Ivan Illich lived from 1926–2002.
He was a German intellectual who was considered to be a leading
radical political and social thinker from the last half of the
last century. He once wrote the following:
"We can only live the changes we wish to see: We cannot
think our way to humanity. Every one of us, every group,
must become the model of that which we desire to create.
We must break the obsolete social and economic systems that
divide the world between the over-privileged and the under-privileged.
Each of us, whether government leader or protester, business
executive or worker, professor or student, share a common guilt.
We have failed ... through our lack of responsible awareness
... and thus added to suffering around the world.
All of us are cripples ... some physically, some mentally,
some emotionally. We must, therefore, strive cooperatively
to create a new world. There is no time left for destruction,
for hatred, for anger. We must build in hope and joy and celebration."
What is it that we desire to create? As professed followers
of Jesus Christ are we committed to living the model Jesus created
for us or are we attempting to create something else we dare
to call Christianity? In His final discourse as remembered by
John, Jesus tells us that we are to love one another and keep
His commandments. He also prays for us and asks God that we may
be one with each other even as He is one with God. He prays that
we may be one with God as well. What evidence is there that we
want this oneness?
Luke, another of the Gospel writers who also wrote the Book
of Acts, also sees this plea for unity coming from Jesus. In
Acts 2:44 he writes, "All who believed were together and
had all things in common." This may be a slight exaggeration
but it points to the attempt of a unified community. In Acts
4:32 we read: "Now the whole group of those who believed
were of one heart and soul, and no one claimed private ownership
of any possessions, but everything they owned was held in common." Again,
this points in a particular direction. We do know that this group
expected the immediate return of Jesus and the beginning of a
new age. Also, we know that at least Ananias and Sapphira did
not adhere to this policy of total sharing. Still the report
in this chapter of Acts states that goods were distributed to
those in need so that there was no needy person among them.
Most Christians today do not anticipate the imminent return
of Jesus. This, however, is not a good reason for our not working
toward oneness, which does not mean absolute uniformity. It has
much more to do with understanding and attitude about how God
desires us to see and treat one another. In Ephesians 4:1-3,
the apostle Paul writes: "I beg you to lead a life worthy
of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility
and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love,
making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the
bond of peace."
Jesus modeled that which He asks of us. He prayed that we may
become completely one, which means all of us will want what God
wants, so that the world may know that God sent Jesus to us.
I go back to Ivan Illich's words: "We must become
the model of that which we wish to create." I wonder what
it is we wish to create and also wonder whether or not we can
find agreement amongst ourselves. In order for this to happen
all of us will no doubt have to do some dying unto ourselves.
Timothy Luke Johnson writes in, The Creed:
What Christians Believe and Why It Matters (New York: Doubleday, 2003), pp. 252-255, "the
community of faith needs genuine and mutual discernment concerning
its shared life. Discernment, in turn, requires loyalty to what
all agree is essential, the encouragement of diverse gifts that
build rather than diminish the community, and the willingness
to exercise charity through a "hermeneutics of generosity" one
toward another."
I realize this call to unity appears to be impossible. One must
wonder if Jesus really meant what He was asking of us and of
God. We look at our world with all of its conflicts and unity
seems out of the question. Christians don't even agree
with one another. Presbyterians do not agree with one another.
We are proud to say, "God alone is Lord of the conscience,"
as a means of asserting our rich Scotch-Irish independence. We
cannot agree even among the one hundred churches in our presbytery
nor are the 523 active members of our congregation in agreement
on many things. So why would any preacher be so foolish to even
suggest this is our calling?
What would happen to unity just among ourselves if indeed God
alone was truly Lord of our individual consciences? What would
happen, do you think, if all of us here were truly committed
to knowing and creating the model Jesus gave to us? My guess
is that our lives would somehow be different. How in the world
could we ever hope to make significant strides in this let alone
accomplish it?
First, I believe we would have to love and trust Jesus more
than we do. I think we would have to use the resources God provides
in order to become better acquainted with God and with God's
ways. I would have to ask Jesus and the Holy Spirit for their
help and begin to see ways I could love each one better than
I presently do. I would have to look for places of common agreement
with others and ask myself if Jesus would also agree with that
understanding or action. I would have to believe that with God
all things are possible. I would have to constantly be asking
myself if my thoughts and actions were what God wants. I would
need the support of the community to help me when I was weak.
I would have to begin by attempting to answer a previous question,
"Does Jesus really want us to be one with God and each other
and is this the very best possible thing I can do with my life?"
Then I would need to seek out one other person who was willing
to be as foolish as I am, foolish enough to enter into a covenant
with me to attempt to live our lives this way. Even as I write
these words a battle is going on in my mind. "Keep writing," one
voice says, "because you are being led by the Spirit." "Start
a new sermon because this is sheer stupidity," another
voice chimes in. It's Monday; I will only know next Sunday
which voice I followed. If it is the latter, you'll never
hear of my struggle nor will you hear this sermon. So now you
know which voice won!
In the beginning of his prayer in John 17, Jesus talks about
His coming to give us eternal life. Our oneness with God and
each other involves more than the world seeing it and consequently
believing in God. It has to do with our eternal life. Here I
am not talking about an unlimited number of years. Rather I am
speaking about a quality and depth of relationship and what happens
to us when we seek to make the quality and depth of relationships
the greatest priority of our lives.
I strongly believe this is what Jesus is attempting to describe
in His prayer about oneness. What is the quality and depth of
our relationships with God and with each other? Can we have one
level for God and several other levels for others depending upon
who they are? I don't think so!
Oneness, as Jesus describes it, means a quality of equality.
It involves mutual respect, support, agreement and love. I do
not think Jesus would have asked God for this if Jesus felt it
was impossible or unnecessary. I believe that the prayer of Jesus
on our behalf is consistent with God's purpose for creating
us. |
