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I think I have told you before that I love to sing. We can’t sing in church right now but we can sing to the high heavens while we are home or riding in the car or outside in our backyards.

Today, I would like you to share with you one of my favorite hymns. It’s called “Jesu, Jesu, fill us with your love.” It’s a Ghanian folk song that we usually sing on Maundy Thursday when Jesus washes the feet of his friends. It captures the good news of the gospel today. The good news of the Greatest Commandment of All. Jesus’ commandment to love God and to love our neighbors as we love ourselves.

It goes like this (slightly edited for younger ears.)

You can listen here to a children’s choir singing it.

Jesu, Jesu, fill us with your love, show us how to serve the neighbors we have from you.

Kneels at the feet of his friends, silently washes their feet, Master who acts as a servant to them.

Neighbors are rich and poor, neighbors are black and white, neighbors are nearby and far away.

These are the ones we should serve, these are the ones we should love. All are neighbors to us and you.

Loving puts us on our knees, helping as though we were servants; this is the way we should live with you.

Jesu, Jesu, fill us with your love, show us how to serve the neighbors we have from you.

When you listen to the song and sing along, draw a picture or make a list of your neighbors. Then think about each one of them and write down ways you can be be a loving neighbor. You probably won’t be able to wash your their feet, but I bet you can think of lots of other ways to be a good neighbor!

And if you like, bring your picture and list to zoom coffee hour! I would love to see it and hear about all of your neighbors!

Blessings, Joani

Spirituality The Episcopal Church Children's Homily Clergy Ordinary Time Podcast The Rev. Joan L. Peacock