| Reading 1 | Response | Reading 2 | Gospel |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acts 1:15-17, 20a, 20c-26 | Ps 103:1-2, 11-12, 19-20 | 1 Jn 4:11-16 | Jn 17:11b-19 |
| RCL: Acts 1:15-17, 21-26 | RCL: 1 Jn 5:9-13 | RCL: Jn 7:6-19 |
Eastertime: finding our own Easter meaning
In the Easter season, Jesus appears to his disciples and explains his resurrection’s meaning; reveals himself as good shepherd, true vine, and one who has laid down his life; and prays for those whom he sends into the world. This week’s readings focus on how we live out Easter’s meaning in our believing community and our lives.
First reading (Acts 1:15-17, 20a, 20c-26)
The first reading is the eighth and final part of an eight-week, semi-continuous reading from the Acts of the Apostles, written in the late 80s by the same author as Luke’s gospel. Acts continues the story of Jesus and his believing community: the resurrected Jesus returns to the Father and sends the Spirit. Luke’s sequel is the story of the Spirit’s continuing actions in Jesus’ believing community, primarily in the words and actions of Peter and Paul.
In today’s pericope, Peter assumes his community leadership role. The community’s first need is to replace Judas Iscariot, bringing the apostolic number back to twelve. Jesus chooses Twelve special followers to symbolize his intent to restore the twelve tribes of God’s people (Lk 22:29-10). The Twelve, filled with God’s Spirit, will lead the reconstituted people of God after Pentecost. The community ensures that Judas’ successor is qualified: someone present with Jesus from his baptism through his ascension, and a “witness to his resurrection.” The community nominates two candidates, Barsabbas (= “son of one who pleases”) and Matthias (= “gift of God”), but God chooses Matthias through “casting lots,” a traditional Jewish practice of understanding God’s will.
The Lectionary editors chose this reading to show how the risen Jesus, through the Spirit, continues to work in the ekklesia.
Second reading (1 Jn 4:11-16)
The second reading is the sixth and final part of a six-week, semi-continuous reading from the First Letter of John. John the Elder wrote his letters (1 John, 2 John, 3 John) between 100-115 AD to various Johannine communities (ekklesiais), a network of house-churches probably centered around Ephesus. He urges the communities to unity by clearly stating teachings on the incarnation, the love command, the Spirit, the nature of sin, and end-time expectations.
In today’s pericope, the Elder restates from last week’s reading (1 Jn 4:7-10) that we must “love one another.” God’s love, not human love, is the source of our love for one another. God’s love is a transformative process: through our loving one another, the unseen God brings divine love to perfection in us (“God’s love remains in us”). The Elder stresses again our need to remain-in-relationship (μένω/ménō) with God. We know that we remain-in-relationship with God because God “has given us [God’s] Spirit,” who remains or abides in the believing community. The witness (“we have seen and testify”) suggests that the Elder’s community included eyewitnesses who personally saw and heard Jesus’ earthly ministry. The pericope’s final sentence sums up what “God is love” means: God is the source of love. God reveals what love is through God’s life and actions. To remain or abide in love is to remain-in-relationship with God. If a disciple remains in relationship with God, God remains in a mutual relationship with the disciple. Love remains (or abides) in disciples who remain (or abide) in love because God is love.
The Lectionary editors chose this reading to conclude the Elder’s interpretation of Jesus’ transformative and saving act, and to see how disciples interpret and reinterpret Easter.
Gospel (Jn 17:11b-19)
In John’s gospel, Jesus shows his concern for his disciples. Preparing to return to the Father, Jesus asks that the Father protect the fragile disciples as they continue Jesus’ mission in an unbelieving and hostile world.
- Jesus’ concern for his disciples. While in the world, Jesus guards his disciples (“protected them in your name”). Now preparing to return to the Father (“I am coming to you”), Jesus asks the Father to protect them from “the evil one.” Jesus has revealed the Father (“I gave them your word”) to his disciples; the disciples’ “joy” comes from knowing God completely and directly. This joy authenticates a believing community’s religious and spiritual claims, and should permeate the community’s words and actions.
- God’s holiness. Hebrew scripture shows holiness as God’s identifying characteristic, and calls those who follow God to be as holy as God is (Lv 11:44, Lv 19:2, Lv 20:7; also 1 Pt 1:15-16). Jesus asks the Father to “consecrate” (or “sanctify” or make holy) his disciples “in the truth;” that is, God’s word incarnated and revealed in Jesus. God’s holy name (“keep them in your name”) protects them from the evil one who rules the world.
- The disciples in the world. Jesus paints a stark contrast: the Father and Jesus, in unity (“as we are one”) “protect,” “guard,” and remain-in-relationship with disciples, but the “evil one,” commanding and controlling the unbelieving “world,” “hates,” divides, and rejects “the truth.” The world hates Jesus’ disciples because they have accepted “God’s word.” Jesus prays for his disciples, whom he sends into the world to continue his message of God’s saving plan (“as you sent me into the world”). Jesus glorifies the Father because his life, transformational death, and resurrection reveals God and fulfills God’s plan. Disciples glorify Jesus when they continue his mission of revealing God and proclaiming God’s saving plan (“consecrated/made holy in truth”).
Summary and reflection
Jesus’ resurrection has many meanings and many implications. As we come to the end of the Easter season, the readings invite us to reflect on this cosmos-changing event. Acts shows Peter reconstituting the Twelve in preparation for Jesus and the Father sending the Spirit and establishing the believing community (the ekklesia or church). The Elder urges his community to remain-in-relationship with God, who is love, so they can reveal and demonstrate God’s love to others. Jesus hands on his mission of revealing God’s plan to his disciples, asking the Father to care for them and make them holy so they can share in the joy of remaining-in-relationship.
The Easter season’s readings challenge us to find our own meanings in the continuing Easter story. With the early believers, we struggle to understand what “to rise from the dead” means. How do we recognize God’s presence and honor God’s will in our daily lives? How do we choose to reveal the God of love to others, both in our community and beyond? How do we express our remaining-in-relation joy in our daily words and actions? How are we living out the meaning of our own Easter story?
—Terence Sherlock
The Lectionary In Context 