Sixth Sunday of Easter, Year B
Donna G. Joy

John 15:9-17

“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. I am giving you these commands so that you may love one another.”

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,
and they’ll know we are Christians by our love.

 

This hymn was written by Peter Scholtes, who among many of his identifies was a priest, musician-composer, social activist. In 1966 in the height of the tumultuous Civil Rights movement, he was serving as parish priest in a parish situated on Chicago’s impoverished South Side. Apparently he was desperately looking for an appropriate song to be used at a series of ecumenical, interracial events – couldn’t find one – so composed this one in less than half a day. Scholtes was deeply affected by Martin Luther King, Jessie Jackson and other leaders of the Civil Rights Movement. And as a parish priest and theologian he was intimately familiar with Jesus’ mandate: to love one another as Jesus loves us; to lay down our lives for others as Jesus has laid down his life for us.

For Scholtes, this extraordinary brand of love was to permeate every thread that is woven into the fabric of our being. This extraordinary brand of love is to inform our politics, our relationships, each of the decisions (large and small) that we make. Scholtes lived this brand of love and survived the storm of criticism when he hung a sign on the front of his church welcoming Martin Luther King on his first trip to the northern U.S. He lived it when he and his parish welcomed King into their church basement, where they were already accommodating the hungry and the thirsty with signs of God’s love. And he watched in disappointment as the white parishioners migrated out of the neighbourhood.

Scholtes was a follower of Jesus in the midst of extremely challenging and tumultuous times, and for him – the only way to respond was to love as Jesus loves; to lay down his popularity/security/safety for his friends. And clearly, those who were marginalized in any way were his friends.

The culture in which we live tends to view 'love' primarily as an emotion - a warm and fuzzy feeling that comes over us when we're smitten with a deep affection. But Scholtes understood that the kind of love Jesus is talking about here is much more than a whimsical warm and fuzzy feeling; he understood that this kind of love is a decision - an enduring decision to love others no matter what.

Today, as we celebrate Mother's Day, we might want to reflect on this meaning of the word 'love'. Any mother/father who has received a newborn child into their arms, will know that this may very well be the most profound warm and fuzzy moment that one can experience. It's like 'warm and fuzzy' on steroids. But that perfect little child turns 13, and it is at this point that our love for him or her may become a decision.

John’s gospel was written in the midst of extremely challenging times. Written close to a full century after Jesus’ death and resurrection, it is – in part – responding to the deep and painful fracture that occurred throughout that first century between the church and synagogue – that is, those who had chosen to follow Jesus and those who had not. This split was big and painful and very, very deep. There was pain, bitterness, insecurity, loss of confidence, grief, anger, and a whole lot of other confusing and confused emotions wreaking havoc in people’s lives and their relationships. At the same time, they were facing the ongoing tensions that came with the Roman rule. And, still at the same time, there were fractures and tensions within their own fragile communities.

That's the context against which we need to read today's passage. Not as a general exhortation to be nice to each other, but as the confused, pain filled words of a community trying to come to terms with internal and external struggles. There was strife with some in one camp, others in the other camp and many caught wavering somewhere in between. We know from much of Paul’s writing that tempers were often short, people were easily offended, and misunderstandings seemed to be rampant.

It is from this context that the writer of John’s gospel recalls what Jesus is reported to have said as he was on his way to lay down his life for his friends - another time of confusion and uncertainty and misunderstanding.

“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. I am giving you these commands so that you may love one another.”

So in other words: You'll recover your balance – you’ll make it through tumultuous times - if you model your life on Jesus. Stay with Jesus, and keep his commandments because this is what empowers you to love others. I am certain that each of us knows what it is to live through tumultuous times, and as Christians – followers of Christ – this is our mandate as we endure the challenges that are an inevitable part of life..

It is important, once again, to remember that these words are attributed to Jesus as he is on his way to the cross – as he is on his way to lay down his life for his friends – for you, and for me. And indeed, there is no greater love than this. The command to love is given by one who has himself done everything that love can do. When a parent loves a child, that parent creates the context in which the child is free to return that love. When a ruler really does love his or her subjects, and when this becomes clear by generous and warm-hearted actions, he or she creates a context in which the subjects can and will love them in return.

