Readings for May 2, 2010: Easter 5C

Acts 11:1-18 • Psalm 148 • Revelation 21:1-6 • John 13:31-35

A New Creation: This tapestry includes all the colours of the new heaven that are presented in Revelation 21. Take a moment to center yourself as you prepare to reflect on this week's Scripture.

Prayer: Alpha and Omega, First and Last, glory outshining all the lights of heaven: pour out upon us your Spirit of faithful love and abundant compassion,so that we may rejoice in the splendor of your workswhile we wait in expectation for the new heaven and the new earth you promisewhen Christ shall come again. Amen.

Acts 11:1-18

Peter has been in the coastal area northwest of Jerusalem, an area where there are already believers of Jewish origin. Up the coast, in Caesarea Philippi, Cornelius (an officer in the Roman army, a Gentile) has seen a vision in which a messenger from God has told him to send for Peter. As Peter has approached the town, he too has seen a vision: of “the heaven opened and something like a large sheet coming down, being lowered”. In the sheet are “all kinds” of animals. A voice has said: “Get up, Peter; kill and eat” meaning eat of animals forbidden by Jewish law. At Cornelius’ house, he has told the assembled company (both Jews and Gentiles): “You ... know that it is unlawful for a Jew to associate with or to visit a Gentile; but God has shown me that I should not call anyone ... [ritually] unclean”He has summed up the good news, telling them that “God shows no partiality” The Holy Spirit has come on all who hear the word and many, including Gentiles, have been baptized.
Word of this event has reached Judea, where there are believers of Jewish origin (“circumcised believers") who ask why he has broken Jewish law by visiting and eating with Gentiles. Peter explains: not chronologically but from the viewpoint of God’s plan of salvation. (The word translated “brothers”, denotes close kinship, in the Christian community.) Just as the Holy Spirit came on the apostles at Pentecost (“at the beginning”, ) so it “fell upon them”, Cornelius’ household. In a post-resurrection appearance, Jesus predicted Pentecost . Peter defends his actions: God gave them the “same gift” when they believed as he gave us when we came to faith. Peter’s critics accept this explanation; God is working in a new way; even Gentiles who turn to God will receive eternal “life”.

Reflection: In this story, a huge barrier is set aside. The Book of Leviticus establishes the foods that the faithful can eat. But now these rules are set aside so that dietary laws will not hinder all people from embracing the gospel.

What people do we exclude from the gospel's embrace?

What rules or practices do we hold onto that may create a barrier, keeping people from God, from coming into our communion?

>I recently visited an Anglican Church in Toronto that was remarkably open. They were self identified as "queer friendly"; they had a rainbow triangle on thier sign; being in the heart of an urban center they were open to street people who came and went during the service, some sleeping through it all; the service was led by all kinds of people so that it waas hard to know who the clergy were; they provided lunch afterwards and the food was dairy free and gluten free... They had knocked down may barriers and yet in the homily they were challenged to see that some were outside their church because they were not flexible in how they did things...(!)

>Another story: Someone shared with me how, when their children were young, children never came into the sanctuary on Sunday mornings. This was in 1984. Today their grandchildren are in church each week. That's a big shift.

What do we do to include others? What have we changed? What still needs attention?

Revelation 21: 1-6

Revelation is the last book of the Bible and is in a way a summary of the whole of the Bible. It is an apocalypse, a vision which foretells the future and presents an understanding of the past. It tells of the struggle between good and evil, and the ultimate victory of Christ. Writing in symbolic language, its author urges Christians to keep faith in a period of persecution. It is hard to understand because we have to work to decode it, to understand the meaning of its symbols .

Our reading is from John’s record of his vision of the end-times. He has told of the destruction of the old city, Babylon (code name for Rome) and of the old heaven and earth ;the ungodly have been driven off to punishment .Only the godly, a remnant, remain. Isaiah in Chapters 65 and 66 predict that all creation will be renewed, freed from imperfections and transformed by the glory of God.

Now John sees the new creation. The “sea” ,a symbol of turbulence, unrest and chaos, is no more. He sees “the new Jerusalem” ,probably not made with bricks and mortar, “holy”, of divine origin, beautiful and lovely as a “bride”. (Marriage is a symbol of the intimate union between the exalted Christ and the God's people. John hears “a loud voice” interpreting the words of verse 2 : God again comes to “dwell” (be present spiritually) with “his peoples”. Sorrow, death and pain - characteristics that made the old earth appear to be enslaved to sin – will disappear .God, “seated on the throne”, speaks in : God will do everything described in verse 1 to 4; God is sovereign over all that happens in human history. (“Alpha” and “Omega” are the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet, so God encompasses all.) God will give the gift of eternal life to all who seek it.

Reflection: This passage is often used at funerals. God with the people. Death and mourning and tears done. Alpha, and Omega, Beginning and End. All is well.

What do you think the kingdom of Heaven looks like? What do you hope for in the end? How do you feel when you think of God coming close to be with you?

John 13:31-35

Jesus is preparing his followers for his departure. After the Last Supper, he has washed the feet of his disciples, a symbol of servanthood. Peter has misunderstood Jesus’ action; Jesus has told him that to share in Christ requires that Jesus be his servant as well as his master. Peter will understand “later” (v. 7): when Jesus is on the cross. Jesus has said, “you are clean, though not all of you” (v. 10). Then, generalizing, he says that, per his example, each Christian is to be a servant to every other (v. 14). Jesus has predicted his betrayal (vv. 18, 21); he has shown Peter and the disciple “whom Jesus loved” (v. 23) who this will be. Judas (“he”, v. 31) has gone out into the “night” (v. 30) – a symbol of the dark deed he is about to commit.

The glorification (revelation of the essence of) the “Son of Man” (v. 31), the ideal human, Jesus, is already in progress; the Father is already being revealed in him. The Father has been revealed (“glorified”, v. 32) in Jesus, so Jesus is a way of seeing God now (“at once”). In John and 1 John, Jesus calls his faithful followers “little children” (v. 33). Jesus tells them that his time on earth with them is very soon to end. They cannot join him in heaven now, but he “will come again and will take you to myself” (14:3). Judaism required one to love one’s neighbour as oneself (Leviticus 19:18). Jesus’ commandment is “new” (v. 34) in that, in his self-offering, he is model of, motive for, and cause for, loving one another. Mutual love will show who follows Christ.

Reflection:

Where I am going, you cannot come." The Ascension, impending. But interesting words. Where can we go that Jesus goes? He wants us to follow him in most of the places he goes. Can we? Should we? Will we?

New commandment: Love one another. That's how people will know you are followers of Jesus. think of the old camp song "And They'll Know We Are Christians By Our Love", from this text. I'm afraid that my life doesn't always confirm that. I think about ends and means. The end: our Christian identity is visible. The means: love. In this case, Jesus suggests we can't get the end we desire, to be known as disciples, except by the means of loving as he has loved. And how has he loved?