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All From "Yours Sincerely"?
The Apostle Paul closes out his 2nd Letter to the Corinthians in this way: (13:11-13) Finally, brothers and sisters, farewell. Put things in order, listen to my appeal, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you. Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the saints greet you. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with all of you.
Back in the days people wrote letters to one another, before email and texts, and early in my ministerial career, I received some wonderful letters. My junior high youth director, a student at the University of Houston at the time, and later a pastor in the Rio Grande Conference, became registrar of the board of ordained ministry and so he and I corresponded in both English and español. I always admired his command of both languages, especially the Spanish. I especially marveled at the way he would close his letters with some abbreviations that I trust I deciphered well. And Paul is no exception either; in this closing of his second letter to the people at Corinth he closes with quite a list of things they should be doing: 1) Farewell. The word farewell means that; that they should fare well. 2) Put things in order. An ordered life is easier to live than a disordered, haphazard life. 3) Listen to Paul's appeal. In other words, re-read what he shares before the closing of this letter. 4) Agree with one another. Life is too short to be caught up in divisions and disagreements. Seek reminders of what brought us together in the first place. The wife angry at a lifted toilet seat, and the husband angry at how his wife squeezes the toothpaste tube, should remember first dates and the love that brought them into the relationship in the first place. 5) Live in peace. Who likes to live in conflict all the time? 6) Invite God, the source of love and peace, to be with us. 7) Greet one another with a holy kiss. The meaning and practice of this ancient tradition has gone away, but show genuine love when greeting one another. 8) Know there are others just like you, living and enduring what we're going through. 9) Enjoy the grace of Jesus Christ our Lord. 10) Receive and enjoy the love of God. 11) And be blessed with the communion of the Holy Spirit with us.
We're set to celebrate Trinity Sunday and the last three are a reminder of Who and what God is and does. Grace is ours because of Jesus' ministry and teaching. The incarnational God brought to us the understand of undeserved but still given, love to all who will receive it. Love from God was shown by Jesus and Jesus reminded us of the love shown to us before He arrived. Jesus prepared us for the coming and blessing of the Holy Spirit, and the communion the Holy Spirit shares with us in the encouragement and strength we need. Though I have mentioned Jesus and His role among us as key and important, we know that God is One and Three.
You have a list. Follow it. Live it. Be blessed by it.
PRAYER: Loving God, help my life to be as Paul shared in his yours truly to us. I seek to live a life that is pleasing and a blessing to You and Yours. This I pray in the name of the Triune God; Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
