Eastertide

May 21, 2023

Scripture Reading: John 17:1-11

‘I have made your name known to those whom you gave me from the world. They were yours, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. Now they know that everything you have given me is from you; for the words that you gave to me I have given to them, and they have received them and know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me. I am asking on their behalf; I am not asking on behalf of the world, but on behalf of those whom you gave me, because they are yours. All mine are yours, and yours are mine; and I have been glorified in them. And now I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one, as we are one. –John 17:6-11

‘Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and no city or house divided against itself will stand.  (Matthew 12:25)

1 Kings 12-16 tells the story of the dividing of the House of Israel following the death of Solomon. He seemed more interested in wealth and power than in his charge to care for his own people. This might be a good time for all of God’s people to read or re-read the story of Solomon’s reign and the division that happened after his death. The USA seems to be falling into the same trap.

John quotes Jesus calling on us to be one with one another as Christ is one with God. That starts with us being in sync with Christ. I read a comment recently that a person wrote saying that some things are just wrong. I agreed with the person’s sentiment, but we are worlds apart regarding what we each might include in a list of things that are just wrong. For example, I think capital punishment is just wrong no matter what, but I know lots of people who totally disagree with me.

So how do we build a bridge to oneness in God? I think the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7) teaches us how to begin that process.  It suggests that we take the time to look at issues differently. Benjamin Franklin may have shaped his comment: An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. From that sermon. It applies to most of the challenges we face in our world today. Ending poverty would improve most of our living conditions. Providing quality public education would produce a well-prepared workforce that could be self-supporting. Fifty-nine percent of abortions are related to poverty. Simply raising the minimum wage to a living wage would heal much brokenness.

 Prayer: Lord, remove the blinders from our eyes that make us see only the result of complex problems and turn our hearts and minds to find solutions that prevent problems before they fester into societal sores. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.