“The Holy Spirit can be disruptive,” Rosemary Radford Ruether claims, as conveyed by Barbara K. Lundblad (FEASTING on the WORD, B 2:481) “The church must be organized to do two things: To pass on the tradition from one generation to another; and to be open to the winds of the Holy Spirit by which the tradition comes alive in each generation.” Lessons assigned to this weekend address this dynamic in the narration of two very different encounters, hopefully tied with a passage of present and prevenient grace.
The first of these spiritual encounters is really the tag to a greater story, which should be told as a preface to the reading itself, Acts 10:44-48. Here’s Peter’s dilemma: while praying and fasting on a rooftop, God presented him with a “sheet” on which there were all manners of creatures, some kosher, some not. “I’ll not eat what’s profane, Lord!” “Where do you get off calling some of my Creation profane?” This happened three times for emphasis, and the doorbell rang. Friends of Cornelius, a–gasp!–GENTILE army guy wanted Peter to come to Caesarea to share the gospel with them! Peter begins to get it, unlawful as it is to visit goyim if you’re Jewish. “The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the GENTILES…!” Something new was afoot!
The reading from First John 5:1-6 has its usual difficulties. The core verse for me (today) is #4: “whatever is born of God conquers the world.” Without undue exegesis, this helps legitimize the universal Good of Creation and may impress upon us that there are no ranks and preferences within the holy hierarchy.
The Gospel, John 15:9-17, is really a continuance of what we read last weekend, a part of Jesus’ final discourse to his closest guys. In effect, he’s saying “here’s what I want you to do–that you love one another”. This encounter is wholly different in mood and setting from Peter’s meeting with Cornelius: the Upper Room is probably dim and intimate, and the principals have known each other for several years. Still it’s another venue for the Holy Spirit to work it’s life-changing fire. (Do I celebrate those thin spots in my life where God has poked through my self-importance?) Please don’t omit the 16th verse, “You did not choose me but I chose you.” 21st-Century humans want to be masters, choosers–and it doesn’t work that way.
These passages help me to remember who’s in charge, that God is God–and I’m not! Perhaps the greatest hindrance to the Christian movement in current times is our unwillingness to give ourselves over to God’s leadings. Church leaders continue to call for extended hours of discernment: a time to deny our own ego and agenda, a time to wait for the ever-present Spirit.
God Bless Us, Every One Horace Brown King
My wrestling with the scripture assigned to the upcoming weekend can be observed every Tuesday at this spot on Facebook; or at horacebrownking. com
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