The Ven. Richard I Cluett
May 6, 2007
Acts 11:1-18 + Revelation 21:1-6 + John 13:31-35
So, here we are… Christians gathered in community in the name of Jesus Christ… planted, rooted, fed and nourished by the deep riches of God's grace. Here we are, the fruit of the labor of the likes of Peter and Paul, and countless other faithful, itinerant, missionary, evangelizing followers of Christ. Here we are, recipients of the faith and tradition and stewardship and fidelity of the generations who have preceded us in this cathedral parish.
Here we are… and in that truth there is both blessing and rub. Christians planted, rooted - together - stuck with each other - through thick and thin, good times and bad tough times, in for the long haul. And when the clashes come as they always do - between our faith and our culture, our belief and the world - when differing views and understandings come within the community itself - here we are with one another and here is where we are going to be - with one another. Brothers and sisters gathered by Christ into his community.
And what is the Gospel message from Jesus? “I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you should love one another. By this everyone will know you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” Pretty clear, isn't it? Not easy, but clear!
And if it is not clear enough for you, let me remind you that Jesus is giving this new commandment right after washing the feet of his disciples as he prepares to go to the Cross. That’s the nature of the love we are to share, exhibit, and live.
Do you know what keeps us from loving our neighbors, whether they are within the church or outside? Our neighbors do. They keep us from loving them. Don't you have to admit, in all truthfulness, that some of the people among whom you live and move and have your being are not very lovable, at least some of the time.
And furthermore, there seem to be very few possibilities of life in this day and time without conflict - without the clashing of differences. And if we continue speaking the truth, is it not true that there will always be conflicts whether they be between generations in a family, or between leaders and those being led; even between and among people with a common purpose, but with different views about how to move toward that purpose? Even in the Church?
Some questions for us who are in this Christian enterprise, in this particular community, for the long haul are: To what do we point with the testimony of our lives? What do our individual lives and our community life say about us? What are the signs of discipleship? Do the words and actions of our lives convict us before the world as disciples of that Jesus? Is there any place where we, individually or corporately, could be hindering God?
Jesus said that the sign of discipleship is the love shown to the world by his community of disciples. It is by this that people will know the nature of the Jesus whom we call Lord. It will tell the world plainly - if we love powerfully. Love ourselves, love one another, and even love those who are in the world but have not yet, heard, known, believed, or accepted the Gospel. The fundamental command is not that we agree, but that we love.
It is true that that even though there is not the possibility of living without conflict, there is the possibility of life without hostility. Conflict is inherent when more than one is gathered together; hostility is outside the life lived in the name of Jesus.
All of which is to suggest that the failure to love does not lie outside ourselves, but rather somewhere within us. And that, of course, is what makes this so hard.
Sometimes it is our insecurity that keeps us from living love. Where do we find the deep down security that will give us the confidence we need to live fully and to love fully? Here! It is precisely in Jesus Christ and in his community that we find the possibility of doing away with the need for self-protection.
It is true, what the Sergeant on that great old TV show, Hill Street Blues, said when he sent his squad out into the streets, “Be careful, you can get hurt out there.”
But there are other truths as well. Jesus has given us himself, the assurance of security, and each other. In the book "Everything I need to know I learned in Kindergarten", one of the learnings is “When you go out into the world, watch out for traffic, hold hands and stick together.”
But, some could, and do, say, “You know, there are some people that you just don't like. The vibes are bad. You know the saying, ‘I love people, its just Harry who gives me a pain.’ ”
For Peter, the issue was with Gentiles, people who thought, ate, and lived differently from the ways of the Jews. In our day and time and culture, it could be Blacks, Hispanics, Muslims, illegal immigrants, gays and lesbians, poor people, aged people, any people who think, eat, or live differently from how we do, or with whom we just disagree.
It is true that those feelings exist, but it is also true that there are other feelings, other influences, other urges that work just as automatically, but for love. And it is here in the community of Jesus, in the common life, prayer, and work of the people of God. It is here that we are exposed to the possibility of being able to love the Jesus way. It is here that we will find others who also are willing to make the attempt with us - not in spite of who we are - but rather because of who we are.
As Barbara Crafton wrote this week, “Not that we won't make any mistakes. Not that we'll be sinless. Not that we'll agree on everything important. None of these will certify our discipleship. The imprint of our love for Jesus and his love for us will be shown in the way we treat one another.”
It is here that hostility, is unacceptable and declared to be sin. It is here that there is healing and forgiveness for the unwanted hostility that is in each of us. It is here where we find support and encouragement as we move out into the neighborhood, and the marketplace, and the home, and the workplace and the playground to seek and to do the will of God.
Because this is where we live, we know what needs to be done, we know the strategies to employ, we know the people who need the gospel of Jesus, we know we have each other, and Jesus has told us how important it is for the world to see and know the truth. Amen.
