Reimagining the Scene

Gospel: John 19: 25-27

John is the only Gospel that records Mary and the Beloved Disciple present at the crucifixion of Jesus; the other three Gospels are united in their accounting that Mary Magdalene and other women were at the cross.  John is not interested in historical accuracy in this scene.  The interest is in making a theological point about the event of Jesus' death and what it all means in the grand scope of salvation history to the very beginning.

John places Mary and the Beloved Disciple at the cross - a woman and a man before a tree.  Two streams flow around them leading to a garden.  Jesus entrusts the woman and the man to each other in a relationship of mutual care.  John has recreated the Garden of Eden.  This event of Jesus' death has restored humanity to its original innocence, restored the relationships of mutual trust and care among human beings.  

The Way of Jesus leads us to death to self, and in so doing leads us to the innocence of Eden before the Fall.  The death of the self leads to restored relationships among human beings.  The death of Jesus is not cosmic magic.  It is an event we must live within ourselves, putting our own selves upon the gibbet of the cross.  We might weep at the death of the self until we realize where it leads - a new way of life free of conflict with others, full of the innocence of our original creation.   

Salvation, Not Condemnation

Gospel: John 3: 13-17

Today's Gospel portion reminds us that the cross of Jesus is not an occasion for condemnation but rather is the means and vehicle for salvation.  Yet, how often is the cross used to condemn.  Many have used it to condemn the Jewish people, blaming them perpetually for the death of Jesus.  Others will use the cross to condemn unjust structures and systems of oppression in its conspiracy to put Jesus to death.  How often has the cross through history been used to coerce, threaten, and frighten others!

Yet we are reminded here that Jesus came not to condemn but to save. In fact, on this very cross Jesus will forgive all who put him to death, uttering not one word of condemnation.  Instead, he prays Psalm 22 as a means of comfort, a psalm that ends with these words: "All the ends of the earth will worship and turn to the Lord; all the families of nations will bow low before you."  It is not a prayer of condemnation Jesus utters, but one of hope and a promise of salvation.

When we wear the cross about our necks, we take upon ourselves this posture of the Lord himself.  It is for us an instrument of forgiveness, of hope and promise of salvation for all people.  If we brandish the cross as a threat or menace to others, we do so to our own condemnation and judgment.  We abuse the symbol of our faith and hope and love.  Let our prayer today be that of the ancient Christians: "O crux ave spes unica" - O hail Cross, our only hope.   

Debt Forgiveness

Gospel:  Matthew 18: 21-35

The ideas of forgiveness of sins and forgiveness of financial debts were intrinsically tied together in the religion of Israel.  The various laws and mechanisms for the remission of debts went hand in hand with the notion of forgiving others of offenses and sins.  Throughout the Gospels Jesus continues that linkage and makes it fundamental to the Way, making it the foundational principle of the prayer he taught us and in today's parable.

In modern Christianity we have separated this link.  We focus only on forgiveness of sin but not at all to financial debt forgiveness.  In fact the modern Christian would hear nothing of this idea of debt forgiveness, wanting nothing more than to trap poor nations in cycles of debt, along with student loan borrowers and those trapped by payday lenders.  The modern Christian creates immigrants, migrants and refugees with economic exploitation and wars, only to condemn these poor folk who seek help.  

To be sure we can and should spiritualize this principle.  We ought to forgive all sorts of people in our lives, from the unknown people to us who cut us off on the road to the aisle hog in the grocery store to the family member or friend from whom we are estranged.  We have been forgiven by God from a great debt, and we ought to forgive both the sins and offenses of others as well as the financial debts and burdens of the poor and marginalized whom we have helped to create.