4 Easter 2015
If I’m honest, preaching about love
feels a little cliché’ to me. Of course we know that love is the most important
thing. We understand that Jesus commands us to love one another. We also know
that the Beatles have commended love to us as being all that we need…and
they’re absolutely right, actually. But, I just can’t shake this feeling that
preaching about love—even though we constantly need the reminder—feels a lot
like phoning-it-in.
Firstly, I suppose some of my
reticence comes from the way love has lost some of its moxie. For starters, the
English language only has one word for a number of different kinds of “love.”
So, there is some disparity in what we mean when we say we love something, or
that we love at all… I mean the fact that I can love God, love my family and
love tomato soup and grilled cheese should be an indicator.
Also, there is just something about
preaching and telling people to “love,” that feels a bit ambiguous. I refer you
to my earlier comment about tomato soup and grilled cheese. What does it mean,
then, to be admonished to “love.” This is especially tenuous in the context of
church. After all, I think any of us can conjure an experience we’ve had with
churches who talk about love, but seem to miss the mark when it comes to
actually embodying love. Instead, this version of love comes with all manner of
strings attached, and caveats about when or how or under what conditions it is appropriate to love. Or maybe it’s more
that we’ve encountered religious people who are just not very nice people, and
we wonder “what’s the point?”
What I’m building up to here are a
couple of things—1) love is not easy, and 2) the Church has a lot of bad
publicity to undo before I think we can clearly and honestly say that we are
the evidence of God’s love in the world. It’s kind of a scary thought when it’s
put that way, but it is true; we, the Church, are supposed to be the outward
and visible sign to the world that God loves everyone, and wants loving
relationship with all of us… (I know, but don’t panic. God has more faith in us
than we have in ourselves.)
But, it’s my guess that the reason
that such a responsibility makes us uneasy—and probably why I’m on the fence
about preaching about love is precisely because the Church hasn’t always done
it well. In fact, there have been times and places, and certain groups within
Christendom who have given a positively miserable impression of all of us. And,
often, because some of us can’t (I suppose) get over ourselves, we continue to
undercut the work of building up loving community in Christ’s name. So, the
damage is done, and it’s done under the guise of Christianity; which means even
when the Church tries to love well, and be the Body of Christ in the
world…well, we just appear disingenuous.
However, this is not to say that
the cause of love, and being God’s People in the world is hopeless. It’s not
hopeless because as we find in the 1st Epistle of John (from our
reading today), there is a lot to be said for what we do with our love that
makes a difference. It says:
Little
children, let us love, not in word or speech, but in truth and action. And by
this we will know that we are
from the truth and will reassure our hearts before [God] whenever our hearts condemn us…
In other words, love should make us
move. Love should also compel us to uphold those things which are honest and
true (so, not falling into drama and gossip, because these types of things are just poisonous). And when love is
embodied through action and even community life—not only do our hearts not
condemn us, but those who experience Christianity in our lives, won’t condemn
us, either. This is important, especially since people regularly judge all of
Christianity based on individual Christians…
So, love has to lead us to action
in the world—otherwise it’s not only a waste to talk about, but I’m also
beginning to believe that it’s offensive to talk about love without action.
And, if our attitudes or behavior to one another, or towards people who are
supposed to be in loving, Christian community are negative (with backbiting and
gossip); it gives a pretty terrible impression of what we mean when we talk
about love. The same is true if we encourage such behavior—and, sadly,
tolerating or even silently entertaining such behavior also sends a pretty bad
signal, as well.
Like I said, love is not easy. But
that is also to say that if we can commit to honestly try to live in love; if
we can strive to put our love into action; if we can encourage healthy, loving
community; the Church (not just our congregation) will grow and be vital.
Because the truth is the Gospel of Christ that the world receives isn’t
anything we can write, or say—but it is
what we do and how we behave. Because, after all, we are the Gospel—the good
news that Jesus died and rose again, and loves people who make mistakes, and
don’t always have it all together—that is
the Gospel.
Our lives are Good News, because
we’re each living proof that people are worth something; that people can find
meaning and redemption for their lives in Jesus Christ; and, most importantly, that
people are worthy of love, and can learn to love. We know this is true because Jesus
proved love on the Cross.
So, why don’t I like the idea of
preaching about love? Well, because love is not easy. I’m also afraid that
because we’ve heard the message so many times that it’s become white noise—and I
neither want to add to that white noise, nor do I want to cheapen what love is,
and what it expects of us. I also worry about what excuses or justifications we
might make for ourselves to not try to live up to the standard that God in Christ
demands of us when it comes to love. I think I’m also concerned that when
something appears impossible, or idealistic, we’d rather make concessions, and
thereby sell ourselves short. What would that say of us once the world takes
the measure of us? I don’t know…I would imagine Christianity’s negative press
might give us an idea, however.
But even with all of that in mind,
I will leave you with some final considerations. If we, the very people who
claim to hold to the faith (even claim Christ’s name as our identity), if we
continue to hedge our bets, and not really live as if faith matters—how could
we expect others to believe? What kind of new life—or even different life do we
portray from what the world has already offered?
And yet, if we were to really try
to love as Christ commands; if our love was more than words, but also action
and truth…I believe that in a culture that survives on falsehood and hypocrisy,
the Church has the opportunity offer something—to be something—which is good
and true...a community of faith which speaks, acts and lives in true love; and
by this evidence can be the sacrament of the risen Christ in the world.
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