Lectionary: Easter 7(A)
Texts: Psalm 68:1-10, 32-35; 1 Peter 4:12-14, 5:6-11; John17:1-11
 |
| Assumption - Christ, Mary, Saints, and Angels in Glory Antonio Allegri da Correggio, ca. 1526-1530 |
The reading from Psalm 68 seems to support the idea of those
who are God’s people and those who are not. The psalm calls for the warrior God
to fly out against the enemies of God’s people and destroy them. The psalm
reminds God of God’s dealings against Pharaoh and the Egyptians during the
Exodus, and God’s provision for God’s people in the wilderness as examples of
why God needs to act now.
But are external threats the most dangerous to the community
raised up by Jesus? Immediately prior to his arrest and crucifixion, what was
foremost on Jesus’ mind about his community?
Foremost on Jesus’ mind and concern is the unity of his
community. He prays, “Holy Father, protect them in your name that you have
given me, so that they may be one, as we are one.” (John 17:11b) Further on,
past where today’s reading ended, Jesus continues his prayer, “I ask not only
on behalf of these but also on behalf of those who believe in me through their
word, that they may all be one. As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may
they also be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.” (John
17:20-21)
Internal strife, conflict, and divisions are the most
significant threat Jesus sees that will threaten his community. Two thousand
years later, we can see that Jesus’ fears were well founded. We have become
experts at defining and policing boundaries, both between those who profess
belief in Christ and between those who do and those who do not. Wars have been
waged in efforts to prove that might is right. Christians have not only been
persecutors of those outside the faith, but those within, who believed
different things.
Christians, at our best, reflect to some degree the glory of
Christ. At our worst, we become devils devouring our own. We need no external
threat to destroy ourselves. Rather, the truth is that Christians have often been
at their best during times of collective hardship.
The author of Ephesians gives us examples of devilish
powers. “… Our struggle is not against blood and flesh but against the rulers,
against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness,
against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” (Ephesians 6:12)
The portion of 1 Peter read this morning is written to
leaders of Christian communities that are experiencing hardship and some kind
of persecution. Between the two portions that were read, the writer directs the
leaders to be examples of service to those under their charge. True leaders of the
community of Jesus Christ are marked by their humility, service, and care for
those that they have been entrusted; they reject prideful ambition, power, and
material gain.
What is glory? The word is commonly used to describe things
such as triumph, honor, fame, renown, brilliance, and splendor. When Christians
use “glory” in association with God and Christ, it often follows our common
usage. God’s glory and Christ’s glory is frequently associated with the manner
of Christ’s second Advent, pictured as a conquering king, destroying his
enemies and bringing justice to his followers by vindicating them. This image lines
up well with the first part of today’s Psalm reading.
But Jesus, who frequently redefined and reimagined traditional
readings and interpretations of scripture, does the same with the concept of
God’s glory. In the gospel of John, Jesus consistently speaks of God’s glory as
being revealed in Jesus’ life and his crucifixion as the culmination of God’s
glory. This is the furthest thing from traditional understandings of glory as
victory, triumph, and honor. What then, is God’s glory?
Although the words of Psalm 68 are found clothed in tribal
and nationalistic language, within we find hints of God’s glory. And it has
nothing to do with God conquering and destroying other nations and peoples.
Rather it is found in the portions that read, “Father of
orphans and protector of widows is God in his holy habitation. God gives the
desolate a home to live in; he leads out the prisoners to prosperity… Rain in
abundance, O God, you showered abroad; you restored your heritage when it
languished; your flock found a dwelling in it; in your goodness, O God, you
provided for the needy.” (Psalms 68:5-6a, 9-10)
God’s glory is God’s desire to be one with humanity – to
reconcile with God’s enemies. Paul writes in his letter to the Romans, “For if
while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son,
much more surely, having been reconciled, will we be saved by his life.” (Romans
5:10) This is the gospel of Christ – to be reconciled to God.
But if we are divided amongst ourselves, if we keep
dividing, if we keep creating boundaries, if we keep defining and policing who
is in and who is out – if we cannot reconcile amongst ourselves, our witness to
the world is diluted at best and destroyed in many cases.
How can we recover, restore, and resurrect unity of Christ’s
community?
The first is to believe and live the truth that God desires
to reconcile with all. There is no one outside God’s grace. No matter how
despicable and evil a person’s thoughts and actions are, God still desires to
awaken them to their true heritage as a child of God. We cannot treat as
enemies those who God does not.
Secondly, we must understand who our true enemy is. Our
enemy is not fellow human beings. As the author of Ephesians tells us, our
enemies are not “blood and flesh.” They are, rather, the power structures and
systems that feed on fear. Fear leads to the need to define insiders and
outsiders, to create scapegoats, to power struggles, conflicts, violence, and
wars.
Finally, the only way out of the cycle of violence and death
is to understand and live the resurrection life. The resurrection life is one
where we put to death all the things motivated by fear and instead live by
trusting in God’s abundant provisions. When we are freed from fear, we are
freed from the need to protect ourselves. We are free to serve and give of
ourselves, even to those that may seek to harm us, just as Jesus served and
prayed for those that crucified him.
Jesus prayed,
“As you have sent me into the
world, so I have sent them into the world… The glory that you have given me I
have given them, so that they may be one, as we are one... I made your name
known to them, and I will make it known, so that the love with which you have
loved me may be in them and I in them.” (John 17:18, 22, 26)
When this takes place, the concluding verses of Psalm 68
will be fulfilled as all people come for reconciliation to God,
32 Sing to God, O kingdoms of the
earth; sing praises to the Lord, Selah
33 O rider in the heavens, the
ancient heavens; listen, he sends out his voice, his mighty voice.
34 Ascribe power to God, whose
majesty is over Israel and whose power is in the skies.
35 Awesome is God in his sanctuary,
the God of Israel; he gives power and strength to his people.
Blessed be God! (Psalm 68:32-35)
References
Bartlett, D. L., & Brown Taylor, B. (2010). Feasting
on the Word: Year A, Volume 2. Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox
Press.
Van De Laar, J. (2026, May 7). An Invitation to
Erotic Aliveness: A Reflection on John 17:1-11 for Easter 7A. Retrieved
from Sacredise Your Life!:
https://sacredise.substack.com/p/an-invitation-to-erotic-aliveness
Van De Laar, J. (2026, May 11). Lectionary
Reflection for Easter 7A on Psalm 68:1–10, 32–35. Retrieved from
Sacredise Your Life!:
https://sacredise.substack.com/p/lectionary-reflection-for-easter-765
William B. Eerdmans. (2003). Eerdman's Commentary
on the Bible. Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans.
