Readings: 1 Cor 12:31-13:13; Psalm 33; Luke 7:31-35
We have all heard and voiced today’s beautiful reading from 1st Corinthians because nearly every wedding has used this call to love – to love deeply, to love always; to fully embrace God’s promise that nothing is greater than love. It is inspirational. Aspirational. Absolutely beautiful.
It’s seemingly impossible! What is it about our human condition that keeps us from expressing and experiencing love in ways God intended? How is it that this gift is so misunderstood and squandered?
Today’s deep global unrest and extraordinary divisiveness elevates this age-old question for me, but also has me saddened and feeling powerless to address the significant injustices of the world. We are in such a difficult time, and I don’t know a single person who isn’t confused, frustrated, and wondering how we got to such an angry and polarized place.
In the Gospel reading Jesus provides a hint and asked the crowd “To what then will I compare the people of this generation and what are they like?” Then he described us like children. My first thought: children see our complex world simply. Then, children see things through a lens of self-interest, and judge what they don’t understand from a limited world view. I interpret the Parable that Jesus shared as describing the generation as unfairly judgmental. We are so quick to find fault with one another, to accuse and point fingers at ‘the other’, to refuse to listen with an open heart to find understanding. I feel Jesus saying: “wisdom is vindicated by all her children”. Jesus is calling his people to avoid such quick, child-like judgement: rather to exercise the wisdom that comes from reflection, understanding, perspective, time, patience, and yes, love.
If that’s a reasonable interpretation, today I pray for wisdom – for me, for our leaders, for anyone suffering from injustice and hate, for all of God’s children – so that we can move closer to God’s pure love. Let us pray together, that if “faith, hope, and love remain, these three, the greatest of these is love.”