Remembrance Prepares

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31 When he was gone, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man is glorified and God is glorified in him. 32 If God is glorified in him, God will glorify the Son in himself, and will glorify him at once. 33 “My children, I will be with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and just as I told the Jews, so I tell you now: Where I am going, you cannot come. 34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:31-34)

This year our lectionary scriptures use these final weeks between our recognition of Jesus' resurrection and his ascension to remind us of pivotal moments and teachings. In the passage from John 13, just after Judas had left the group to betray Jesus by arranging for his arrest, Jesus declared that this was the moment of his glorification. This moment when everything he had done would seem to be in vain, and even those with whom he had directly shared in ministry and mission would disown and abandon him - this was the moment he was glorified. He went on to tell them his disciples that he was giving them a new command: to love one another as Jesus had loved. While loving one another had been a tenant of the Jewish faith since, at least, Moses received the Law from God, the new thing was Jesus' sacrificial love as the example his followers are called to emulate.

Perhaps when our efforts don't yield the results we hope for, or when those we expected to support us fail to live up to our expectations, we can be strengthened and encouraged by Jesus' words and example. When things are out of out hands, they're still in God's hands. Our moments of weakness are reminders to rely on God's strength. And, we love one another best when we lay ourselves down - our will, our pride - in order that they might know God's unconditional love. By God's grace, may we walk the path of Christ - humbled by his love and

empowered by his example of faith.

1 Praise the Lord.

Praise the Lord from the heavens;

praise him in the heights above.

2 Praise him, all his angels;

praise him, all his heavenly hosts.

3 Praise him, sun and moon;

praise him, all you shining stars.

4 Praise him, you highest heavens

and you waters above the skies.

5 Let them praise the name of the Lord,

for at his command they were created,

6 and he established them for ever and ever—

he issued a decree that will never pass away.

11 Kings of the earth and all nations,

you princes and all rulers on earth,

12 young men and women,

old men and children.

13 Let them praise the name of the Lord,

for his name alone is exalted;

his splendor is above the earth and the heavens.

14 And he has raised up for his people a horn,

the praise of all his faithful servants,

of Israel, the people close to his heart.

Praise the Lord.

(Psalm 148:1-6,11-14)