Faithful Conversations #63

Introduction to Readers

There’s an old adage when coaching distance runners: “If you want to do something different, you need to DO something different!” It might seem like double-speak, but there is a life lesson there and, it seems to me, an application to our spiritual journeys. I have been thinking about that recently, particularly regarding my approach to the discipline of prayer. More on that to follow. This week’s blog posting has two parts: first, some history of the Feast Day known as the Ascension of Our Lord and overview of the accompanying readings; and second, an overview of the readings for Easter 7 and commentary on John 17. As always, thanks for visiting this space again this week!

Brief history of ascension Day (this coming thursday):

Celebrated since the earliest days of Christianity, the Feast of the Ascension (also known as Ascension Day or Holy Thursday), commemorates our belief in the bodily ascension of Jesus Christ into heaven as described in Luke. The exact origins of its observance are somewhat uncertain, but by the 4th Century, it was widely celebrated by Christians, particularly in the Eastern Church. The Western Church formally established the celebration in the 6th Century. The Ascension is observed on a Thursday, forty days after Easter Sunday. (Sidebar: In some Christian denominations, the Feast is transferred to the following Sunday for practical reasons, allowing more people to participate in the celebration). Throughout history, various customs and rituals have been associated with Ascension Day, including special church services, processions, and devotional practices. Holy Thursday marks the completion of Jesus’ earthly ministry and serves as a reminder of the promise of Jesus’ return in glory, as mentioned in the New Testament.

Readings for the Ascension of our Lord (Thursday 9 May) Acts 1: 1-11 Psalm 47 (or 93) Ephesians 1: 15-23 Luke 24: 44-53

what to look for in the Ascension day Readings:

These four scripture passages convey the profound significance of Christ’s Ascension. Acts 1:1-11 portrays the moment of Jesus’ departure from Earth, as He ascends into heaven, promising the disciples the Holy Spirit and affirming His return. Luke 24:44-53 recounts the same event, emphasizing Jesus’ final words of blessing and commissioning to His followers. Ephesians 1:15-23 expands on the cosmic implications of Christ’s Ascension, depicting His exaltation above all powers and authorities, with believers as beneficiaries of His glorious inheritance. Psalm 47 serves as a poetic celebration of God’s sovereignty and kingship, resonating with the themes of triumph and exaltation present throughout the Ascension narrative.

Readings for Easter 7 Acts 1: 15-17, 21-26 Psalm 1 1 John 5: 9-13 John 17: 6-19 (highlighted below)

what to look for in the Readings for easter 7:

The readings for the 7th Sunday of Easter encompass various themes that reflect the significance of Jesus’ ascension and the disciples’ preparation for the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. In Acts 1:15-17, 21-26, the disciples gather to choose a replacement for Judas Iscariot (eventually Matthias), highlighting the importance of unity and community among believers. Psalm 1 echoes the theme of righteousness and meditation on God’s law, emphasizing the path of the righteous and their steadfastness in faith. 1 John 5:9-13 underscores the assurance of eternal life through belief in Jesus Christ, emphasizing the importance of faith and testimony. Finally, John 17:6-19 presents Jesus’ high priestly prayer, where he intercedes for his disciples and emphasizes their sanctification and protection in the world. Together, these readings offer a rich narrative surrounding the disciples’ preparation for ministry and the assurance of God’s presence and protection amidst challenges going forward.

The Gospel Reading from John

17 After Jesus had spoken these words, he looked up to heaven and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son so that the Son may glorify you, ² since you have given him authority over all people, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. ³ And this is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. ⁴ I glorified you on earth by finishing the work that you gave me to do. ⁵ So now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had in your presence before the world existed. ⁶ “I have made your name known to those whom you gave me from the world. They were yours, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. ⁷ Now they know that everything you have given me is from you, ⁸ for the words that you gave to me I have given to them, and they have received them and know in truth that I came from you, and they have believed that you sent me. ⁹ I am asking on their behalf; I am not asking on behalf of the world but on behalf of those whom you gave me, because they are yours. ¹⁰ All mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I have been glorified in them. ¹¹ And now I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one, as we are one. ¹² While I was with them, I protected them in your name that you have given me. I guarded them, and not one of them was lost except the one destined to be lost, so that the scripture might be fulfilled. ¹³ But now I am coming to you, and I speak these things in the world so that they may have my joy made complete in themselves. ¹⁴ I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. ¹⁵ I am not asking you to take them out of the world, but I ask you to protect them from the evil one. ¹⁶ They do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. ¹⁷ Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. ¹⁸ As you have sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. ¹⁹ And for their sakes I sanctify myself, so that they also may be sanctified in truth. ²⁰ “I ask not only on behalf of these but also on behalf of those who believe in me through their word, ²¹ that they may all be one. As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 

