Br. Curtis Almquist

1 John 3:1-6

The opening verb in our reading from the First Letter of John is revealing: “See.” “See,” also translated as “Behold,” which is to look, to notice, to pay attention, to remember![1] Remember! If we do not draw on memory from our past, we are vulnerable to living our lives superficially, simply reacting to the bombardment of media and advertisements and requests coming at us all the time. Living our lives reactively is whiplash to the soul.

Rather, living our lives reflectively, meditatively, responsively draws from a much deeper well. The English word “meditation” comes from the Latin, meditari, which is to rehearse one’s lines. “Meditation can be seen as a kind of rehearsal for the unknown future.” I’m drawing here on the insight of the Dominican, Simon Tugwell.[2]  Reserving space every day to meditate in God’s presence will make a world of difference. It’s to listen to, reflect on, consider, devise, rehearse one’s lines in the face of life, regardless of what stage on which we find ourselves. Make space every day, make some space however brief or long, to meditate in God’s presence to find your way.

So our reading from the First Epistle of John begins with, “See what love the Father has given us.” “See!” “See!” Notice God’s presence now. Of course, God’s presence is always present, even in our past. God is always now. God’s presence is always present. To meditate will mediate our life. Meditating on the gift of our life – which is remembering, retrieving, rehearsing God’s presence in our past and into our present – will help give us our lines and show us the way as we follow Christ into the future.[3]

[1] This Greek verb ἴδετε (“see” or “behold”) appears nine times in the New Testament.

[2] S. Tugwell, OP, Prayer: Living with God (Springfield, IL, 1975).

[3] To meditate is to remember, recover, retrieve, rehearse our lives, e.g.: “Their delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law they meditate day and night” (Psalm 1:2); “when I think of you on my bed, and meditate on you in the watches of the night” (Psalm 63:6); “You shall put these words of mine in your heart and soul, and you shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and fix them as an emblem on your forehead. Teach them to your children, talking about them when you are at home and when you are away, when you lie down and when you rise” (Deuteronomy 11:18-19); and “The Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you” (John 14:26).