Wedding to conquer sin with Love

In last phrase of the passage from the first letter of John from the Roman Catholic Lectionary for today, the memorial of Saint Andre Bessette, we are exhorted, as children of God, to keep ourselves from idols. The passage provides some advice according to Friar Jude Winkler, for a Jewish audience on the approach of the faithful to sinners, particularly  serious sinners. A recent sociological study out of the UK finds that selfishness is very much on the rise in that country. The idol which is ourselves is being served in selfish living. The saintly characteristic of "Brother Andre" was his ability to see beyond his own humble circumstances and disappointments with real empathy and action for the poor and those in need of healing who came to seek help. The over generous giving of self is the theme of the the episode from the Gospel of John where the Mother of Jesus,  a symbolic Johnian reference, according to Friar Jude, is presenting the glory of Jesus presentation on the cross of the extreme nature of the love of the Father, by pouring out more and greater love to people in need. 

Present to make it happen

The Collect in the Liturgy of today, which uses the texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary, prays that God will cast light upon the faithful so that they would not cease to acknowledge their Saviour and truly hold fast to Him. Friar Jude Winkler tells us that the passage from the first letter of John needs to be considered in the light of the Gnostic heresy which John was combatting. The Gnostic philosophers could not accept the Divinity of Jesus. The gift of love which John encourages the followers of Jesus to practice is the witness to the life of the Spirit in the believers who are the Body of Christ. The demands on the Lover require a Divine Transcendent Presence. Those who believe in Jesus, Son of God, are empowered by this belief to practice the healing and forgiveness of Jesus in the world. This healing, compassion, inclusion, empathy and self-giving is often beyond what the humanistic philosophies of sharing expect people to do. John tells us we are children of God now and in that status is the power to overcome through the resonance of our indwelling Spirit, in the Body of Christ, with the Spirit which is the eternally existing Love between Father and Son. John the Baptist is aware of the need for mercy, forgiveness, empathy, compassion and loving action in the world. He is also alert to the need for those who forgive and give mercy to  receive mercy and forgiveness themselves. When this forgiveness is sought from God, the Spirit responds and brings the Love which is the fuel for the children of God to live as active members of the Body of Christ. The Gospel of Mark proclaims the pleasure of the Father in the action of the Son to bring the Love (symbolized by the Dove) to the children of God. (all people). The Communion of Saints as affirmed in the Christian Creed links the Body of Christ in time and space with those who have transitioned to the Eternity beyond the limits of time and space.

Development of active and truthful love

The texts today from the Roman Catholic Lectionary are both challenging and reassuring. The first letter of John creates a strong description of those who are not abiding in the love of Jesus. They are murderers like Cain who are abiding in death. John declares that those who are children of God live in active and truthful love of God and others. The Gospel passage from John, according to Friar Jude Winkler, is a dialogue with Jesus about Nathanael who is revealed as being a scholar of the Law, under the fig tree, who is seeking truth in understanding the relationship of Jesus to the religious tradition. Nathanael allows his understanding of Nazareth as a dirt poor, near pagan place, which is in Galilee, not Judah, the traditional origin for the Messiah, to be set aside as he accepts Philip's invitation to 'Come and see'. Jesus connects with Nathanael's indwelling Spirit of truth and open desire to develop his understanding by referring to him as an Israelite, one who is in the line of Israel, the reformed name of Jacob. Jesus is reassuring Nathanael and us that the path to the active and truthful love to which the letter of John aspires is through an openness to 'come and see' knowing that the proclamation of the psalmist of the steadfast love and faithfulness of God is an eternal truth.

Come and see

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today appear to set two different backgrounds for the believer to follow Christ. The first letter of John has a dualistic tone. We are told that those who do right are righteous and those who do wrong are children of the devil. The experience we have is that those trying to journey toward holiness and wholeness are also burdened with addictive sin which diverts our journey. When the compass on the journey points toward a deeper relationship with Jesus we are acting as children of God. Conversely, when the compass points away from the path on which Jesus is walking, we are children of the devil. The Gospel of John captures the interest of the disciples of John the Baptist in actually traveling to where Jesus lives. He invites them and us to "come and see". Our movement in that direction will be life changing as we read Jesus changing the name (and essence? direction?) of Simon to Cephas (Peter). Change is the dynamic which is overlooked when we restrict our thinking to dualistic comparisons. We are gifted with the free will to change, move and follow.

What an invitation to be free

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today originate in the work of John the Evangelist of the fourth Gospel. In the passage from the first letter of John we are presented with the position given us and desired for us by the Divine, that of "children of God". This intimacy begins now as we accept it. The conflict of this relationship with sin is declared. As we move toward greater intimacy with God we seek the ongoing assistance to be righteous like Jesus. The desire to be His follower is not widely appreciated in the world.  Our journey to be with Him will be a sign to the world of the invitation to peace and joy through life in the Body of Christ. John points to greater growth in our relationship with God as we become more like Jesus. The Gospel of John continues the proclamation of John the Baptist about the nature of Jesus. The Baptist understands that Jesus will fulfill the Messiah descriptions of Isaiah and be Servant and Lamb of God. The unity of Jesus with the Spirit of God is proclaimed to underline the Divinity of Jesus who is God and is existing with Father and Spirit from the beginning. 

Want it Your Way?

The texts today from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today illustrate the struggle we have when we attempt to deal with revelation that does not quite fit with our need to understand, be in control or deal with cognitive dissonance. The first letter of John, according to Friar Jude Winkler, deals with the Gnostic heresy which held to the Greek thought that God is Divine and separate from human experience. John reinforces the Christian message that Jesus, fully human, is the Christ, the Divine, the Son of the Father. The resolution of our need to control is to be open to the guidance of the Spirit which we experience as we abide in Jesus. The mystery of the action of love and mercy that we witness opens up more possibilities for life and understanding than we initially considered. The representatives of the Jews and Pharisees who come to John the Baptist are trying to fit him into a mold that they understand. Elijah came to Israel in the past with direction from God. Perhaps we can understand John the Baptist as Elijah. We have some expectations and ideas of the Messiah. We could work with John as Messiah. The openness that John requests to see him as herald of the greater "bride of Israel" is very disconcerting when we need so much to know the plan.

How to mark this day

The Roman Catholic Lectionary describes today as "The Octave Day of the Nativity of the Lord Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God ". We also universally mark the change from 2011 CE to 2012 CE. People use this transition to a new year to remember 2011, give thanks and seek better for 2012 through resolutions to change. The text from the Book of Numbers starts our "new year" with the ancient blessing on the Israelites from God through Aaron. The intimacy of knowing God "face to face", which in the Hebrew understanding is to risk annihilation in the Presence, is the relationship of Moses and through this blessed position one knows peace and is given the opportunity to live in the name or the essence of God. The Nativity we continue to celebrate today is the blessing of the relationship described by Paul to the Galatians as that of "children of God". The intimacy desired by God with us is that experienced when the indwelling Spirit calls out in resonance with the Spirit of God "Abba", the name which is heard as "Daddy" from the children who delight us in this Christmas season. The Word is made flesh in history through the "Yes" of the woman ( at age 13 or 14?) who as Paul describes and the Gospel of Luke confirms is observant of the Law of Moses and who in the face to face relationship of mother to son calls him Jesus, "Yahweh saves", as instructed. The first people to witness and proclaim this great blessing of children and heir intimacy with God are the marginalized, excluded and unclean of the time, shepherds who lived with animals and worked unseen by the mainline society. Our plans for 2012 include an invitation to seek greater intimacy with God through life in which we encounter Jesus in those who have witnessed His Love and Mercy as modern day "shepherds".