Sermon, Easter 5 (C)

Praise and glory be to God!

Alleluia! The Risen Christ is glorified – and God through him – it’s a happy Gospel today!

And this joy echoes throughout the readings…

From peter’s eye-opening experience to recognise that earthly structures cannot limit God; to the Psalmist connecting the earthly and heavenly in acts of praise (that’s a great all-encompassing psalm!).

Praise and glory. It’s energising!

Then of course the Revelation takes us somewhere new indeed – a new heaven – and a new earth! Where there is no pain, no discomfort, only joy.

Not an amnesiac bliss, even – but a land of milk and honey where we KNOW what life can be – and we KNOW what true life with God is.

For this is the place of perfect love.

Praise and Glory indeed!

Yet: we can get caught up sometimes in the nitty-gritty: pondering how do we get THERE from HERE.

Because here: well, we know what this world is: imperfect. Earthly.

And we know how we are here: imperfect. Earthly.

Yet in us – all of us – God sees the potential for love.

Even in the worst of circumstances, Jesus wants his friends to know they are welcome at the table – the table they’ve just had a meal at, and the table in the Heavenly Kingdom.

For the context of this passage is important: Jesus is at supper with his friends; in the Upper Room; the night before his arrest.

And at the beginning, the person that we hear had just gone out – that was Judas – and we know where he went off to.

Yet: Jesus – despite knowing that Judas would betray him – Jesus did not exclude him from the table. For the table of God is for all to be received.

And the disciples – who did not fully understand what was happening – could have easily had their hearts harden and their ministry ended.

So Jesus offers the pre-emptive directive: to love.

He phrases it as a commandment: a divine imperative.

To love.

And he uses the agape love – that never-ending, unconditional, always present love.

And we know that agape love is nearly unattainable here on earth: agape love is heavenly love.

So Jesus is commanding – instructing – his disciples to act in ways that extend heavenly love: well, it’s fitting.

And he’s not doing this in a do-as-I-say kind of way, but in an expression of praise and glory for the love they have already received: worthy or not.

And then: the not-so-subtle reminder even further: by this the world will know you are my disciples – if you have love for one another.

To be a disciple is to live in that journey towards the expression of love.

Disciple – the word itself means follower.

And it is the same root as discipline.

NOT in a punitive manner, but in the sense of practice – pattern – the discipline of daily prayer, the disipline of regular exercise, etc.

For Jesus, the discipline – the following of his leading – is through love.

Love one another, as I have loved you.

It is the ministry that we are called to – for we are ALL ministers.

We have all been called – and equipped – and empowered.

In our baptism, vows were made by us or on our behalf – promises to love God and each other; to seek the truth and share the Good News of God in the world. We affirm this every time we declare the creed or renew our vows.

Our baptism is the foundation for our life of love.

And our receiving of the Communion elicits from us praise and thanksgiving; and gives us what we need to live our earthly lives while aspiring to God’s heavenly promise.

The Holy Communion reminds us of the Holy Community; the blessing of being the people of God. It’s a shared meal with a good friend; that feeds us and nourishes us for the life of love that we are called to.

And thus: we go into the world – as disciples.

As the ones who are baptised into God’s family; and fed at God’s table; and sharing God’s goodness.

For this is how the world will continue to know us: loved, and loving. Following, inviting, accompanying.

We ARE the baptised.

We ARE the community.

We ARE the hope for the world, as we carry the love of God in our hearts and through our lives.

We ARE the disciples, seeking new ways to love: in peace, in truth, in Christ.

We ARE the followers, who delight in the constant opportunity to praise and glorify God.

So today, as we celebrate the gift of love that we have received, we also celebrate our faith that sustains us. We celebrate the meal that nourishes us. We celebrate the mission of love before us, that we are called – and compelled – and even commanded! to undertake.

We close with a prayer from Donald and Susan Johnson: (In Praying the Catechism, page 189)