Sermon for May 6th 2007

Our faith is more than a warm pink fuzzy. Our faith is not about the easy way. Our faith is NOT about simple answers. Our faith is about hard work, transforming the reality in which we live, and living our principles that sound easy on paper (and in the The Book) but that are harder to put into practice.

In our Gospel reading, we encounter Jesus offering to his disciples the fundamental teaching of his life and ministry – “love one another as I have loved you …” he tells them.
We hear the words. We repeat the words. We echo the words. But I wonder how many times we really contemplate whether or not we’re living those words?
Do we take time to reflect on what “Love one another as I have loved you …” really means when we put them into practice?

The commentaries for this week’s readings repeatedly say – “Loving one another is easy in the abstract, it gets more challenging in reality …” Then they wonder about how Jesus put into practice that love he spoke so frequently of …
How did Jesus love becomes the question we must confront.
It is clear from what we know of his ministry that he met people where they were. He accepted people as they were providing that they owned and took responsibility for their short comings – even the famous story of the woman caught in adultery ends with Jesus telling her to go and sin no more … Ultimately, Jesus sacrificed much for his faith – even his life.
Now, I’m not about to advocate a mass laying down of our lives for our faith and to show our love for others … but the issue of sacrifice is one that is worth pausing to consider.
It is easy to say – “love one another …” in the abstract. It becomes harder to love one another when the words are put into practice.
I read a comment by a minister who said that the church he served had proudly put the words “All are welcome” on their sign, but the congregation was distressed when all kinds of people started to show up in the building … He mused that we will “love one another” until they start to show up …
This is the very struggle of the faith community in our reading from the book of Acts. Paul and others were busy preaching and evangelizing amongst the Gentiles – or the non-Jews. The Gentiles were joining the movement in increasing numbers and the Church was moving away from its Jewish roots. Yet, when they sat down to eat – to share communion, they were to observe Jewish food laws.
In our reading this morning, Peter, one of those who had walked with Jesus, one of the learned elders, one of those who knew the teachings, marks a dramatic shift in his understanding and his theology.
One can picture Peter struggling with the divide that is forming in the new born church. On one hand are the voices calling for purity and the observance of the Jewish laws. While on the other hand are the voices saying – “change is good …”
So Peter, like his Rabbi before him, retreats to a quiet place to prayer and reflect and seek answers … His answer comes in a vision of a sheet filled with the animals that are ritually unclean and a voice that says – “take and eat … what is created by God is NOT unclean …”
Peter then goes and sits down and eats with the non-Jews … he is no longer worried about being an observant Jew, but is more worried about living the radical inclusivity that comes in this moment (Communion).
All are welcome … not just some, not just those we like, not just those who we are comfortable with … all … ALL are welcome.
Those are radical words.
Love one another as I have loved you … is a radical thought.

A story to end with …

There is a story of a professor of Child Psychology who lived next door to a family with several children. Having no children of his own the professor enjoyed a warm and friendly relationship with his neighbours and their children. The only challenge was that the professor often offered advice and comments about parenting to his neighbours. He noted that at times the parents would be overly strict and would say to his neighbours that sometimes all a child needs is unconditional and accepting love.
Unconditional love that is totally accepting …
One day though, the professor had a new sidewalk laid in front of his house. The workers came and did a very nice job getting everything ready, then left the concrete to be cured.
They no sooner left than the neighbouring children descended on the sidewalk and began poking it with sticks … then they started signing their names … then they poked a toe in it … then a whole foot .., then they walked across it leaving deep footprints in the fresh concrete …
The professor looked out and saw the mess the neighbourhood kids had left and in a fury opened the front door and began yelling at the top of his lungs … the neighbours heard the noise and came flying out the door. “Wait a minute,” they called to their neighbour – “you talk about unconditional love and not being too harsh with the children, and yet here you are yelling …”
He replied – “I DO love children in the abstract, just NOT in the concrete …”

The challenge of Jesus’ teaching is to love one another in the abstract AND in the concrete … even if it is freshly poured in front in our own yards …
It’s not easy … but it really isn’t that hard either …

May it be so – thanks be to God … let us pray …