Voices Found: Love astounding

 Voices Found #143

Love astounding, love confounding 

limits fearful minds impose.

Love renewing, love pursuing 

every heart until it knows

love's transforming, healing goodness, 

love's abiding, gentle grace,

love's endurance, love's assurance, 

love's consoling, strong embrace.

Words: Jeannette M. Lindholm

Music: Holy Manna, from The Southern Harmony, 1835; acc. Margaret M. Mealy

Ruth 4:9-17 and Matthew 5:48 are appointed in The Women's Lectionary for the Whole Church for Proper 16B (Closest to August 24)

Ruth gave birth to Obed, son of Boaz.  Obed was the father of Jesse, who was the father of David.  Thus began the lineage of David and Jesus. The marriage of Ruth, a Moabite,  to Boaz, a Jew, embodied the astounding love of the Source of Life, who brought  together two warring peoples in their son Obed, ancestor of Jesus.

So Boaz took Ruth as his own for a wife.  He came to her and The Source of Life granted her a pregnancy, and she gave birth to a son.  Then the women (of the community) said to Naomi,"Blessed be the Faithful God , who has not deprived you this day of next-of-kin; and may the child's name be renown in Israel! He shall be to you a restorer of life and a provider in your latter years; for your daughter-in-law has given birth to him, who loves you, she who is more to you than seven sons."

Ruth 4:13-15

Reflection:

Voices Found# 140

O perfect love, all human thought transcending,

lowly we kneel in prayer before thy throne,

that theirs may be the love which knows no ending,

whom thou for evermore dost join in one.

Words: Dorothy Frances Gurney

Music: Highwood, Richard Runciman Terry (1865-1938)

"You all have heard that it was said, 'you shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.'" Yet I say to you all: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of the One in heaven who begot you..." Matthew 5:43-44

Meditation:

Love receiving, love believing,

we rejoice with thanks and song,

faith regaining, hope proclaiming; 

love has taught us, we belong,

safe within love's tender keeping,

safe from fear's persistent call.

Love defending, love unending,

love of God enfolding all.

Words: Jeannette M. Lindholm

Mothering Spirit, help me embrace all of the Creator's children in my life.  Help me to proclaim your love to them. Keep me safe from fear's persistent call and enfold me in your love unending.