The Sixth Sunday of Easter - Year C
Readings
From the gospel: Th consequence of loving Jesus is:
We can therefore say that God is at home with the person who loves Jesus.
But what did Jesus teach? Unusually he didn't write anything down - except when he was dealing with the accusations about the woman caught n adultery, and the he only wrote in the sand.
I wonder if this was always the plan. "I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people" (Jeremiah 31:33).
The gospel promises the Counsellor, the Holy Spirit - who will teach "you all things and will remind you of eveything I have said to you". Following Jeremiah, this means the Spirit works writing the law in our hearts.
Jesus's parting gift is peace - "peace I leave with you; my peace I give you." and the instruction "Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." Of course, our hearts will rmain untroubled if God is writing his law on them. | From Revelation
We need to see this in contrast to the opening chapter of Genesis to get the full implications of the references to tree of life, the river and the ending of darkness.
One of the seven angels caried John away in the Spirit to a mountain and showed him th Holy City - a creation of God.
The Community Charge for the Holy City is going to be free, because it won't need any streetlighting (perpetual light), it won't need any gatekeepers (the gates won't shut), it won't need any security becaue noting impur will ever into it.
The vision of the river of the water of life has been used by artist Stephen Broadbent to console the people of Warrington following the IRA bombings in 1993. His sculpture of the River of Life runs down the High Street and features twelve discs (one for each month of the year) with the words "And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations".
To many people's relief there is no religion in heaven! There will be no religious buildings in the Holy City - they are only necessary when there's srroundng chaos/sin, for those searching for sanctuary and holiness.
The Holy City is the New Jerusalem - how different from the present Jerusalem with all its shrines and troubles.
The encouragement in Revelation is to leave babylon. Babylon isn't to be locaed on the map. Babylon is the place of exile - and is the city built by human hands (ours) - with all its troubles. The Holy City is made in heaven.
Te dimensionsof the Holy City are interesting. Th extent is huge, but the walls are ridiculously low. This ties in with the closing lines of ths week' gosel - "do not be afraid". We build walls when we are afraid. When we love Jesus there is nothing to fear - because, again in th words of the gospel, Jesus ad the Father will make their dwelling with those who love Jesus.
| I think Charles Allen said it first. "When faced with problems which threaten to steal your peace of mind, learn the meaning of the word "imperturbability."" Read more of this here .... |
