7 May 2016 - the Father himself

[ Today's Readings ]

Jesus, tell us clearly about the Father. 

For the Father himself loves you

Jesus, you want us to know that the Father loves us. You want us to know that because we believe in you (that you came from God) he loves us with the same love with which he loves you. And there is a reason you want us to know this.

Until now you have not asked anything in my name;
ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete.

We need to have confidence in the Father's love. We need to be able to rely on it for the things we need. We need to trust the Father completely so that our joy may be complete.

We sometimes have trouble with the idea that you leave us to return to the Father. But it isn't a problem for you to go back to the Father if this is the Father to whom you return. It means that when the clouds take you from our site it isn't that the love you have for us is diminished. After all, you go to the Father who himself loves us. In fact, you go to make that love even more abundantly available to us by sending the Holy Spirit.

We do well if we speak and teach accurately about you Jesus. But you want us to know more than the baptism of John. You want to explain the way more precisely to us so that we can receive the full power of the Holy Spirit.  He is the source of our complete joy. He allows us to give great assistance to those who believe and to vigorously defend the gospel.

All you peoples, clap your hands;
shout to God with cries of gladness.
For the LORD, the Most High, the awesome,
is the great king over all the earth.

6 May 2016 - that day

[ Today's Readings ] 

But I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice,
and no one will take your joy away from you.

There is suffering in this earthly life. It is just how things are. But that doesn't mean that is how things will always be. For those of us who know you, Jesus, suffering has a direction and a definitive end in sight. It is a part of the process as we are born and grow. But one day all of creation will be set free from these birth pangs.

For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies (see Romans 8:19-23).

Suffering now is more than a temporary evil to be endured. It is a force that can be harassed for growth. It can be harassed for our own individual growth..

Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us (see Romans 5:3-5).

And the growth of the whole world...

Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church (see Colossians 1:24).

This all makes sense only precisely because there is a day coming when suffering shall cease. Even though it is the way things are now it is not how they shall be forever. Suffering might be stoically endured if it were to last forever. But suffering like that could never give rise to hope or to joy. Rather, we begin to rejoice even now because we know that the day is coming when you will wipe the tear from every eye.

He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away (see Revelation 21:4).

We may well weep and morn. But it is not like those who have no hope (see First Thessalonians 4:13). This is how Paul endures short term hardships. Even when the Jews rise up against him and things seem grim he clings to the word of promise from God that no one will harm him in that city. We see how his faith and hope transform even the way he lives in present circumstances. He is able to keep his peace even when synagogue officials are beaten in what is ultimately violence directed toward him.

Bring us to that day LORD. Bring us to the day when we trust you so much that we don't need to question you about anything. Bring us to the day when our will is so completely surrendered to you that we can ask for anything in your name and receive it from the Father.

God mounts his throne amid shouts of joy;
the LORD, amid trumpet blasts.
Sing praise to God, sing praise;
sing praise to our king, sing praise.

5 May 2016 - heavenly horizon

[ Today's Readings ]

“Are you discussing with one another what I said,
‘A little while and you will not see me,
and again a little while and you will see me’?

LORD teach us to turn to you with our questions. Don't let us be so embarrassed by our lack of understanding that we are afraid to ask. Sometimes you tell us things that are difficult. What do you mean we won't see you? What do you mean that you're going to the Father? In the face of the cross human understanding fails. It leaves us feeling defeated and hopeless. But if we look to you rather than our own understanding you provide the context that allows us to endure.

Amen, amen, I say to you,
you will weep and mourn, while the world rejoices;
you will grieve, but your grief will become joy.

Sometimes the world is going to oppose and revile us. The more we become like Paul who "began to occupy himself totally with preaching the word and testifying to the Jews that the Christ was Jesus" the harder it is going to be to avoid this.

But if we have know you in the power of your resurrection, Jesus, this won't slow us down. Your resurrection power in our lives (see Romans 8:11) renews our minds (see Romans 12:2). It shows us that this brief momentarily affliction (see Second Corinthians 4:17) will become joy unending. It is because we know this that we are able to make such a clean break with arguments we did not win and all other discouragements.

When they opposed him and reviled him,
he shook out his garments and said to them,
“Your blood be on your heads!
I am clear of responsibility. 
From now on I will go to the Gentiles.”

This is not defeat for us because heaven is our horizon. We are able, by your power, to forget what lies behind and strain toward the goal of our upward call in you (see Philippians 3:13).

We tend to dwell on the past our fixate on the hardships of the present. But if we can just learn to turn to you, Jesus, you teach us how to hope. And even when we don't think to ask or are afraid to do so you still come to us to teach us.

Jesus knew that they wanted to ask him, so he said to them,
“Are you discussing with one another what I said,
‘A little while and you will not see me,
and again a little while and you will see me’?

