the greatest of these is charitable love

At the heart of our calling are interdependent commands to love – love God and love others.  

How do we describe this love - what does it look and sound like in action (with God and with others)? 

How are we to generate/experience more of it? 

How might we overcome the obstacles to sharing it more freely? 

[ref: RCL readings for Proper 25, Year A]

whose image? whose wealth? toward whose end?

Taxes? Yes. Even earthly empires have a place in God’s grand economy, when used towards the heavenly kingdom.

The same currency that can be inappropriately worshipped also can be utilized charitably and lovingly... and all forms of currency carry debts and responsibility to their creators and sovereign reserves.

When handling the notes on which we’ve printed, among other things, “In God We Trust”, re-cognize where true wealth comes from, in whose image we’re actually created, and to whom we all shall be rendered. What is the basis of our trust?

When discerning tensions between allegiance to earthly empire(s) and to God’s kingdom, we must shine light on how we, individually and collectively, are utilizing our God-given time and talent, as well as our earthly treasure.


[ref: RCL readings for Proper 24, Year A]