Eastertide
April 18, 2017
Scripture Reading: Acts 2:14, 22-32
‘Fellow Israelites, I may say to you confidently of our ancestor David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. Since he was a prophet, he knew that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would put one of his descendants on his throne. Foreseeing this, David spoke of the resurrection of the Messiah, saying,
“He was not abandoned to Hades,
nor did his flesh experience corruption.”
This Jesus God raised up, and of that all of us are witnesses. –Acts 2:29-32
Even the mighty King David died just like everyone else. He spoke of one to come who possessed power even over death. The disciples present at Pentecost proclaimed Jesus as that Messiah, the Christ, the One and as a result of his coming the world was forever changed.
History is full of influential men and women who left their imprint on society. Certainly, many people whose stories are included in the Bible would make the list. Abraham and Sarah, Moses, Ruth, King David, many prophets, and disciples of Christ. Jesus’ mark differed because Jesus, while well known for his own teachings and actions, specifically enables all he encounters to make their difference in the world too. Death is defeated in resurrection and Jesus’ resurrection is symbolic of the eternal nature of the life of faith resulting from each of Christ’s followers owning and nurturing their piece of God’s developing Kingdom of Love until it comes to full fruition.
Ours is a dynamic calling not only to nurture coming generations but to move the world closer and closer to the rule of love in the now. We first do that by practicing the Art of Love* ourselves.
[Erich] Fromm presents love as a skill that can be taught and developed. He rejects the idea of loving as something magical and mysterious that cannot be analyzed and explained, and is therefore skeptical about popular ideas such as “falling in love” or being helpless in the face of love.
Jesus taught love best by example, a good model for us to emulate. He took his love to the next step by doing justice on behalf of others. We, too, are called to do justice.
Prayer: God of Love and Justice, make us whole so that we can emulate your love. Grant us courage so we can do your justice. Amen.
*The Art of Loving by Erich Fromm see at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Art_of_Loving