Scripture
John 14:18-2118 “I will not leave you orphaned; I am coming to you. 19 In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me; because I live, you also will live. 20 On that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. 21 They who have my commandments and keep them are those who love me; and those who love me will be loved by my Father, and I will love them and reveal myself to them.” (NRSV)
Devotion
Many of us are familiar with the King James version of John: 14 18, which reads "I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you." The KJV's poetic words can be found in everything from embroidery samplers to songs. But it is the NRSV's more literal use of "orphans" that speaks to me during our current crisis.The Greek word ὀρφανούς (orphanous) means someone who is "fatherless." To become an orphan--to become fatherless--was a frequent yet horrible occurrence in the ancient world. According to Dr. J.T. Fitzgerald of the University of Notre Dame, a variety of factors including malnutrition, poor living conditions, and the threat of war mean that 40-45% of Roman children had lost their fathers by the time they were 15. Orphaned children existed on the margins of society. They were extremely vulnerable to abuse, neglect, oppression and exploitation. Throughout the Bible, God establishes himself as the protector of orphans and people that it is their moral obligation to provide for them. And yet, the prophets repeatedly rail against the people for ignoring and taking advantage of fatherless children. In Jesus's day, to be called "fatherless" was another way of saying that you were bereaved and desolate. It was to be without help or hope.
During the Last Supper, Jesus promises the disciples that, he will not leave them on their own. The world may no longer see him physically moving from place to place, but he will continue to reveal himself to those who love him. They will never be hopeless or helpless like an orphan, because Christ will always exist inside of them, and they will exist in him. What's more, Jesus exists in God, so wherever he is, God is there too. As long as the disciples loved Jesus and follow his commandments, their Father in heaven will be there to love, guide, and protect them.
Jesus's words strike me as especially meaningful today. The world may not see Christians gathering in our houses of worship, but we know that Christ is still with us. He exists within us, offering us hope and help each time we keep his commandments to protect the vulnerable among us. It may seem counter-intuitive to those of us who are used to gathering in order to learn God's Word and then going out to share it with others, but keeping Christ's commandments currently means finding ways to spread the Good News from home. It may feel strange, and we may feel out to sea from time to time, but we need never feel helpless or hopeless. Our good Father is here with us, and he will guide us through this.
It seems providential that when I decided to search for sung versions of John 14:18, the first video that popped up was a virtual choir. Choir members of St. James Episcopal Church of South Pasadena, California are putting together pieces like this as part of their virtual worship services. Jesus Christ lives within each of these people as they as they seek to keep his commandments. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, and with the help of modern technology, they have found a beautiful way to remind us of Christ's presence with us. We are not orphans. The Father is here to protect and guide us. If we keep watchful, we will see him revealed in our lives.
No comments:
Post a Comment