Sixth Sunday of Easter – Year C (RCL) 2010
Acts 16: 9 – 15; Psalm 67; Revelation 21: 10 – 22 – 22-5; John 14: 23 – 29
St. Stephen’s Episcopal Parish, Portland OR
May 9, 2010
Acts 16: 9 – 15; Psalm 67; Revelation 21: 10 – 22 – 22-5; John 14: 23 – 29
St. Stephen’s Episcopal Parish, Portland OR
May 9, 2010
OF LEAVE TAKING AND LETING GO
Let us pray: resurrected Jesus we long to know you as intimately as your disciples did. In your relationship with them you were somehow changed after your defeat of death. You commanded your followers not to cling to you and told them that you must depart in order to send your Holy Spirit, the Paraclete to advocate for them and us in your kindom. Teach us not to fear the thought of your leaving – rather to anticipate the depth of new relationship with you through the grace of your Holy Spirit. Amen.
(SUNG) IF ANYONE LOVES ME, THEY WILL KEEP MY WORD
AND THE FATHER WILL LOVE THEM, AND WE WILL COME TO
THEM AND IN THEM, BE HOME.
Jesus delivers these words at table with the disciples within the context of the last supper. These remarks immediately precede events in the 15th Chapter of the Johannine text where Jesus will spell out “the new commandment” that is given to “Love one another, as I have loved you.” In these verses, the writer of this text helps to “set the stage” as it where for the introduction of this most important message that Jesus will leave with the followers prior to the crucifixion, death and resurrection events that will follow. The “priestly prayer” (that they all may be one) and the “farewell discourse” will wrap up the theological and Christological arguments that the author conveys to this community which is facing deep persecution from both the Romans and the Temple Jews – and it must have been most reassuring to them to know that the promised “advocate” or from the Greek “parakletos” would guide and guard them in the absence of the Messiah of God whose fate was much, much different than expected.
So what is the nature of this word from the “parakletos”? It appears only 5 times in the Christian Scriptures, 4 times in this Gospel and once in the 1st Letter of John where it is used to refer to Jesus. Most other references to the “spirit” or “Holy Spirit” of God use the Greek word “pneuma” and have been translated typically as “spirit” or “breath” or “wind” in reference to the presence of God’s Spirit come among humankind. We have anglicized this Greek word with the English Paraclete, which The American Heritage Dictionary defines as “1. The Holy Spirit; 2. To invoke to the side of; thus to call.” Biblical translators have rendered the word as “advocate” or “counselor” or “comforter” and even “sustainer”. However the word translates for us – in the context of the audience for which this text was composed hearer’s would have heard the many and varied nuances of meaning that the Greek allows for. Parakletos could mean a lawyer who pleads the case – or a witness who testifies on your behalf. It could also be used to refer to an individual who offers comfort, advice or counsel and emotional strength in time of need. It can also refer to someone who comes to your aid in times of distress or danger. According to William Barclay in his reference bible on the Gospel of John, “Parakletos was literally someone called in, but it is the reason why the person was called in which gives the word its distinctive associations…Always a parakletos is someone called in to help when the person who calls is in trouble or distress or doubt or bewilderment.” [1]
Certainly this would describe the original followers of Jesus and their state upon hearing that Jesus would leave them and the concern and worry about what might happen in the absence of their teacher and guide. Jesus in an attempt to calm their hearts and their fears tells them that though he must depart from among them – this “spirit” will be with them to abide in their ministries – to abide in their Church. So in a way – Jesus helps to prepare them with these verses (as well as several verses afterwards this is, after all, the author of John’s account and nothing in that account gets said just once) for that interim time between the resurrection and post resurrection appearances until the Pentecost moment and the presence of the Paraclete into their midst. So – like so many of our experiences in life, Jesus’ time among us helps us stretch and grow so that we might find out what life might be like in those “interim” times. You get where I’m going here? This faith community of St. Stephen’s finds itself in one of those times. The vision for where God might be leading us is being discerned in community as we seek to live out our call here and beyond our doors to be the welcoming and healing presence for the downtown Portland community in which we serve. Perhaps there are some lessons from Jesus’ experience with the earliest manifestation of Church that we can apply to our experiences with the 21st Century church where we find ourselves in “transition” both as a Parish and as a Diocese that begins a new ministry with a new shepherd. Bishop Michael spent three hours with many of us this past Thursday, and we were able to share with him our vision of what St. Stephen’s is becoming as we deepen our understanding of what it means to be a place of welcome and healing to ourselves in community; but especially to those who have yet to find us. I was deeply impressed with the new Bishop’s manner and what seemed to me a genuine and sincere willingness to listen and learn about the people