We Are All Here

Some good folks, alas, spend ‘way too much time and psychic energy trying to decide who’s In and who’s Out.  Humans’ limited imaginations are afraid that if everyone gets God’s Love, there won’t be enough to go around!  Scriptures for this Last Sunday before Pentecost try to spread the affirmation that the Risen Christ of Easter is the plenteous Savior who passionately loves every iota of Creation…

The Acts of the Apostles is Luke’s presentation of the people who were changed as the Christ intersected with them.  Today’s reading comes from Chapter 16:16-34, which tells of Paul & Silas being imprisoned in Philippi after exorcising a soothsayer.  An earthquake hit in the middle of the night, springing the cell doors and yanking fetters from the wall.  The jail-keeper thought that his charges would escape, but Paul shouts out, “We are all here”.  For a shaky moment, community had formed; they were all in it together.  Not some, not a few selected ones, but All.  Even those criminals!

The second reading is selected verses from the very end, the Revelation to St. John.  At first, these seem but random; but there is a thread of inclusion here.  Part of verse 17 seemed to jump out at me:  “And let everyone who hears say, ‘Come’.  And let everyone who is thirsty  come.  Let anyone who wishes take the water of life as a gift…”  Anyone!  The final word of recorded scripture is one of grace.

The gathering for the Last Supper in the Upper Room must have been terribly central to John, for so much of his Gospel is filled with it.  Here Jesus is acknowledged as the enduring High Priest, bearing our intentions before the High God.  Chapter 17 intensifies again and again the premise that Jesus and his Father are One.  He prays that all may be one, “as we are one”.   See if you can get your musicians to sing, “All God’s Children have a Place in the Choir:  Some Sing Low, others Sing Higher.”

The congregation in which Marie and I usually worship, Central United Methodist of Endicott NY, just formally passed a resolution affirming that all are welcome to become involved, whatever their race, gender, economic status OR sexual preference.  I joyfully back this–although I’m a bit disappointed that any group that reads the Bible should need to make this clear.  John earlier told us that “God loves the world so much…”  The whole world!  Bit by bit, we’re getting the message.

God Bless Us,Every One                         Horace Brown King

My thoughts on the lectionary readings for the upcoming weekend are found every Tuesday at this spot on Facebook, or at horacebrownking.com