The Collect O God, you have prepared for those who love you such good things as surpass our understanding: Pour into our hearts such love towards you, that we, loving you in all things and above all things, may obtain your promises, which exceed all that we can desire; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. The Collect The petition is “O God, you have prepared for those who love you such good things as surpass our understanding: Pour into our hearts such love towards you, that we, loving you in all things and above all things, may obtain your promises, which exceed all that we can desire;… There are two images one is love poured into our hearts and the second the good results of that love. RCL B seems most in tune with each selection relating to these themes. Both the Gospel and Epistle deal explicitly with God’s love for us as encouragement for us to love one another. And Acts is the Baptism of the gentile Cornelius. The Collect RCL A and C both look to [A] John 14:15-21 and then [C] 23-29 the verses together are a discourse on the fact that the Love of Jesus manifests itself in love of His commandments and that God will then love. A way of saying that God is faithful. The commandment intended is that we should love one another. A subtext for the 6thSunday of Easter is the reach of the Church first to Gentiles in [B] Acts 10:44-48 and then in Europe in Athens in Acts 17:22-31 and Acts 16:9-15 in Lydia a woman in Greece who was a seller of purple cloth And finally a glimpse of the joy to come in RCL C’s Revelation 21:10, 22-22:5 “And there will be no more night; they need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.” Acts 10:44-48 While Peter was still speaking, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who heard the word. The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astounded that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles, for they heard them speaking in tongues and extolling God. Then Peter said, "Can anyone withhold the water for baptizing these people who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?" So he ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they invited him to stay for several days. The Action In Acts So Far… Pentecost and the multilingual preaching The first Apostle Arrests and healings each leading to more converts Peter and John before the council and the ‘save’ by Gamaliel. The early church ‘goods in common’ episodes. The number of believers is so large 7 Deacons are appointed –(Steven and Phillip) to serve them and Steven is killed, witnessed and approved by Saul, later Paul. Phillip converts Samaria and Baptizes then Peter and John are sent there to bring the Holy Spirit and the eunuch on the road to Gaza. Paul is converted and then brought to Jerusalem. Cornelius receives a vision and Peter responds – then today’s reading…. Context Acts 10 is largely concerned with the baptism of Cornelius and his household. As with the Ethiopian, the action starts with God in the form of a vision in which Cornelius is told to send men to get Peter. The next day Peter has a trance / vision and just then sees the men from Cornelius, and the Holy Spirit tells him to go with them. When Peter arrives and gives his Gospel Summary to them and while he is speaking, the day’s incident…. The Action The Gift of the Holy Spirit here was that they began speaking in tongues. This is similar to the Pentecost event where the disciples emerge and speak so that everyone present understood in his or her own native language. Another, point is that the Holy Spirit acted on these people before baptism. This week and last deal with conversions specifically of non-Jewish persons. Gian Lorenzo Bernini: The Triumph of the Chair of Saint Peter, 1657
St. Peter’s, Rome This work commemorates St. Peter and has a reference to the Holy Spirit. Pope Alexander VII commissioned Bernini to build a sumptuous monument which would give prominence to the ancient wooden chair where Peter sat as pope. Bernini built a throne in gilded bronze, richly ornamented with bas-reliefs in which the chair was enclosed: two pieces of furniture, one within the other. On January 17, 1666 it was solemnly set above the altar. The four over-lifesized figures are the Doctors of the Church: St. Ambrose, St. Athanasius (left); and St. John Chrysostom, and St. Augustine (right). The detail image is of the window, with the dove of the Holy Spirit. Psalm 98 Cantate Domino 1 Sing to the LORD a new song, *
for he has done marvelous things. 2 With his right hand and his holy arm *
has he won for himself the victory. 3 The LORD has made known his victory; *
his righteousness has he openly shown in the sight of the nations. 4 He remembers his mercy and faithfulness to the house of Israel, *
and all the ends of the earth have seen the victory of our God. 5 Shout with joy to the LORD, all you lands; *
lift up your voice, rejoice, and sing. Psalm 98 Cantate Domino 6 Sing to the LORD with the harp, *
with the harp and the voice of song. 7 With trumpets and the sound of the horn *
shout with joy before the King, the LORD. 8 Let the sea make a noise and all that is in it, *
the lands and those who dwell therein. 9 Let the rivers clap their hands, *
and let the hills ring out with joy before the LORD,
when he comes to judge the earth. 10 In righteousness shall he judge the world *
