mission

Sunday December 14th, Isaiah 61: ¹The Spirit of GOD, the Master, is on me because GOD anointed me. He sent me to preach good news to the poor, heal the heartbroken, announce freedom to all captives, pardon all prisoners.  In Luke 4:14-20 we read where Jesus began his ministry in Nazareth reading from this section of the scroll of Isaiah.  One could call it Jesus’ mission statement, and by association as the children of God, our mission statement.  Christ is coming, that we know, but what should we do in the mean-time while we wait and live life?  How should we live this life that has been sanctified by the grace of a loving God?  Should we live it by bringing good news to the poor, healing the heartbroken, and working to free all those who are bound by whatever it is they are bound by?  These are the marks of the saints who seem to “get it”.  In the simplest terms, we are called to love God and love others.  The “Others” in this statement defined as whoever God places before you or on your heart this day.  Those at the bottom need it more than those at the top and in order for both to get help, the ones at the top should be helping the ones at the bottom, for in doing so, both are blessed.  We often confuse Jesus message with our own agendas and that often times gets us in trouble as we step outside of the simple message to love God and love others, and end up primarily loving ourselves and the others who are like us.  This Christmas, follow the mission of Christ and let God be God. Love others, in what you say and in what you do, and let the others be whomever God places before you each day.  That is your mission as a child of God.