Besides the liturgy what was highlighted in this morning's service was a prayer that Jesus made that was recorded in the Gospel reading and a piece that Sonnet played during the Offering on the violin, Erik Satie's Gymnopédie 1. They intertwined and informed one another in my mind. Both appeared simple on the surface. Both felt peaceful and invited closer examination which evoked more complexity as they were explored.
Gymnopédie 1 and Sonnet's performance are difficult to explore in words. The piece feels like an exercise at times, to be repeated until the music carried all the weight of what it promised to reveal.
As for the Gospel, Pastor Alyssa remined us that last Thursday was Ascension Day. She told a story about a visit she made to Vienna and that all the shops were closed in observance of the day of remembrance. She confessed she didn't think about Ascension this year on Thursday (like most Americans). This Seventh Sunday in Easter falls between Ascension Day and Pentecost, which we will remember and celebrate next Sunday.
She also stressed that the words of Jesus are an overheard prayer to God and not a commandment or Jesus laying out a to do list for us. This prayer for us is a precursor to his prayer on the cross "Forgive them for they know not what they do". He intercedes on our behalf.
These are appropriate words to reflect on after the Ascension and before Pentecost. The prayer focuses our attention from the historical Jesus who ascended and is with God. Instead we are invited to focus on each other and how we can be made one and remain different, just as the Trinity is one and yet different. Jesus prays the God's love for him may live in us, like the love of Jesus does in us.
What does it mean to be one and different? We live in a time when there are some who feel Christianity as a faith is being threatened. They feel persecuted for believing, for example, that homosexual marriage is against God's word. They feel they are unfairly being discriminated against when acting on that belief. We also live in a time where an aid worker faces 20 years in prison for giving food, water and clothing to undocumented migrants crossing the U.S. southern border in Arizona. What will happen? What can God do to provide unity amongst diversity? As Christ's body in the world, in the words of Tolstoy, what then must we do? One side cries prosecution while the other cries persecution. What unity is there among these sides and where will our differences lead in the future?
We celebrate Pentecost next week. We will celebrate the tongues of fire and speaking many languages that are understood by foreigners and also, in our hearts, will be the story of the Tower of Babel. We ostensibly long for God given unity. And God creates diversity.
Thanks be to God.
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