of St. Stephen’s – who we are, what we have been – and perhaps most importantly what we might become as we live out our call to welcome the stranger and heal the wounded in body, mind and Spirit. Bishop Michael suggested that we might examine Henri Nouwen’s book The Wounded Healer as a model from which we could carry out the healing work that we believe God is calling us to in this place. Nouwen explores in this short book how “in our own woundedness, we can become a source of life for others.” I think it would be a truly valuable exploration for us to examine how our own brokenness can become a source of strength and healing for those who come seeking that in this place. Perhaps a four to six week book study in conjunction with a light soup supper similar to our Lenten explorations might offer us a deeper insight into this aspect of how we see our ministry reaching others and helping to heal the brokenness of our wounded world. I would certainly be willing to join with others and explore this book as the Bishop suggests – and by doing that begin to discover what it means to be God’s healing presence for any and all who come seeking that gift.
(SUNG) IF ANYONE LOVES ME, THEY WILL KEEP MY WORD
AND THE FATHER WILL LOVE THEM, AND WE WILL COME TO
THEM AND ABIDE IN THEIR HEARTS
Just prior to his sudden and untimely death, Author and mystic/priest/poet John O’Donohue was working on a book that has been subsequently published entitled, To Bless the Space Between Us. I have used that book many times in the past few years, as a source of insight and prayer; as a reference for meditations and retreat reflections and it is filled with insight and understanding of the many ways in which our relationships with God and with each other can be a source of healing and a balm of gentle grace when words can often escape expression of our deepest longings. My friend and clergy colleague whom I lovingly refer to as Holy Mother Church; is the rector of St. Stephen’s in Newport and the Vicar of St. Luke’s by the Sea in Waldport. Susan was the first person who introduced this book to me and she shared with me several poems and blessings from it – as well as many other pieces of poetry that speak to the varied and multiple spiritual experiences of our lives. I would like to share with you one of those “blessings” in the form of a poem from O’Donohue’s book entitled:
Certainly this would describe the original followers of Jesus and their state upon hearing that Jesus would leave them and the concern and worry about what might happen in the absence of their teacher and guide. Jesus in an attempt to calm their hearts and their fears tells them that though he must depart from among them – this “spirit” will be with them to abide in their ministries – to abide in their Church. So in a way – Jesus helps to prepare them with these verses (as well as several verses afterwards this is, after all, the author of John’s account and nothing in that account gets said just once) for that interim time between the resurrection and post resurrection appearances until the Pentecost moment and the presence of the Paraclete into their midst. So – like so many of our experiences in life, Jesus’ time among us helps us stretch and grow so that we might find out what life might be like in those “interim” times. You get where I’m going here? This faith community of St. Stephen’s finds itself in one of those times. The vision for where God might be leading us is being discerned in community as we seek to live out our call here and beyond our doors to be the welcoming and healing presence for the downtown Portland community in which we serve. Perhaps there are some lessons from Jesus’ experience with the earliest manifestation of Church that we can apply to our experiences with the 21st Century church where we find ourselves in “transition” both as a Parish and as a Diocese that begins a new ministry with a new shepherd. Bishop Michael spent three hours with many of us this past Thursday, and we were able to share with him our vision of what St. Stephen’s is becoming as we deepen our understanding of what it means to be a place of welcome and healing to ourselves in community; but especially to those who have yet to find us. I was deeply impressed with the new Bishop’s manner and what seemed to me a genuine and sincere willingness to listen and learn about the people of St. Stephen’s – who we are, what we have been – and perhaps most importantly what we might become as we live out our call to welcome the stranger and heal the wounded in body, mind and Spirit. Bishop Michael suggested that we might examine Henri Nouwen’s book The Wounded Healer as a model from which we could carry out the healing work that we believe God is calling us to in this place. Nouwen explores in this short book how “in our own woundedness, we can become a source of life for others.” I think it would be a truly valuable exploration for us to examine how our own brokenness can become a source of strength and healing for those who come seeking that in this place. Perhaps a four to six week book study in conjunction with a light soup supper similar to our Lenten explorations might offer us a deeper insight into this aspect of how we see our ministry reaching others and helping to heal the brokenness of our wounded world. I would certainly be willing to join with others and explore this book as the Bishop suggests – and by doing that begin to discover what it means to be God’s healing presence for any and all who come seeking that gift.