Your Holy Spirit is coming to remind us of all that you yourself first teach. Help us prepare! In the power of your Spirit we can begin to sing of your victory even now.

Sing to the LORD a new song,
for he has done wondrous deeds;
His right hand has won victory for him,
his holy arm.

4 May 2016 - Spirit of truth

[ Today's Readings ]

Jesus said to his disciples:
"I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now."

Jesus, you know that we are works in progress. You give us only that for which we are ready. But we think we're ready for a lot less than you actually give us.

When they heard about resurrection of the dead,
some began to scoff, but others said,
“We should like to hear you on this some other time.”

Even if we don't scoff we often put often dealing with your revelation. But tell us this because we can bear it. We can believe it just like Dionysius and Damaris.

What are we missing? We do we try to absolve ourselves of the responsibility to understand what you want to teach us?

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth (see Ephesians 1:7-10).

We have all wisdom and insight to know the mystery of his will. And clearly we don't feel this way. Clearly we would rather say, 'Let me come back when I have more wisdom.' But you are calling us to a greater boldness so that we can have a greater understanding. But what are we missing? Why don't we feel ready for this?

But when he comes, the Spirit of truth,
he will guide you to all truth.

Oh, right. We're trying to understand on our own apart from the Spirit. Even intellectual processes in theology are not merely or even primarily intellectual. They are first and foremost revelations inspired by the Spirit of truth. Our minds are guided by the Spirit and they confirm the logic of his teachings but they themselves are not the source of our knowledge or wisdom.

Head knowledge is cold and abstract. It exists in isolation apart from life and the world. Not so with the knowledge of the Spirit.

He will glorify me,
because he will take from what is mine and declare it to you.

This knowledge is oriented to glory. We want to see you glorified Jesus. Send your Spirit to us to teach us so that we can see you glorified! We are not like the peoples who need to grope and seek for you. Unlike them we already know that you are not far from any of us. We should rejoice that we are so highly favored. We must then set out to call people everywhere to repent because God has "established a day on which he will 'judge the world with justice' through" you Jesus. Then they too can rejoice. We know this beyond doubt because of the confirmation of your resurrection. Let us find all the shrines of unknown gods in the world today and teach them all, "What therefore you unknowingly worship, I proclaim to you." We can do it because we have the Spirit of truth in our hearts!

Let the kings of the earth and all peoples,
the princes and all the judges of the earth,
Young men too, and maidens,
old men and boys.

3 May 2016 - sons in the Son

[ Today's Readings ]

No one comes to the Father except through me.
If you know me, then you will also know my Father.

Even though you tell us..

From now on you do know him and have seen him.

We immediately ask..

Master, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us.

And the response you give is one we know to be true.

Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you for so long a time
and you still do not know me, Philip?"

We have been walking with you for so long a time, Jesus. But we still don't really know you in the way you want to be known.

Just as the Father is the very source and goal of all that you are so is he meant to be for us in you. And so when you tell us that the very goal of all that we are is before our eyes to see we should be more excited than we are.

We thrill to see you rise from the waters of John's baptism or to stand on the Mount of Transfiguration when the Father claims you as his own beloved Son. And yet here, before our own eyes we can see the Father's love for each one of us revealed.

Here in your presence the Spirit cries out within us, "Abba!" if we gaze deeply enough. We need to look past the surface. We need to look deeper than mere flesh. We even need to look deeper than the world's ideas about you (Elijah? One of the prophets?). The point is that even if you are supernatural in our eyes that is not the true depths of the Trinitarian mystery you want to reveal. And the main point that should motivate us to meditate on this mystery is that it is no mere abstraction. We are made sons in the Son. Your revelation of the Father to us is precisely our gateway to share in your own Sonship. We talk a lot about peace, joy, and love in Christianity. But think. If we truly know that we are sons and daughters of the all-powerful creator of the universe who loves us beyond words then we won't be able to help but experience such blessings.

Your revelation of the Father's love for us is the hallmark of your every action, Jesus.

For I handed on to you as of first importance what I also received:
that Christ died for our sins
in accordance with the Scriptures;
that he was buried;
that he was raised on the third day
in accordance with the Scriptures;
that he appeared to Cephas, then to the Twelve.

In all of this we see the will of the Father who gave his only Son that all who believe in him might be saved (see John 3:16). In your faithful response we see not only your own love for us, but also the love you have for the Father which you intend for us to share and to make our own.

It is a big deal to embrace our part in this mystery.

Amen, amen, I say to you,
whoever believes in me will do the works that I do,
and will do greater ones than these,
because I am going to the Father.

Go to the Father, Jesus. Because when you do you bring each of us with you to his throne, to his embrace, and to his heart.

And whatever you ask in my name, I will do,
so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
If you ask anything of me in my name, I will do it.

