On the Way to Wonder

In-between times are some of the most dynamic times.  In-between the proposal and the wedding lots of planning and dreaming occurs.  Colors for the wedding, dresses, invitations are all chosen.  In-between conception and birth lots of growth and dreaming takes place.  Names are talked about, cribs organized, and friends informed.  In-between graduation and a job, lots of worry and dreaming takes place.  Resumes are sent out and job applications filled out.  Last Thursday, Jesus ascended, returned to his pre-incarnate existence in heaven, promising to return.  In-between the Ascension last Thursday and Pentecost this coming Sunday when the followers were waiting in Jerusalem to receive the Holy Spirit, what happened?  Luke writes to his friend Theophilus another letter that continued on from Luke’s gospel and that gives us a peek.

         We have the advantage of two centuries but these first followers were still sorting out what was going on.  They had questions. Between times are not voids but opportunities for creative thinking and planning.  One of the first questions the followers asked was, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel? (Acts 1:6)” That seems to me to be the question, “What is life going to look like now?”  Moving from one country to another involves learning a whole new lifestyle.  In the same way moving from Jew to Christian was a transition.  Choosing to believe in the risen Christ involves a change in lifestyle even today.  Perhaps our question is not about restoring Israel but we do need to reorient ourselves from the kingdom of “me” to living in the kingdom of “God.”  The rules are different.  We learn to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, and strength and learn to love our neighbor as ourselves.  We learn to pray.  We learn new music.  For some it means breaking old bad habits and addictions to what we eat and do.

         Is life after the risen Christ going to be about restoring a political kingdom, a social kingdom, or a physical kingdom that we will all become citizens of?  Jesus says that is not for us to know.  And so we have people today focused on social justice for all and we have people focused on piety.  How do we spend the time between faith and heaven?  It is not an either or question but a both-and.  How might I improve my faith walk this week and how may I improve the life of those I encounter?  Both require faith and love and an awareness of Jesus who promises to walk with us.

 Annie Sherwood Hawks (1835-1918) was one of four women who wrote hymns prolifically in the 19^th century.  It was a time when women were not given leadership in the church, when women often were home with children, and when women had little voice in the public arena.  Annie wrote over 400 hymns, encouraged by her pastor who recognized her talent.  This hymn was written at age 37 as she went about home tasks in Brooklyn, NY, and as she felt very strongly the presence of the Lord.  She wrote about the inspiration she felt in writing this hymn.

         “One day as a young wife and mother of 37 years of age, I was busy          with my regular household tasks during a bright June morning [in    1872]. Suddenly, I became so filled with the sense of nearness to the         Master that, wondering how one could live without Him, either in joy      or pain, these words were ushered into my mind, the thought at once taking full possession of me — ‘I Need Thee Every Hour. . . .'”

It was not until years later when she lost her husband that she realized how the hymn was such a comfort to so many.  Jesus promised to be with us always, in good times and in bad, even to the close of the age.  This hymn captures that sense of his presence that we can experience at all times, even today.

“And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. (Matthew 28:20)” are Matthew’s last words in his Gospel before Jesus ascended.  We call yesterday Ascension Day because Jesus disappears from sight in a cloud.  “Ascend” has a double meaning, though, that is important to see here.  Often we think of it as Jesus returning to God the Father, that is going up in a cloud.  But then we have a problem because that puts God “up in the heaven” along with Jesus and so the promise of presence becomes complicated.  I offer a second interpretation. 

         When the king dies, the son “ascends” to the thrown.  The heir assumes the title and privileges he was born to.  Jesus’ ascension is not a trip away but a return to his pre-incarnation status as God who spoke at creation, who has specific physical appearances in the Old Testament and who promises to always be with us.  We will look at two post-ascension encounters with Jesus next week.  As with most things related to faith, an element of mystery is involved.  Faith is “being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. (Hebrews 11:1)”

         According to Luke in the book of Acts, as the followers are on the mountain top seeing Jesus disappear in the cloud, two angels address them, “’Men of Galilee,’ they said, ‘why do you stand here looking into the sky?  This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.’” For sure, people have split hairs over what the ascension means and just where Jesus is now.  Jesus says he is with us always and forever.  Perhaps the angels’ question is what we should focus on today.  Where are we looking for Jesus today, in the clouds or with us?

