Christ Jesus, help me live into my place in your Body....

I Corinthians 12:12-31 & Luke 7:11-17

To the widow of Nain whose son had just died, Jesus said, “Do not weep!” and  to the young man himself, “Young man, I say to you, rise!” Both of these commands of Jesus also apply to us who are members of the Church, of the Body of Christ. How quick I am to complain about the Body of Christ, ruing the “ruin” of the institution of Church, and weeping, or perhaps even raging, over the death of the Body of Christ as we know it should be. When I bring this grief to Jesus, he says to me, “Do not weep!” and then comes forward to touch my pallet, where I lie flattened by the inherent unfaithfulness of the world – and says, “Young (wo)man, I say to you, rise!”. I too have the responsibility to genuinely live my part in the Body of Christ.  I need to ask the Lord what is the (one) role he has given me, in this season, in bringing life to his flock. Then it is time to fulfill that role with the liveliness of the Resurrection and wisdom born of obedience, poverty (humility) and chastity (purity). When all of us as followers of Jesus allow ourselves to be raised to new life in this way, then the Body of Christ will again become the force of redemption it is meant to be in the world. What is prompting me to weep about the Church, when I am meant to rise and live into my vocation as a beloved child of God with a role to play in the Body of Christ?  Christ Jesus, help me live into my place in your Body.        
 
I delight to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart.  (Psalm 40:8)
 
Our true challenge is to return to the center, to the heart, and to find there the gentle voice that speaks to us and affirms us in a way no human voice ever could.
Henri Nouwen, The Selfless Way of Christ
 
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Soli ad gloriam Dei