Sunday, April 24, 2016

Fifth Sunday of Easter

The "old order" is a way of power and tribalism, and we cling to it like a life preserver. We do not trust love, because we know where it leads. We are not blind. We see what happens to those who obey our Brother's new commandment. We hear the wailing. And we want no part of this cross.

But what if we chose to be brave? What might it look like if we loved one another as our Parent loves us? What would it mean to love the grouchy, the annoying, the misfit, the lunatic, the enemy? What if we let privilege go unchecked, trusting in the grace of encounter to wash away prejudice, knowing that such a process will take generations upon generations? What if we refuse to build walls that keep out the stranger, trusting in the grace of hospitality to bridge the deepest chasms, knowing that some will take advantage and do us harm? What if we listen, really listen, to the voices we most want to ignore, knowing that we might have to choose between our agenda and the hope of friendship?

So what about you? Will you choose boldness or safety? Will you trust in the promise of Easter? Will you trust in the grace of love? Or will you put your faith in human kings and kingdoms?