         Often the answer is that the living word, Jesus, is found in the spoken word, and the written word.  As we read Scripture we have holy encounters.  In church we worship.  Others find the sacred in nature as they contemplate God’s creation. They encounter in nature the God who created life.  Many love the words of music that reminds them of Jesus eternal presence with them.  Many times we are healed by the hug of a friend.  The list goes on.  Jesus has promised to be with us always so wherever we are, he is with us, seen or unseen.  This promise grounds us for facing any challenge that might face us today.  Blessings!

“And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. (Matthew 28:20)” Forty days after Easter, as Jesus finishes his farewell to his followers with these comforting words, he is taken up to heaven to sit at the right hand of the Father to intercede for them and us.  We call today Ascension Day and remember with gratitude.  The promise of presence “always” was Jesus’ closing words.

         The gift of presence is one of the most wonderful gifts we can give another.  So often words are inadequate.  The pain of grief is too deep or the ecstasy of joy is beyond words. We try to capture a sunsets in paintings or sounds in music but somehow it always is a bit short and words are no better.  We cannot explain how the awareness of God’s presence is possible.  Often we use the word “miracle.”

         Romans 8: 38 expresses this presence, “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus or Lord.”  This truth does not depend on my feelings.  It does not depend on my ability to see or touch or hear or taste.  Likewise it is not conditional on my good behavior.  God does not reward us if we’re good like Santa Clause does and then give us coal in our life when we are bad.  God walks with us through the ups and downs and “through the valley of the shadow of death.”  He is with us always.

         This promise is not place specific.  Many like to have designated “sacred spaces” where they focus all their attention on God and their spiritual ears open to listen.  That may be a church or a designated chair with a cup of coffee where we regularly meet with God.  Jesus does not name a place but promises to be wherever and whenever we want to meet with him.  Perhaps we are uncertain because of the silence but perhaps that is when he is listening the most intently.

         This presence is not age bound like social security.  We don’t have to qualify or wear a mask.  We do not even need an intermediary present.  God’s presence is with us “always.”  We are not alone.  We are not abandoned.  We are not forgotten.  We are not orphaned.  Jesus promises presence “always,” even to the end of the ages!  Thank you, Lord.

“Teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. (Matthew 28:20)” I suspect Jesus was not encouraging his followers to teach theology, to teach information about God, the way we learn facts about the history of the United States to become citizens.  Again, obedience implies action and motion towards community not just information gathering for the edification of the learner.  “Teaching to obey” brings to my mind obedience school for pets so that they can be trusted with others, can become guide dogs, and know how to behave for the benefit of all concerned.

         So we are thrown back to ponder the commands Jesus gave his followers during his ministry on earth that we are to learn.  I think of commands like “come unto me ye who are weary,” or “love your enemy and forgive those who persecute you,” or all the teachings in Matthew 5, the Sermon on the Mount.  We are told to teach others to follow the life of Christ who laid down his life for others.  Medical ministries, educational ministries, orphanages, and welfare have grown institutionally out of this.

         When asked what the greatest commandment was, Jesus agreed that it was to love God with our whole being and then love our neighbor as yourself.  So perhaps the point of reflection today is to turn the flashlight inward and ask ourselves if there is anyone in my life that I need to take the first step to repair relationship with.  There may even be someone deceased who abused me terribly or disappointed me terribly that I no longer have direct access to but to whom I could write a letter that I will then destroy after I turn that hurt over to God.  Life is not fair and we are not perfect and often misunderstandings arise because we do not walk in the other’s shoes, but forgiveness is a choice we are always free to make.

