4/4/2019   2 Comments (at the bottom of this reflection.)

Today's question:
"Do you remember what I told you?”

From John 15:
18 “If the world hates you, remember that it hated me first. 19 The world would love you as one of its own if you belonged to it, but you are no longer part of the world. I chose you to come out of the world, so it hates you. 20 Do you remember what I told you? ‘A slave is not greater than the master.’ Since they persecuted me, naturally they will persecute you. And if they had listened to me, they would listen to you.

Reflection from Kay Maloney 

“Remember the word that I said to you ‘servants are not greater than their master.’" God is our master, we are his servants.
 
God is the vine grower, Jesus is the true vine. Without the vine, branches cannot grow. Without branches we cannot bear fruit. We cannot bear fruit unless we abide in Jesus. If we, as servants believe that we are greater than God our master, we cannot be fed by the word which gives us life through the true vine which is Jesus, then we cannot bear fruit. We need each other. Without our master God, Who do we serve?
 
Communion
Lord, I am not worthy to receive you, but only say the word and I shall be healed. According to Catholic 365.com "unworthy" is acknowledging that we as mere human beings are unworthy to be such a temple of the holy perfect and living God. The dictionary states that worthy means having worth or value.
 
Reflection
I am worthy, is what I would say to myself; the few times I took Communion at Catholic Churches. I shared this with our former Pastor, Rev. Brad Wilson, who said "What makes you so special that you feel that you are worthy?"  Wow, was I shocked. I still don't like the word worthy but I do believe that we are God's servants and not greater than our master. I believe, when we take Communion we are there as humble sinners to be forgiven through the bread of his body and the wine of his blood of our Lord. I believe our worth or value is to know that without our Master God to produce the vine (Jesus), we cannot branch out to bear the fruit. We cannot produce fruit on our own so we aren't greater than our master. What a joy to serve such a wonderful master.

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Comments

Mary Brown
Thu, Apr 4, 2019 at 9:56 am
Well said. I believe I am worthy because Christ paid much too high a price for me. Christ died for me and in Him, I have everlasting life!

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About Today's Author

Kay Maloney has been married to Larry for 26 yrs. and resides in Des Plaines. She has been attending FUMCDP for about 17 years.

She's a massage therapist and enjoys tennis, walks, dancing, yoga and Qigong. Kay also loves to travel, spend time with her family and friends, is a lover of the arts and theater, and loves drinking tea with friends.

​Most of all she has found much more meaning in her life from attending many bible studies at the church over the years and enjoys learning and sharing from one another.

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Anne Cowin
Thu, Apr 4, 2019 at 8:48 pm
I believe that people have worth simply because God made us, each and everyone, in His image. Then, God showed how much he valued His beloved creation by making a way to redeem us. Through the obedience of His son, Jesus, who freely chose to sacrifice His life, God offers salvation to anyone who simply believes. When we approach the alter for communion, we should feel worthy because Jesus gave His body and blood to give us eternal life. That is how loved we are by God.