John the Evangelist concluded his Gospel by writing “This is the disciple who is testifying to these things and has written them down, and we know that his testimony is true. But there are also many other things that Jesus did; if every one of them were written down, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.” (Jn 21: 24-25).
If we were to write down our epilogue on the good news of Jesus Christ expressed among us, I wonder if we would have to make the same observation. The Parochial Reports doesn’t quite get it done, but it is trying to learn. There is now space to pay attention to those who come to us or with whom we interact beyond worship—for food, clothing, healing prayer, the fellowship of a visit to them in the hospital or in prison, counseling or friendship. It is a shame that we are not asked; “What signs and wonders has the Risen Christ done among you this past year? What have you and the Holy Spirit witnessed together?"
What if the baptismal covenant questions framed the annual report—how have you walked in the Apostles’ teaching, breaking of bread (there’s an ASA question, I suppose), and the prayers, or resisted evil, confessed the Good News in word and deed? And how have you upheld everyone’s dignity, and served Christ in others as you worked for justice and peace? It’s a way of life, this following Jesus, and how do we organize ourselves to that end?
The Christian Way is a spiritual and philosophical process. Our thoughts matter, our spiritual struggles matter. And we need to be allowed and allow ourselves to own up to it. Thomas did in the Easter story; and Jesus did not tell him that he only had one shot at a resurrection appearance. In fact Jesus made a repeat appearance just for Thomas. Now, Thomas was in community on the second occasion, and that seems significant. Eventually getting back to the group is an important thing, no matter how hurt, disillusioned, confused, disappointed they may have been with how things turned out on that horrific Thursday night through Friday.
The early church was a community; they were witnesses of God’s living presence among all people; and they came to understand that all of this placed an accountability upon them—even in recognizing the authority of God over that of human authorities, as they encountered governmental resistance.
It’s an equally incredible challenge on us to follow Jesus in our day and make that pursuit a way of life. We face attachments and resistance of a different nature—chiefly our interconnected economic system based on the consumer model. We are attached to the accidental nature of our births that set us up in nations and tribal groupings that equally make demands upon our allegiance and representation. It’s hard to engage as disciples when at times we don’t know where to begin, as followers of One who we say is Beginning (Alpha) and the End (Omega).
The answer may be to notice where Jesus began again. He appeared to His disciples. And then appeared again for the one who was not there! In Jesus’s kindness to Thomas, He placed each and everyone of us in that room. “Blessed are you who have seen and believed, but even more blessed are those who have never seen, and yet believe” In other words, He was speaking about us, about you and me!
So given this choice as a Body, how do you want to engage yourselves, and one another, as disciples? How can you, where you are, organize in a way that creates a community that focuses primarily on the mission of God? Don’t let parochial reports drive you. What must we grow out of to sharpen our engagement as disciples? Let us, each and all, organize so that the work of witnessing to the Risen Christ is our focus. After all, He makes us reconcilers or a “kingdom of priests” (go-betweeners, people-God connectors), a community that knows and shares forgiveness, a people whom God loves and who express that sense of being loved in our own attitudes and actions of loving. And who in the world could contain such testimony—not even perhaps the internet Cloud itself?
In the peace and love of Christ,
+Alan
The Rt. Rev. Alan Scarfe, Bishop of Iowa
