On the night of May 8, 1373, in Norwich, England, a "privileged" woman was dying. Her priest from St. Julian administered Last Rites and the vigil began as her family waited for her to die.
The young woman prayed to the one she called her "courteous Lord," not asking for a miracle but for understanding. She wondered why did God so love us?
As the dawn broke, she wrote that her eyes were opened, echoes of St. Paul, and she had 16 visions answering her questions.
After she recovered, she took the name Julian of Norwich. She wrote in English, not Latin, of her experience. The book is "Showings." She wrote: "Be well aware: love was his meaning. Who showed it thee? Love. What showed He thee? Love. Why did he show it to thee? For love."
Several years ago, I was part of a team that visited Episcopalians in South Dakota. On Sunday we worshipped with a congregation on the Pine Ridge Reservation. The Gospel reading was John 21:1-19, and it was read in Lakota by Robert Two Bulls. When he read the threefold questions by Jesus to Peter, "Do you love me," chills ran up my spine and my face turned red. This was the love of Jesus. It is the love of the two great commandments, to love God and to love our neighbor as yourself. Love with our whole being and with eyes wide open to be what God has created us to be -- a community of spiritual love.
As I write this, there are Arkansas legislators that have forgotten St. Paul's admonition for those in positions of power not to be haughty. They have ignored the commandment to love your neighbor but desire to throw some of our poorest Arkansas neighbors under the bus.
They seem to me to be blind to the human beings that will suffer. Maybe an exercise would help them remember any act of love may aid us to see grace.
When their child or grandchild is sick and needs a prescription, the Arkansas poor cannot be taken to a doctor. Neither can poor adults? Would you deny health care for your spouse, mother and father, grandmother and grandfather and any of your other relatives? We would not intentionally deny those we love health coverage.
When we talk politics or any other language without remembering that all the "theys" are human beings, we will make grievous mistakes and can do great harm.
As the old familiar hymn says: "Jesus loves me; this I know." And Jesus loves us and all our neighbors -- equally. So must we.
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Ken Parks is the former rector of St. Theodore's Episcopal Church in Bella Vista. He can be reached by email to [email protected]. The opinions expressed are those of the author.
Religion on 04/20/2016