A martyr in will if not in deed.
It reads a bit like an epitaph, but this is the description given of St. John, the evangelist and son of Zebedee, who was the only one of the twelve who didn't die an untimely death. He did suffer as a promoter of "The Way" and was thrown in jail for a time. But according to history, he lived into his old age and died in Ephesus.
The Gospel according to John differs in style from his counterparts Mark, Matthew and Luke. In fact, I have often described the different gospels as being a bit like reading the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal and the Washington Post side-by-side. Each reporting on the events and the sayings of Jesus in a way that would be best suited for whomever was in their audience. John, on the other hand, is like the A&E channel's Biography. And his Gospel is written with the purposes of drawing intentional lines connecting Jesus in all ways to God, and showing that this man was more than a man; he was God, the Word made flesh. He was trying to boost the morale and resolve among the followers of Christ who were finding themselves increasingly unwelcome in the Temple. "The Way" followers were rocking the boat and there was still a tinderbox situation with the authorities about what was a legitimate religion and what was not. These were the early Christians to whom John was speaking.
If I had to choose a word to describe St. John it is love. He is referred to as "the one whom Jesus loved." The writings attributed to him have many mentions of love, and beautiful explanations of the meaning behind the new commandment Jesus gave to his disciples in John's gospel: to love one another as I have loved you. Remarkably, that scene takes place immediately after Jesus dips the bread and hands it to Judas to indicate that he would be the one to betray him. Indeed, painful as it might be, love extends to Judas, both the man among the disciples and the Judas' of our own lives. In the epistle, the First Letter of John, it says:
It reads a bit like an epitaph, but this is the description given of St. John, the evangelist and son of Zebedee, who was the only one of the twelve who didn't die an untimely death. He did suffer as a promoter of "The Way" and was thrown in jail for a time. But according to history, he lived into his old age and died in Ephesus.
The Gospel according to John differs in style from his counterparts Mark, Matthew and Luke. In fact, I have often described the different gospels as being a bit like reading the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal and the Washington Post side-by-side. Each reporting on the events and the sayings of Jesus in a way that would be best suited for whomever was in their audience. John, on the other hand, is like the A&E channel's Biography. And his Gospel is written with the purposes of drawing intentional lines connecting Jesus in all ways to God, and showing that this man was more than a man; he was God, the Word made flesh. He was trying to boost the morale and resolve among the followers of Christ who were finding themselves increasingly unwelcome in the Temple. "The Way" followers were rocking the boat and there was still a tinderbox situation with the authorities about what was a legitimate religion and what was not. These were the early Christians to whom John was speaking.
If I had to choose a word to describe St. John it is love. He is referred to as "the one whom Jesus loved." The writings attributed to him have many mentions of love, and beautiful explanations of the meaning behind the new commandment Jesus gave to his disciples in John's gospel: to love one another as I have loved you. Remarkably, that scene takes place immediately after Jesus dips the bread and hands it to Judas to indicate that he would be the one to betray him. Indeed, painful as it might be, love extends to Judas, both the man among the disciples and the Judas' of our own lives. In the epistle, the First Letter of John, it says:
God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them. Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness on the day of judgement, because as he is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear; for fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not reached perfection in love. We love because he first loved us. 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. The commandment we have from him is this: those who love God must love their brothers and sisters also.--1 John 4: 16b-21
There are many ways to show another love, but I find the simplest is to look someone in the eyes. At the Florida School of Massage, there are two classes that may be meeting at any given time of the year. One class is about three-fourths of the way through the program before the next class comes in. When the two groups come together for the first time to meet, they form two circles: "old" class in one facing toward the center, "new" class in the other facing out. The co-owner of the school plays the flute as the other owner keeps a chime. And in roughly ten second intervals, the old class moves its circle around the new class. Each old class member takes the hands of the new person in front of them, and for those ten seconds between chimes, we remain quiet looking into the eyes of the other and holding their hands. It is not only a way of seeing the God within the other person, it is a way of making contact in a non-verbal and non-threatening way. Just as Christ would have wanted.
We have that same opportunity to make contact with those around us in the way that the apostle and evangelist John describes in his letter. We love because he loved us first. 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. Let's try seeing the light of God in the eyes of the people we encounter. Treat them with the love we have felt from God toward us. The world knocks us around and will always try to blot out the light. Let yours shine in love!
1 comment:
Right on target, as usual.
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