CEaster3

Acts 9:1-6; Psalm 30; Revelation 5:11-14; John 21:1-19

April 22, 2007

We’ve heard for months about the saga of Anna Nichole Smith.

We’ve been hearing all about Imus.

None of which is real news.

But we did hear some real news on April 16.

April 16 – a day that changed thousands of people’s lives forever.

At so many levels:

Parents lost their children

or feared for their children like never before.

Students lost their friends and professors

and many experienced death for the first time.

The killer’s family will carry such helpless remorse.

A dark shadow will be cast over all of the memories

of anyone whoever attended Virginia Tech.

When I was at FSU, Ted Bundy cast a dark shadow.

A friend of mine happened to live next door

to the boarding house he stayed at.

Another friend of mine was living

in the Chi Omega sorority house at the time.

I’ve forgotten a lot about people and events during my college days.

But, I can remember exactly where those two houses are

and I remember what they looked like.

I’ve only been to Virginia Tech once

and have seen its stately stone buildings,

which now will bring up much different memories.

A walk across the campus of Virginia Tech

will never look the same again for so many people.

When we come so close to such tragedy,

even you and I watching from some distance,

it causes us to stop, take stock of our children,

our former (or present) teachers and professors,

our own cherished memories.

And yet, I’m sure the same violence is shattering lives today somewhere

and the same dark shadow is hovering over places in this world

right as we speak.

All four passages of the scripture today deal with themes of suffering:

As if to say – yes – suffering and its shadows are with us in every age.

The psalmist was almost at the grave,

but was spared from death and lives to give praise to God.

Paul after his conversion would suffer for the sake of the Gospel.

Peter’s death was foretold by Jesus.

And in Revelation…

At the beginning of chapter 5, a mighty angel asks,

“Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?”

Who is worthy to reveal the divine plan, the holy way of God?

The author, John, who is witnessing this vision,

begins to weep bitterly

because he knows that no one

- save the messiah, God’s anointed –

will be able to open it and see it

so that God’s plan may be revealed.

Then, one of the elders tells John not to weep.

“See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered,

so that he can open the scroll and have the completion of God’s creation revealed.”

And then John looks and sees between the throne of God and all creation

-not the mighty king or warrior messiah

who conquers with power and force.

But John sees a Lamb standing as if it had been slaughtered.

And John also sees, in symbolic form, on the Lamb,

those who have conformed to the way of the Lamb,

the Church, filled with God’s Spirit

extending into all the earth.

That leads to the words we heard today.

The Lamb opens the first seal of the scroll

and praise rings forth.

Such a vision of completeness, resolution,

that everything in the big picture will be taken care of

that in God’s perfect plan, God’s perfect love,

life will overcome death and the peace of God will penetrate this world.

The Church, filled with God’s spirit, extending to all the earth.

And from that heavenly vision,

we hear Jesus ask one person on a beach:

Simon, son of John, do you love me? Tend my lambs.

Not Peter, the rock upon which Jesus will build the kingdom.

Not the capital C – organized/institutionalized church in that role.

But Simon, Peter’s birthname, son of John, a simple fisherman.

Just you, with no added layers of role and identity.

Do you love me?

I hear echoed the words of a hymn…

They cast their nets in Galilee, just off the hills of brown.

Such happy simple fisherfolk, until the Lord came down.

The word love appears six times in the exchange

between Jesus and Peter.

In two forms – agape and philio

Simon, son of John, do you agape me?

Do you have a pure, self-giving love for me?

And Peter answers, “Yes, Lord, I philio you.”

I have brotherly love for you.

Jesus asks again;

Simon, son of John, do you agape me?

Is your love for me of the highest regard

that you choose to prefer me above all the other things in your life?

Peter answers, “Yes, Lord, I philio you.”

I have a deep affection for you.

Jesus asks a third time but with a change:

Simon, son of John, do you philio me?

Jesus asks Peter only for the love

he is able to understand and give – at least at that point.

Affectionate, brotherly love.

“Lord, you know everything. You know my love for you.”

Then… feed my lambs. Tend my sheep.

Take care of this world I came to save.

And so as each of us is capable,

it is we go forth, in the Spirit, from the Lamb, into all the earth.

I can’t pretend that this is a band-aid for slaughter and suffering

or an answer to present evil.

But, somehow it rings true, deep down.

We come from the source of life to be life for others.

We come from the source of love to be love for others.

Standing close and going forth changes us.

It changed Peter and Paul.

Sometimes we will be able to protect the innocent ones.

Sometimes we will be able to drive back the dark shadows.

Sometimes by prayer, sometimes by action.

However we are able, we can go forth.

Into the world,

each of us simply being who we are

loving as we can

and we too will be changed.