Acts 11: 1-18
Psalm 148
Revelation 21:1-6
John 13:31-35
Reflecting and studying the readings from this morning, I thought Wow, I think I can write a sermon on the Gospel reading without a problem. I can talk about Love and everything will be perfect. In fact I had a sermon about half way written, but like many things in my life, it was not that easy. You see, the reading from Revelation kept coming back to me. It kept nagging at me. How can the writer honestly say, “He will wipe every tear from their eyes, Death will be no more; mourning and crying and pain will be no more?” We live in a world where gunshots ring out, drugs are sold, and peoples’ lives are changed forever. We have become desensitized to the grim reality that our newspapers, and TV are filled with scenes of people dying, crying, and in pain. We do not need to look at the greater world for examples, here at St. Alban’s, we have seen our fair share of mourning, crying and pain. We have experienced deaths, surgeries and illnesses among us and the surrounding community. Humanity is still suffering, we are crying, and full of pain. It seems like the words in this passage are wrong. But they are not. The images contained within Revelation are written to describe the new order and we are still living as members of the old order, waiting for Jesus to return to this world. Since we have not experienced the second coming, we must look other places to find answers to our questions.
Today we celebrate the fifth Sunday of Easter. The time when Jesus has been resurrected and was walking among his disciples. A few weeks ago, we heard the story of Thomas, doubting whether the person who entered the room was actually Jesus. In response Jesus told Thomas to put his fingers in the holes in his hands and feet and to feel the wound on his side where he had been pierced. Even in the resurrected Christ, the woundedness and pain are still present. The physical signs of Jesus death are still visible. Even in the resurrection, the cross is never removed from our history. The cross and all the pain, doubt and suffering that goes with it will never be removed from us. Christ was crucified on a cross and that we can never forget. The pain from the nails on his hands and feet, the piercing wound on his side will always be present. The resurrected Christ made sure to tell us, his followers, that the cross is a part of our history. But while on the cross he also tells John to take care of Mary and for Mary to take care of John. Even as Jesus was on the cross dying, He wanted to ensure we understood how to love one another.
Thomas Merton is quoted as Love has nothing to do with what you are expecting to get – only with what you are expecting to give – which is everything. This is exactly what God did for us. God gave Jesus because he loved us, his creation, so much. As we look at the Gospel reading for this morning, we hear the final discourse between Jesus and his disciples. Judas had just left to betray Jesus, and Jesus is sitting talking to his disciples. They have shared a meal in which Jesus spoke of a new covenant. Then after dinner, He is once again trying to help the disciples understand that very shortly he will give everything including his life for the love of humanity. He says, Where I am going, you cannot come. Up until now, Jesus has alluded to his mission and the disciples have never understood. This is yet another example of the disciples not understanding. They still don’t understand what exactly he means. In fact the passage directly after this is when Peter asks Jesus, Where are you going? It seems the disciples are more interested in understanding what is happening to Jesus then listening to what he is saying.
For us, this passage is important today for two reasons. The first reason is due to where Jesus is going and the second because of what Jesus was saying. Jesus is preparing for the trials he will face shortly. Within a few short days of this discourse, Jesus will be arrested, tried and crucified. Jesus will give up his life for the love of humanity. But more importantly, Jesus offers a new commandment for his disciples. Jesus commands his disciples to love one another. But not just love one another but to love one another as he has loved them. In the Hellenistic world, there are three words for love agape, eros and philos, in English we only have one. In this passage, Jesus speaks of agape love which was the least common word used for love. Agape is defined as love, which is of and from God. It’s not the sappy sentimental love we see in movies but a much greater love, it is the unmerited love God shows to humankind in sending his son as suffering redeemer. When Jesus tells his disciples to love one another as he love them, he was not only speaking to the twelve gathered around the table that night. Jesus was also speaking to us, his disciples. As Christians today, we are also called to love one another. Archbishop Desmond Tutu , a modern day saint and leader within the freedom movement in South Africa, when asked what is the meaning of life said, “ultimately we’re meant for love… we’re meant as those who will communicate love and make this world more hospitable to love.”
As I have become a part of this community over the past eight months, I have seen that this community embodies both Bishop Tutu’s meaning of life as well as Jesus’ new commandment to love one another. Over the past year, significant loss has occurred within this community. We have lost husbands and wives, mothers and fathers, sisters and brothers, friends, and confidants. We have watched and waited with loved ones as they recover from significant surgeries and illnesses. We have cared for each other through the good times and the bad. We have LOVED one another. Saint Alban’s has mentored me in what it means to love one another within a community. You have helped me see firsthand what it is like to live in a Christian community where love rules. As I watched each of you care for each other, hold each other, pray with each other week after week, I saw agape love. This love doesn’t end on Sunday when we leave here either, but rather continues all week long. Each Wednesday, during the healing Eucharist, I listened as the members of that small group of worshippers prayed not for their own needs but the needs of others. Many times, I felt selfish asking for healing for myself when everyone else was asking for healing for others. That time of worship is something I look forward to every week, as we gather to share our hopes and dreams, our hurts and sorrows.
The agape love is not just within the community of St. Alban’s either. It extends to the way St. Alban’s opens its doors to the outside community as well. Just in the year I have been here, this community has participated in an ecumenical service of healing, welcomed a new after school program for kids, and planted a community garden as well as continued all the other ministries already present here. This parish shows its love everywhere it goes. After all who could forget the first function he and I both attended where he danced and I watched. The welcoming love we were shown that night was just typical of St. Alban’s. There is a long history of seminarians here at St. Alban’s and I am sure that each one of us would have our own stories of love that we could describe. But the common denominator in all the stories is you and your dedication to caring for each other and the greater community.
It is not possible to celebrate the resurrection without also having the cross. One piece of the cross is the mourning, the crying and the pain associated with it. Jesus did die on that cross, but he was also resurrected three days later. And it is the resurrection that we celebrate in this, the Easter season. In the resurrection, we are shown that love is stronger than death. That Love can conquer and that we should always remember Jesus commandment to love one another as I have loved you.
For this one thing I am certain. St. Alban’s is a community where love can and does conquer all and that we do love one another as Christ loved us.
Amen.
