Today's Scripture Readings
Acts 1:6-14 (NRSV)
When the apostles had come together, they asked Jesus, "Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?" He replied, "It is not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." When he had said this, as they were watching, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. While he was going and they were gazing up toward heaven, suddenly two men in white robes stood by them. They said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up toward heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven."
Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a sabbath day's journey away. When they had entered the city, they went to the room upstairs where they were staying, Peter, and John, and James, and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James son of Alphaeus, and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. All these were constantly devoting themselves to prayer, together with certain women, including Mary the mother of Jesus, as well as his brothers.
Psalm 68 (BCP., p.676)
1 Peter 4:12-14; 5:6-11 (NRSV)
Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that is taking place among you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you are sharing Christ's sufferings, so that you may also be glad and shout for joy when his glory is revealed. If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the spirit of glory, which is the Spirit of God, is resting on you.
Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, so that he may exalt you in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him, because he cares for you. Discipline yourselves, keep alert. Like a roaring lion your adversary the devil prowls around, looking for someone to devour. Resist him, steadfast in your faith, for you know that your brothers and sisters in all the world are undergoing the same kinds of suffering. And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, support, strengthen, and establish you. To him be the power forever and ever. Amen.
John 17:1-11 (NRSV)
Jesus looked up to heaven and said, "Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son so that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him authority over all people, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. And this is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. I glorified you on earth by finishing the work that you gave me to do. So now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had in your presence before the world existed.
"I have made your name known to those whom you gave me from the world. They were yours, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. Now they know that everything you have given me is from you; for the words that you gave to me I have given to them, and they have received them and know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me. I am asking on their behalf; I am not asking on behalf of the world, but on behalf of those whom you gave me, because they are yours. All mine are yours, and yours are mine; and I have been glorified in them. And now I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one, as we are one. "
Blog Reflection
This past Thursday, the Church celebrated the Ascension of Our Lord Jesus Christ. The feast recalls that forty days after the Resurrection on Easter Day, Jesus ascended into Heaven.
The Ascension is a mysterious event in the Scriptures. The Bible is quite clear that it happened, but not so clear as to when it occurred. The Gospel of Matthew has almost no account of the Ascension. It is briefly referred to in Mark. In Luke's Gospel there is the suggestion that the Ascension happened on Easter Day. John does not mention the Ascension in a chronological order, but, he records that Jesus spoke of such in the Last Supper discourse as He prepared the Disciples for His Death and Resurrection. Jesus promises that the Holy Spirit will come after the Ascension in Acts, and in the Gospel reading for today.
It feels as if we Christians are in an in between time. Between Ascension and Pentecost. In terms of the seasons, that is where we are. However, this period of time in the Liturgical Year is not unlike where we all are. We are between the narration of these Gospel accounts, and awaiting the return of Christ, just as the Apostles awaited the coming of the Holy Spirit. Something wonderful has yet to happen. All we know, as did all they knew then, is that God had done something amazing, and the best was yet to come. As we read through out the Acts of the Apostles, the best that God gave on Pentecost was a miraculous transformation in the lives of those who received the Holy Spirit. It changed them, those around them and it really changed the lives of those who heard the message of Jesus Christ and His death and resurrection. It also changed how others responded to the message of the early Church. Some responded with joyful reception. Others just couldn't get passed hearing about it without using their political powers to try to silence the messengers.
We in this Year of 2014 are given the same choice that those first Apostles were given on that Ascension Day. We can stand idle, looking up to the heavens for the best new wave of miracles that may or may not happen, or, we can gather and pray and work together as the Holy Spirit is already among us calling on us to minister hospitality, healing and reconciliation to those who are oppressed, experiencing injustice, prejudice and separation from any sense of community.
We will experience the outpouring of the Holy Spirit next Sunday on Pentecost, along with the joyous emotions of celebrating the birthday of the Church. It is right and good that we will celebrate together. However, so long as the members of the Church walk with tunnel vision to our neighbors who suffer from poverty, gun violence, loss of loved ones, their health and well being without turning to them with the love and compassion of Jesus Christ, the celebration of Easter, the Ascension and Pentecost is nothing more than a fable with no realistic implications. Our Baptism means little more than a head splashing, and our Baptismal Covenant are vows taken for nothing.
Through prayer, worship and an openness to the presence of Jesus Christ amidst His absence, the Body of Christ which is the Church remains active and real. For it is in the Eucharist that Jesus nourishes His Body (as in us) as one people called together in our diversity and amidst our disagreements to love one another as Christ loves us. Our oneness is not so much in what we believe, but in what we pray. We pray together and with one another for God to make a difference in the world through faith in all that Christ has accomplished on our behalf. Through the Paschal Mystery that we have celebrated during this Easter Season, we can be empowered by the Holy Spirit to love one another, and others who are different from ourselves with acceptance and wholeness, as we ourselves have experienced. But, only if we allow that grace of God to work in and through our lives.
Come, Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Prayers
O God, the King of glory, you have exalted your only Son
Jesus Christ with great triumph to your kingdom in heaven:
Do not leave us comfortless, but send us your Holy Spirit to
strengthen us, and exalt us to that place where our Savior
Christ has gone before; who lives and reigns with you and
the Holy Spirit, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen. (Book of Common Prayer, p. 226).
O God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, our only Savior,
the Prince of Peace: Give us grace seriously to lay to heart the
great dangers we are in by our unhappy divisions; take away
all hatred and prejudice, and whatever else may hinder us
from godly union and concord; that, as there is but one Body
and one Spirit, one hope of our calling, one Lord, one Faith,
one Baptism, one God and Father of us all, so we may be all
of one heart and of one soul, united in one holy bond of truth
and peace, of faith and charity, and may with one mind and
one mouth glorify thee; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen. (Book of Common Prayer, p.818).
No comments:
Post a Comment