         Jesus tells us that his yoke is easy and his burden is light.  As we “go” and “make disciples” – impact others of all types, encouraging love and forgiveness, we can become new creations, baptized in the name of the triune God.  There is hope for the future no matter how dismal the present may seem.  And best of all, God walks with us and we are not alone.  Thank you, Lord.

“Teaching. (Matthew 28:20)” One of the popular sayings encourages us to share the love of Jesus “and use words if necessary.”  Jesus in his farewell sends his followers forward, “go and make disciples of all nations.”  He makes it clear that this involves baptism, a cleansing of the soul by God giving a new start in life and it involves teaching, learning the rules of the game.  Observation is a slow tedious way to learn a new language, a new game, a new culture but having a friend who explains, who walks with you, who does not criticize, speeds up the learning process. 

         Teaching implies also that the student in learning will sometimes make mistakes and will not always be perfect.  The student does not have the expertise of the teacher and has not mastered the skills and knowledge.  I fear we often think that a profession of faith should be followed by a life that immediately changes and is perfect.  But in-fact making disciples involves teaching and it is a process.

         Teaching is relational, takes time, and involves growth.  Perhaps reflecting on where you want to be growing in your faith right now would be a good exercise.  How might you grow?  Seek our a friend to teach you?  Find a book on the subject?  Go to a retreat center where you could be involved with a spiritual director?  Find an older saint to share with.  As we have gone through this season of Covid and quarantine, it could be that certain spiritual disciples have been neglected while other disciples have found new expressions.  I’m continually amazed at the virtual choirs and instrumental videos coming out involving people from around the world putting their talents together. As a grandparent, I try to pray for specific character traits I would like to be growing in my grandchildren.  We are never too old or too young to be impacting lives of another.  Who are you wanting to teach and who are you learning from today?

This Thursday we will celebrate the Ascension of Jesus but for now we still continue pondering his farewell speech to his followers.  From the position of having all authority on earth and in heaven, he pointed to faith as a dynamic that is not to be just inward focused for the improvement of their lives but was intended to reach out, “go”, to make a better world.  “Making disciples” we pondered as a two sided coin.  A teacher has not taught until a student has learned.  Making a disciple or follower requires being a person worth following.  Perhaps integrity is the word we use to talk about congruency between belief and life style. 

         Jesus continues, “baptizing them in the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. (Matthew 28:19)” Merriam-Webster defines baptize as “to purify or cleanse spiritually especially by a purging experience or ordeal.”  When we are baptized, we are washed in water, symbolizing the washing of the soul or the cleansing of the soul by accepting the death of Christ as the payment for sin.  The baptized person is considered cleansed in God’s eyes.  It is the rite of initiation.

         It is interesting to note that the Trinity is mentioned here as a unity.  Now we have the mystery named of the three-in-one God.  God, by nature is communal, and the initiation is communal representing a reorientation of origin, reorientation of values, and reorientation of source of wisdom.  What a mouth full!  It is not joining a club by paying fees and learning secret codes.  It is not a reward for having achieved a level of intelligence or gathering of good deeds, and is not like having killed a lion so now you have proved yourself a man.  It is a reorientation of reality.

         Religious wars have been fought over the meaning of these words and just what is implied and required.  I cannot answer all those debates but I can testify that the cleansing of one’s soul is a significant moment, whether as an infant or an adult, whether dipped or dunked, whether public or private.  Being cleansed and being given a fresh start in life is a gift worth celebrating.  Jesus charges his followers to go to others and bring health, cleanness, in relationships with God and world. It is possible to start over, to wake up refreshed, and to experience forgiveness.  That for sure is good news.   

