April 8, 2018 Chapter 34 The Uprising of Fellowship
The reading from John's gospel this week is the gospel reading each year for the Sunday after Easter. It is a recounting of "the evening of that first day of the week,"--that first Easter Sunday. Since it is the reading every Second Sunday of Easter, that means I have probably preached on this gospel passage at least 25 times. And in all 25 times I have focused almost exclusively on the person of Thomas. So much so that it had never really dawned on me the three things that Jesus does in the passage. McLaren points out those three things.
First, he offers them peace. This is huge. He doesn't call them idiots for not getting his words about his death and resurrection. He doesn't say I told you so. He doesn't call them cowards for running away in the garden the night of his arrest. He doesn't ask them why they couldn't be more like the women who at least followed him to the cross. Instead he offers them peace.
The second thing he does is remind them of their purpose. he gives them their orders. He sends them on mission. He hasn't given up on them. He hasn't said to them, "You're fired." He renews his trust in them.
Finally, he gives them a down payment of the Holy Spirit (which will come in its fullness at Pentecost). He breathes on them and gives them the power of forgiveness. I guess I've always thought of this as a general power to forgive sins. However, occurring as a post resurrection account it now seems obvious that Jesus is talking at least n part about the forgiveness of those who put him to death, those who fled his side, as well as those who didn't seem to care one way or the other.
Peace. Mission. Mercy. The gifts given that first Easter Sunday!
In our small group, we had a discussion about John 20:23: "Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained." the only unforgivable sin I know reference to is Mark 3:29: "But whoever blasphemes against the holy Spirit will never have forgiveness, but is guilty of everlasting sin." We were thinking that anytime someone came to a priest seeking forgiveness that they would receive reconciliation. Your thoughts?
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, I have never refused absolution to anyone. If someone approaches me sacramentally I always believe there is enough repentance that I must offer absolution. I've always understood that to blaspheme against the Holy Spirit is to know and refuse God. God would not "forgive" that because that would mean God would force God's Self on you, and God always allows us the free will to make our own decision. But we also must keep in mind that even if we turn our back on God for a while, God is like the father in the prodigal son story and God never quits looking for us and inviting us to come home.
ReplyDeleteI got intrigued by the use of the word "fellowship." I have heard it before and some coworkers back in the day used it when setting up our social gatherings.
ReplyDeleteBut the context in which McLaren uses it opened my eyes to a much deeper meaning. It's almost like a sense of belonging. A belonging that only comes from being part of the experience. It is something that has to be felt.
"You have to be there to get it..." type of thing.
I'm going to pay more attention to how I use the word in the future. It doesn't seem something to be taken lightly.