges us, with their pain and their pleas, with their joy which infects us in our close and continuous interaction,” says Pope Francis. “True faith in the incarnate Son of God is inseparable from self-giving, from membership in the community, from service, from reconciliation with others. The Son of God, by becoming flesh, summoned us to the revolution of tenderness.”
We are summoned to the revolution of tenderness; what an interesting invitation. “Let your gentleness show in your treatment of all people,” echos Philippians 4:5 (CEB). “The Lord is near.” Are we willing to run the risk of a face-to-face encounter?
There is nothing to fear; the Lord is near. We are filled with Holy Spirit power; the Lord is near. Our reconciliation with others requires true faith in the incarnate Son of God; the Lord is near.
All of this is a gift from our Creator God, who has pursued us and brought us into a restored and healthy relationship with Him through the Anointed. And He has given us the same mission, the ministry of reconciliation, to bring others back to Him (2 Corinthians 5:17-18, VOICE).
A revolution is a radical and pervasive change. A shift. A transformation. A metamorphosis. Restored to healthy relationship through our living Lord, what might it look like for a revolution of tenderness, a ministry of reconciliation, to expand in our everyday lives?
…Sue…
P.S. We have been invited to join in the joy of sharing God’s love with the 40 children in the after school program at PAWkids. Larenzia Lawrence, the program director, will write an encouraging love note to each child and will share personalized baskets at Monday’s Valentine’s Day party. To contribute items for the Valentine’s Day gift baskets, please follow this link: https://www.amazon.com/registries/custom/VYDW4TEKCIXP/guest-view
