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Morning Meditation
July 21, 2026
Reading: Romans 14:13-23
Let us therefore no longer pass judgement on one another, but resolve instead never to put a stumbling-block or hindrance in the way of another. I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself; but it is unclean for anyone who thinks it unclean. If your brother or sister is being injured by what you eat, you are no longer walking in love. Do not let what you eat cause the ruin of one for whom Christ died. So do not let your good be spoken of as evil. For the kingdom of God is not food and drink but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. The one who thus serves Christ is acceptable to God and has human approval. Let us then pursue what makes for peace and for mutual edification. Do not, for the sake of food, destroy the work of God. Everything is indeed clean, but it is wrong for you to make others fall by what you eat; it is good not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything that makes your brother or sister stumble. The faith that you have, have as your own conviction before God. Blessed are those who have no reason to condemn themselves because of what they approve. But those who have doubts are condemned if they eat, because they do not act from faith; for whatever does not proceed from faith is sin.
Meditation by Rebecca Northington
One of the main criticisms of the Episcopal Church is the wishy-washy nature of our tradition. Some call us Catholic-lite. People are sometimes frustrated by our lack of “rules” and our open-minded approach to scripture and theology. We do not presume to have all the answers, we believe only God does. For young people who are trying to figure out their own relationship with God and Christianity the lack of fundamentals in our tradition can be scary. This is precisely what Paul is talking about in his letter to the Romans. It is easier to point to the rules of what to eat and to drink for example, and what qualifies you as sinful in a black-and-white, unmistakable way. But that is a very human trap, and trying to place yourself in a superior state by condemning your brother or sister is in fact exactly what Jesus taught us not to do. God saw again and again in the Old Testament man’s intention to manipulate, bend and break his laws. Jesus came to do away with that game, and instead asked each of us to simply love one another and to love God.
The work of faith is vulnerable and truly terrifying for many. It means forgiving even when this leaves you exposed. It means giving of yourself even when you really want to just protect yourself. It is putting God first. I do not think Jesus expected us to create a compendium based on his teachings. I do not think he expected us to determine the fundamentals that would allow some to be saved and some to be doomed. With this in mind I would argue that the Episcopal tradition is actually one of the most challenging traditions and the most loyal to Christ’s teachings. We are less concerned with judgement and accusations of sin, and more focused on the inner work that must be done to be people of faith.
In the Buddhist tradition there is a term called Mudita. It is the third of the four immeasurables and is often considered the hardest. It is the opposite of jealousy or envy and is usually understood as the happiness derived from witnessing other people's joy. It is believed to foster interconnectedness among all people and to contribute to our own journey towards freedom or enlightenment. The practice of Mudita reminds me of the practice of being a Christian. It is not transactional, it is immeasurable. It is about a lifetime of cultivating an integrated heart: one that finds joy in other people's happiness, one that resides in a state of gratitude, and one that chooses hope over fear, and love over envy.
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