Tuesday, December 26, 2017
Dear Frank - from "Jesus"
12/24/2017
Hello, Everyone!
In an hour, Nancy and I will be going to a Christmas Eve service at her church - the Trinity Lutheran Church. I am not a member, but now and then, I go tagging along.
One of the things I like about Nancy's church is up front is a huge picture of Jesus - which, of course, is an artwork of Jesus; but artwork or real picture of Jesus, I am always comforted by that image of Jesus. I am a bit different, however, than most of the membership who may or may not pay attention to that picture - or image. I do not see Jesus as one who is "dictating" anything to me - like perhaps a "lord" would be doing. No, my Jesus is simply being one like me. My Jesus - the Jesus of Trinity Lutheran - is "telling" me that I am one like him and in that light, my only need for him is to recognize that I am one like him. He is not my "lord" because a lord is not one who is out to tell anyone they are like him, but rather they are below him and ought to pay attention to what he, as lord, says, or pay some penalty for paying him no mind.
Is My Jesus forbidding me or threatening me? Absolutely Not! My Jesus is telling me that to make sense out of life, all I have to do is look upon everyone as a brother. That is all My Jesus is telling me. He is not saying - do this or I will punish you if you don't. He is saying,
Dear Frank,
Pay attention to that which really matters in life - and that which really matters is all of us and each of us. We are all the same, Dear Frank! I am no better than you; and if you hear otherwise, you are not hearing what I came to say.
So, Dear Frank, thanks for coming! And when you leave here, Dear Frank, Thanks for going out into the world and being the brother of all that you are to me and I am to you.
Goodbye, Dear Frank! Know I will always love you. Have a Happy Christmas Eve and Christmas Day and Entire 2018 and beyond! See you around, Dear Frank!
Gently,
Jesus