reflecting on the “high priestly prayer” of jesus

The High Priestly Prayer of Jesus is found in John 17:1-26 (note that I’m including verses beyond what is assigned in the Lectionary). It’s a profound and intimate prayer that Jesus offered on behalf of his disciples just before his arrest and crucifixion. In this prayer, Jesus prays to the Father, expressing his desires for his disciples, for their unity, sanctification, and their mission in the world. It’s often regarded as one of the most significant prayers in the New Testament, revealing Jesus’ deep love for his followers and his concern for their spiritual well-being. Here’s a quick outline of 1-21:  Verses 1-5 show the stress exhibited in Jesus’ words as he speaks about his self-understanding in terms of his own mission. 6-9 include the gift of God’s words Jesus has shared with them. 10-13 include Jesus’ sharing of all that he has with the disciples, his pleas for their protection so their unity is not disrupted, and finally the gift of joy. Verses 14-19 conclude with the affirmation of the disciples’ placement squarely in the midst of human life and the process of God’s truth working in them a holy life.  Finally, 20-21 suggest that Jesus is also praying for those in the future (like us!) who will acknowledge him as Lord. What should we take away from this incredible prayer? Some refer to the High Priestly Prayer of Jesus as the “other” Lord’s Prayer, referencing the familiar words Jesus gave us in his Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 6:5-15). Beyond providing a model prayer, however, Jesus’ conversation with God feels deeply personal. Pastor and professor Susan Hedahl said this about this intimate moment with Jesus from John 17: This prayer is many things: leave-taking reflections; summary words; a call to spiritual struggle and commitment; and most of all, a prayer for someone who loves his followers deeply. That last line — and most of all, a prayer for someone who loves his followers deeply — hit me hard. Jesus is offering us a tremendous example of intercessory prayer here, a prayer given by someone on behalf of another. The context is important. He had spent three years with this group of men, among others who walked with him on this earth. And now, he was leaving. What must have been going through their minds at this point? And then he prays for us! (Verses 20-21). And his prayer includes the desire that we “all be one.” Let that sit in your heart for a few moments. How many people do you encounter in your daily walk who NEED to know that God loves them? As we look around at all the agony in our world — all the division and hatred — we need to dwell on these words from John 17! We need to share these words with others! Soli Deo Gloria ** As is often the case, many ideas I include here are drawn from others. This week’s blog was inspired, in part, from a 2009 reflection written by Susan Hedahl, Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg in fall 2012.

concluding thoughts on prayer this week:

As mentioned last week, I am offering a few things to think about regarding the spiritual discipline of prayer and will do so again next week. I found these two excerpts helpful this week.   From Martin Luther: In our prayers, we should firmly believe that God’s promise to us is always sure and certain and have no doubt that He will give us what He promises. Words of promise from God always call for faith on our part. Faith is a firm, undoubted confidence in the truth of God’s promise. He who prays to God with doubts in his heart is tempting God. He has his doubts about God’s will and grace. His prayer must be meaningless. He gropes after God like a blind man for a wall.  From Henri Nouwen: Silence means rest, rest of body and mind in which we become available for him whose heart is greater than ours. That is very threatening; it is like giving up control over our actions and thoughts, allowing something creative to happen not by us but to us. Is it so amazing that we are so often tired and exhausted, trying to be masters of ourselves, wanting to grasp the ultimate meaning of our existence, struggling with our identity? Silence is that moment in which we not only stop the discussion with others but also the inner discussions with ourselves, in which we can breathe in freely and accept our identity as a gift. “Not I live, but He lives in me.” It is in this silence that the Spirit of God can pray in us and continue his creative work in us. . . . Without silence the Spirit will die in us and the creative energy of our life will float away and leave us alone, cold, and tired. Without silence we will lose our center and become the victim of the many who constantly demand our attention.

and, finally, celebrating unity in song . . . .

As part of our communion celebration at ELC on Sunday, we sang this familiar tune. After searching around a bit, I stumbled on this version of it. I learned that the song is derived from an African American Spiritual, and that it was most likely first sung at the time of the Civil War. (Note: It first showed up in our tradition with the Lutheran Book of Worship in 1978, and you will find it on page 471 in the ELW, our current hymnal).  I don’t know the full background of this live recording by Joan Baez, but I guarantee it will lift your spirit today, particularly when you reach the 4:20 mark!

we will resume our in-person discussion of the Lectionary on sunday 19 May! join us in the church library at 10:45 — no prior knowedge or special expertise is necessary — we grapple with scripture every week! All are welcome!