Eastertide May 6, 2015

Scripture Reading: Psalm 133

How very good and pleasant it is
when kindred live together in unity!
It is like the precious oil on the head,
running down upon the beard, on the beard of Aaron,
running down over the collar of his robes.
It is like the dew of Hermon,
   which falls on the mountains of Zion.
For there the Lord ordained his blessing,
   life for evermore.

The first definition Merriam Webster list for kindred is a natural grouping*. While a family is a natural grouping, I suppose, I have always considered the word to mean blood relative, which is listed in Merriam Webster under the word archaic. The Hebrew treats it as brother** but then in Hebrew the word brother connotes a broader spectrum than a blood relative also. As we have followed Jesus command to take his message to the ends of the earth our natural grouping of followers of Christ has grown and still there are others to be added.

Perhaps the Psalmist is celebrating when actual, blood brothers and sisters get along. It is a good place to start. There is something very special about siblings. We know each other about as well as any people can know each other. We know about the times of joy and achievement, about the times of shame and despair of each other from earliest childhood. Brothers and sisters are the training camp for life where we learn to get along with each other while learning to stand up for ourselves. It is indeed pleasant when siblings get along.

Today is a good day to remember the best things about being brothers and sisters by blood or in Christ and to celebrate the joy of unity which can be very fragile.

Prayer: God who created us, made us each the persons we are becoming, we thank you for our brothers and sisters in life and in Christ and pray that our relationships can foster unity among all peoples by being a shining example of it. Make us whole, make us one. Amen.

*http://unabridged.merriam-webster.com/unabridged/kindred

**http://biblehub.com/hebrew/251.htm

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights reserved.