Imitators

 

The Spiritual Waiting Room

Imitators

Beloved     Children

Be     Kind     Compassionate

God Has Forgiven You

Love

(photo and poem by Kathy McNamara)

Scripture:   Ephesians 4:30 to 5:2

Sisters and brothers: Do not upset the Holy Spirit, with whom you were sealed for the time of salvation. All bitterness, fury, anger, shouting, and name calling must be emptied from you, along with all evil thoughts. Instead be kind to each person you meet, full of compassion, and forgive each other in the same way that God has forgiven you in Christ.

Be imitators of God, as beloved children, and live in love, in the same way that Jesus loved us and handed Himself over for us as an offering of sacrifice to God for a pleasing aroma.

Reflection

Our reading from Ephesians challenges us to be imitators of God.

Quite a task!

What does it mean to imitate God? 

The reading speaks of all those things we must first "empty" out: we have to remove the bitterness and anger that we sometimes feel. This can be very difficult in an era when many of our talk shows and social media seem based on stoking anger in us and in vilifying others.

Of course there will be disagreements and different points of view. That is only natural. Our reading, however, is calling us to avoid evil thoughts about others and to take a different path.

What is that path?

Again our reading points us in a certain direction: one of kindness and compassion for others. It asks us to offer forgiveness to others because we have been forgiven. The ministry and mission of Jesus was all about offering forgiveness.

We imitate God because we are the children of God. God invites us into the Family of God. We have a close, personal, and intimate relationship with God because this is what God wants.

We don't earn it. We don't merit it. It is God's Gift to us.

When we accept that gift of a special relationship with God, we are transformed. We live in a different way---we "live in love".

We know what that means because we can discern it in Jesus. We look at how Jesus lived and we try to imitate His Way.

Jesus lived a life of sacrifice: He gave His life to help others, to redeem others, to heal others, and to save others.

Kathy's picture captures that moment. A grandmother is embracing two of her grandchildren and sharing the beauty and majesty of God's creation with them. 

We are called to share what we have been given with others and to pass on the love we have received.

We have a great example to imitate: the Love of Jesus for us!

1. Who have been some examples of God's Love for you?

2. How do you try to imitate God? 

3. Is there something that you have to "empty out" so that you can be a better imitator of God?

(scripture adapted, reflection, and questions by John J. McNamara)