Dear friends in Christ,
The collect from last Sunday, which we use every day this week in the Daily Office, is a good one:
Lord of all power and might, the author and giver of all good things: Graft in our hearts the love of your Name; increase in us true religion; nourish us with all goodness; and bring forth in us the fruit of good works; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God for ever and ever. Amen.
We could all use a bit more “true religion.” But what is that? You could make a good case that it’s devotion to the great commandment, to love God with our whole being and to love our neighbors as ourselves. The letter of James puts it like this, “Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.”
It’s easy to confuse religion with comfort, to think of church as the place that makes us feel good, but in fact, church is the place we practice religion. And religion is meant to change everything for us—starting with our hearts but moving outward to a transformation of the whole world one life at a time. In these chaotic times, let us pray fervently for God to increase in us true religion.
I leave you with a prayer from Forward Movement’s first publication in 1935:
For Real Religion: O Lord Christ, Whose Kingdom is not in word but in power, grant that even as we desire Thine appearing among men, we may labor and pay our part of the cost, by the help of Thy Holy Spirit. Amen.
Lord, come quickly into our world. Lord, come quickly into our hearts.
Yours faithfully,
Scott Gunn
More from our ministry:
Explore this 1935 publication further: The Disciple’s Way
From the Center for Discipleship & Renewal: Evangelism is others-focused
Nurture spiritual growth in your church: Signs of Life
Brush up on Episcopal basics: Walk in Love