An unmarried seminarian was sent to be a Student Pastor. He soon found that every maiden between 3 & 45 in the parish sought out his counsel and company. Overwhelmed by all the attention, he told his Superintendent that he wanted out. “Well,” joked the Superintendent, “you know that there’s safety in numbers!” “Maybe”, replied the fella, “but I’d rather find it in Exodus!” (Our hero soon solved the “problem” by marrying his college sweetheart.) Readings for this weekend are about the community of mutual love and respect which has developed around Christ: maybe I’m not as alone as I sometimes feel…
The story from the Acts of the Apostles recounts the death of Tabitha of Joppa, a sweet lady whom every one loved for her charity and joyful faith. (9:36-43) Her friends sent for Peter to stand by them and give comfort to their grief. When he arrived, he prayed over her body–and she recovered! (And people believed in the power of Jesus) But the tale is not so much about Peter as it is the hopeful and healing community. “The emphasis of this text is not upon a return from death, but upon a community honing all of its spiritual strength and resources passionately upon life and wholeness.” (Stephen D. Jones, FEASTING on the WORD, C 2:431)
The Revelation to St. John is a post-Easter doxology, inviting us to see “a great multitude that no one could count” (7:9-17) singing of the ultimate fulfillment of Creation. This has gotta be good news to those of us who’re half-afraid that Creation has been messed up beyond repair. “John summons us to look beyond our own fearful conditions and circumstances to behold the glorious completion of God’s saving promises.” (Michael Pasquarello III, ibid. page 439) What unifies this diverse and scarred remnant of worldly battle? The Lamb who has taught God’s People to pray that a Holy Will and purpose is being done on earth as it is in heaven…
John’s Gospel leads us into a discussion of sheep, especially those who’re seen to be of the Flock of Jesus. (10:22-30) A community of sheep flock together for protection, and bet their wooly lives on the wisdom and care of their shepherd. The question of the Shepherd’s credentials arises: some inquirers really want to know more, others are trying to discredit him. Sometimes we in the Community have our own sheepish ambiguities about Who This Is–and it’s OK to admit this and explore it further! But we can also see that Jesus makes us his sheep; we do not make him our shepherd…
My friend had an adolescent son who had serious questions about the Church: Is it relevant? or useful? Or is it an archaic museum? Typical questions of a seeker, and I credit him for articulating them. My friend put the young man in the car, and they drove around the town to see church buildings. “People have some reason for gathering here,” he said. “All of these people can’t be wrong!” Not deep theology, but an acknowledgement that we are part of a continuum of Friends on Earth, and Friends Above. “Lord of all, to Thee we raise This our hymn of grateful praise!”
God Bless Us, Every One Horace Brown King
My thoughts on Lectionary passages for the upcoming weekend can be found every Tuesday at this spot on Facebook; or at horacebrownking.com
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