Blair Gilmer Meeks calls our Gospel this morning “a poem for lovers.” (Homily Service, The Liturgical Conference, May1, 2005, p. 14.) Love is not defined by this gospel as the mushy, heart-racing emotion that comes with new love, but as an act of will, one that mirrors the love Jesus showed for humankind and has for us. Meeks speaks of four qualities (among others) of this unbounded love. It defines the love God has for us, and we are commanded to have such a love for one another.

These qualities are obedience, companionship, revelation and union. We are called by Jesus to obedience to the love commandment, to put God in the center of our lives, to love ourselves as God’s created, and to love one another. This is not a rigid canon of law such as the Pharisees demanded be followed, or a series of moral do’s and don’ts as the Church from time to time has espoused, but the spirit and heart of the law – the foundation on which the relationship between the Creator and the created is based. The Christian demand for orthodoxy, as defined by tradition, is a relatively new development in the history of the church. The early church was grounded in trust in God and committed to emulating Christ’s love as life was lived in the present. It has been said that “tradition should have a vote, not a veto, over belief!” (Copied)

We are called to companionship, to relationship with one another and God for strength and support, always seeking the good for the other. That companionship enables us to experience revelation, to be vulnerable and to trust. As God and others’ love is experienced and revealed we learn much about ourselves and others, allowing us to be at one with, in unity with the holy and those around us. Meeks has said that “God’s love is not one that asks us to choose between God and the other. It asks us to choose God through the other. Our very ability to live in obedience, companionship, revelation and union with ourselves and others is founded on and strengthened by God’s love.” (ibid. page 9)

Our Gospel promises that, if we keep God’s commandment, the Holy Spirit will come to give us strength for the journey. It is important to note that, despite the emphasis in this country on rugged individualism, this is not about the individual so much as about the gathered community. Ultimately, we are saved in community not alone. I believe that St. Margaret's exemplifies one of the most loving communities I have ever known.

We are also called to revelation…to recognizing the Holy Spirit's action today, in the context of our world, not that of two thousand years ago. Think of what we have learned in these two millennia. We know so much more about disease, differences and health…it is critical that we integrate that into our spiritual and communal lives. There are those in our communion who would support literal Biblical understanding to address these issues. I suspect that God wants us to be open, to use our minds, hearts and spirits to address that which is critical in our world today.

Finally, we are called to union…union with God, in Jesus Christ, and union with one another. We are not called to be the same, to agree or to be twins, but to be in solidarity with our fellow Anglicans and Christians. This is not easy, as we are learning today, but critical to our common call to God in Jesus.

I was speaking to a friend from New Jersey yesterday who receives our “Magpie.” She said: “Susan, I read the Magpie every month. St. Margaret’s is a wonderful parish with so much happening. How I wish I had one like it here!

(Frankly, I couldn’t agree with her more, though I thought it prudent not to brag further!!)

I truly believe that we are struggling to address each of these important pieces that are commanded to us by Jesus' final discourse to the disciples.

My sabbatical in the summer of 2006 focused on peace-making leading to reconciliation and forgiveness. This emphasis came to me when I realized that outreach and justice work, though vitally important, are insufficient without subsequent making of peace leading to true reconciliation and forgiveness. This is true of nations, cities, denominations, individual churches and families. Without the final two steps we are still left with sharp divisions between the empowered and the disenfranchised in our society. We make peace in order to have the space to achieve reconciliation. Then and only then can we begin to live in harmony with one another in a world where every child has enough and more to live and to grow into a productive, happy adult.

We are perfectly poised to go forward with this ministry. We have, over many years, grown into our diversity and have ourselves become a reconciled and reconciling community. We are unique and have this gift to offer to our church and our community.

Now – we haven’t hit nirvana, we still need the lively sense of humor that pervades our interactions to keep us on the path! We are, however, a healthy, growing, happy parish with people who have great and varied gifts and are committed to use those gifts for the glory of God and the care of God’s people. We have learned that we need one another to walk the often thorny path of Jesus Christ. We have learned that to stand up for what is right and to reach out to those who are most needy can be painful and costly. The blessed news is that we are not alone…we have one another as we strive to be obedient to God’s will and we know without a doubt that we are loved by God as known in Jesus Christ beyond our wildest imaginings. This is a glorious time for St. Margaret’s, let us catch the moment. I am so grateful to be your Rector and to be walking this path of love with you.