This week we have been pondering the last post-resurrection appearance on the mountaintop in Galilee where Jesus gave his final talk to his followers.  He reinforced that as true man, he is also true God, he has all authority in heaven and on earth.  He charged them to “Go and make disciples.”  These words have inspired millions and deeply impacted the trajectory of Christianity and how we understand our faith today.  It is not passive but active, reaching out to others, and the flip side of that coin is that we are to live a life worth emanating. 

         Saturdays I like to end the week by pondering a song that seems to carry some of the flavor of our thinking for the week.  I have chosen “I Will Follow Him” which went to the top of the pop list in the early sixties during my high school years.  It was written as an instrumental about 1961 in Europe but went to the top in 1963 when sung by Little Peggy March who at age 15 became “the youngest female artist to have a U.S. chart-topping single.”

         But it was Whoopi Goldberg singing this song at the end of Sister Act 1 that solidified it as one of my most favorites.  Whoopi plays a Vegas wantabee singer who witnesses a murder and is hidden in a San Francisco convent as a nun leading the choir.  She “contextualizes” songs she sang on stage by changing the words slightly and by putting them in a Christian setting so adding texture and depth to the lyrics. Martin Luther has been criticized as some of his songs similarly were make-overs from the bar.  “I Will Follow Him” captures the love of the disciple for the mentor and I believe captures in music some of the essence of the Great Commission.

Love him, I love him, I love him
And where he goes I’ll follow, I’ll follow, I’ll follow

I will follow him, follow him wherever he may go
There isn’t an ocean too deep
A mountain so high it can keep me away

I must follow him (follow him), ever since he touched my hand I knew
That near him I always must be
And nothing can keep him from me
He is my destiny (destiny)

I love him, I love him, I love him
And where he goes I’ll follow, I’ll follow, I’ll follow
He’ll always be my true love, my true love, my true love
From now until forever, forever, forever

I will follow him (follow him), follow him wherever he may go
There isn’t an ocean too deep
A mountain so high it can keep, keep me away
Away from my love (I love him, I love him, I love him)

Jesus’ farewell, his famous last words from the mountaintop to the five hundred gathered have deeply impacted the trajectory of Christianity.  Matthew 28:19 records the speech, not as a list of thanks-yous for support and comradeship as we might do today, not as a form of blessing as the patriarch Jacob did for his twelve sons as he lay on his death bed, and not as Nathan Hale did before being hanged, “I regret that I have but one life to lose for my country.”  Jesus claimed all authority on heaven and earth and told his followers to “go and make disciples of all nations.”  Let’s think about that!

         A disciple is “a follower or student of a teacher, leader, or philosophe.”  Followers by definition follow someone and usually because that someone is a model of a life or an ideal that is admired.  Gandhi set an example that changed the world by living a life of peaceful non-violent resistance.  Martin Luther King Jr. continued in those footprints, leading the Civil Rights movement.  The mandate to make disciples must start with being a person who is believable and leads a life worth emanating.  Making disciples, I would offer, requires that I become and be a person worthy of having a follower.  I fear we often think of this passage and being a leader as being people with bold rhetoric, flaming zeal, painting a reality that gathers people around to head to the same goal as the person speaking.  Is a disciple maker is someone who gathers people to go to heaven or is the person someone who inspires others to follow the teacher, the leader, the philosophe of Jesus?  Jesus is speaking to his “disciples,” his followers who are to emanate him – healing, loving, and laying down their life and fame for the other.

         This command challenges me to reflect on the models I try to emanate and who have deeply impacted my life.  Likewise I might reflect on whether my life embodies the qualities I pray others will seek to incorporate into their lives.  Or, maybe, I am a “do as I say and not as I do” sort of person.  Making disciples requires that I am a disciple.  So whom am I emanating today?  Who are my heroes and what qualities do I appreciate in their lives?  Think of one or two people (they can be literary, historical, or other) who have deeply impacted the values of your life and spend a moment thanking God for the gift of their presence in your life. We all impact the lives of the people around us.  Let us pray that they see the Christ we love, in us “going” to all nations, not just friends.  Blessings.