A Concord Pastor Comments: Monday Morning Offering: 4/11

Good morning, good God!

In yesterday's gospel,
I heard you ask Peter that question:
Do you love me?

And somewhere in the back of my mind,
in a corner of my heart,
in the depths of my soul,
I hear you asking me the very same question,
asking me if I love you...

I'm almost afraid to answer, Lord.

Of course I do love you
or at least I try to love you,
and I want to love you,
and I mean to love you...

I do love you, Lord, but it seems,
well actually I mean, I know
I want to love you more
or at least I want to try to love you more
and I know I need to love you more...

I do love you, Lord,
but I know my love for you
never seems to be enough
and I know it could be stronger,
deeper, more generous and genuine...

And I'm so aware
of all the times I fail to love you, Lord:
the times I love myself and my things
more than I love you,
the times I don't even try to love you,
the times I'm not grateful
for all the love you have for me...

And maybe that's just where I need to start, Lord:
I need to grow in gratitude for all your love for me,
for your gifts to me,
for your forgiveness, your help,
your understanding, your compassion, your mercy
- and for the strength you give me
when I'm too weak to go it on my own
- which is just about always...

If I 'd but open my heart in thanksgiving
for all your love for me
then I'd be opening my heart to love you,
to love you as I want to love you,
to love you as I try to love you,
to love you as I need to love you...

So this Monday morning, Lord,
I open my heart in prayer
and offer you my thanks, my praise,
my gratitude for all your love for me...

Help me see today and in the week ahead
all the ways your love comes into my life, Lord,
and make me grateful
for all the ways you love me
that I, in turn,
might love you as I ought,
as I want,
as I pray...

Amen.