We could say that with Social Media & texting we live in community–sorta–and yet there’s something lacking, as we’re insulated within our own homes and not prone to body language or give ‘n’ take. I myself need a group of flesh-bearing people to sit with, to worship with and with whom to share my hopes and fears. Our post-Easter readings have concentrated upon building and articulating the community of the Risen Christ. This weekend we hear the expressions of three leaders–Peter, John the Divine & John the Evangelist–as they affirm and bolster their respective Christian communities.
Acts 9:36-43 continues Peter’s story: summoned by the community in Joppa which was mourning the death of Dorcas/Tabitha, he went there and raised her in the style of Jesus himself. But the lesson isn’t so much about the miracle as it is about the group of “saints & widows”, brought together by mutual faith and a holy calling. Not content with The Way Things Are, the gathered disciples sought instances of conversions, healing and life after death. Is God’s Spirit still working within a group to repair that which has been broken? It’s been shown time and again how a faith-partnership can realign that which is sick unto death into life itself!
The second reading is from The Revelation to St. John, 7:9-17. It’s a vision of a multitude of persons from every corner of the world praising God heartily, even though they’ve “come out of the great ordeal”. Sometimes persecution and sorrow unite all sorts of folks, a positive spin on admitting that the bumper-sticker is usually right…. It’s good to know that the Ultimate Community of Heaven is peopled by those whose earthly life has been naturally imperfect.
The Gospel, John 10:22-30, allows that the community of Christ–the “sheep”–are those who’ve been grasped by God for eternal life. Far from being predestined, these are those who know Jesus as the Shepherd and who follow him. We think of sheep as members of a flock, encouraging each other in the direction of greener pastures. John’s purpose in writing seems to be resourcing and building the faith-community to which he ministers.
In all of these instances only the one from Acts names members of each community; even there, Dorcas is remembered for her role within the group. Otherwise, the actors are listed as “a great multitude of disciples”, reveling in their diversity before the One who makes all humans equal. Martin L. Smith reminds us in SOJOURNERS, “It takes maturity to realize the more we embrace the revelation that each and every single human being is intrinsically eligible for eternal union with God in the communion of saints, then the more passionately we feel that all deserve living conditions here and now that support and enhance their God-endowed dignity and freedom.” (May 2019:44) As the liturgy reads, “In life, in death, in the life beyond death, we are not alone. Thanks be to God!”
God Bless Us, Every One Horace Brown King
My encounter with scripture lessons for the upcoming weekend can be found every Tuesday at this place on Facebook; or at horacebrownking.com
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