The scriptures for today are packed with themes. In the passage from Acts we find the early Christian community dealing with the question of which Jewish disciplines should be demanded of Gentile converts. Change is never easy and there seemed resistance to change by some. Consensus was important. As we face our future planning we find ourselves too in need of serious discernment.

The passage from Revelations resonates as well. A vision of the city of God, the dwelling for God’s people, coming down from heaven. To be entered through Israelite history, the twelve tribes are the gateways, and firmly founded on the teachings of Jesus left with the 12 Apostles as the foundation. There is not to be a temple, no building or structure, that is to be the center or focus for worship, but the Lord God, the Lamb, around whom the people of this city gather, that is where they are to receive light. This seems to bring to mind the crises and unrest among the baptized, as we differ in how we understand the church in these times.

These things swirl about me these days and fill my head, but the Gospel draws me into my heart where I have greater need to focus and from where I wish to speak today.

Perhaps many of you like me have cherished John’s account of the discourse at the Last Supper, remembering how, year after year, we listened in silence as Sr. Dorothy Purcell read it to us in the dining room on Holy Thursdays. It is beautiful, simple, mysterious, deep yet clear, profound yet seemingly easy to understand. How many times the words “love” and “peace” resound! Year after year at this season of alleluias, this scripture is repeated.

In the few verses given for our reflection today, it seems to me, we have pretty much the heart of the matter. The basic truths which are the core of our Christian belief are all right here: the indwelling of the triune God, the gift of peace, and the challenge to love. Isn’t this our faith in its most essential elements?

We believe that God, source of our being, lives within each of us humans. When incarnate and living among us this person, Jesus, who was God’s word made flesh, spoke of this reality. With his followers gathered around, he promised that when he returned to the Father, their Spirit as an Advocate would be present to assure that his teachings remained alive among us.

This is our faith, is it not? This God, ultimately more than we can fully grasp, this God is held in awe and reverence, deserving of our honor and praise, yet this same God is somehow present not only around us in all of creation but within each of us, actually dwelling in our very persons. And wonder of wonders, even somewhere hidden deep within those who seem not to possess this goodness, within those without the strength or ability to recognize that presence.

We who have received the gift of faith enjoy the grace that helps us experience this reality.

The other two truths that are essential, I believe, to our Christian faith, are the gift of peace and the challenge to love. Jesus is quoted as saying, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you.” Usually as citizens of this world, I think we look for peace as a time when there is no war, no violence, no conflict. But as citizens already of God’s kingdom, what do we recognize as that peace given by Jesus? Our experience seems to indicate that war, violence, and conflict are always somehow with us. Then what is that peace which Jesus presented as gift to us? I have come to think that it is a gift wrapped up in faith. To open this gift and find that peace demands a deep faith in God’s ongoing and never failing presence. Only when I am able to hold tight to the belief that God is here, with me, beside me, within me, strengthening me, walking with me, supporting me, only then can I experience the fullness of peace as Jesus promised it. Only then can I stand untroubled and unafraid in spite of illness, financial worries, conflicts, injustice, crises in church and world. Only if I truly believe in the God who is here can I have a peaceful heart.

And doesn’t it seem that it is only from peaceful hearts that we can extend love to others? Only with peaceful hearts we can genuinely praise and thank God in our daily worship. Only with untroubled hearts can we think clearly and observe accurately and discern what needs doing if we are to live justly and honestly and give witness to what God wants the world to know about loving others and being responsible for their well being.

Jesus had a lot to say on that night before he was arrested and taken off for trial and crucifixion. And whether what has been recorded for us is word for word what Jesus said, the message is clear. He wanted his loved ones…including us …to be prepared for days when we would have to rely on that belief in the eternally loving presence. There would be days when it would look like God is missing, when it might be hard to recognize much love in what is happening around us.

Jesus wanted those disciples, he wants us, to know that this God in whom we believe, who is truly one in Father, Son, and Holy Spirit , One as Source, Word made flesh, and Advocate, One as Creator, Redeemer, and Sanctifier, is ever present.

There is awesome and deep truth here for us today in this simple but profound message. Here are the core truths which we Christians believe. We believe in the indwelling presence of a triune God. We believe that God has gifted us with a peace that endures. We believe that we, living in that peace, are empowered to love that God and to love one another.

Truly understood, truly internalized, it would seem these truths can be enough. We can look to our Church for guidance, to our monastic heritage, to wise spiritual writers, to good people whose lives clearly show their relationship with God. And we look to each other for acceptance and support. As members of this monastic community and to the community of God’s people, the Church, we are blessed to have ongoing nourishment through the Eucharist bringing Christ specially present active and alive within and among us. As we continue now in our celebration, gathered here as followers around the table, may our prayer be for ever deeper faith, hearts open to peace, and an ever greater capacity to love.

Close window