Anything we ask in your name will now be done because it is asked for the glory of the Father and the glory of the Son. Our spirits become so conformed to you that we can neither ask nor desire anything else. So we pray simply for this message to echo and reecho throughout creation.

The heavens declare the glory of God;
and the firmament proclaims his handiwork.
Day pours out the word to day;
and night to night imparts knowledge.
Not a word nor a discourse
whose voice is not heard;
Through all the earth their voice resounds,
and to the ends of the world, their message.

2 May 2016 - he will testify

[ Today's Readings ]

When the Advocate comes whom I will send you from the Father,
the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father,
he will testify to me.

O Holy Spirit, great fire of God, come and testify to us. 

O Advocate, come in the name of the Father and of the Son and remind us of everything Jesus teaches us.

One of them, a woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth,
from the city of Thyatira, a worshiper of God, listened,
and the Lord opened her heart to pay attention
to what Paul was saying.

O Comforter, come and open our hearts to pay attention to what Paul is saying, to what John is saying, to what Athanasius is saying, and to what all your teachers are saying.

And you also testify,
because you have been with me from the beginning.

O Counselor, you testify to your people so that they can testify to us. You testify in them to us so that we might testify to others.

Guide us into all truth, O Spirit of truth. In the truth we stand firm, safe against the enemy. In the truth we have the assurance of our heavenly inheritance. You make the truth so real to us that your revelation thereof becomes even now a foretaste of the heavenly banquet.

And so we even ask you, convict us of our sinfulness. Reveal the truth about ourselves as well so that we may turn to you for your cleansing mercy. Show us the shadowy darkness within so that we can open the windows and doors of our souls to the light of your countenance.

I have told you this so that you may not fall away.

Only when you have your way so completely in us can we stand against the persecutions of the world. When you don't have your way there are only two other options. The first is that we hide our light and conceal the truth in order to escape the persecutions in the first place. We quickly become indistinguishable from the world not just on the surface but in our hearts as well. The second is that the persecutions do come and we back down and fall away. But the result, without you, is that we don't have the strength to stand. With you we not only stand but even endure joyfully whatever may come.

I have told you this so that when their hour comes
you may remember that I told you.

You do remind us of the things Jesus tells us, Holy Spirit. You remind us of them so that our hope can be firm and our faith unshakable. Even amidst trial and persecution you give us the strength to rejoice in you.

Let them praise his name in the festive dance,
let them sing praise to him with timbrel and harp.
For the LORD loves his people,
and he adorns the lowly with victory.

Is this too joyful when the world hates us and kills us to offer worship to God? No! This is exactly the response you place in our hearts, O Spirit. Help it to fill us.

Let the faithful exult in glory;
let them sing for joy upon their couches.
Let the high praises of God be in their throats.
This is the glory of all his faithful. Alleluia.

1 May 2016 - you would rejoice

[ Today's Readings ]

LORD, you don't want our peace of mind to be disturbed by dissension nor debate. You don't want our hearts to be troubled or afraid even when we don't understand things and you yourself seem far away.

You send an Advocate to us who is always near, who reminds us of your words, and keeps us always connected to you and therefore to the Father as well.

The Father and the Spirit join you as you make your dwelling us us. This is what happens when we keep your word. This is true meaning of your word remaining in us. The circumstances of the world may appear dire. But the circumstances of the world are not the source of our peace. You give us peace by the fact of your presence within us. You yourself are the word which abides in our hearts. And it is not the feeling of your presence which is to be the source of our peace, but rather the fact of it. This empowers us to have peace even when we don't feel like you are close. It empowers us to believe that you will come back and make everything right even if right now nothing is right and nothing seems fixable.

‘I am going away and I will come back to you.’

You show us the way, LORD. You go to the cross, but you know that at a deeper level you go to the Father. The cross is temporary. Your bond with the Father is eternal. We see the circumstances and weep. But we ought truly rejoice for the deeper reality. The reality of your coequal union with the Father is greater than the external reality of the human suffering which you undergo.

You send people out from the number of the Church with the blessings of the Advocate so that we can share in them. You send us your Spirit so that we can share in the peace you give.

It is the decision of the Holy Spirit and of us
not to place on you any burden beyond these necessities

Dissension and debate cannot disturb us. Circumstances can't shake us. Even the cross ultimately can't take the peace you give.

We live even now with our lives illuminated by our unshakable hope. In the darkness of the valley of death we see the light of the kingdom to come.

I saw no temple in the city
for its temple is the Lord God almighty and the Lamb.
The city had no need of sun or moon to shine on it,
for the glory of God gave it light,
and its lamp was the Lamb.

And in this light, the very light of your face, we praise you.

May God have pity on us and bless us;
may he let his face shine upon us.
So may your way be known upon earth;
among all nations, your salvation.