Today’s Bible reading
And one of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, asked Jesus, “Which commandment is the most important of all?” Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” — Mark 12:28-31
More thoughts for meditation
“No work is too small to play a part in the work of creation. At the Cirque du Soleil, the person who replaces the lightbulbs is vitally important to the high-wire artist, who must see where to put her foot. At the Ford plant, the person in charge of left front tire bolts is vitally important to the other who drives her children to school each day. Since this connection is not always apparent, it calls for a little extra effort. Any worker with a good imagination should be able to come up with hundreds of people whom his or her work affects. Yet it is possible that one’s true work in the world is not what one does for a living.” — Barbara Brown Taylor, An Altar in the World
Suggestions for action
Take a few minutes to walk outside, if you’re able, or open a door or window on this last day of this week’s daily prayer theme. What do you see or feel that is made possible by the work of others? Consider those who make your clothes, grow and harvest your food, and care for you. What work are you doing for others, paid and unpaid?
Collect one last small object before you return inside or choose an inside item before you close your door/window. Add this object to the altar you began at the beginning this week or use it as a solo object for your altar. As you move through your day, pause to look at your altar and remember your neighbors who labor for you. As you pray, ask God how you might labor for them.
Yesterday was Jackie Robinson Day! It is fitting that he and Rosa Parks died on the same day of the year. They both had a faith-fueled life devoted to justice and equality. Revisit his story at Celebrating Our Transhistorical Body.