28 April 2024 Easter 5
Acts 8.26-40; Psalm 22.26-32; 1 John 4.7-21; John 15.1-8
Our readings today are mystical, energetic and empowering. Our first reading reaches beyond the boundaries of Israel and our sexual stereotypes. Phillip, encouraged by an angel, hits the road with no idea where he is going or why. And when he sees this Ethiopian eunuch he approaches to assist in his understanding of God’s Word. He allows the Ethiopian to ‘set the pace’ and is guided by the questions he asks. And he breaks the colour and sexual barrier when he baptises the Ethiopian, at his request. In this simple act we see that God’s revelation welcomes all people regardless of sexual identity, and salvation is for Africa as well as Judea. Divine hospitality is for outsiders just as much as it is for insiders; for unclean as well as clean.
Psalm 22 continues that theme of universal revelation. Even though sometimes we feel isolated from God; we may struggle to see God in the awful global climate; or we might feel personally distanced from God’s presence; we can trust the promise that salvation and guidance is available for all creation. We see that God’s care and love is for the marginalised, the poor, the outcast, and the vulnerable not just the privileged and wealthy and powerful. God’s sovereignty reaches further than just Israel, it reaches into the whole world. This psalm shows us that all mortals are given divine consideration and care.
In John’s first letter, we see that love is God’s ‘basic’ nature. Love is not powerless, it reaches out to all creation, seeking salvation for all. We are powerfully transformed by God’s all-embracing love and we are shown the path that leads to wholeness. God’s love flows through us, and as we share that love, we share in God’s healing and loving power. But this is not just a ‘one way street’, we need to allow God’s love to flow through us to the poor and vulnerable, the outcast and marginalised. When we love one another, we abide in God and God abides in us because of that loving relatedness.
In loving relationship, we experience God as our deepest reality, and we discover that, despite all that the world has to throw at us, we are safe in God’s care and we are guided by God’s providential love. Sometimes the troubles of the world can overwhelm us, and we can become fearful and turn our backs on one another, but love invites us to live in love, or as John puts it ‘abide in love’. If we allow love to be the beginning and end of life, if we can see it as the creating force of the universe, then we have nothing to fear. God’s over-flowing, ever-flowing, sacrificial, love gives us strength to love one another even in those challenging and difficult times.
Our gospel invites us to consider how we remain connected to the vine, how we ‘abide’ in it. We are told ‘if you do not abide in me’ you will be cut off and thrown away, and just to make sure of it, you will be thrown into the fire. These words can cause some of us to become fearful, as if they are words of judgement. And sometimes they are used as justification for us thinking we are the ones Jesus favours, we are the ‘in’ crowd. But if we look more closely at what was going on at the time John wrote this gospel, his community were, in fact, the ones thrown out, thrown away. But this verse is not a statement of condemnation, it is a statement of life. Without connection to a life source, abundant life is not possible.
As those of you with any gardening experience know, branches only survive if they remain attached to the trunk, or vine. Our Gospel tells us Christ is the energy of live, flowing through all things, inspiring all things, engergising all things. But the way we respond to God, our values and commitments, shape God’s energy. They either expand or contract the impact God’s energy has on our lives. We flourish when we remain connected to the vine, but if we disconnect ourselves, we will die spiritually, and then we risk being cut off. Yes that might seem like a warning, but any gardener knows that all plants need occasional ‘pruning’; branches growing in unwanted directions need to be removed so that the main branch can grow in a worthwhile and useful direction. This means we may need to change some of our pathways to be more attentive to the healing and loving energy flowing through us.
We can practice ‘spiritual horticulture’ by intentionally abiding in God by prayerful reception of divine energy; by ‘lopping off’ what is nonessential or harmful; and by supporting our intimate connection with the other branches of the vine. When we care for one another, we expand the flow of divine energy that flows through and in us. The vine may be the source of life and energy, but the branches are not passive, they need to nurture their own fruitfulness and support the fruitfulness of the other branches. There is an intimate interdependence between God and us. God’s existence does not depend on our fruitfulness, but our bearing of fruit enhances God’s life and mission in the world. When we tend the branches, both our own branch and those of others, we share in God’s healing presence in the world and advance God’s vision.
Love abounds, energy abounds, life abounds, all embracing in scope and ready to give us more than we can ask or imagine.