For Sunday
Easter 7A
Collect
O God, the King of glory, you have exalted your only Son Jesus Christ with great triumph to your kingdom in heaven: Do not leave us comfortless, but send us your Holy Spirit to strengthen us, and exalt us to that place where our Savior Christ has gone before; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, in glory everlasting.
Amen.
Reading
Reflection
Jesus has spent several chapters in John talking about going away. And we, for several weeks now, have engaged in what we might call Jesus’s Farewell Discourse. He is encouraging and challenging. He offers them guidance and opportunity. It isn’t just his last chance to get a few words in, though. He’s making sure they really get this.
Do they really think he’ll leave them? I don’t know. It doesn’t seem like they truly believe it. But they do engage him in this crazy exercise.
Last week, we heard Jesus tell them about the Advocate: that another would come as a Spirit to be with and within them. And in the meantime, Jesus expands on the idea. Helping them get the point. And why.
That God wants them to have a guide. And that they will need one. Both of these ideas are important.
God desires this for them. And also: people will treat the disciples like a problem that needs to be neutralized, so they’re going to need help.
This public prayer we hear this week is the culmination of teaching. Jesus is confident in the work he has been called to do. But that doesn’t prevent him from praying. And praying with his disciples, for his disciples.
This isn’t performative exactly. And it isn’t naive or literal. It’s something more like relationship and respect. Hope and confidence.
Like when I pray with the altar party that God be with us, to guide us and encourage us. Not because I don’t think God won’t do that, but because that is precisely what we all desire. To be aligned, in love, gathered and serving. Together with God.