Matthew 22:37-40

37-40 Jesus said, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your passion and prayer and intelligence.’ This is the most important, the first on any list. But there is a second to set alongside it: ‘Love others as well as you love yourself.’ These two commands are pegs; everything in God’s Law and the Prophets hangs from them.”

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Prayer of St Francis -
Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy.

O, Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love; For it is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; it is in dying that we are born again to eternal life.

~ ~ ~

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

(Read more about MarieCiane and Michael)

First thing this morning I went to see my friend, Marie Ciane. She is one of the people that most reminds me of the fruits of the spirit. If you are anything like me, there are people in your life that quite literally lift you up with their way of being - their way of treating others and "seeing" the world and interacting with it brings renewed hope. Right now lets look to these friends that daily walk in the Spirit and allow their lives to speak of love and kindness, faithfulness and gentleness. They are the ones we want to emulate.

To all of you - Peace Makers, Light Bringers, Justice Seekers, Reconciliation Specialists, Bridge Builders, Menders of Broken Men,Restoration Professionals, and Righteous Rabble-Rousers - we must remember this: Jesus came to draw new lines. He paradoxically made being marginal central. He set a larger table and invited everyone to have a seat. We can do that too. This is our time.