We are God's care and God's concern
Seventh Sunday of Easter: 24th May, 2009
Fr John Davis, Vicar of St Peter's, Eastern Hill
I would like to reflect this morning on the connection between prayer and the making and sustaining of communities of faith.
Both epistle and gospel today show us the gathered community at prayer. Acts 1 gives us a description of the scene immediately after the Ascension. The eleven disciples, the women, Mary the Mother of the Lord and others: 'All there with one accord devoted themselves to prayer...' (Acts 1:11). The particular concern in the passage today was to be able to discern who should join the apostolic band to replace Judas.
The whole gospel lesson today is part of a prayer and a reflection. This is the Lord's so-called 'high priestly prayer' in the farewell discourses placed by John as shared with and for the gathered disciples at the Last Supper. The Lord talked and prayed long into the night before going out into the garden of Gesthemane, for all that was then to happen. His concern is particularly for the communities to be left behind after he is no longer with them. He prays for their protection, for their guidance and for their unity.
These are communities of faith that have been brought into being by the teachings and the example of Jesus. These are the people who left their nets and followed him. These are the tax collectors, the sinners, the respectable and the not so respectable, the men and women who have turned away from their previous patterns of living completely, to live in the way that Jesus had inspired.
In the same manner as the Lord had had impact on each of them as individuals, so now these communities of faith are themselves to have an impact on the wider world, by what they teach, how they live, what they suffer, how they bring new life. That is the prayer; that is the hope.
But first there is this pause, this significant pause. Strength and guidance and power well beyond normal and reasonable expectations are going to be required. So they pray. The celebration next weekend of the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost presents the proclaimed answer to those prayers and those hopes. It is the Church's annual proclamation of hope and promise, waiting to be lived and claimed.
At decisive moments the Scriptures present individuals or communities at prayer — in explicit contact with God. Prayer is communication, offering, silent quiet or reflection; it is relationship, peace-giving praise, cry for help or discernment — so many varied possibilities. It is all these things and more.
Prayer for those gathered first Christians as recorded today in Acts would then certainly have included prayers for strength, reassurance and comfort, but also for clear guidance. What was now to be the purpose and the direction of this little group? There was a real question here: how are the obvious needs of that particular group itself to be balanced with the need to look beyond itself in a creative and generous way, that will in turn spread the good news and make a positive difference in the lives of others? There was the focus of prayer for that group of disciples sure enough. But it is also the prayer of every Christian community.
Again, the Scriptures offer us some hope here. In both Old and New Testaments, the overall narrative points to the power of God to draw together communities, where formerly there were none and to draw out of individuals and groups, qualities and gifts that were not before apparent. In other words, gift and grace is at work. The Exodus of the Children of Israel from slavery in Egypt saw a people emerging and growing together from a disparate and discontented assortment of opportunistic exiles. Mind you, it took them 40 years.
The remarkable diversity of those who responded to the Lord's call in the gospels is again a matter for hope and encouragement. Such a range of experiences, such a range of social backgrounds — some so very unrespectable, some community leaders. The Lord's prayer for them all was that they be made one. The prayer was for the unifying power of God to constitute community and common purpose, where formerly there had been none. So this space between the Ascension and Pentecost then is the time when the Church now is again called to prayer, to reflection and to re-evaluation.
It should therefore come as no surprise to be reminded that it is this time in the Church year in Australia that has been set aside for the prayers across the Christian traditions, for the Unity of all Christian people. For many years, this Week of Prayer for Christian Unity has been an opportunity to remind us both of how far we have already come in terms of growing mutual respect, and yet also of how far we have yet to travel along that path, so clearly urged for us by the Lord in this part of St John's gospel account.
But we are glad to affirm the ecumenical witness we do share. Here in Melbourne, the remarkable City Churches Way of the Cross observance each Good Friday morning now for I think 8 years, is a particular example. Consider the range of Christians so publicly together across all the traditions, with thousands now joining each year in this quiet and simple action through the streets of our city, church by church.
Our own gathering in worship or our gathering in acts of care or service, is done in the hope and the belief that the Spirit of God in Jesus Christ is actively present with and in us, bringing us together, bringing us closer in our knowledge and love and service of God. We believe and hope this because in part it is our experience, in part because it is what we see in others around us, and because in part it is what we have received in word and witness from Christian people through all the centuries.
Today's gospel is explicit. The Lord is praying to God that the disciples (and by extension, the community of faith in every generation) may be protected by God. 'That they may be one' as God the Father and God the Son are one...'so that they may have my joy made complete in themselves.'
The Lord's high priestly prayer that is today's gospel is a prayer for every Christian community everywhere. He is praying for us. 'I am asking on their behalf...on behalf of those you gave me, because they are yours.' (Jn 17:9) We are God's people; we are God's care and concern. We are called to live and to be this reality. And not at all in our own powers and gifts alone. We look once again to the promise that is Pentecost, next Sunday.
Our collect prayer set for today is a beautiful one worth repeating:
- O God, the king of glory,
You have exalted your only son Jesus Christ
With great triumph to your kingdom in heaven:
We pray you, leave us not comfortless
but send your Holy Spirit to strengthen us,
And exalt us to the same place where our Saviour Christ
Has gone before;
Who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit. One God for ever and ever.
Amen
The Lord be with you.
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