Church as Chosen Lady #2 of 7:

The Chosen Lady

(Second John)

Second John won’t go away. I wake up with “The Chosen Lady” on my mind. So I read it again. Only 250 words. The Chosen Lady appears at the beginning, middle, and end. It’s about her. It’s about how John along with all those who abide in the truth of the Gospel, love her and her children. And how, such love and truth brings joy.

For a second time, in the middle of our short letter. John addresses our Lady, encouraging her and her children to “walk according to Christ’s commandment to love one another.” John assumes we know the new commandment Jesus gives us—that we are to “love one another”; and that by this love “everyone will know” we must be Christ’s disciples (Jn 13:34-35).

It causes me to think of another Lady—Lady Wisdom (Pr 9:1-5):

Wisdom has built her house,

      with seven crafted pillars.

She has mixed her wine,

      and set her table…

She says, “Come, eat of my bread

      and drink of my wine.

Leave your hollow ways, and live,

      walking in the light.”

Lady Wisdom sets her table and invites us to come and eat of her bread and drink of her wine. We can’t help but think of The Table the church spreads for us and invites us to come and eat of this bread and drink of this wine. When we enter her house and eat at The Table spread for us, somehow we are freed from our “hollow ways” and receive once again newness of life.

The invitation to enter Lady Wisdom’s house with its seven crafted pillars and to eat at her table, does not take place out in the woods somewhere, but rather (Pr 1:20-21),,,

She cries out in the street;

                  in the city squares she raises her voice.

At the busiest corner she cries out;

      at the entrance of the city gates she speaks…

Whenever the church gathers in love and truth and joy; the Chosen Lady can be seen right in the midst of the city, inviting whosoever will to come to her table and eat of her bread and drink of her wine.