Relationships...

The Sixth Sunday after the Epiphany – February 16, 2014.

             The Bible – if anything – is a book or, better, a collection of books, letters, poetry, and songs about relationships. If one reads the Scriptures it soon will become clear that there is interaction and a connection between the Creator and his creation, the Creator and his creatures – our primeval parents – and the relationship and interaction among the creatures themselves. 

All through the pages of the Bible you read time after time about God speaking, even arguing – interacting – with his people.  And, of course, the Bible includes the stories about different actors – religious and military leaders, truants and champions of the faith, poets and villains, plain folk and royalty, and how they interacted – sometimes very nastily – with each other. If you will, the pages of the Bible sometimes look like a mash-up of “Downtown Abbey” and “Days of our Lives” on steroids. Please note that the Bible does not pretend to be an exhaustive and chronological recording of the history of the people of Israel or other ancient nations. It doesn’t even pretend to be an exhaustive biography and chronology of the life of Jesus Christ. It is just a story. But it is not just any story.

             The Bible is filled with stories about relationships. We read about God’s prophets excoriating unworthy judges and tyrant rulers, for they are concerned about the fabric of society and how society should reflect God’s righteousness and justice. Many of the Old Testament laws protected the poor, the old, and children, for God expected his people to reflect his merciful character. In the New Testament learn more about relationships: We read about Jesus, being the “Beloved” Son in whom God, his Father, “is well-pleased” (Matthew 3:17). Then, we are told that the Church is more than a secular assembly (ἐκκλησία) but that it is “the Body of Christ” and where we are “individual members of it” (1 Corinthians 12:27), and that, as children of God – another relationship -- it is our right, to call God, “Our Father in heaven.” 

             Of course, all this can be dismissed as primitive anthropomorphism. But that judgment is philosophical and theological. Nothing wrong about it. But I am inviting you to take the Scriptures at face value. Which is the way that writers, editors, and compilers of the Scripture meant it to be.

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             In the Book of Genesis, we learn that God is the God of Nature. God is not Nature. God is distinct and separate from Nature. We understand the story of creation not as play by play account, but as the poetic and almost psychological history of a developing relationship between Creator and creation and Creator and creatures. From that primeval moment of the explosion of light and energy to the creation of the first living organisms we can notice that there is a growing and deepening relationship: God not only creates, but God affirms and, in a way, “encourages” creation by proclaiming its goodness. 

             As you know, by definition, whatever God creates is good, so when we read the words about the goodness of creation, God’s words are not so much addressed to himself, like giving himself a pat in his own back. The sages of old clearly understood God’s words to be addressed to creation, affirming its purpose, and thus showing his continuing care for all the created order. 

             If you read again the first two chapter of Genesis and stop thinking about dinosaurs and fossils, but read it from the perspective from were it was written – to teach the people of Israel and us about a God who cares, a God who has a continuing and ever evolving relationship with creation and his creatures.

             The story about creation is about a God that our of his good will chooses to create the universe as an expression of his interest in sharing his love, grace, and glory with us all. That is to say, God longs for and indeed has created us to be in a personal, loving, and transcendental relationship with him.

             Something else. Because God does not create “disconnected things” but God creates a caring relatedness, a solid theology of the ecology and of the stewardship of creation cannot but be grounded in God’s care about his creation. From a Christian perspective, being faithful stewards of creation is not a trendy political mandate or even an act of sheer survival, but is nothing less than to act in solidarity with the Creator. We hope that in a few weeks we may be able to change the light-bulbs in our sanctuary. It does not only make financial good sense, but will be an act of reverence to God’s creation, a full act of worship. In being good stewards of creation, we just care about what God cares.

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             In the New Testament, in the second book of Genesis, the second part of Creation, from the very first verses of the Gospel of John, we come to understand Jesus, the Incarnated and Creating Word, in the context of a God reaching out to his creatures in a gesture of love and grace, seeking once again to reestablish a broken relationship. Yet, according to the Gospel, such generous offer was plainly rejected, “He came into his own, and they did not receive him” (John 1:11). Yet, those who chose to receive him, by love, grace and mercy become “children of God” (John 1:12) and, as St Paul writes, “heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ” (Romans 8:17). 

             So here again we notice the importance that God gives to relationships, more than to mental or even theological assent. By God’s love we become his family. And that keenness for relationships is just a manifestation of love. For true love does not exist in isolation. As the writer of the letter of John affirms, love consists not in that we loved God, but that God loved us first (cf. 1 John 1:19) and, that such love is not predicated in personal holiness or in human achievement, but in grace and mercy, for “while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).

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             Today’s Gospel – and much of what you will find in the pages of the Bible – is about how we relate to one another, how we relate to God, and how sacred are those relationships. We cannot keep a good relationship with God unless we have a good relationship with our neighbor, and we cannot really have a good relationship with our neighbor unless we have a good relationship with the God that created and redeemed us both, us and our neighbor. “Those who say, ‘I love God,’ and hate their brothers or sisters, are liars; for those who do not love a brother or sister whom they have seen, cannot love God whom they have not seen” (1 John 1:20). “Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us” (Matthew 6:12).

             But even further; in God’s view, our relationship, our relatedness with our brothers and sisters is so fundamental, that it can even stop worship. Just consider – a broken relationship can and should stop worship. “So when you are offering your gift at the altar, if you remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother or sister, and then come and offer your gift” (Matthew 5:22). In God’s view, being in full communion, being in full fellowship with our brothers and sisters is so fundamental, that when we realize that someone has sinned against us, our duty is to seek reconciliation. In Christ’s like manner, it is us, the offended party, who is to take the lead in seeking reconciliation. 

             Of course, we need to be prudent and wise. But we need to be bold – with the boldness known only to those who are in love. As Fr Siciliano writes in his reflections for today’s readings, “There are situations when seeking reconciliation and forgiveness may not be possible – or safe. We hear Jesus proposing the ideal to us. But the ideal may not be possible immediately, it may need time and patience, even when the two parties have agreed to work things out. Or, it may not be possible ever.” In fact, the offender may choose to dig in and affirm his or her own self-righteousness. But, as the apostle writes, “Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone” (Romans 12:17-18).

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             What is today’s gospel? Where is the good news? The good news is that God, even if we have offended him – and we surely have – is seeking to be reconciled with us. Imagine! God, in the person of Jesus comes out of his way – pitching a tent among us (Cf. John 1:14) – seeking us so that we may be at peace with him. “See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” (1 John 3:1).

             The Holy Eucharist, our principal liturgical act in the life of the church, the Body of Christ, our community, is above all about being related to one another and being in a good relationship with God. Today we will receive Jesus himself present in His Body and Blood. We will not receive one tenth of one percent of Jesus in one little crumb. In each piece of Holy Bread and in each sip of Holy Wine, the plenitude of Christ’s love, grace, and mercy will be lavished on us. For Jesus is not only the Bread of Life, but He is the Bread of Life broken and shared with us and for us. This is the good news. Isn’t it something worthy of sharing with someone else during this week?

Fr. Gustavo