“Someday, after mastering the winds, the waves, the tides and gravity, we shall harness for God the energies of love, and then, for a second time in the history of the world, man will have discovered fire.” ~ Pierre Teilhard de Chardin
I have long loved this quote. There is a freeing truth in it: IF I could harness for God the energies of love, EVERYTHING in my life would be different. I look at the words:
Harness—My father used to harness the horse or the mules when he wanted them to pull a plow. Harnessed love is disciplined love directed toward a good purpose.
FOR GOD—God, who is Love and Truth—when I learn to discipline my capacity to love to match the way Jesus showed me—my limited capacity can be tied to him, a branch on His vine, able to do more than my human capacity and wounds could do.
Discover Fire—harnessed fire runs machines and vehicles, cooks food, heats houses. Harnessed love? It could run the world with compassion, with truth, with stability, with justice, with peace. Ah, yes, that would be the New Jerusalem our second reading describes.
Today is a Sunday to vision, to dream, and to wonder: what if we loved one another as Jesus has loved us?
John 13:31-33a, 34-35
We are five weeks after Easter, but today’s Gospel takes place during Holy Week. It is Thursday during the Last Supper. Jesus knows that Satan is tempting the disciples in multiple ways. Some of the disciples have been arguing about who is the greatest (same setting, described in Luke 22). Judas has already talked to the chief priests about betrayal. Peter, the Rock, will soon fall to the temptation to deny he even knows Jesus.
So what does Jesus do? He has only a few hours left to teach them. During dinner, he gets up, wraps a towel around his waist, and washes the disciples’ feet. He tells them then, “I have given you example, that you should also do as I have done for you.” Jesus washes EVERYBODY’S feet–including Judas and Peter. You could make a case that Jesus let Judas depart before he instituted the Eucharist–but Jesus clearly washed his feet.
Then, after he attends to matters of conflict and correction with Judas and Peter, he says, “I give you a new commandment: love one another as I have loved you.”
What is your picture of the love Jesus is demonstrating? It seems to me that Jesus:
- Loves in the context of reality, of the situation and the known and coming needs of others;
- Loves by serving in practical ways;
- Loves by respectfully, yet honestly, naming sin and conflict without turning away from those who give in to temptation;
- Loves, inviting others to share in the loving process, yet accepting that not all others will follow his example—and keeps on loving AND TEACHING anyway.
In John 15-17, Jesus goes on to describe the goals of such love and how the process must both depend on Him and copy Him. He talks about unity and promises both heaven and Holy Spirit. These high ideals are all centered on…washing feet, facing conflicts, speaking truth, loving anyway.
Acts 14:21-27
This little travel narrative describes the latter stages of Paul and Barnabas’ first apostolic journey. After they shook the dust off their feet at the end of the reading last week, they went to Iconium. Again, people were converted, but others were very opposed to them. When they caught word there was an intention to stone them, then went to Lystra and Derbe. In Lystra, they had a slightly different problem: the people called them Greek gods…before stoning them a few days later. They survived and went on preaching and teaching.
In today’s selection they also institutionalized the local churches, appointing and anointing elders and presbyters. They doubtless also shared stories—especially the wonderful story of how Christian faith was spreading outside the Jewish community.
Revelation 21:1-5a
The reading from Revelation comes from the next to last chapter. This is a description of the “New Jerusalem,” the new heaven and new earth that will come about at the end of time. It is a beautiful image and promise:
I heard a loud voice from the throne saying,
“Behold, God’s dwelling is with the human race.
He will dwell with them and they will be his people
and God himself will always be with them as their God.
He will wipe every tear from their eyes,
and there shall be no more death or mourning, wailing or pain,
for the old order has passed away.”
The One who sat on the throne said,
“Behold, I make all things new.”
This is also the Kingdom of God that Jesus began to proclaim in the first days of his ministry in Galilee. This is the world of the Poor in Spirit, the Meek, the Peacemakers, the Pure of Heart.
Building the Kingdom in Hard Times
I have been thinking a lot about Jesus’ example—how hard it is to provide services of LOVE when people do not respond back with love or appreciation. Yet—the disciples remembered what Jesus did. They followed him in loving through practical service—as well as in eventually going to their own deaths because they believed in him. They learned the lesson he taught.
Sometimes it’s hard for me to love in acts of service when…someone doesn’t answer my email, someone attacks something I strongly believe in, someone says something about me that is untrue. What if things get really tough? Will I be able to love as Jesus loved?
I think about what is likely to be a hard time once the Supreme Court rules on Roe v Wade again. Conflicts could get ugly. If they do, Chapter 13 of John can lead and guide us. Follow Jesus example.
I remember, too, this from Mother Teresa.
People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered.
Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives.
Be kind anyway.
If you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies.
Succeed anyway.
If you are honest and sincere people may deceive you.
Be honest and sincere anyway.
What you spend years creating, others could destroy overnight.
Create anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous.
Be happy anyway.
The good you do today, will often be forgotten.
Do good anyway.
Give the best you have, and it will never be enough.
Give your best anyway.
In the final analysis, it is between you and God.
It was never between you and them anyway.
Prayer:
Lord, help me to be like Jesus, Paul, and Barnabas. Help me to love—anyway.
