Service
/Do to others as you would have them do to you. -Luke 6:21
This Sunday we’ll hear Jesus quoted by the gospel of Luke saying pretty much the most familiar words of our faith - the Golden Rule. Sometimes when a Bible passage is very familiar, you don’t really hear it anymore. So I’d like to suggest a prayer practice in the coming week that helps us hear the Golden Rule more deeply and well.
Take some quiet moments apart - in a place and time when you know you will not be interrupted. It can be just five minutes - just claim some time.
Light a candle, ring a bell, do a stretch with some deep breathing - whatever ritual you want to do to set this time apart for God.
Still your mind, and begin to consider someone who is in need. It might be someone you know, or it might be an anonymous someone in a place or situation of strife. Someone near, or someone far.
Imagine what this person’s day is like today.
Imagine you were in the very same situation. Imagine what would be hard about it and how you would feel.
Consider if there might be a way you could actually do unto this other as you would have them do to you.
Intentionally reach out to another in need with a call, a note, a donation, a prayer, a letter to your senator, etc.
The Golden Rule is not an abstraction. It is a practice of compassion and a practice of service to others. It keeps us from judging how a person got into the mess they’re in, and instead helps us imagine how it must feel to be in that mess. It calls us to step in and be present to the illness, fear, suffering and pain of the world.
The Golden Rule is a true commandment. It is asking something of us. It is asking us to serve our neighbors with love, forgiveness and compassion.
There is a commandment much like the golden rule in just about every world religion. It’s very simple to understand, but often difficult to follow through on. So as All Saints Sunday approaches, I challenge us all to intentionally practice the Golden Rule in at least one new and very real and tangible way every day this week.
And please join us this Sunday at 10 for the baptism of Samuel Dresser. Following the 10am service we’ll have a brief All Saints Service of Remembrance in the memorial garden for all who’d like to remember those they’ve loved and lost.