(SUNG) IF ANYONE LOVES ME, THEY WILL KEEP MY WORD
AND THE FATHER WILL LOVE THEM, AND WE WILL COME TO
THEM AND ABIDE IN THEIR HEARTS
Just prior to his sudden and untimely death, Author and mystic/priest/poet John O’Donohue was working on a book that has been subsequently published entitled, To Bless the Space Between Us. I have used that book many times in the past few years, as a source of insight and prayer; as a reference for meditations and retreat reflections and it is filled with insight and understanding of the many ways in which our relationships with God and with each other can be a source of healing and a balm of gentle grace when words can often escape expression of our deepest longings. My friend and clergy colleague whom I lovingly refer to as Holy Mother Church; is the rector of St. Stephen’s in Newport and the Vicar of St. Luke’s by the Sea in Waldport. Susan was the first person who introduced this book to me and she shared with me several poems and blessings from it – as well as many other pieces of poetry that speak to the varied and multiple spiritual experiences of our lives. I would like to share with you one of those “blessings” in the form of a poem from O’Donohue’s book entitled:
For the Interim Time
When near the end of day, life has drained out of light, and it is too soon for the mind of night to have darkened things,
No place looks like itself, loss of outline makes everything look strangely in-between, unsure of what has been, or what might come.
In this wan light, even trees seem groundless. In a while it will be night, but nothing here seems to believe the relief of dark.
Your are in this time of the interim, where everything seems withheld.
The path you took to get here is washed out; the way forward is still concealed from you.
“The old is not old enough to have died away; the new is still too young to be born.”
You cannot lay claim to anything; in this place of dusk, your eyes are blurred; and there is no mirror.
Everyone else has lost sight of your heart and you can see nowhere to put your trust; you know you have to make your own way though.
As far as you can hold your confidence. Do not allow your confusion to squander this call which is loosening your roots in false ground, that you might come free from all you have outgrown.
What is being transfigured here is your mind, and it is difficult and slow to become new. The more faithfully you can endure here, the more refined your heart will become for your arrival in the new dawn.
Jesus says in today’s reading from the author of John’s Gospel, “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.” This is the promise to those who believe and keep the commandments of Jesus. Jesus’ commandments for the new covenant are but two – “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind” and the second which is like it “you shall love your neighbor as yourself.” The promise of the Advocate, the Paraclete then is contingent on our obedience to these commandments and being faithful to them, we are promised that we will receive the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive – and that Spirit or parakletos will guide and guard us in that interim time until the Son of God will return in all glory to begin the reign of the Kindom of heaven. Yet, that Son of God can return – in us as the Body of Christ to begin the reign of the Kindom among us, right here and right now! I have preached before of this opportunity we are given in Christian community to bring about the promised reign of God the Kindom come – and we truly can be the healer’s and helper’s that we believe we are called to be. If we reach out to our neighbors those we know and those we don’t – God will be the advocate, the parecletos, the helper and work among us and instill within us the healing community that we have all experienced ourselves to be. I’m once again reminded that ALL of our time is “interim”. We exist in those “liminal” spaces that are but the passages of our spirits from one realm to the next – from the “known” to the unknown. Even as we begin to prepare to welcome the stranger among us – we are preparing for those times when we, “a royal priesthood” will take on the work of the Body of Christ and move this faith community to the next place that the Paraclete will lead us if we but listen to Her voice. Amen.
[1] Barclay, William, The Daily Study Bible, "The Gospel of John," Vol. 2 (Edinburgh: The Saint Andrew Press, 1955) p. 194
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