Bigger and Brighter than We Had Thought

A few years ago, scientists announced the confirmation of a “new” galaxy, ‘way in Deep Space.  The spokeswoman for the group excitedly told us that “It’s bigger and brighter than we had thought!”  Readings for this Fifth Week after Easter are geared to encourage us post-Christian Christians to consider the length & breadth of God’s Presence, still probing the hitherto dark recesses of our tattered Selves.

In the Acts of the Apostles (11:1-18), we’re told of the Jerusalem Believers calling Peter on the carpet for going to Cornelius, a (gasp!) GENTILE!  And besides, they heard that those Gentiles had accepted the news of Jesus AND had been gifted by the Holy Spirit! OMG!  Is the Gospel for everyone, then??  Peter figured, “If then God gave them the same gift that he gave us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could hinder God?”  And all responded, in a way, “Then it’s bigger and brighter than we had thought!”

Easter has brought us a new confidence, so we smugly read the Revelation to St. John.  Our passage today–21:1-6–is familiar from services of Death & Resurrection.  It gives an ultimate vision of the “new” Jerusalem, so big & bright that it spills out of heaven so that God may dwell among mortals.  I’m happy for the image of Final Grace which cannot be confined or restricted:  the Crucifixion was for the sin of ALL the World.  Some will say that this is an event for “by & by”–but I think that it’s already been happening…  Our response  to this Lesson is to begin to look for this encroaching City.

So what is this “Glory”?  Recalling part of The Last Supper (John 13:31-35), we read that Jesus said after the departing Judas, “Now the Son of Man has been glorified…”  Artists of the Middle Ages tried to paint Glory by appending halos, a holy aura.  Poets have called up a blinding, dazzling light, reminiscent of Saul’s conversion.  The AMERICAN HERITAGE DICTIONARY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE says that it’s “exalted honor, praise, or distinction accorded by common consent.” Is “Glory” dependent upon earthly renown?  Jesus wasn’t after renown, but the Godly.  When does the infamy of marching to a different drummer yield to the acclaim of those who finally get it?  “It’s bigger and brighter than we had thought!”

Marie says that I inherited a worry-gene from my Mother.  I worry about the economy, I worry about open-carry of firearms, I worry about the real or imaginary walls going up all over the world.  I worry that I have no friends, I worry that I’m over- or underdressed , I worry about my breath.  Hearing these snippets of scripture on Sunday may encourage me to see that God At Work has it all under control irregardless of my fussing.  This Holy Presence?  It’s bigger and brighter than we had thought!

God Bless Us, Every One                        Horace Brown King

My thoughts about lectionary reading for the upcoming weekend can be found every Tuesday at this space of Facebook, or at horacebrownking.com