“A Call to Love”
A Homily by The Reverend Alice Marcrum
5th Sunday After Easter, May 6, 2007
“I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another.” These familiar words are from the gospel reading for today from John. Jesus spoke these words to His disciples at the Last Supper. As familiar as these words are, they remain as challenging as when they were first spoken. Even more so, when we look at the context in which Jesus said them. Jesus had just excused Judas Iscariot from the table to go and betray Him.
Betrayal is an action that causes great emotional pain. Some of you here may have experienced it; whether on the job or even more painful with trusted friends or family members. Because betrayal is a break down of trust, the wounds can run very deep. It is not something in which one would usually react in the way that Jesus reacted. Instead of showing anger, Jesus speaks of love.
He says to His disciples after Judas leaves, “I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another.”
In fact, if we look at the text in which the betrayal occurs, the break down of trust not only happens with Judas, but also with the other disciples. I say this because Jesus tells the disciples that one of them will betray Him, before it happens. He even gives the Apostle John a strong hint as to who the traitor is.
Jesus says, “It is the one to whom I give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish.”
The text continues, “So when he had dipped the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas son of Simon Iscariot. After he received the piece of bread, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, ‘Do quickly what you are going to do.’”
In defense of himself and the other disciples, John tells us that not one of them understood that Judas was leaving to betray Jesus. Yet, Jesus had just told John who the traitor would be. So if any of them had put two and two together, then they would have at least speculated that Judas was up to no good. One would think that at least one of the disciples would have followed Judas in order to warn Jesus if Judas followed through with the betrayal.
In all fairness, the disciples were eating the Passover meal, which by ritual included the drinking of several cups of wine by each of them. So even if the thought crossed their minds, the Jesus Christ Superstar version of the disciples being intoxicated is probably closer to accuracy than we may want to believe. The wine probably played a major role in keeping the disciples from acting logically. The setting for the betrayal of the Son of Man could not have been staged much better. Jesus even foretells Peter’s denial of Him before the rooster crows three times. The Last Supper is truly one of the saddest scenes in the scriptures.
Jesus washes His disciples’ feet as an example of the servant ministry He is calling them to do; then grieves, because one of them will betray them; tells His betrayer to do what must be done; and warns another that he will deny Him. All of this happens while Jesus is trying to teach His disciples the importance of loving one another. Even in the midst of emotional agony, Jesus’ concern is for His disciples.
His commandment for them to love one another is crucial. Jesus knows that His time with them is short. He knows that this is His Last Supper with them. He knows that the cross is waiting for Him. After He is gone, Jesus knows the pain His followers will suffer. He does not want them to blame one another for His sacrifice. Instead, Jesus knows that for the Church to be born, His followers must unite in love for one another. As Jesus tells them, “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
Today the Body of Christ is being tested again. Brothers and sisters in Christ are betraying one another and breaking the age old covenants of trust. As many of you know, the Episcopal Church has been accused of ‘tearing apart the very fabric’ that has held members of the Anglican Communion together. Sadly, many members and parishes have left the Episcopal Church. Some have gone freely as a matter of conscience, while others have lost church property and clergy their collars for their beliefs.
This is a time of great sadness in the Body of Christ. For the breakdown of trust in the Anglican Communion is being felt throughout the Body of Christ. For when one part of the Body suffers, it affects the entire Body. Yet, in the midst of all this pain and separation that is taking place, I believe that our Lord Jesus is calling us to love one another.
It is the gift of love from Jesus our Lord that we need to help us through these most difficult of times. We do not know what the future of the Anglican Communion or the Episcopal Church will be, but we do know that Jesus has commanded us to love one another. This is what separates us from the world. It is the love of God flowing through us, which is our witness that we are disciples of Jesus the Christ.
Placing blame and taking sides is so much easier to do than obeying Jesus’ command to love one another. It is the gift of love for those with whom we disagree that shows the world we are Jesus’ disciples. I know personally the pain of betrayal from brothers and sisters in Christ. So I can tell you from my own journey that anger can become a trap without a way out.
Only through forgiveness and love towards those who break our trusts can we know the peace that passes all understanding. God’s love is the gift of grace that will see us through these difficult times and keep us together in Christ - even if we end up walking apart. Brothers and sisters in Christ may we love one another as Christ has loved us.
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