|
First
Reading
|
Psalm |
Epistle |
Gospel |
| Acts
10:44-48 |
98:1,
5-10 |
1 John 5:1-6 |
John
15:9-17 |
Jesus
was with his disciples for about three years. Like all human relationships,
there were up moments of exhilaration, down periods of discouragement
and plenty of in-between ambivalent times of confusion and undefined
anxiety. There was the intense final week in Jerusalem and then
the astounding discovery of the resurrection.
In the days following when the risen Jesus
appeared to the disciples, he told them that they were no longer
servants, but friends. He reminded them that while a servant might
not know what the master is about, that is not the type of relationship
God wishes to have with us. God wants us to be active participants
in making this world a better place. Disciples are not expected
to be passive reactors of God’s grace, but active sponsors
and initiators of God’s grace. Disciples have graduated and
are sent into the world as teachers and examples themselves. The
overall theme of this season after Easter is that we are sent
people. God has assured us that we now have the tools to carry
on the world’s redemption and humanity’s reconciliation.
In one sense, we are no longer students, paying tuition for the
church to fill us up as much as we are colleagues who gather together
to be strengthened by the Holy Spirit among us. We are now all
alumni of the resurrection.
The word "mass" comes from the
root of the Latin verb to dismiss or to send out. Hence we gather
here, fulfilling the promises we took at baptism to be partners
with God. In baptism, we promised to proclaim by word and example
the good news, we promised to seek and serve Christ in all persons,
and to strive for justice and peace among all people. We gain
strength and encouragement here, to be sent out there.
There is old story about a certain rector
who became discouraged and disillusioned. The parish was always
full of squabbles over very minor things, the fellowship committee
continually served weak coffee and stale buns, and so he resigned
and sought other employment. But times were tough in the state,
so the only job he could find was at the county zoo. Indeed the
budget was tight at the zoo too. It seems the favorite attraction
had been the giant gorilla who one night unexpectedly died. Rather
than jeopardize attendance, the zoo hired the minister to don
a gorilla costume and hop around all day and entertain people.
To his amazement, the former rector loved his new job. People
paid more attention to him in the zoo then they ever did in church,
no one threw rotten fruit, there were always plenty of good things
to eat tossed his way, and when he was tired, he could take a
nap in the sun anytime he wanted. One day he pounded his chest
and felt so frisky that he gripped the trapeze bar and pushed
off so hard, that he swung too high, and lost his grip, and flew
flying over his cage landing into the lion cage. In a semi-dazed
condition he looked up and saw a lion staring right at him. Forgetting
his gorilla act, he began to shout, “help, help, I’m
really a minister.” Whereupon the lion leaned real close
and whispered, “quiet you fool, I’m a minister too.”
Whether true or not, this story reveals
something significant about the rights and privileges conferred
upon each of us as Easter people. The risen Jesus confers the
diploma of minister on every one of us.
Lastly, and this is generally true, in
the vesting rooms for many Roman Catholic churches there is a
picture of Mary. It reminds those who vest for the service that
the courageous example of Mary is an inspiration for all of us.
In many Baptist churches, there is a picture of Jesus gathered
with his disciples as the last supper. It reminds those who prepare
for the service there, that we are a family and worship together
as a body, and then we go out and serve. In the vesting rooms
of most Episcopal Churches, is a full-length mirror. That’s
not bad either, for whoever looks into the mirror, sees a person
who is called to mirror God’s love in the world. We are not
simply passive images of God’s love. We are no longer just
vessels that come to be filled with God’s grace. We are no
longer empty blackboards waiting to be written on. We are mirrors,
we are called to reflect, indeed even magnify or focus God’s
grace out there in the zoo of our world.
And
I offer this to you in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
Amen
