Fifth Sunday of Easter – C1

Fifth Sunday of Easter – C1

Years C
Acts 11:1-18

We just love to interpret G*D to G*D as well as to others who obviously don’t understand G*D or they would more quickly agree with us. So our constant surprise is that the limits we have set on G*D are surpassed. Constant, that is, if we are constant in attending to such matters. Otherwise we have periodic big jumps of understanding that are as dramatic as Peter’s vision.

Without constant attention we have to be called to attention several times before we catch what is going on.

With constant attention to whatever new thing G*D is up to we tend to lose track of what is happening with our neighbor and are surprised that they are either much farther behind or ahead than we had last noted.

So it is - our understanding of what it means to love G*D and Neighbor always seems to be lagging behind. While we pay attention to one part of that equation we miss something going on in the other.

This is a reason community is so important - helping us correct our understanding more quickly as someone else attends in a different way than we do and is up to sharing that and we are up to being shared with.

All along the way a key to attention is stretching forth to sense, follow, and implement a next stage of inclusion.

= = = = = = =

we are known
by our uncleanliness
accepted as sin

we know others
by their uncleanliness
yelled as sinner

the boundaries we set
are our limits
of perception

quickly we see differences
slowly we push them back
to find a new grace

by profanity we hedge round
our fears and their behavior
never open to other possibilities

our profane labels
capture baptism
for ourselves

relabeling cleanliness
pulls distinctions apart
revealing new gifts