Sixth Sunday of Easter, cycle A

JOHN 14:15-21

A MAN IN A WHEELCHAIR ROLLED INTO A DINER AND ORDERED A CUP OF COFFEE. HE LOOKED AROUND AND SAID TO THE WAITRESS, “ISN'T THAT JESUS OVER THERE? BRING HIM A CUP OF COFFEE ON ME.” THEN ANOTHER MAN HOBBLED IN ON CRUTCHES. HE ORDERED SOME TOAST, LOOKED AROUND, AND SAID TO THE WAITRESS, “ISN'T THAT THE SON OF GOD OVER THERE? BRING HIM SOME TOAST, ON ME.” THEN A MAN WALKED IN WITH HIS ARM IN A CAST. HE ORDERED SOME ORANGE JUICE AND SAID TO THE WAITER, “I THINK THAT LOOKS LIKE GOD'S BOY OVER THERE. BRING HIM A GLASS OF ORANGE JUICE, ON ME.”. AFTER JESUS FINISHED BREAKFAST, HE CAME TO THE MAN IN THE WHEELCHAIR AND TOUCHED HIM AND SAID, “THANKS FOR THE COFFEE. GET UP AND WALK. YOU ARE CURED.” THEN HE TOUCHED THE MAN WITH THE CRUTCHES. “THAT TOAST JUST HIT THE SPOT. YOU ARE CURED, SO THROW AWAY THE CRUTCHES.” THEN HE TURNED TO THE MAN IN THE CAST, WHO BACKED AWAY. “DON'T TOUCH ME, LORD! I'M GETTING DISABILITY!” SOME PEOPLE DON'T WANT THINGS TO CHANGE.

TODAY JESUS CONTINUES HIS FAREWELL DISCOURSE TO HIS DISCIPLES. HE MAKES IT CLEAR THAT IF YOU LOVE HIM, YOU WILL KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS. YOU WILL KEEP THEM BECAUSE YOU WILL HAVE THE HOLY SPIRIT IN YOU. AND IF YOU KEEP THEM, JESUS WILL DWELL WITHIN YOU.

WHEN WE HEAR THIS PASSAGE, WE NATURALLY THINK OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. WE BEGIN TO COUNT OFF: NO STRANGE GODS, CHECK. HONOR MOM AND DAD, CHECK. NO ADULTERY OR MURDER, CHECK. HAVEN'T COVETED THIS WEEK; I'M DOING OK. AND THEN WE GO ON TO OTHER THINGS.

BUT NOTICE, JESUS IS TALKING ABOUT HIS COMMANDMENTS. AND PERHAPS WE HAVE TO ASK WHETHER WE ARE DOING THOSE. THEY AREN'T QUITE THE SAME AS THE TEN COMMANDMENTS, WHICH ARE OF COURSE, CRUCIALLY IMPORTANT. THEY ALSO AREN'T THE SAME AS THE COMMANDMENT TO LOVE GOD WITH HEART MIND AND SOUL, AND LOVE NEIGHBOR AS MYSELF. THAT, AS JESUS SAID, IS A SUMMARY OF THE WHOLE LAW AND THE PROPHETS, AND ISN'T UNIQUE TO JESUS. BUT JESUS IS SAYING THAT IF WE WANT THAT INTIMATE UNION WITH THE FATHER AND WITH THE SPIRIT AND WITH JESUS HIMSELF, WE NEED TO KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS.

IF YOU ASK GOOGLE ABOUT THE COMMANDMENTS OF JESUS, ONE WEB SITE NAMES 50. MOST CAN FIND BETWEEN 10 AND 35. HOWEVER, MOST OF THESE AREN'T REALLY COMMANDMENTS WHICH APPLY TO EVERYONE, OR THEY ARE ADVICE RATHER THAN COMMANDMENTS, OR THEY ARE VARIATIONS ON THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.

JESUS GAVE US TWO ORIGINAL COMMANDMENTS. ONE HE PREFACES BY THE WORDS, “A NEW COMMANDMENT I GIVE YOU”. THIS COMMANDMENT IS “LOVE ONE ANOTHER”. BUT SO FAR, THAT ISN'T ORIGINAL. THEN JESUS GOES ON TO CLARIFY: “AS I HAVE LOVED YOU, LOVE ONE ANOTHER.” THAT IS A NEW COMMANDMENT. BECAUSE JESUS LOVES US SO MUCH THAT HE CHOSE TO DIE FOR US. HIS COMMANDMENT TO HIS FOLLOWERS IS THAT WE PRACTICE THAT KIND OF LOVE – LOVE SO STRONG THAT WE ARE WILLING TO DO WHATEVER IT TAKES TO BRING ABOUT WHAT IS GOOD FOR EACH OTHER. AND WE HAVE TO ALWAYS KEEP IN MIND THAT THE ULTIMATE GOOD IS TO BE UNITED WITH GOD IN HEAVEN. THIS KIND OF LOVE GETS YOU INTO TROUBLE; IT ALMOST ALWAYS GETS YOU PERSECUTED. WHEN YOU STAND UP FOR TRADITIONAL MARRIAGE, YOU ARE LOOKED UPON AS BACKWARD. WHEN YOU WALK IN THE PICKET LINE PROTESTING ABORTION, THEY THINK YOU ARE A KOOK. WHEN YOU TRY TO GET YOUR CATHOLIC NEXT DOOR NEIGHBOR TO COME BACK TO CHURCH, HE MIGHT TELL YOU TO GO MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS, OR WORSE YET, CALL YOU A RELIGIOUS FANATIC. IF WE LOVE OUR NEIGHBOR AS JESUS LOVED US, WE WILL PROBABLY END UP ON A CROSS. SO MOST OF US DON'T FOLLOW THAT COMMANDMENT.

