Dear Friends,

This week our readings focus us on the Cross of Jesus.  The feast of the Holy Cross originated in 320 with Empress Helena, Constantine's mother, reportedly finding the true cross on which Jesus died.   It is important to appreciate that in 'celebrating' the cross, we are not 'lifting up', nor focusing on torture and death, but rather acknowledging that through the cross, Jesus and all of us come to New Life.

Most inspiring to us in reflecting on this week's readings is the message:   "God so loved the world as to give God's Beloved Son so that whoever believes may not die, but might have eternal life.  For God sent this Beloved One into the world not to condemn the world but to save it." It is our belief that  Jesus was not sent into our world as a "condemned" man, rather that the world condemned Jesus by not being able to tolerate the message he lived and delivered.  Jesus in his life was our salvation!  We could've been saved without his torturous death, if only we could have listened, and not been led by fear to nail to the cross the goodness that Jesus was, and called humanity to.  But our Gracious God, takes the dreadful shameful death of the Beloved, and transforms it into something new and eternal... everlasting life!  And, we too are caught up in that transformation.   Because of God's raising of Jesus, we are all transformed and have the capacity to live fully into God's kin-dom.

At the Spirit of Life Community, we try wholehearted to "be Christ" to one another, to celebrate that we are being transformed by God's grace as we pray together.  We warmly invite you to come, and gather with us at our Table.  If you are seeking a community to support  you as your deepen and grow in your relationship with God, we invite you to come and  celebrate with us at the Spirit of Life as we are lovingly present to one another in working to build Community together.  We are an inclusive, open, affirming and interactive community, deeply committed to being a people of 'justice and joy.'

May you know the Grace of God's love for you deeply in your heart,

Find more about past weekly reflections and podcasts in our ARCHIVE PAGE.