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. . . As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord . . . Joshua 25:15b
Easter 7 Yr C
Introduction
Introduction
In our gospel for this Sunday, Jesus is praying to "Our Father". Two things are striking about his prayer. First, that Our Father loves us as he loves his son Jesus. Yes, we are co-heirs with him in this journey. Many of us have siblings; I have three. If our sibling experience is good, we see the positive in being a co-heir with Jesus. Even if our sibling experience is not-so-hot, we can image what it is like to be a co-heir, that is, one who shares in whatever is gifted to the children from Our Father. So whatever God passes along to his children, we share with Jesus and God's other children, our siblings in Christ.
The second striking thing is Jesus' remark that God has loved him (and us) since "before the foundation of the earth." Yes, this means God knows and loves us from before we were born (and, I add, continuing after we leave this life). Some of us may remember the phrase “I love you up to the sky and back” that we often say to our children or that our parents said to us. How does this compare to our God who loved us “before the foundation of the world.” What a mighty statement!
And what a mighty God! Given this, it's somewhat easy to serve this mighty God. This is a good seque from the "greatest commandment." It is love (Our Father) that made the earth. Again, the magnificence and might of our God is almost overwhelming.
In the lesson from Revelation, we read, "See, I am coming soon; my reward is with me, to repay according to everyone's work. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end." In the context of this week's assigned lectionary, from "before the foundations of the earth", that is Alpha, to the ends of time, that is Omega. This is a strong statement about the continuity of a God who has loved me from "before" to Our Father who continues to love and cherish me. Such a blessing. Comments welcome.
John 17:20-26
John 17:20-26
Jesus prayed for his disciples, and then he said. “I ask not only on behalf of these, but also on behalf of those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one. As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. The glory that you have given me I have given them, so that they may be one, as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become completely one, so that the world may know that you have sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. Father, I desire that those also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory, which you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world. . . .
From sermon4kids.com: “If you ever find yourself thinking about yourself, rather than being united with others in the church, remember that Jesus prayed that we would be one. When we are one, bound together by Christ’s love, the world gets a taste of the wonderful things that God has for them.”
Scripture: June 1, 2025—Easter 7—Acts 16:16-34 (image); Psalm 97 (image), Revelation 22:12-14,16-17,20-21 (image); and John 17:20-26 (image).
Collect: O God, the King of glory, you have exalted your only Son Jesus Christ with great triumph to your kingdom in heaven: Do not leave us comfortless, but send us your Holy Spirit to strengthen us, and exalt us to that place where our Savior Christ has gone before; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.
Reflection: What chains bind you or the people of your community at this time in your life? Where each day do you notice the freedom of Christ working to break the chains apart?
(excerpted from Feasting on the Word Worship Companion: Liturgies for Year C, Volume 1 © 2014 Westminster John Knox Press)
A visual/audio journey.
Images enhancing
the scripture
“Christ taking leave of the disciples“ by Duccio
Unity in diversity, free stock image, downloaded 05222025
“Christ in beard”, Mural painting from the catacomb of Commodilla, in the public domain
“Unity in art” by Vassily Kandinsky
Music founded
in the scripture
“One bread, one body“ by John Foley, congregation hymn
“O love, how deep, how broad, how high“, St Mark's Church Philadelphia
“Alpha and Omega” by John Wilds
Other voices
about the scripture
“Easter 7 C” by Paul Neuchterlein
“The Seventh Sunday of Easter C” by Fr Thomas Hoisington
“The Alpha and the Omega: A Reflection” by Theodore Roethke
Movies representing some part of the scripture
These movies depict the "unity" component of this week's scripture
"War for the planet of the apes" (2017, PG-13), "This is a holy war" says the malevolent colonel, Review
"Les Choristes (The Chorus" (2004, PG-13), "Clement Mathieu: Oh, Your solo. No, there's no solo. You don't have a bad voice but no one's indispensable"; Pew review
"Pacific Rim" (2013, PG-13). "the humans thought they were winning the war", Review
"Secret of the Wings" (2012, G), "sisterhood, friendship, and knowledge are the themes", Review
Image credit: Photo by Leonard von Bibra on Unsplash
For families: Study guide and activities (former guide), group activity, snacks, kid video
For children: see family guide/activities (another activity); bulletin games; craft
For middlers: see family guide/activities (another activity); bulletin games; craft; puzzle
Coloring page: That all may be one ; Acts of the apostles
For youth: Two profound statements in the lectionary for this Sunday. First, from the gospel, we hear that God has loved us from "before the foundation of the earth". Second, from the epistle, is Jesus/God is the alpha and the omega. Are you familiar enough with The Greek alphabet to know that alpha is the first character and omega is the last? So Jesus/God is the beginning and the end: we start with Jesus/God and we end with Jesus/God. Just focusing on a time line, our entire life is in Jesus/God, and more since God loved us before there was an earth (or us). For me, this means I am wrapped in a God-cocoon; I am loved and protected. How about you? Comments welcome.
Image credit: Photo by TopSphere Media on Unsplash
This is the last Sunday of the Easter Season and we read the prayer which Jesus made before he is arrested. Soon he will end up being crucified and Jesus knows that this time has come. The last prayer of Jesus is that his disciples will be one, that their unity will be as great as that between him and God the Father. It is through this unity that the world will come to its senses and recognise who Jesus is.
The problem is of course that humanity does not easily become united, we are known by our divisions and differences. We are frightened by those who are different and we seek power and identity by belonging to one group or another. After 2,000 years the church of Jesus is as divided as it has ever been and the prayer of Christ is unanswered.
This is easily said and yet so hard to accomplish. People belong to churches and become familiar with the way things are done. They do not want to change and leave cherished habits, no matter if they are destructive and contrary to the wish of Jesus. Today we do well to rememeber to ask ourselves whether we are seeking with all our hearts to be part of the answer to that prayer of Jesus.
Are we willing to put aside what we like so that we can begin to recognise Christ in people who are different from us?
Are we willing to embrace unity and put aside our differences, so that the world may begin to see Jesus present in his church?
This importance of dependence and sharing with each other is a fundamental part of being, not just as Christian people, but human beings. We know the importance of sharing and intimate and supportive relationships. The concept of a Christian who is isolated from others is fundamentally flawed, we exist only in community - as a part of a body. Feeling lonely is painful is nature's way of telling us that this is not how we should be. So Jesus adrresses this in his prayer that we might be one, even as he and the Father are one - absolutely. We are made to share the joys and sorrows, the burdens and triumphs together.
“Christian unity is not an ideal which we must realize; it is rather a reality created by God in Christ in which we may participate.” Dietrich Bonhoeffer
From Thisischurch.com, extracted 05122022.
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