Dearest e-votees,
There are two appointed gospel texts for this Sunday. We will look at the one in which Jesus promises the Holy Spirit (setting us up for anticipating Pentecost).
Peace,
Karl
------------
31 23 Jesus answered [Judas, not Iscariot] , “Those who love me will keep my word, and my Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. 24 Whoever does not love me does not keep my words; and the word that you hear is not mine, but is from the Father who sent me.
25 “I have said these things to you while I am still with you. 26 But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid. 28 You heard me say to you, ‘I am going away, and I am coming to you.’ If you loved me, you would rejoice that I am going to the Father, because the Father is greater than I. 29 And now I have told you this before it occurs, so that when it does occur, you may believe.
John 14:23-29, NRSV
I am arrested by the phrase "I do not give to you as the world gives." It certainly begs the question: "How does the world give?" The world gives with an expectation of return. The world might take you out to lunch but there is generally an expectation for a return meal in the not-too-distant future. The world might send the college kid a care package or a gift card but there is certainly a strong hope that the student would send back home a nice thank-you card or at least make a phone call. The world might make a benevolent gift but certainly wouldn't turn away a commemorative sign or tile or brick or perhaps a name emblazoned on the new building wing. The thought of giving without expectation of return is a foreign concept to much of the world.
If you have the time and inclination I would invite you to give something in a way that it cannot be returned to you. An anonymous donation. A simply unreturnable gift. I enjoy, on occasion, paying for the car behind me at the drive through window. That is closer to how God gives to us. We may know explicitly where something came from--then again, we may not. But we can't begin to pay God back for how God has blessed us. The closest we can get is to find some way to pay it forward. If God has forgiven us 10,000 talents (see Matthew 18:21-35) then surely we should be able to find a way to forgive 100 denarii. If God has given us every morsel of food, every swallow of drink, every breath of air and all things else then surely we should be able to share food and drink with those in need and care for the environment so all can have better air to breathe. If God can give us peace, not as the world gives, then surely we can do all that is in our power to be at peace with our sisters and brothers.
God doesn't give to us in order to get back. That is most certainly true. But maybe we can give something back to God by paying forward what God has given us. The blessings we receive equip us to bless others. That seems akin to the kinds of words Jesus spoke. And in tending to the words that Jesus spoke we declare our love for God.
It brings my mind back around to 1 John 4:19-21:
19 We love because he first loved us. 20 Those who say, “I love God,” and hate their brothers or sisters, are liars; for those who do not love a brother or sister whom they have seen, cannot love God whom they have not seen. 21 The commandment we have from him is this: those who love God must love their brothers and sisters also. (NRSV)
God, give us eyes, hearts, minds and inspirations to love our sisters and brothers and in doing so show love to you. Amen.
There are two appointed gospel texts for this Sunday. We will look at the one in which Jesus promises the Holy Spirit (setting us up for anticipating Pentecost).
Peace,
Karl
------------
31 23 Jesus answered [Judas, not Iscariot] , “Those who love me will keep my word, and my Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. 24 Whoever does not love me does not keep my words; and the word that you hear is not mine, but is from the Father who sent me.
25 “I have said these things to you while I am still with you. 26 But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid. 28 You heard me say to you, ‘I am going away, and I am coming to you.’ If you loved me, you would rejoice that I am going to the Father, because the Father is greater than I. 29 And now I have told you this before it occurs, so that when it does occur, you may believe.
I am arrested by the phrase "I do not give to you as the world gives." It certainly begs the question: "How does the world give?" The world gives with an expectation of return. The world might take you out to lunch but there is generally an expectation for a return meal in the not-too-distant future. The world might send the college kid a care package or a gift card but there is certainly a strong hope that the student would send back home a nice thank-you card or at least make a phone call. The world might make a benevolent gift but certainly wouldn't turn away a commemorative sign or tile or brick or perhaps a name emblazoned on the new building wing. The thought of giving without expectation of return is a foreign concept to much of the world.
If you have the time and inclination I would invite you to give something in a way that it cannot be returned to you. An anonymous donation. A simply unreturnable gift. I enjoy, on occasion, paying for the car behind me at the drive through window. That is closer to how God gives to us. We may know explicitly where something came from--then again, we may not. But we can't begin to pay God back for how God has blessed us. The closest we can get is to find some way to pay it forward. If God has forgiven us 10,000 talents (see Matthew 18:21-35) then surely we should be able to find a way to forgive 100 denarii. If God has given us every morsel of food, every swallow of drink, every breath of air and all things else then surely we should be able to share food and drink with those in need and care for the environment so all can have better air to breathe. If God can give us peace, not as the world gives, then surely we can do all that is in our power to be at peace with our sisters and brothers.
God doesn't give to us in order to get back. That is most certainly true. But maybe we can give something back to God by paying forward what God has given us. The blessings we receive equip us to bless others. That seems akin to the kinds of words Jesus spoke. And in tending to the words that Jesus spoke we declare our love for God.
It brings my mind back around to 1 John 4:19-21:
19 We love because he first loved us. 20 Those who say, “I love God,” and hate their brothers or sisters, are liars; for those who do not love a brother or sister whom they have seen, cannot love God whom they have not seen. 21 The commandment we have from him is this: those who love God must love their brothers and sisters also. (NRSV)
God, give us eyes, hearts, minds and inspirations to love our sisters and brothers and in doing so show love to you. Amen.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment