This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you

"This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends. You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you. You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you. These things I command you, that you love one another.

"If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you, 'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also. But all these things they will do to you for My name's sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me. If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have no sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. He who hates Me hates My Father also. If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would have no sin; but now they have seen and also hated both Me and My Father. But this happened that the word might be fulfilled which is written in their law, 'They hated Me without a cause.' But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me. And you also will bear witness, because you have been with Me from the beginning."

- John 15:12-27

We continue with the Eastertide readings in John's Gospel. Jesus is giving His farewell discourse to the Apostles at the Last Supper, teaching them all the things they will need to know and remember after His Passion and Crucifixion.

"This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you." This is a repetition of what Jesus has already told them at the beginning of this discourse, just after telling them that one of them would betray Him (see John 13:34-35). We must assume that it is a repetition for emphasis. But there is also more; He will explain further His love.

"Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends. You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you." He is the One who calls us His friends, and He explains to them why and how they are His friends. He leaves with them His new commandment, and He has taught of the Comforter, He has taught that He will manifest Himself to them, but not to the world. He has said, "He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me." He has shared all with them, He will lay His life down for them. My study bible says, "Friendship is higher than servanthood. A servant obeys his master out of fear; a friend is a servant who obeys out of love."

"You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you. These things I command you, that you love one another." He is entrusting them with His mission for them, as friends. He is investing Himself fully in them, so that the fruit they bear will not be passing but eternal. Beyond all this, He promises that whatever they ask the Father in His name should be given. But all of it is tied up in this friendship that obeys His commandments, a friendship of love -- and bound in the command that they love one another. It is, in effect, a Commission of love. I think that if we do not understand love, then we will never understand Christ. Perhaps to come to know Christ is also to learn love.

"If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you." Here is the great contrast, between the ways of the world and the ways of Christ's love. He has set them apart, taken them out of the world, as holiness is something different from "the world" and the ways of the world. As Christians, as those who seek to know and to do His love, we can expect persecution from that which does not understand this Way.

"Remember the word that I said to you, 'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also. But all these things they will do to you for My name's sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me." Here is a paradox: the world doesn't know its Creator. A "worldly" way of thinking is outside of the connection to this love, to this Way. He promises, in this sense, persecution. A servant is not greater his master. He has led the way so that we may understand, and follow Him. The world will not understand this Way of love, because it does not know the Father who sent Him.

"If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would have no sin; but now they have seen and also hated both Me and My Father. But this happened that the word might be fulfilled which is written in their law, 'They hated Me without a cause.'" Here is another powerful teaching: because He has revealed the Father among them, their sin remains. There is no ignorance here, but true rejection. A gift has been offered, revealed, made manifest. To reject this gift, this grace, is to bear responsibility for that rejection.

"But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me. And you also will bear witness, because you have been with Me from the beginning." And here is the great promise again, of the Helper, the Paraclete, in the Greek. John calls Him the Spirit of truth. He is also called Comforter, Advocate, Counselor. Parakletos, in the Greek, is one who comes close when you call, an advocate or advisor -- one who helps with discernment, especially of a legal understanding. Mingled with Christ's love, we must come to understand His justice and truth; all are inseparable. Jesus has promised that He wills that their fruit should remain; the Advocate or Paraclete is tied in to that which remains -- to testimony that is true and will stand the test of justice, that will remain standing. The truth to which which they will testify will remain -- and will be helped through the work of the Spirit of truth, the Paraclete.

Jesus' promises here are directly made to His Apostles: "You have been with me from the beginning." But they are also made implicitly for us, to us. We have the Helper, who will help us to discernment, to truth (as the Spirit of truth). And the implication is also that the Helper will guide us into His love and the fulfillment of His commandments. Over and over again in this farewell discourse, Jesus repeats for emphasis what are His commandments, and what is His new commandment that He leaves with us: that we love one another. As He has loved us, so we must love one another. How often do we live up to that? How often do we fail? If there is anything more to understand in this commandment, it is that love and truth and judgment are all wrapped up in one another. In God's love and God's law and God's truth they are inseparable. We will show that we are His by the love we show to one another. How powerful is that?

Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

"I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you. A little while and the world will see Me no more, but you will see Me. Because I live, you will live also. At that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you. He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself in him." Judas (not Iscariot) said to Him, "Lord how is it that You will manifest Yourself to us, and not to the world?" Jesus answered and said to him, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father's who sent Me.

"These things I have spoken to you while being present with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. You have heard Me say to you, 'I am going away and coming back to you.' If you loved Me, you would rejoice because I said, 'I am going to the Father,' for My Father is greater than I. And now I have told you before it comes, that when it does come to pass, you may believe. I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming, and he has nothing in Me. But that the world may know that I love the Father, and as the Father gave Me commandment, so I do . Arise, let us go from here."

- John 14:18-31

We continue with the Eastertide readings, this week from the Gospel of John. In this part of the Gospel, Jesus is giving His discourse to the Apostles after the Last Supper meal, before His Passion.

"I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you. A little while and the world will see Me no more, but you will see Me. Because I live, you will live also. At that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you." Jesus has been telling His disciples what is to come, but it is all still quite a mystery to them. He has told them of His betrayal. He has taught them a new commandment, that they must love one another as He has loved them. He has predicted Peter's three-time denial. He has taught them about the Comforter, the Helper, the Spirit of truth, who is to come. Here, He promises they are not left alone. While the world will not see Him, they will. And His promise is of greater, deeper relationship in love. "At that day" they will know that He is in the Father, they in Him, and He in them. We must understand the promise of the deepening of the bonds of love and trust, and what that teaches us about the One whom we worship, the God who became human. His promise is for us all, and exists and lives for us today. My study bible says, "At that day refers to the Resurrection of Jesus followed by the Ascension and the giving of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, all of which, working together, make the fullness of divine life available to all believers."

"He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself in him." John is the Evangelist of love, and here in these words, Jesus teaches us more deeply about love, and about His relationship with us. It is intermingled with the Father, inseparable from the Trinity. Included in this relationship of love are commandments, teachings, ways to live our lives even in this world, messages of the heart. In another passage of this farewell discourse, previous to today's, Jesus has taught: "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another" (John 13:34-35). His commandments of love continue in our lives; through His promise of the Helper, we are to live in that love, in those commandments, and deepen our relationship. It is a continuation of the previous promise of a new commandment; He will show Himself to us, He will manifest Himself in us. All are interrelated, inseparable. The commands of truth and love are inseparable from His Person, from the Father and Spirit, and we in relationship with all.

Judas (not Iscariot) said to Him, "Lord how is it that You will manifest Yourself to us, and not to the world?" Jesus answered and said to him, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father's who sent Me." Here is the deeper promise of love. In Revelation 3:20, the Evangelist will write: "Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me." These passages from John's Gospel teach us about the difference between those who will open that door, and those who will not. The promise is in truth, and love -- and in the loving willingness to follow His teachings, His commands, His words, in which the Father speaks.

"These things I have spoken to you while being present with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you." Here is the promise, of the Divine at work to bring us to remembrance, to help us to understand, to pattern our lives in His manifestation to us -- and in relationship to the Father and Spirit as well. We have help for all of it. Christ's death on the Cross is not a loss but a victory; one that will send us into a deepening of faith, of love, and relationship to Creator, in all new ways and levels, a tremendous gift of mercy and love. How many of us wish to hear?

"Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. You have heard Me say to you, 'I am going away and coming back to you.' If you loved Me, you would rejoice because I said, 'I am going to the Father,' for My Father is greater than I." The peace that Christ gives to us is in this relationship, of love and commandment, of teaching and manifestation, of relationship with Father, Son and Spirit, and in the great gift of the Helper who will come to our aid and assistance, and help us so that He may dwell with us. In this is the peace He gives, not as the world gives. He gives us Himself, and Father, and Spirit. We dwell in His commands and the reconciliation of that peace. "Peace" was a customary Jewish word of both greeting and farewell. "Peace and grace" will become the greeting of Christians. All indicate love and relationship, truth and discipleship -- inseparable one from another. His promise of discipleship is a living one, of active love within us, active relationship with us. It is one that promises growth, maturity, a lifetime of deepening grace and transformation, if we allow Him in. In yesterday's reading, Jesus taught, "In my Father's house, there are many mansions." The word translated "mansion" is also a word for "room," a single dwelling. It is also the root of the word for "monastery." It is the same word Jesus uses above for home, when He says that He and the Father will come to him and make Our home with him. It is a promise of uniqueness, of growth, of a place prepared for us if we are but willing to follow, to learn, to truly love in this peace He promises. This peace is a reconciliation, not as the world gives, but in the relationship He promises. It may, in fact, be at odds with the world, and the place the world would seem to offer for us. In the saints, in the holy of Scripture Old and New, we find the uniqueness of the God-given personality, those who are draw identity from this relationship.

"And now I have told you before it comes, that when it does come to pass, you may believe. I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming, and he has nothing in Me. But that the world may know that I love the Father, and as the Father gave Me commandment, so I do . Arise, let us go from here." Jesus is preparing them for what is to come, and He is prepared to face what is to come. He will set the example of following the commandments of God, even unto death. He contrasts the place the "ruler of this world" would offer -- the ruler who has nothing in Him -- with that of the Father. Jesus will walk through this time of darkness with the Father, at the Father's command. His pace to the Cross is not at the behest of the ruler of this world, but is in fact a heroic victory in the love of the Father.

A very wise spiritual director and psychologist has taught me that often, it's not what we do that makes the difference in our lives, but why we do it. The same action may mean two different things in two different people, or even at different times in our own lives. If it is motivated by fear, it may be entirely unhealthy, both psychologically and spiritually. But if motivated by love, it may then be entirely healthy, and indicate positive growth, both psychologically and spiritually. We could consider, by way of example, the aspect of setting boundaries in life, necessary for spiritual and psychological health. But if erected out of fear, it may hide us from the things we may need to face in truth and deal with. So it is with the Cross. Jesus' teaching here is ultimately one of love. It is the great archetype we have of love. He goes to the Cross not as the world has prepared it, not as the world will see it nor the "ruler of the world" planned, but as loving Son of loving Father, "for God so loved the world." It is, in fact, the greatest facing of truth, the conquering of the illusion of death, of despair, of abandonment. While the "ruler of this world" may see killing and death as final, an elimination of that which Christ brings to the world, in reality the Cross gives us the victory of Pentecost, the coming of the Spirit, the presence of the Trinity to those who desire this discipleship in love. Christ gives us the great transcendence that all may talk about, but that He lived, for us. Let us never forget that when we take up His cross to follow Him, we ask for the greatest power that can define truth from falsehood, that can show us the way to our true place prepared for us in love, to who we really are and to what really matters. "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." In the times of choice in our lives, let us remember His courage, His word, His truth to us. He shares it all. It is our most precious gift.

I am with you always, even to the end of the age

Christ Pantocrator - St. Catherine's Monastery, Mt. Sinai (6th century)

Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them. When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted. And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you, and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen.

- Matthew 28:16-20

After Easter (in the West and some Orthodox churches -- for the Eastern Orthodox, Easter is this Sunday), the lectionary will vary, giving us readings from different Gospels, until we begin Matthew's Gospel in the fourth week of April. Today's reading focuses on Jesus' last appearance in Matthew's Gospel.

Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them. In the verses before this, an angel appeared to Mary Magdalene and "the other Mary" at the tomb. We are told, "His countenance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow." But the angel answered and said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him. Behold, I have told you." My study bible points out that these two women are "the first witnesses to most amazing event in all history: the empty tomb, the first evidence of the Resurrection." The verses continue, And as they went to tell His disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, "Rejoice!" Let us observe the risen Christ's first word to His disciples: "Rejoice!" It is the greeting also of Gabriel to Mary, the Mother of Jesus, in the Annunciation -- when he announces to her the great news that she will bear this Child. In the Greek, it literally means, "be joyful." It is a common greeting in Greek, but, as my study bible notes, "here filled with great blessing." The passage continues: So they came and held Him by the feet and worshiped Him. Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid. Go and tell My brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see Me." In today's reading, the disciples are gathered in this place, in Galilee, home of His boyhood and their early ministry -- a place filled with both Jews and Gentiles (Greek speakers), the "whole world." They are eleven because they are missing Jesus' betrayer, Judas.

When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted. In John's Gospel, we are given the verses that tell us of Thomas, and his need to see Jesus' body, the evidence of the Crucifixion. Jesus told Him, "Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing.” Thomas responded, "My Lord and my God!” Jesus replied, "Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth." This is the statement of what is called in the East, Christ Pantocrator, the Resurrected Jesus who holds all power, is Almighty. My study bible says, "This is the terminology of exaltation and glorification. It manifests the power of His Resurrection, and the authority to bring human beings back to life." It is the statement of Christ Almighty, with all authority and power, the resurrected Christ who has completed His great mission of the Incarnation. It is this Christ who is with us, whose saving power we draw from in prayer and worship, in all the sacraments of the Church, in the faith which we place in His grace and presence and power. In this statement is also His promise to us. He teaches us who He is, and what we worship, the One in whom we place our trust in prayer and faith and love and hope.

"Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you, and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen. Finally, they are given the Great Commission, to make disciples of all the nations. My study bible says, "If we observe this context for the Lord's command to make disciples of all the nations and to baptize them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, we see that making disciples cannot be done in the strength of man, but only in the power of God. The reality of the Resurrection refers not only to its historicity, apostolic witness, and necessity for faith, but also to its power in our Christian life and mission. The resurrected Son of God, living in us and energizing us, makes possible the salvation of all." Discipleship depends on this power, the power of the Resurrected Christ, the one who promises He is with us always. The Church depends on this, is made from this, the true Body of Christ. There is another note which I will quote for its exploration of Jesus' words here: "By saying He is with you always, Jesus means His Resurrection is neither of the past, nor of the future. It is always present in our lives through the Holy Spirit. We know Him directly, here and now, in the present, as our Savior and our Friend. To the end of the age does not by any means imply that we are to be separated from Him after that great consummation. He is with us now, and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen." Jesus' promise is with us forever, in each and every single moment of our lives. It is the promise of the risen Christ, the Almighty, the One who has completed His successful mission as incarnate man on earth -- the One who has been through all that we go through of betrayal, of hurt, of faith, of love and hope. The One who is with us. In the icon above, we note the two sides of His face (click it to enlarge): He is the One who has suffered with us, as human, and the One who is also divine. This beautiful icon, from the sixth century, is one of the earliest Christian images known to us. Its power remains.

The great drama of Passion Week unfolds to the appearances of Christ to the scattered and demoralized Apostles. He appears first to the women at the tomb; Mary Magdalene will be called Apostle to the Apostles. She will give the good news of the Resurrection to the rest of them. We are all somehow on that mountaintop in Galilee, in the place where we may encounter the Risen Christ. We may present to Him our hopes, our fears, our doubts, and at the same time He invests in us His Great Commission. He promises to us His power, and the power of the Trinity, Father, Son and Spirit. They are with us always. How does this power work in your life? We remember that with God, all things are possible. The risen Christ is not only the God in heaven, but the Lord of all things, all authority in heaven and on earth. He is the God who has also been human, who has been and is "with us." He is the One given to us "for God so loved the world." Can we grasp this tremendous Gift? Do we understand His promise to be always with us -- even to the end of the age? Let us rest in His promise. Let His Resurrection fill our lives, even to every moment of our lives. Let us invest our faith, and hope and love and remember His teaching. He is the God for all of us, in which there is neither Jew nor Greek, but rather all the nations. Christ's I AM here ("I am with you always") recalls who He truly is, the I AM of the burning bush, the Almighty of Moses and all the stories of the Old Testament. But there is one twist to this "I AM" -- in the Greek, here, "with you" is inserted between the I and the AM. He is with us always. Let us never forget His love.

"Take, eat; this is My body"

Now on the first day of Unleavened Bread, when they killed the Passover lamb, his disciples said to Him, "Where do You want us to go and prepare, that You may eat the Passover?" And He sent two of his disciples and said to them, "Go into the city, and a man will meet you carrying a pitcher of water; follow him. Wherever he goes in, say to the master of the house, 'The Teacher says, "Where is the guest room in which I may eat the Passover with My disciples?"' Then he will show you a large upper room, furnished and prepared; there make ready for us." So His disciples went out, and came into the city, and found it just as He had said to them; and they prepared the Passover.

In the evening He came with the twelve. Now as they sat and ate, Jesus said, "Assuredly, I say to you, one of you who eats with Me will betray Me." And they began to be sorrowful, and to say to Him one by one. "Is it I?" And another said, "Is it I?" He answered and said to them, "It is one of the twelve, who dips with Me in the dish. The Son of Man indeed goes just as it is written of Him. But woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been good for that man if he had never been born."

And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them and said, "Take, eat; this is My body." Then He took the cup, and when He had given thanks He gave it to them, and they all drank from it. And He said to them, "This is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many. Assuredly, I say to you, I will no longer drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God."

- Mark 14:12-25

Because today is Maundy Thursday (in the West and some Orthodox churches -- in the Eastern Orthodox Church, Holy Week is next week), the lectionary skips forward. Yesterday's reading was in Mark chapter 12. Jesus was in the temple, where He was challenged by the chief priests, scribes and elders. He told a parable, before both the leadership and the crowds there for the Passover, about the vinedressers who sought all the fruits of harvest for themselves, keeping them from the vineyard owner. The owner sent many servants; some were beaten and some killed. Finally he sent his son, the heir. The vinedressers reckoned they could kill the son, and take the inheritance for themselves. Jesus said, "So they took him and killed him and cast him out of the vineyard. Therefore what will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the vinedressers, and give the vineyard to others. Have you not even read this Scripture: 'The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. This was the LORD's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes'?"

Now on the first day of Unleavened Bread, when they killed the Passover lamb, his disciples said to Him, "Where do You want us to go and prepare, that You may eat the Passover?" And He sent two of his disciples and said to them, "Go into the city, and a man will meet you carrying a pitcher of water; follow him. Wherever he goes in, say to the master of the house, 'The Teacher says, "Where is the guest room in which I may eat the Passover with My disciples?"' Then he will show you a large upper room, furnished and prepared; there make ready for us." So His disciples went out, and came into the city, and found it just as He had said to them; and they prepared the Passover. The events of today's reading follow many events of teaching in the temple that we skip over in the lectionary. Here, Jesus' omniscience is displayed, another sign of His divinity. We also note how He prepares a place for His disciples. He is as the father of a family; all are taken care of under His wing and guidance. In an earlier reading in Mark's gospel, He has said, "Here are My mother and My brothers! For whoever does the will of God is My brother and My sister and mother." In this sense, we can look at these events and see in them the idea that He prepares a place for each of us. That which He prepares may be set in motion, acted upon through His servants, those who love Him, who seek to do His will.

In the evening He came with the twelve. Now as they sat and ate, Jesus said, "Assuredly, I say to you, one of you who eats with Me will betray Me." And they began to be sorrowful, and to say to Him one by one. "Is it I?" And another said, "Is it I?" He answered and said to them, "It is one of the twelve, who dips with Me in the dish. The Son of Man indeed goes just as it is written of Him. But woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been good for that man if he had never been born." Here is a bold taste of so many of the realities of God, what we understand of our faith. First of all, Jesus' omniscience is again on display. He knows there is one who will betray Him, and that it is one of the twelve who eats with Him this night. None of the disciples seems to have any clue who will do this, but Jesus quite literally knows exactly the man, even down to the fact that he "dips with Me in the dish." He also quotes the Scriptures, the prophecy that teaches what will happen. So, we have a second evidence of the hand of God at work in the world through the prophets, and the vision given. Finally, there is the understanding of Judgment, a great paradox and mystery. We have the free will to make our decisions, to betray our Creator. It doesn't matter what is known or not known: God gives us the choice in our freedom to return God's love or not. But Judgment will happen, and this is also a promise to us. It is also a warning, and a stark one: It would have been good for that man if he had never been born.

And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them and said, "Take, eat; this is My body." Then He took the cup, and when He had given thanks He gave it to them, and they all drank from it. And He said to them, "This is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many. Assuredly, I say to you, I will no longer drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God." Even as He assures them of the betrayal that is to come, Jesus institutes the Eucharist -- that which will be the greatest evidence and power of "God with us." He will never leave us, and in this sacrament, this great mystery, is our deepest participation in His grace, in His mystical body and blood. It tells us of the depth of the covenant, deeply within us, and sealed by the power of the sacrifice that He will make. He will die for us, knowing what is to come, and also knowing that this will be the seal of the covenant between us all.

The depths of this mystery are so profound that we cannot consider them all. It is a mystery that continues to this day, profound as it is that 2,000 years later, and for millenia to come (if you ask me), it will continue to unfold, to be explored, to pose to us the greatest mystery of our faith. How is God become human? How is He to be betrayed, and by one of His own? Why is all this -- the great events of this Gospel, of this week -- brought to us, given to us, lived for us? Perhaps the greatest paradox and mystery of them all is the mystery of Incarnation. Our God is human. He has come into the world as one of us, and also as divine. He lived His life with attributes of the divine, and as one in the flesh with us. He taught us, He teaches us, He is with us still. We cannot forget that our religion is one that teaches us of the incarnational nature of this dispensation and grace. As He lived His life, so He taught us to live ours. If there is anything cemented in this mystery of the Eucharist, it is that. We live out our lives as His disciples, participating in His mysteries, in His Spirit, the reality of body and blood given identity in spiritual truth. There is no separation of the ethereal and the worldly: as disciples, our life in the world -- every bit of it -- is meant to be defined, transformed, realized through participation in Him. No matter what we go through in life, He has been there. Let us remember His betrayal, and what it means for us: that we are never alone. Whatever we may experience, He is here with us. He has given us the gift of the spirit-tinged life, and all of it that we can give back to Him becomes sacrament. Let us remember in all the betrayals of our lives, that He is there and invites us always to His life for us. Perhaps the greatest gift we have is this knowledge that here and now, in a world far less than perfect, we are with Him and He with us. This is the place to which we are called for Him, here and now, in all our choices and experiences. Ours is not a "pie in the sky" faith, but one in which our Savior in the flesh has led His life, so that we may lead ours, through all things.

The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone

Then He began to speak to them in parables: "A man planted a vineyard and set a hedge around it, dug a place for the wine vat and built a tower. And he leased it to vinedressers and went into a far country. Now at vintage-time he sent a servant to the vinedressers, that he might receive some of the fruit of the vineyard from the vinedressers. And they took him and beat him and sent him away empty-handed. Again he sent them another servant, and at him they threw stones, wounded him in the head, and sent him away shamefully treated. And again, he sent another, and him they killed; and many others, beating some and killing some. Therefore still having one son, his beloved, he also sent him to them last; saying, 'They will respect my son.' But those vinedressers said among themselves, 'This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.' So they took him and killed him and cast him out of the vineyard. Therefore what will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the vinedressers, and give the vineyard to others. Have you not even read this Scripture:

'The stone which the builders rejected

Has become the chief cornerstone.

This was the LORD's doing,

And it is marvelous in our eyes'?"

- Mark 12:1-11

In yesterday's reading, Jesus was in the temple on His second day in Jerusalem. It is Passion Week. The day before, we read of His cleansing of the temple and the withering of the fig tree. When He returned to the temple the next day, the chief priests, scribes and elders asked Him, "By what authority are You doing these things? And who gave You this authority to do these things?" Jesus posed them a question by way of answering: "I also will ask you one question; then answer Me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things: The baptism of John -- was it from heaven or from men? Answer Me." They said to themselves, "If we say, 'From heaven,' He will say, 'Why then did you not believe him?' But if we say, 'From men' " -- they feared the people, for all counted John to have been a prophet indeed. So they answered and said to Jesus, "We do not know." And Jesus answered and said to them, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things."

Then He began to speak to them in parables: "A man planted a vineyard and set a hedge around it, dug a place for the wine vat and built a tower. And he leased it to vinedressers and went into a far country." Once again, Jesus returns to His preaching style of parables. We know that, generally speaking, this is a style of preaching reserved for the large crowds, not simply His immediate disciples. That is because He wants those "with ears to hear" -- out of the multitudes, those who will desire more, and hear in the parable what He seeks to teach, will come to follow His Way, or to find more. He seeks discernment, spiritual hearing. Here, He tells this parable before the chief priests, scribes and elders -- and also the people in the temple who are there for the Passover. A vineyard is another analogy to Israel. The vinedressers are those who prepare the crops for fruitfulness -- the leadership of Israel. This is a theme with which, through Scripture, they should all be exhaustively familiar.

"Now at vintage-time he sent a servant to the vinedressers, that he might receive some of the fruit of the vineyard from the vinedressers. And they took him and beat him and sent him away empty-handed. Again he sent them another servant, and at him they threw stones, wounded him in the head, and sent him away shamefully treated. And again, he sent another, and him they killed; and many others, beating some and killing some." In the history of Israel, time and again, prophets have been sent by God. All have preached repentance, a call back to God's ways: He who owns the vineyard. In all of Israel's history, as we read through Old Testament Scripture, this is the power of God's word: sent through prophets, time and again, to call the people back to God's ways, to remember that they are the people of God, of YHWH. And that on God rests the fortunes of Israel. The Scriptures (in which the leadership has expertise) tell us of prophets who prophesy for money, who tell kings what they want to hear -- and of the bold and heroic prophets of God who tell the truth, and give repeated warnings that none in power necessarily wish to hear. The question here is, what are the fruits the vineyard owner truly desires? The key to its answers is in the attitude of the vinedressers. Do they remember who owns the vineyard, whose fruits it is to produce?

"Therefore still having one son, his beloved, he also sent him to them last; saying, 'They will respect my son.' But those vinedressers said among themselves, 'This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.' So they took him and killed him and cast him out of the vineyard." In Monday's commentary, we spoke of material-mindedness. Jesus has cleansed the temple, the day before, in protest at the money changers, those who sold animals, the activity that turns the temple into a place of merchandise, rather than a "house of prayer for all the nations." Here, in the parable, we are given an example of material-minded thinking. The vinedressers don't own the vineyard, but they plot that if they kill the son (the heir), they can take the inheritance for themselves.

"Therefore what will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the vinedressers, and give the vineyard to others. Have you not even read this Scripture: 'The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. This was the LORD's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes'?" Jesus preaches to all, here, of the power of God. It has, of course, a direct bearing on what He is doing there -- His cleansing of the temple, His claim of authority which they question, His leadership and preaching. This is Passion Week, and His betrayal will come soon. They are plotting again Him. The quotation here is from Psalm 118. Again, we reflect on the prophetic example of the fig tree, which had no fruit to bear.

It's clear from this parable that Jesus is well aware of this time in Israel's history -- what is to come. It is not the first time in the salvation history of Israel that it has been close to warnings of disaster, times of exile and conquest. And of course, He is aware of His own role here, displayed in the parable as Son and heir -- the Messianic role He plays. What will they do? They are already plotting against Him, to get rid of Him. But the real issues here focus in on us as examples for our present day. We have a tremendous spiritual heritage, taken to all the world, with Christ as chief cornerstone, or "head of the corner" in the Greek. But the foundations of Israel are the foundations of our faith, and the messages and lessons of Israel are still the messages and lessons for us today. Whose history is this? Whose vineyard? What fruits does the vineyard owner desire? How do we show our love for the Son and heir? Or -- do we forget who the owner is and seek to take it and use it for ourselves? It's a tremendous mistake whenever our faith is taken and used by any leadership as if it is a property of their own, used for themselves. This is material-mindedness. God's vineyard belongs to God and is extended to all those who are children by adoption, and God's way is love -- not "a den of thieves." "Ownership" is God's alone. The rest are servants, particularly those who would be leader of all. We remember that we are here by grace, and His by grace. The fruits of our labor is God's love: between ourselves and God and through this to one another. It is not a possession to be used for our own gain, whatever that might be. Let us remember that Christ, the Son and heir, will go to the Cross for us. How will we bear the fruits worthy of His love? His scathing warning to the leadership, in the presence of all the people, is always true for the whole of His faithful. How do we remember what is the Lord's, and the fruits He desires of us?

By what authority are You doing these things?

Then they came again to Jerusalem. And as He was walking in the temple, the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders came to Him. And they said to Him, "By what authority are You doing these things? And who gave You this authority to do these things?" But Jesus answered and said to them, "I also will ask you one question; then answer Me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things: The baptism of John -- was it from heaven or from men? Answer Me." And they reasoned among themselves, saying, "If we say, 'From heaven,' He will say, 'Why then did you not believe him?' But if we say, 'From men' " -- they feared the people, for all counted John to have been a prophet indeed. So they answered and said to Jesus, "We do not know." And Jesus answered and said to them, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things."

- Mark 11:27-33

In yesterday's reading, several things occurred. Jesus and the disciples are in Jerusalem, where, Jesus has told them, He will be betrayed, handed over to the Gentiles, humiliated, tortured, killed, and on the third day rise again. They haven't understood these things. As He approached Jerusalem, He was welcomed in the events we celebrate on Palm Sunday. Then, we read yesterday, the next day they came out from Bethany approaching the City again. Jesus saw a fig tree in full foliage. He went to eat, but there were no figs, as it wasn't yet the season for them. He said, "Let no one eat fruit from you ever again." And His disciples heard it. They went to the temple in Jerusalem, where Jesus went into the temple and began to drive out those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. And He would not allow anyone to carry wares through the temple. Then He taught, saying to them, "Is it not written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations'? But you have made it a 'den of thieves.'" The chief priests and scribes began to plot against Him because of the astonishing impact He is having on the people, especially in the cleansing of the temple. As He and the disciples pass by the fig tree the next morning, Peter observed the fig tree withered and dried up from its roots. Jesus taught them, "Have faith in God. For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them. And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses."

Then they came again to Jerusalem. And as He was walking in the temple, the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders came to Him. And they said to Him, "By what authority are You doing these things? And who gave You this authority to do these things?" In the cleansing of the temple, on the previous day, Jesus acted as King (according to my study bible), with full authority. So, in this light, it is reasonable that the chief priests, scribes and elders - the leadership in the temple - come and ask Him this. Of course, we know their motivation; they already plot to destroy Him. It's not really an honestly posed question. But, the question of authority is essential to our understanding of the Gospel, and of Christ Himself.

But Jesus answered and said to them, "I also will ask you one question; then answer Me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things: The baptism of John -- was it from heaven or from men? Answer Me." Jesus again is acting like a King here, with full authority. This is especially true in the form of the command He issues, "Answer Me." The question is a clever one, and one that shows His authority (and His sense of His own authority) is not shaken whatsoever by the testing of the temple authorities. He turns the tables on them, and asks His own question in response.

And they reasoned among themselves, saying, "If we say, 'From heaven,' He will say, 'Why then did you not believe him?' But if we say, 'From men' " -- they feared the people, for all counted John to have been a prophet indeed. There is a powerful story here, hidden in these short lines. That story is in the contrast between the image of the leadership here, afraid of the crowds and the people, and the personae of both John the Baptist and Jesus. Both were fearless in their preaching. Their loyalty first of all was to God, not to the crowd and its changing opinions. The loyalty to the people comes from the willingness to give them the truth, what is best for them, out of the love of God and neighbor. It goes to the heart of what truth means to us, and where that truth comes from in the heart, as we understand "heart" in a scriptural sense. John's fearless preaching, his ascetic life devoted to God, and martyr's death, earned him a reputation as "prophet indeed." In the tradition of the Church, he is the greatest of the Old Testament prophets.

So they answered and said to Jesus, "We do not know." And Jesus answered and said to them, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things." Again, we contrast the spirit in which the answer is given by the temple authorities -- to escape responsibility for their answer, and the power in Jesus' response (which nominally looks to be the same!). He won't give them an answer; instead He's pointed up the differences between Himself and their attitudes. My study bible puts it this way: "Those who claim to have the answers are left admitting their ignorance."

One can simply imagine this scene as the pilgrims come to the temple for Passover. According to all that we have learned through reading Mark's Gospel, the crowds know Him. Jesus is a massively well-known figure, and many have flocked to His preaching throughout Galilee. He's enough of a threat now that the temple authorities are after Him, and certainly the events of the previous day (the cleansing of the temple) have caused a kind of scandal. Elsewhere, we read that the people listen with delight as Jesus trumps up the questions of the authorities, showing them up. To the crowds watching, we can imagine the attitude as they observe His attitude toward the authorities who wish Him to simply go away somehow, to shut up His preaching and criticism of them. He deftly defeats their actions so easily. But we can ask the question too. By what authority is He doing these things? Where does His authority come from? In Him is the power and authority of truth, and the truth we know as love -- that which is best for us. He is someone, like John the Baptist, who will not stint at the truth just because it's something we'd rather not hear right now. He gives us what is best, what serves our true interests. He doesn't simply seek to please the crowd. We can take His message to heart for ourselves, and find it within our hearts. Jesus will always tell us what we need to hear.

Is it not written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations'? But you have made it a 'den of thieves.'

Now the next day, when they had come out from Bethany, He was hungry. And seeing from afar a fig tree having leaves, He went to see if perhaps He would find something on it. When He came to it, He found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. In response Jesus said to it, "Let no one eat fruit from you ever again." And His disciples heard it.

So they came to Jerusalem. Then Jesus went into the temple and began to drive out those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. And He would not allow anyone to carry wares through the temple. Then He taught, saying to them, "Is it not written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations'? But you have made it a 'den of thieves.'" And the scribes and chief priests heard it and sought how they might destroy Him; for they feared Him, because all the people were astonished at His teaching. When evening had come, He went out of the city.

Now in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots. And Peter, remembering, said to Him, "Rabbi, look! The fig tree which You cursed has withered away." So Jesus answered and said to them, "Have faith in God. For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them. And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses."

- Mark 11:12-25

On Saturday, we read that Jesus was leading the way up to Jerusalem. He has just warned His disciples - yet again - what will happen to Him at Jerusalem. On the way out of Jericho, Bartimaeus the blind beggar sat by the road, and cried to Him, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" Jesus commanded him to be called, and He asked Bartimaeus, "What do you want me to do for you?" Bartimaeus said, "Rabboni, that I may receive my sight." Then Jesus said to him, "Go your way; your faith has made you well." And immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus on the road. For today's reading, the lectionary skips over the verses in Mark's Gospel that describe the events celebrated on Palm Sunday, as Jesus is welcomed into Jerusalem.

Now the next day, when they had come out from Bethany, He was hungry. And seeing from afar a fig tree having leaves, He went to see if perhaps He would find something on it. When He came to it, He found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. In response Jesus said to it, "Let no one eat fruit from you ever again." And His disciples heard it. In the Scriptures, a fig tree is often noted as a symbol of Israel. Here, the tree has brought forth its leaves as if it if the time to bear fruit -- but it's early, "not the season for figs." The tree therefore looks good, promising, but it bears no fruit. It is a kind of a scene of analogy to Christ as both judge and inaugurator of a new "time." In Matthew's Gospel, when John the Baptist is baptizing for repentance, he says to the leadership, "The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire." Jesus will also re-quote similarly: "Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore by their fruit you will know them." This is a timeless expression of the test of religious leadership. Mark's Gospel has prepared us repeatedly as Jesus has taught the disciples what is expected of them as servants of all. Here, the figure of the fig tree prepares us for Jesus' first work in Jerusalem.

So they came to Jerusalem. Then Jesus went into the temple and began to drive out those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. And He would not allow anyone to carry wares through the temple. Then He taught, saying to them, "Is it not written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations'? But you have made it a 'den of thieves.'" And the scribes and chief priests heard it and sought how they might destroy Him; for they feared Him, because all the people were astonished at His teaching. When evening had come, He went out of the city. Let us consider what this teaches us about the temptations of leadership. Jesus' cleansing of the temple juxtaposes the good fruits He expected of the fig tree -- which looks so promising with its abundant foliage -- and the leadership here that is focused on money, what it can claim from the religious faithful. Perhaps our greatest weakness, even in support of a good cause, is to become focused on the material at the expense of the teaching and nurturing of the littlest ones. This is a lesson throughout the centuries which we must all take to heart. What comes first? What is servanthood in the Church and what does it really mean? What are the true fruits to bear in Jesus' terms? Let us consider the magnificence of this temple, and what is to come historically. Jesus' acts continually compel us to look at all of our institutions, and what He considers good fruit. My study bible says that Jesus acts as the King of Israel would, utterly in control. "In the light of the imagery in the account of the fig tree, the temple is all leaves and no fruit, a picture of the nation itself." Jesus quotes here from the Prophets Isaiah and Jeremiah, and the Scripture quotations bear witness to the overarching theme of the reading, including the imagery of the fig tree.

Now in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots. And Peter, remembering, said to Him, "Rabbi, look! The fig tree which You cursed has withered away." Throughout the Gospels, and especially in Jesus' later ministry, there is a sense of a repetition in Israel's history -- destruction, conquest and the long time of exile, and Jesus' awareness of this time. (This is especially true in His quotations from Jewish Scripture, and of course His prophecy of what is to come in Jerusalem.) The Gift will be taken into all the world, in hopes of good fruits. In this light, the cursing and withering of the fig tree is a prophetic act, says my study bible. The disciples "will establish his Church, ultimately filled with Gentiles and Jews, and they need assurance that they are following His will. The fig tree will be an indelible image in their minds." Jesus then takes this time to discuss faith with His disciples.

So Jesus answered and said to them, "Have faith in God. For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them." Jesus demonstrated the power of faith with His prophetic act shown in the example of the fig tree. But we should take this text to heart in the light of what the apostles will be asked to do. The Church will take shape in the fuller wider world -- especially in the light of the historical events that will come in Israel. Their faith in their mission is essential. My study bible has a profound note: "This mountain probably refers to the Mount of Olives, but Jesus speaks not of its physical relocation, but of great deeds done through undoubting faith. Neither Jesus nor the disciples moved any actual mountains, but they did turn society upside down with the message of the Kingdom. We all need such faith in our struggle for full repentance and life in Christ . . . We can have assured faith in answered prayer, according to St. John Chrysostom, when we ask things worthy of the Lord and strive for holiness. Of course, human requests neither limit nor control God's omniscient freedom."

" And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses." And it is also essential that we read what is tagged on to this exhortation and evocation of the power of faith: the need to practice forgiveness. In some sense, we can juxtapose this with Jesus' condemnation of the materialism in the temple that has taken the place of priority, so much so that it has overshadowed the purpose of the Law and of the Prophets, of God's intent for the people. Forgiveness is antithetical to material-minded thinking. It turns upside-down our notions of "tit for tat" or some sort of great balance sheet of what we are owed or not. Forgiveness is letting go, not seeking revenge, nor "payment" from those who have hurt us or "owe us" in some sense. It doesn't mean necessarily a reconciliation -- that we go back for more of the same treatment! But it does mean that things stand before God who is Judge; we let go of the balance sheet in our own minds and hearts and give it to God who is our Reconciler. In this way, we are sure to practice faith and prayer in the right spirit, in the right frame of mind. This is a necessity for faith, as posed here. It is a requirement for the proper attitude of prayer!

We remember that faith is a form, not of magical thinking or belief, but of trust. In this, Jesus exhorts us to trust in all things to God, even the weighing of our lives, of those whom we know and who may have hurt us or our lives in some way. All is entrusted to God: our requests and our capacity for judgment. We trust our whole perspective of life in God's hands, for God to give us good and proper judgment or discernment. This is so for ourselves as well as for others in our lives. We ask God for God's way of right-relatedness, or righteousness. In the Greek, forgiveness is "letting go." It is the antidote to limited material-mindedness. This cannot be separated from our prayer and our belief, what we truly want most in life. Many times in our popular culture we will hear about the power of forgiveness, recognized not simply by spiritual or religious teachers as part of God's grace and gift to us, but also by the modern understanding of psychology. We are freed through forgiveness. I like to think of it as a private matter between ourselves and God. How do we handle our difficulties, our pain and frustration, the things that have caused us harm? This is where we take it to God, and not simply into our own limited perspectives, which tend to see things in material terms, like the account books. So let's put the cleansing of the temple into juxtaposition with today's words from Christ about faith, prayer and forgiveness, and understand it as a part of a whole piece of cloth, the perspective of our faith. It's by no accident that we have printed on our coins, "In God we trust." We can consider that a kind of warning label, about where we put our ultimate trust, even with the deepest hurts in our lives.