Well,
here we are on the last Sunday of Eastertide. For me, the time since
Easter Sunday has passed quickly―these last weeks have been
eventful, both in my personal and professional lives, especially with
just finishing up the semester at Hawkeye; I had 20-some portfolios
to read. I imagine you all may be feeling some amazement, too, that
only a week separates us from Memorial Day weekend, and more
importantly, Pentecost. The world, too, has been eventful, of
course―a new president in France, the financial woes in Europe,
violence and oppression still ongoing in Syria―I know that we can
add more to the list. During this last week I’ve wondered whether
the disciples were amazed at how quickly their time in the world went
by―both their time with Christ, and afterward. Did they ever stop
to notice how fast it went while they were wrapped up in the events
in which they were involved?
In
these last, fast-flowing weeks, the lessons have shown us some of
those events in the disciples’ lives, both in readings from Acts
and in John’s Gospel. The readings from Acts, especially, intrigue
me as a student of narrative, because in the weeks leading up to
Pentecost, we’re actually hearing of the events that take place
after Pentecost, after the disciples have received the Holy Spirit
and been sent out into the world. It makes me consider how we tell,
and re-tell, our stories. But that, I think, is a sermon, or a paper,
for another time.
What
has struck me this week is Christ’s prayer concerning his
disciples, which we’ve heard this morning. Twice Jesus says “they
do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world.”
I’ve thought about this phrase most of the week. What did Christ
mean? Part of me was thinking of being totally otherworldly, thinking
in terms of the metaphysical, at least regarding Christ and his part
in the Trinity. Although, in looking at some of the medieval art that
I am using for my track at the upcoming ministry retreat—I have to
put in a plug for that--that many, then and now, have been accustomed
to looking at the disciples in this way, too. The illuminations of
St. Peter, St. James, St. Matthew, and the other disciples--except for Judas--and of course, Christ, certainly
exhibit human qualities, but also have that otherworldly aspect, too,
most obviously seen in the halos with which they are depicted.
But
part of me felt this was problematic―which amazed me, because I
tend to be drawn to mysticism; or at least I felt that there was more
to what John was reporting as Christ’s words to God. I knew that I
was looking at the words too literally―thinking of the physical
world, thinking of the planet. I was working how to reconcile those
words with the actions of the disciples, with the idea of taking
action in the world. After all, Christ does also say in today’s
reading that he is sending his disciples into the world.
And
then, yesterday at the Food Bank, I saw things more clearly folks
from Trinity, St. Tim’s Lutheran in Hudson, and CenturyLink worked
together to pack boxes of food for the elderly, taking time out of
busy lives. We were in the world and yet not belonging to it. In the
world because we were doing a physical job, and helping those in very
real, physical need—facing hunger and lacking means to buy much
food. It finally occurred to me that Christ was talking about the
disciples in terms of the culture that made up their world, not
simply their physical, general surroundings, but the social,
economic, and political aspects of the Roman world. They weren’t of
that world―they were counter to that culture. Because of Christ,
and their belief and faith in his words, Peter, James, John, Thomas,
and the others acted in ways that took them out of that large world,
and also their own individual worlds―away from fishing, tax
collecting, and more.
At one point this week, I wondered what would
have happened if one of them had refused Christ, but that is not part
of this narrative and speculation for another time. In any case, each
disciple no longer belonged to the world; Christ was sending them
out. I would say this is the reading in which Christ transforms his
disciples into “apostles”--which in Greek means, “envoy” or
“sent out.” Christ, via the Holy Spirit, the Advocate, the
Companion, will send them out to share God’s words, God’s
testimony, with the rest of the world.
And
so, let us remember that we, as followers of Christ, are not totally
of this world, either. I don’t mean that we walk around with halos
or an otherworldly glow, though I do think we see that glow every
once in a while. I simply mean that if we follow the commandment that
Christ gave us, which we heard again in last week’s lesson, we set
ourselves apart, to some degree at least, from those in our world who
perpetuate violence against others, who are caught up in making money
only for the sake of making money, from those in the mainstream,
fast-paced, secular culture. We are in the world, too, for by loving
each other, we need to act and spread the word of God’s love, just
as the apostles did.
My
prayer is that as we approach the end of Eastertide and the beginning
of ordinary time after Pentecost next week, that we take some time
this summer to take ourselves out of the world to listen to God’s
testimony in our hearts. Maybe take a moment for prayer at Disney
World or Adventureland or while fishing or camping or before seeing
the latest blockbuster movie (I plan on seeing a few this summer) and
remember that we belong to Christ and to God and Act accordingly. Amen.
--given at Trinity Episcopal Parish, Waterloo, Iowa
Today's readings from the Revised Common Lectionary:
