A Love that Overcomes!
The Sixth Sunday of Easter
5 May 2024
The Rev. Robert J. Kossler
“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.” (Jn. 15:12, NRSV)
Good morning, my friends, and welcome to anyone who might be visiting us.
Last week, I had the opportunity to share with you the goals of the Vital + Thriving program, a journey we are all embarking on together. This program is not just a set of tasks to check off a list but a commitment to our collective healing, growth, and flourishing. The red, blue, and green sticky notes result from our first communal effort.
For those who could not attend, let me explain the meaning of the colors. The pink notes are our “red letter” days. These days are special to our members, such as a new vicar starting as your spiritual leader, baptisms, and confirmations. As you can see from the number of notes, people found many other examples significant.
The blue stickies are for “blue” days. These are days that challenged the community in some way. Examples include the loss of vicars, the pandemic and its impact on our church, our families, and our friends, and the loss of members. To be honest, the number of blue stickies was a bit depressing. However, it is essential to acknowledge loss and our communal and individual needs for healing. We showed a lot of vulnerability as the notes were posted and then read aloud.
Finally, the green notes are for “days of hope” and dreams for the future. As you can see, there are many examples, such as surviving the 1906 earthquake, finding new vicars, starting new programs, and working in and with the community. When these notes went up, the mood shifted, which makes sense. We had a red wave, enveloped by a blue wave and then overrun by a green one. These colorful sequences symbolize our history from high points to low, from challenges to hope. It's a history that leaves us with a bright future to look forward to. Yes, we've faced challenges in the past, but the past isn’t our future. It has its lessons that we should be mindful of. That doesn’t mean we don’t have work to do, but we have the means and the motivation to move forward.
I want to summarize a few points to keep in mind. The red notes reminded us that we have a sense of continuity with lots of love and joy-filled times. These are our anchors. We were sometimes challenged because of a lack of communication and, consequently, a loss of trust. Finally, we are resilient. Our past reflects that fact. Our hope for the future is bundled up in love for our children and community. Using Vital + Thriving, reflecting on the past, and discussing our future dreams will be crucial as we journey through this interim time together.
In last week's Gospel, we heard Jesus describe himself as the True Vine and God as the Vine Grower. Jesus was setting up for his disciples and us what it means to live a life as a true believer. Jesus explained that belief is multifaceted and three-dimensional.
The first facet he describes is our relationship with him and God. Jesus uses the word abide. You might wonder what Jesus meant when he said, "Abide in me as I abide in you." John uses mystical and cryptic language, but it is worth the struggle to understand what he is trying to say. Jesus is telling us that we are to live with him, like him, and follow his rule of life. In this passage, Jesus sets the standard for love. It seems so simple: keep my commandments - love one another, but why do we find it so hard?
The language he uses to describe himself is ancient, referring to Israel's failures recounted by Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel. Jesus tells his disciples that he is the True Israel, where he is now the vine and the disciples, along with us, the branches. We grow as a church, as a community of believers. We grow through prayer and lovingly following Jesus' commands, which brings us to the second facet of a life of faith read in today's Gospel. Jesus says, "Love one another as I have loved you."
The commandment to love is fundamental to our faith. Going to church on Sundays, or tithing, or...pick your obligation, do not carry the same weight as loving each other. Jesus tells us, "I am the way, the truth, and the life..." Bishop Curry sums up Jesus' statement succinctly, "Love is the Way." As I wrote this, I remembered telling you last week about a childhood song I learned at school, "And you will know we are Christians by our Love..."
The last facet of faithful living concerns our relationship with the world. Jesus cautions his listeners about the world, predicting his death. He said, "No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends." The world, then and now, can be dangerous, especially for those who speak "Truth to Power." Those who wield Power rarely keep it through love, nor do they easily relinquish it through examples of love and Christian obligation.
As believers and followers of Jesus' Way, we are called to live in a close relationship with him. We do this through prayer and living a life of loving obedience. He also reminds us of our obligation to love one another and love abundantly. Finally, we are called to live in this world but not be of this world. Our values of love, empathy, compassion, and striving for justice are often at odds with the dictates of the world we inhabit.
It is easy to get lost in John's mystical language. Jesus reminds us that to be his disciples, we must live a life of love and self-sacrifice. What we do for each other, our families, friends, and even strangers comes from hearts filled with love, putting others' needs front and center.
It seems so simple—love God, Love each other. And yet, we often struggle. The good news of the Gospel reminds us that God's love for us is limitless and remains despite our human attempts and failures. Like a caring mother watching a child learn to walk, picking her up when she stumbles, and clapping when she is successful, God patiently waits for us.
Amen.