and the peoples with equity. Psalm 98This is a Hymn proclaiming the future establishment of God’s kingship on the earth. Although the verbs are past tense, the reference is to a future event, The Lord’s triumph over all the powers that oppose him. The language in this psalm is strikingly similar to that of many passages in Isaiah. “Cantoria” in Florence Cathedral
By Donatello and Luca della Robbia The Latin word “cantor” means “singer” A Cantoria was a “gallery for singers” Two famous ones are in Florence Cathedral, made in the 1430s The imagery is associated with Psalm 98. Donatello, The Cantoria or Singing Gallery, 1433-1439
Marble and colored glass 11'5" x 18'8"
made for Florence Cathedral Luca della Robbia, Boys playing music, illustration of Laudate Dominum (“Sing to the Lord a New Song”). The cantoria (singers' gallery), a balcony for the 1438 organ of the Duomo. Museo dell'Opera del Duomo, Florence, Italy. Marble. 1 John 5:1-6 Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the parent loves the child. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. For the love of God is this, that we obey his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome, 1 John 5:1-6 for whatever is born of God conquers the world. And this is the victory that conquers the world, our faith. Who is it that conquers the world but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? This is the one who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ, not with the water only but with the water and the blood. And the Spirit is the one that testifies, for the Spirit is the truth. First John, so far… So far in this book we have discussed that there was a schism in the community. We have discussed that the remedy for this was that those who remain in the group express love for one another. We have discussed that this love is to be shown in acts and not by words only. Today’s reading In today’s reading we are told that the way to express love towards God is to obey his commandments. These commandments are not burdensome according to the author and consist of the demonstration of love to one’s fellow Christians. Believers are also told that through this love from God that they will eventually conquer the world. The text does not make any pretext of explaining how this love will conquer the world, that apparently is an article of faith. Water and Blood The final paragraph of today’s reading, contains a reference to: “Jesus Christ, not with the water only but with the water and the blood. “ This is a shorthand reference that had developed by the time of this writing. The water refers to the baptism of Jesus. The blood refers to the crucifixion of Jesus. The Holy Spirit The Holy Spirit plays a role both in our reading in Acts and the reading in first John. In Christian theology the third person of the holy Trinity a distinct and coequal part is the Holy Spirit. Christian theologians point to a gradual unfolding of the doctrine in the Old Testament through the actions of the “spirit” of God, at various points. The doctrine of the Holy Spirit from a theological standpoint though implicit in the New Testament was not actually reached or understood for some centuries. The most explicit set of teachings concerning the holy spirit are found in the Fourth Gospel. Definition The term spirit translates from Hebrew words and Greek words denoting “wind” or “spirit.” When the adjective holy is used, the reference is to divine spirit also called the Spirit of God. In the Gospel of John, the Holy Spirit is described as “counselor” by the Greek word Paraclete. In both Acts and of the letters of Paul the reception of the Holy Spirit brings the “gifts” needed for Christian ministry. John 15:9-17 Jesus said to his disciples, "As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete. John 15:9-17 "This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. I do not call you servants any longer, because the servant does not know what the master is doing; but I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father. John 15:9-17 You did not choose me but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask him in my name. I am giving you these commands so that you may love one another. Major concepts in today’s trading There are three major parts in today’s reading from the Gospel of John. The first is a commandment to love one another which is echoed in the reading from first John. The second is the concept of a change in the relationship between the disciples of Jesus from servant to friend. The third is the concept of election. Love and Commandments This discourse of the fourth Gospel explains love by example. The example of course is the love shown to mankind by God. Jesus equates the demonstration of love for one another with complete joy. Friends versus Servants In this reading Jesus states that he considers the disciples to be his friends now and not merely his servants. The distinction is knowledge of purpose. As servants the disciples did not understand the intentions of Jesus and his various actions. At this point Jesus states that they are friends because he has explained his entire purpose to them and is about to leave them in charge of that purpose. Election Finally Jesus explains to the disciples that it is not they who chose Him, but was the other way round. Jesus states that he has chosen them. The concept of election in a theological sense has nothing to do with the democratic political process. In a theological concept election is by God who chooses on the basis of his sovereign will. In Protestant terms, this concept is also associated with predestination.
