By Rev. Mary Hayes
Imagine Jesus saying this to you.
“I’d gladly walk across the desert
With no shoes upon my feet
To share with you the last bite
Of bread I had to eat”
Tears well up in my eyes, thinking about Jesus saying this to me.
In the Presbytery of Cincinnati, we are rarely in a physical and literal desert.
However, like everyone else on this walk called life, we are often in a mental, emotional and spiritual desert.
Jesus is saying to you, I am walking this terribly painful, tiring, hopeless part of your life’s journey WITH you.
I would easily and gladly walk across the desert to find and provide for you!
I have died, gone to hell, and been resurrected FOR you.
I’m here. I feel your pain. I wish you didn’t have to feel it.
But as we travel towards the next step, the next place, the next call, I’m here.
Talk to me. Eat with me. Rest IN me.
Imagine Jesus saying this to you.
“I would swim out to save you
In your sea of broken dreams
When all your hopes are sinkin’
Let me show you what love means”
Jesus has, does, and will continue to swim through the storms and waves of my mind to find me.
Jesus pulls me back up, cleans me off, gives me rest, and puts me back out again
to keep thinking, speaking, acting, and worshipping love.
I have had many broken, shattered, destroyed dreams that honestly became nightmares… Have you?
Those are the moments when Evil, Sin, and Death are
laughing, feeling powerful, and thinking that they are winning…
that we will stay in hopelessness,
that God won’t save us,
that we have forgotten, pushed away, and given up on love.
Then Jesus, smiling, reaches out, pulling us, like Peter, out of the chaotic waters of our lives.
Jesus puts both of his hands on our shoulders and says,
“Let me show you, remind you, empower you to share what love means.”
That is my hope to you.
That is my love to you.
That is my call to you.
Imagine Jesus saying this to you.
“Love can build a bridge
Between your heart and mine
Love can build a bridge
Don’t you think it’s time?
Don’t you think it’s time?”
Love is the way.
The way of Jesus, the way of Jesus followers, the way of those who love God and God’s creation.
Love is what connects people, not judgement, hate, nor superiority.
Love is what bridges separation, isolation, and questions.
Jesus is calling us to bridge building, through loving God, Jesus, the Spirit, ourselves, and all others.
Jesus is asking for us to take our spiritual gifts, bodies, and needs seriously.
“I love you, unconditionally. Let me love you. Let me be here. Let our hearts be connected. Let me in.”
May we, with new energy, hope, and faith, build bridges between our hearts and Jesus’.
May we answer Jesus’ call to love, to build bridges, and to bring more of heaven here on earth.
Don’t you think it’s time?
What are you waiting for?
We aren’t promised tomorrow. We just have today.
Love, love, love, and then love some more.
It’ll bring you so close to the divine in the ordinary.
It’ll bridge your reality with God’s plan and purposes for you.
It’ll bring a smile to our sweet Lord, Jesus’ face.
There’s no time like the present to love, to cherish, and to follow.
Imagine Jesus saying this to you.
“I would whisper love so loudly
Every heart could understand
That love and only love
Can join the tribes of man
I would give my heart’s desire
So that you might see
The first step is to realize
That it all begins with you and me”
We are all connected. All people are connected with the rest of God’s creation.
Every heart knows love, even the smallest amount.
Love is God and God is love.
Love is what will allow us to see the belovedness in one another.
Love is what will allow us to see and express differences with respect.
Love is what will allow us to join all people together for the betterment, love, and respect of planet earth.
May you, might you, possibly see that the first step to this plan of God’s is for us to realize.
We must realize that the love between you and me, you and your spouse, you and your child, you and your friend, you and anyone, is all it takes.
Love is simple, yet complex, and oh, so very powerful.
Imagine Jesus saying this to you.
“When we stand together
It’s our finest hour
We can do anything (anything), anything (anything)
Keep believin’ in the power”
May we stand together for love, for justice, for mercy, for peace, and for goodness.
We can do anything
move mountains, feed ourselves and our neighbors, uproot systems of injustice, follow Jesus –
when we keep believing in Jesus,
when we keep listening to Jesus,
and when we keep following Jesus.
LOVE BUILDS A BRIDGE.
Amen.
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