Here we are again. We gather here each week to pray to God, to Jesus. What if Jesus prays for us? What if we are the community for whom Jesus prays?
In her commentary on the Gospel of John, Gail O'Day has a question: Would awareness that we are the community for whom Jesus prays change our community's view of itself? What would matter most to us? How would we be Christians? How would we live as community?
Our culture is well known for our independent streaks. Richard Avery and Donald Marsh have a fun song called I Can Be a Christian By Myself: (1)
I can be a Christian by myself.
Leave my dusty Bible on the shelf.
I'll sing a hymn and pray a bit.
God can do the rest of it.
My heart's the church, my head's the steeple.
Shut the door and I'm the people.
I can be a Christian by myself.
I'll break some bread and drink some wine.
Have myself a holy time.
I'll take the off'ring then I'll know
Where that money's gonna go.
So please remember, Lord, when I die,
Give me my own cloud in the sky.
After this life with its labors
Don't bug me with needy neighbors.
Community, especially Christian community, is a tough concept for us to grasp. We're more comfortable with elastic, changeable connections – soccer moms, coffee hour friends, bowling leagues, office acquaintances, bridge clubs, civic groups, even bible studies. We join organizations – sometimes many organizations – but living community is a challenge in those groups as well as in the church.
Today's Gospel gives us a very rare glimpse of Jesus in prayer. We know him
as teacher, healer, peacemaker, champion of the poor, son, friend, miracle worker.
We have less experience with Jesus being in prayer himself.
Who is Jesus praying to? For John the evangelist, he is praying to his father.
I know many folks are distanced by the all-male references, and in our culture
that is appropriate. In John’s first century context, father and son reflect
an intimate bond. The Son reflects the glory of the father; the father reflects
the glory of the son.
What is Jesus praying for? Listen:
"I ask not only on behalf of these [disciples] but also on behalf of those
who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one."
With these words, Jesus asks God to unite us with Jesus and with God. He invites us home. After all, Jesus has been working among us to reconcile us with God and with one another for his full ministry. That's why we hold reconciliation so dear, why it is one of our baptismal promises.
But now Jesus' time with the disciples is coming to the end. Jesus has been wrapping up his teaching to the disciples in what is called the "Farewell Discourse". We've heard many of his most important lessons and central tenets in the readings of the past few weeks: "I will not leave you orphaned", "I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life." "If you love me, you will keep my commandments." "Abide in my love." And now, "It is to your advantage that I go away."
Jesus places us within the care and loving kindness of his father. Jesus entrusts us to God as he has entrusted himself: "So that they may be one as we are one" to know that you have loved them even as you have loved me." All of them, all of us, without exception.
This relationship, this oneness, this unity is far from brittle or stagnant. It shimmers with creativity; it celebrates life, it discloses the divine, it embraces us all.
"Father, I desire that those also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory, which you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world."
Can our relationships be as vibrant? As abiding? Can our community be as loving? Can we reflect the divine? Can we join with Jesus and God in a spiritual embrace, a blessed oneness? We can, with God’s help.
Can our relationships be as vibrant? As abiding? Can our community be as loving? Can we reflect the divine? Can we join with Jesus and God in a spiritual embrace, a blessed oneness? We can, with God’s help.
We are one in the Spirit
We are one in the Lord
We are one in the Spirit
We are one in the Lord
And we pray that all unity
May one day be restored.
And they’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love.
Yes they’ll know that we are Christians by our love.
Let us invite the kids to unite with us with gusto!
Tom Joad in John Steinbeck's "The Grapes of Wrath" says,
"Maybe it's like Casey says. A fellow ain't got a soul of his own, just a little piece of a big soul, the one big soul that belongs to everybody…"
Let's hope so. Let's work toward it.
Notes:
(1) Richard Avery and Donald Marsh, The Avery-Marsh Songbook, 1973.