Love and hate

1 John 3:14-16New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

We know that we have passed from death to life because we love one another. Whoever does not love abides in death. All who hate a brother or sister are murderers, and you know that murderers do not have eternal life abiding in them. We know love by this, that he laid down his life for us—and we ought to lay down our lives for one another.

When I first started writing my daily Bible reflections based on the ELCA's daily bible verse, I did so in the mornings.  So each reflection I wrote was based on the email that showed up in my email box that morning.

My life has changed a little bit - to where it is easier now for me to write later in the day rather than first thing in the morning.  For most of the folks from St. Paul's who read my blog, you aren't getting it in your email box until the next day.  So together we are a day behind with the ELCA's daily reading.

Not that I think the big ELCA lectionary gods are worried about that, and in most cases, it probably doesn't matter much to most of you either (or me)!

But today, it gives me pause.

Because despite showing up in most of your email boxes on Friday morning, this text from 1 John on love comes from the ELCA's daily reading on Thursday.

Thursday, September 11th.

It's hard to read about love in the context of laying down our lives for one another on this of all days.  Hard because of the lives lost thirteen years ago.  

Hard also because John says here that hate itself makes one a murderer.  And hate is generally the first impulse I admit to having when I think of the terrorists who still want to take innocent lives.

Love and faith seem to be the themes in the lectionary this week.  We've already heard once from Paul this week about loving one's neighbor.  But John is upping the ante.

Love your neighbor and don't hate them because hate itself is connected directly with death.

And on September 11th we know that for sure.

I wish I had an easy fix or formula to say how not to hate on such a day that is filled with emotion and terrible memories.  We've already talked about praying for those enemies we can't yet love.  That's always a good starting place.

Another place is this perhaps.  It is from Archbishop Desmond Tutu in his book, Made for Goodness, which he wrote with his daughter, Mpho.  Tutu reminds us that despite the evil in the world, and the evil that seems to reside in hearts of "our enemy," we are all created by God and filled with God's abiding Spirit.  All of us.

"Because God always dwells in us - in all of us - there is always hope," affirms Tutu.

Hope.  There is always hope.  Even today.  Even when things feel the darkest or when the memories are tragic and violent.

Hope.  Love.  Faith.  On these we can still count.

Dear God, help me to love even when it's hard.  Help me to love even when I feel anger.  Help me to love even when I am sad.  And when love seems impossible, give me hope to lean on to see me through.  Amen.