Monday in the First Week of Lent - Reflections on the Letters during Lent.
"The one who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one Father. For this reason, Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters, saying, “I will proclaim your name to my brothers and sisters, in the midst of the congregation I will praise you.”And again, “I will put my trust in him.”And again, “Here am I and the children whom God has given me.”Since, therefore, the children share flesh and blood, he himself likewise shared the same things, so that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by the fear of death. For it is clear that he did not come to help angels, but the descendants of Abraham. Therefore he had to become like his brothers and sisters in every respect, so that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make a sacrifice of atonement for the sins of the people. Because he himself was tested by what he suffered, he is able to help those who are being tested."
"Share" - It sounds a bit like a word that one would learn on Sesame Street. You know, "if you are a real friend" you "share" with your neighbor. When growing up, sharing is one of the first things we learn how to do (or not). Sharing helps us learn many things including how to be with others in a way that brings us together. Sharing makes us vulnerable and open to our own shortcomings as well as the shortcomings of others. The way we deal with sharing (or don't) shows the world who we are.
I think the writer of the letter to the Hebrews is trying to explain our relatedness as believers by pointing out that Jesus "shared the same things" with us, therefore we have a share in him and a share with each other as Children of God. Jesus lived and died as "one of us." By sharing in our life, God has become the merciful connector that we have in Jesus, living with restraint and giving everything of himself for creation.
As Jesus shared with us, we are called to share with each other. We are brothers and sisters in Christ... heirs of God's everlasting kingdom. What we share is life in Christ. How we share it is by coming together and celebrating Christ with us in the sacrament of his body and blood and then going out and loving one another as he loves us. So, as simple as "Sesame Street" as it sounds sharing is fundamental to who we are as children of God.
"The one who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one Father. For this reason, Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters, saying, “I will proclaim your name to my brothers and sisters, in the midst of the congregation I will praise you.”And again, “I will put my trust in him.”And again, “Here am I and the children whom God has given me.”Since, therefore, the children share flesh and blood, he himself likewise shared the same things, so that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by the fear of death. For it is clear that he did not come to help angels, but the descendants of Abraham. Therefore he had to become like his brothers and sisters in every respect, so that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make a sacrifice of atonement for the sins of the people. Because he himself was tested by what he suffered, he is able to help those who are being tested."
"Share" - It sounds a bit like a word that one would learn on Sesame Street. You know, "if you are a real friend" you "share" with your neighbor. When growing up, sharing is one of the first things we learn how to do (or not). Sharing helps us learn many things including how to be with others in a way that brings us together. Sharing makes us vulnerable and open to our own shortcomings as well as the shortcomings of others. The way we deal with sharing (or don't) shows the world who we are.
I think the writer of the letter to the Hebrews is trying to explain our relatedness as believers by pointing out that Jesus "shared the same things" with us, therefore we have a share in him and a share with each other as Children of God. Jesus lived and died as "one of us." By sharing in our life, God has become the merciful connector that we have in Jesus, living with restraint and giving everything of himself for creation.
As Jesus shared with us, we are called to share with each other. We are brothers and sisters in Christ... heirs of God's everlasting kingdom. What we share is life in Christ. How we share it is by coming together and celebrating Christ with us in the sacrament of his body and blood and then going out and loving one another as he loves us. So, as simple as "Sesame Street" as it sounds sharing is fundamental to who we are as children of God.
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