So, to love as Jesus commands us to love is to return his love by loving others. To love as Jesus commands us to love is to make a decision to put justice, truth and service to others over and above our own personal gain or our need for recognition, power, honour, and success. To love as Jesus loves is to move beyond anger and hatred and toward forgiveness. To love as Jesus loves is to model our lives on Jesus – particularly in the midst of challenging times.

Relationship with God, through Jesus and empowered by the Spirit is a relationship of love and loyalty to the one who has loved us more than we can begin to imagine. And the test of that love and loyalty remains the simple, profound, dangerous and difficult command: to love one another.

Clearly, Peter Scholtes’ own theology of living this quality of love infuses his hymn. His own theology of laying down his own security and comfort so that others may be free infuses this hymn. And, clearly, Scholtes’ theology of love infused the way in which he lived his life, the faithful decisions he made along the way.

Perhaps this reading today creates an opportunity to take some personal inventory. How might we be called to make sacrifices in order to love as Jesus loves. Over the past decade or so, much has been written about the Missional model of church. Our Mission and Outreach committee is currently studying what this model of church looks like. One really helpful way I've heard this model of church described is:

"... faith communities willing and ready to be Christ's people in their own situation and place, and in relation to their community."

This, of course, fits within our parish vision statement that says:

We believe God is calling us to further develop active relationships and engagement within St. Peter’s and beyond as we: respond to human need by loving service; seek to transform unjust structures; challenge and resist violence; and pursue peace and reconciliation.

I think Peter Scholtes had a profound grasp of what this model of church looks like, as he led his congregation to become Christ's people "in their own situation and place, and in relation to their community" . . . that is, to welcome Martin Luther King into their church basement, where they were already accommodating the hungry and the thirsty with signs of God's love. This was risky business. He did suffer harsh criticism for doing this, and people did migrate out of the neighbourhood. But it was the right and faithful thing to do.

Just recently a couple of us from Mission and Outreach Committee had a conversation with the community minister at Bethel Mennonite Church, where they have lived into the Missional model of church over the past few years. They are serving as Christ's people in their own situation and place, and in relation to their community as many members of their congregation share their time and talents to help new Canadians adjust to their new home. (Retired accountants help new Canadians do their taxes. People with musical backgrounds offer music sessions for children who may not otherwise be given such opportunities. People who are hungry have become connected to a food bank that is facilitated by Bethel church. Youth who are searching for a warm place to play indoor sports are invited into their parish hall.)

Our Mission and Outreach committee is currently exploring this model of church, and will be helping us discern further ways in which St. Peter's may "be Christ's people in our own situation and place, and in relation to our community." And, as individuals, how might we lay down our lives in order to share Christ's love in tangible ways?

Just recently I was sharing with a few of you an experience I had a while ago as I was on my way out of Superstore, when I noticed a woman with whom I am acquainted. (I don’t know her well, but she and I know each other in passing.) She was with a little boy (about six years old), and at the self check out she was talking him through the process. (Please don’t judge her for using self check – in this particular case I think it made sense.) He was following her instructions as he went through the whole process of buying two huge bags of oranges. (“Press start. Press code. Press the numbers of the code. Put them on the scale . . .”) Then she looked up and saw me, introduced me to her little grandson, and explained that this is a weekly ritual in which they purchase food items and take them to (either Winnipeg Harvest or St. Matthew Maryland).

Now, I know what this woman ‘does for a living’ – not a term I’m really crazy about – but I know what this woman’s vocation is – I know that she has a hugely responsible job which makes huge demands on her; Huge demands. But each week she lays down her life – she puts aside all those demands and involves her grandson in a journey that gives food to those who don’t have enough to eat. She lays aside all those demands so that her grandson will grow up knowing that people are hungry and we who have more than enough have a responsibility to share what we have.

“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. I am giving you these commands so that you may love one another.”

In our personal relationships how might we be called to lay down our lives (lay down our anger, disappointments, bitterness, frustrations, unhappiness) in order to live according to Jesus’ command: to love others as he has loved us. Indeed, this mandate to love is the glue that binds us together.

We will walk with each other,
we will walk hand in hand.
We will walk with each other,
we will walk hand in hand.
And together we’ll spread the news that God is in the land.
And they’ll know we are Christians
by our love, by our love.
And they’ll know we are Christians by our love.

 

Thanks be to God! Amen.