June 22nd Reflection by Bill Lynch

Happy Birthday!

It's my birthday today! A day 56 years ago that a new life was brought into this world. A new life born through the struggle and pain of childbirth. A new life that also would live the struggle between carnal desires and spiritual freedom. I was born before the rise of the sun around 4:00 a.m. The day had yet to begin.

The new summer season was fresh within a day. A season of full life. Nature at the height of it's glory and in full bloom. Green grass, flowers everywhere, why even the insects are hard at work during this time of the year. The time of vacations that relax and vacations that exercise the mind, body and soul. Summer is a time full of life and activity.

Summer is also a time when the heat cranks up and people come out and crime increases. Humans seem to be at their best and their worst during the summer season. Summer is a time of contrast. Good and evil side by side in the usual struggle. We become hungry yet don't feel like eating when it's too hot. Motorcyclists desire the danger of speed to feel open and powerful. Traffic accidents increase, yet leisurely walks with the dogs become habitual. Summer is a time of contrasts; sometimes contrasts in extremes.

Yes I was born 56 years ago this day before sunrise. By contrast 56 years later my Mom died on this day after sunset around 11:30 p.m. A day when faith was expressed in love. Christ expressed love in life through a personal relationship with each one of us. In relationship we learn of faith and love. Mom expressed, throughout her life, a relationship of faith and love. As 56 years ago Mom began to teach me the expression of faith and love through relationships with those God gives to me each day, she exhibited her own faith and love for the moment, this day, through relationships with Jesus and each person that crossed her path.

My Mom displayed in her daily life with the Holy Spirit, this expression of faith and love. One of my favorite memories of Mom was seeing her read that Bible on the coffee table, by herself each day. This act displayed her relationship with God to me. This act demonstrated the importance of God active in the here and the now. What does God have to say for me at the beginning of this day? The question would intrigue me to daily reading of the Word for my lifetime also. Mom demonstrated the importance of relationships and the living of the moment.

We live life in this world of contrasts. We live in this world of plans and priority lists, yet we must always live this life in the moment in relationship with God and each other. It's not the plans that matter, it's the relationship of the moment that takes priority over everything else. This moment will only last a moment and then will be lost forever. It's this moment and relationship that matters in the now. Plans can always be made but not at the sacrifice of the moment and the relationship with God and one another.

Works and rites can become a stumbling block to the cross. If we focus continually on works, salvation ceases to be of grace. Works can bind up our spirit. By contrast grace frees our spirit to be in relationship with God in the moment. Jesus has freed us to live a life devoted to him, not through servant obedience for self justification, but through Jesus justification and the obedience of love forever. When Jesus frees us from the law we don't live lawlessly, but we live under Christ with charity and morality that gives up selfish control and comes to life in the sacrifice of our own will and way, to the will and way of God in Christ Jesus. It's no longer about our plans but about our life in the moment in love for God and one another. In Christ we live a life of relationship in the present because the past is done and the future is in God's hands. Our conduct is now controlled by the moment of Christ in our life. Our new freedom in Christ implies service to others.

It is here that we experience the presence of Christ. In the moment we sit at Jesus' feet. In the moment we discuss our sin at the well. In the moment we wash Jesus feet with our tears. In the moment we pour perfume on our Lord and Savior. In the moment we shed tears to Jesus' final words from the cross. In the moment we run from the tomb to shout glorious praise. We now live each moment in the presence of God. We live in the moment, knowing that the future has been lovingly cared for through the grace and love of Christ Jesus and knowing the comfort we have in the Spirit of God in and with and through all God's people.

We walk the day with the Spirit of God by our side. Walking in the moment with full trust for the future held in God's hands. For God has shown us a love beyond our human understanding. A love that is in the moment, before the moment, after the moment and forevermore. We are led by the Spirit through faith and love.

I recall as a small child, perhaps nine or ten, a moment that goes on in the Spirit that I had with Mom. Living on Sutphin Street in Middletown, at the kitchen table, Mom brought out a Bible, some paper, scissors and perhaps crayons, pens and pencils. The exact details blur a little but the act is what stands out in my mind. Mom read to me Galatians 5:22-24

Paul states:
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires."

And with these verses in mind we cut out the shapes of various fruit and named them love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control and strung them together as if from the same tree. As each fruit was created Mom would relate the spiritual meaning.

Love-God's love revealed in Christ- not a selfish love desiring control but a love that gives away control
Joy- Happiness in relationship with God and our love for God
Peace- A peace with God that affects our relationship with others
Patience- forbearance with one another in relationship
Kindness- Regard for human personality and human need
Goodness- character that is not fake but real as God created each of us to be ourselves yet softened with love
Faithfulness- Faithful devotion to God and one another
Gentleness- we submit to the will of God and to consideration in relationship to one another
Self-control - curbing the fleshly desires

All words of relationship first with God our Creator, Savior, Redeemer and Spirit and words of relationship with those that God gives to us that we may give ourselves as Jesus has taught us. We live in the moment, remembering the past and trusting the future to God.

It's with this passage that I recall my life with Mom. As Mom, this day... 56 years ago... brought new life to me... prior to sunrise... in a wonderful world that Jesus walked... that I clasp Mom's hands and look into her eyes with  a smile as wide as could be... that after sundown... Mom breathed her final breath with the hands of my sister and I... that I witness to you a life filled with the fruit of the Spirit... in love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.


Happy Birthday Mom! 


What a wonderful gift you have given on this my birthday too. 


Happy Birthday to you! 


Thanks be to God!