Pro-active Reconciliation

 It’s obvious – the Gospel for today is always the same 

         but it is so rich a story that we can always hear with new ears.

So I would like to savor this story with you.

 

A key theme in this reading is summed up in the collect.

Almighty and everlasting God, who in the Paschal mystery 

established the new covenant of reconciliation…

 

Disciples (except Thomas) get to see the Resurrection Jesus,

         who says to them,

                  “As the Father has sent me, so I send you.”

                  “Receive the Holy Spirit.”

Jesus breathes the Holy Spirit into them, and what follows is

         the institution of the covenantal ministry of reconciliation

                  "If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; 

                  if you retain the sins of any, they are retained." 

We may want to back away from this statement, sounds to much like:

         "I forgive you, but I don't forgive you."

So it is actually rather important 

                  that we exam that one word translated as “retain.”

 

The Greek for "retain" means hold, it implies hold back,         

                                                      that is to bind, to restrain.

What is being restrained? 

         “If you restrain the sins of any, they are restrained.”

not the person restrained, but the sin.

         We can have a restraining effect on sin.

 

There is a two-fold aspect to the covenant 

                                                               and ministry of reconciliation. Forgive – responding to the occasion of sin, reactive reconciliation.  

Retain - proactive reconciliation.

 

The Ministry of Reconciliation-

                                    think about implications for us in daily life

         What we say, 

what we do, 

the attitudes we have, 

the opinions we express, 

how we live out relationships 

– all can be proactive reconciliation.

We who are called by his Name,

         have been sent, and 

         have been given an awesome power/

                                       a force in the world for good,

 

We are called to the ministry of reconciliation through our baptisms;

         BCP, pg. 855, section in the Catechism, Outline of the Faith:

 

    Q. What is the ministry of the laity?

    A. The ministry of lay persons is to represent Christ and his

       Church; to bear witness to him wherever they may be

       and, according to the gifts given them, to carry on

       Christ's work of reconciliation in the world; and to take

       their place in the life, worship, and governance of the Church.

 

There much more to say about the ministry of reconciliation

         but first we need to look at Thomas.

 

Someone forgot to tell Thomas about the meeting.

 

Thomas - despite all the other disciples corroborating their story

                  of seeing the Risen Christ,

         he says he must not only see, but also touch.

 

He would not trust just his eyes.

         Maybe all the others were deceived by their eyes.

 

He wants to see the wounds, that which killed Jesus.

Maybe he wants to make sure

         that it is absolutely apparent that Jesus is risen from the dead,

                  not just a survivor of the ordeal of crucifixion.

So Jesus shows up, 

and apparently unseen 

the Risen Lord had overheard Thomas’ conversation.

 

Jesus shows great compassion

         special invitation to Thomas to touch him, touch the wounds.

 

Notice: the text does not say if Thomas then did touch.         

But the statement he then says is very significant:

         "My Lord and my God!"

 

He is not just looking at Jesus as his rabbi, or teacher, or master,

         or even as Lord,

         but as GOD.

This is bold declaration of faith.         

Thomas goes from doubt to calling Jesus God.

         That went beyond what the others told Thomas.

Jesus said to him, "Have you believed because you have seen me? 

Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe." 

 

         Then there is a nice segue into a special note for all those 

         who will come later relying on faith without seeing…

 

 

"Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, 

         which are not written in this book. 

But these are written so that you may come to believe 

         that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, 

and that through believing/

                 through having faith you may have life in his name."

 

This is encouragement for us to trust through hearing

         so that we too can say of Jesus, "My Lord and my God!" 

 

Thomas' declaration, "My Lord and my God!"  

is both a creed 

and an act of devotion/worship/response to the Holy.

 

Therefore "My Lord and my God!" is used as a private prayer 

                           at words of invitation in Eucharist

In the Episcopal Church we have an Altar call – every Sunday

         in the words of invitation, “The Gifts of God for the People of God.”

Come to the altar, come forward to see and touch and taste

         that our faith, our trusting may be nurtured

         and our spirits and whole being nourished

         and strengthened for the ministry of reconciliation.

 

This Gospel lesson tells us 

- not just the disciples there with Jesus at that time

         but for all who believe

that the same power of the Holy Spirit 

is there for reconciliation in the world;

         a tremendous power it is to forgive, 

                  to bring the healing of reconciliation.

 

Vs. 29

Blessed are those who have not seen, 

and yet believe/have faith/trust.

 

Faith is being willing to trust what is not in my control.

         Trusting what I cannot prove, 

                           what I cannot dictate as verifiable,

                  only what has been revealed to me,

what I have experienced so subjectively. 

 

Faith, in this sense then, is a participation in relationship 

with the God of the resurrected Lord in us.

Jesus doesn’t leave anything as important as salvation, 

                                                                             as reconciliation, 

to us and our response alone.

Therefore faith is a gift, as well as a fruit, of the Spirit.

 

Vs 31

"…and that through having faith/trusting you may have life in his name."

 

The Life we have access to is the Risen Christ.

We can reflect in our own lives the Risen Christ, 

and participate in "…the new covenant of reconciliation…" 

as the Collect for today speaks of.

 

Jesus breathing the Holy Spirit into his disciples

         and giving them the power to forgive

                  and the power to bind up and restrain sin.

 

Others will not come to believe in Christ 

         because of seeing him for themselves 

                           like Thomas and the other disciples.

They will have to come to faith and trust just as we have,

         through their experience of those called by his Name – you – 

                                    their experience of you

         and how that fosters their own openness to the Risen Christ.

 

Can others see Christ in your life?

         Can they see more than just a good person, a nice person?

Do they encounter love in you? 

         an example of radical trust from you?

Do they encounter forgiveness, grace and reconciliation in you?

 

So look at the way you go about your daily life

         and see if you are living it in such a way

                  that you are bringing reconciliation 

                  into relationships and situations around you.

 

What we say, 

what we do, 

the attitudes we have, 

the opinions we express, 

how we live out relationships 

all are the ways of proactive reconciliation.

Each person’s contribution furthers the covenant of reconciliation.

 

Be the Risen Christ.

so that others also may recognize Jesus

         and likewise come to Thomas' acclamation,

                  "My Lord and my God."