Sixth Sunday of Easter - A April 27, 2008

Acts 8: 5-8, 14-17 1 Peter 3: 15-18 John 14: 15-21

“If you love me, keep my commandments.” I do not know about you, but when I read that statement, or hear it, it is easy to have a negative reaction. There is something about it which seems to go contrary to a way we like to think. It sounds as if a demand is being made, some sort of limitation or restriction is being set. It sounds like we might have to surrender some sort of freedom. So, how can this saying of Jesus be understood? What is being asked of us if we are followers of Jesus? How do we not only make this statement active and real in our lives, but also embrace it as a way of living we desire, we seek?

Perhaps it might seem a little strange, but what came to mind is what we are experiencing in our country at the current time, and not only in our country but also in the world at large. I am speaking about the economy in our country, and especially how, in many different ways, we are all affected. Credit, money, is tight. There are foreclosures on homes, too many credit debts are large. I wondered whether there might be some connect, a homily, found in this experience

I do not pretend to understand the economy and all that is involved. What is happening and, more importantly, why it is happening. But I thought of the advertisements we heard so often. One which comes to mind was that for furniture sales. No money had to be put down, no payments had to be made for months. Or the ads for cars which told us that there was no need to put money down, no money to pay when you took delivery - just sign and drive away. I am sure that there were many catches, but it just did not sound right. At least it did not sound like what I had learned over the years. My understanding was very simply that nothing was bought which could not be paid for. The advertisements, however, gave the impression that if something was wanted right now, then get it, buy it, have it - right now. The newer, the better, the bigger, the most up-to-date will cost very little, maybe nothing - right now. But when the “free”time was over, when the bills finally had to be paid, it became all too clear - and that seems to be where we are now - a great deal was owed, more was owed than was coming in, and thus there is trouble Debt is overwhelming. Bankruptcy might have to be filed. And even bankruptcy seemed to offer an escape. Maybe the idea of not purchasing something that could not be afforded sounds old-fashioned, but I guess it worked.

It seems to me that there is a way of seeing this situation as suggesting what Jesus is saying, what Jesus is teaching. If we love him he says, if we really want to understand what is being taught about ourselves, about others, about the world in which we live; if we want to appreciate that God loves us, that God enables us to live in a way that shows the real and full nature of what we are and can be - not just for the moment but for the entirety of our lives; if we want to live this way, then we will keep the commandments he taught us.

They important point, the key to this, is to realize that this is not a restriction, it is not a limitation. Jesus’ teaching is rather simple: love God, love neighbor. We can measure everything we do in life, everything we choose in life by whether it demonstrates a love of God or a love of neighbor. Even if we were to understand Jesus as speaking of “commandments” in what we know as the “Ten Commandments” - what we may have learned at some time in our lives. Despite the language that is used, even the “Ten Commandments” do not need to be seen as restrictions, limitations. They are guidelines, ways that direct us, that give us understanding of what it means genuinely to love God, to love our neighbor, to love ourselves. They are guidelines that show us how we can respect what is valuable, what is important, in our relationships with God, with others, and with ourselves. They are truly guidelines, or directions, or instructions on how we might more fully live and realize our potential: what we have and what we are, what we have been given in life and what we can be in life.

There was a strange thing which happened in the world of finances when the economy started to show signs of collapse, when the idea of zero down and zero for months started to have an impact. The response, at least in some circles, was that there was a need for regulation or oversight. The reality of fallen human nature had come to light. We are not the “noble savages” as some might suggest we are. The tendency in our fallen human nature to greed, sinfulness, selfishness became more evident, especially in the negative effect all this is having. No guidelines, no oversight would be fine, if no one cheated and everyone was honest. But does this happen? Unfortunately, we know the answer all too well. We can look at baseball and other competitive sports, as well as to the financial market.

To me, understanding what Jesus teaches, is rather simple and makes sense if we really know ourselves. If we value, if we appreciate if we love what God, through Jesus Christ, is telling us about ourselves, if we see as important to ourselves how we can truly enjoy our lives and benefit from the, if we want to realize the potential for ourselves and for those who are important to us, then all we need to do is to keep things in perspective. We need to live our lives according to the values expressing in “keeping the commandments”: acknowledging, respecting and loving God; acknowledging, respecting and loving others as a part of God’s creation; acknowledging, respecting and loving ourselves as reflections of our God. This may be challenging at times, but it does not limit. It may take effort at times, but it does not restrict. It is, more than anything else, a freedom to be what we are, what we have lovingly been made to be: sons and daughters of a good and loving God.