THE OTHER COMMANDMENT JESUS GAVE AS HE ASCENDED INTO HEAVEN: GO MAKE DISCIPLES OF ALL NATIONS. TO BE A DISCIPLE MEANS TO ALLOW SOMEONE TO CHANGE YOUR LIFE. WE SEE THAT WHEN WE WATCH JESUS GOING ABOUT GALILEE WITH HIS FIRST DISCIPLES. THROUGH WORDS AND ACTIONS, JESUS GAVE THEM A PATTERN OF HOW TO LIVE: IF YOU MEET A STRANGER IN TROUBLE, HELP HIM LIKE THE GOOD SAMARITAN. IF SOMEONE IS STARVING ON YOUR DOORSTEP, DON'T LET THAT HAPPEN, LIKE THE RICH MAN DID WITH LAZARUS. TO BE A DISCIPLE MEANS TO HAVE A MASTER, SOMEONE WHO CAN HELP YOU LOOK AT WHERE YOU ARE SPIRITUALLY, AND WHERE YOU ARE GOING. TO MAKE DISCIPLES, WE HAVE TO BE DISCIPLES.

BUT JESUS ALSO TELLS US TO MAKE DISCIPLES OF ALL NATIONS. HE DOESN'T MEAN JUST THE PEOPLE WHO GO TO CHURCH ON SUNDAY, OR PARTICIPATE IN PARISH MINISTRIES. HE MEANS THE PEOPLE WHO FOR WHATEVER REASON,, HAVE STOPPED GOING TO CHURCH. HE MEANS THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE DECIDED THAT RELIGION HAS NOTHING TO SAY TO THEM, NOTHING TO OFFER THEM. JESUS MODELED THIS WITH HIS LIFE; HE APPROACHED SAMARITANS AND TAX COLLECTORS AND PROSTITUTES AND LEPERS AND ROMAN SOLDIERS – HE DIDN'T WAIT FOR THEM TO COME TO HIM – HE WENT TO THEM AND MET THEM WHERE THEY WERE. HE MET WITH FAILURE NOW AND THEN – WHEN THE RICH YOUNG MAN DECIDED NOT TO FOLLOW HIM; WHEN THE PHARISEES TWISTED HIS WORDS AND CONSPIRED TO KILL HIM; WHEN HIS BEST FRIEND PETER BETRAYED HIM; BUT JESUS DIDN'T GIVE UP, HE KEPT PUTTING HIMSELF ON THE LINE TO BRING BACK THE LOST. MAKING DISCIPLES STARTS WITH MEETING PEOPLE WHERE THEY ARE, AND LOVING THEM AS FELLOW TRAVELERS LOOKING FOR GOD.

JESUS, AS I SAID, MADE A LOT OF OTHER STATEMENTS THAT COULD BE “COMMANDMENTS”, LIKE “IF YOU ARE GOING TO OFFER SACRIFICE AND REALIZE YOU HAVE A PROBLEM WITH YOUR BROTHER, LEAVE THE SACRIFICE AT THE ALTAR AND GO AND RECONCILE”; “IF YOU ARE INVITED TO A BANQUET, TAKE TO LOWEST PLACE...”; “JUST AS I HAVE WASHED YOU FEET, SO YOU SHOULD WASH EACH OTHER'S FEET”; “I TELL YOU, FORGIVE YOUR NEIGHBOR SEVENTY TIMES SEVEN.” JESUS ALSO PROMISED THAT WHEN WE WERE PUT ON THE SPOT, WE DON'T NEED TO WORRY – WE WILL BE GIVEN THE WORDS WE NEED. AND HE TOLD US THAT “WHOEVER ACKNOWLEDGES ME BEFORE OTHERS I WILL ACKNOWLEDGE BEFORE MY FATHER.”

THE TWO COMMANDMENTS OF JESUS. TO LOVE EACH OTHER AS HE LOVED US; AND TO MAKE DISCIPLES OF ALL NATIONS. AND JESUS TELLS US THAT KEEPING THESE COMMANDMENTS IS A CONDITION FOR THAT BLESSED UNION WITH THE FATHER, SON AND HOLY SPIRIT. JESUS EVEN PROMISES THAT WE'LL GET DIVINE HELP; THE HOLY SPIRIT WILL SPEAK FOR US, AND THE FATHER AND THE SON WILL DWELL IN US. HOW CAN WE GO WRONG?

SO TODAY IT'S TIME TO ASK OURSELVES, HOW WELL ARE WE KEEPING THE COMMANDMENTS JESUS GAVE US? AND IF WE AREN'T WHAT DO WE NEED TO DO TO START?