In prayer on a Sunday, the visionary of Revelation has access to a view of the throne room of God. His eye lights on of all things, a lamb. More surprising, this odd Lamb is in the center of the throne room, not only a sacrificial lamb, a slaughtered lamb- seven attributes are given it.not only that, it is Mary’s little lamb. Even in the precincts of heaven, God honors the small. (Gandalf quote: “ Saruman believes it is only great power that can hold evil in check, but that is not what I have found. I found it is the small everyday deeds of ordinary folk that keep the darkness at bay… small acts of kindness and love. Why Bilbo Baggins? That’s because I am afraid and it gives me courage.” CS Lewis could never quite get this clear, for his Narnia image is of a great lion. Instead of the power of brute force, we encounter here the power of a choir. What a mixed choir it is, but part of it has martyrs in it. Suffering and death do not ge the last words for us. they look like victims, but now in God’s embrace they are singing in a victory choir.
In that light, I love the beach barbeque scene. At one level, we are in the presence of God in heaven, in a world we can but glimpse and never capture. At another level, the Risen Jesus, symbolized by the lamb in the vision is on the beach on the lake that dominates his home region. While the disciples are out at work, Jesus is cooking. First, the cooking bespeaks the importance of life here physically, the need to make a living and to eat. Second, I suspect that the 153 fish is the size of John’s church perhaps, and that means this church has more members than a church in John’s community.. Third, it is to emphasize that the resurrection has a body and soul component.this sort of physical activity distinguished a presence from a ghost, a mere figment. I have a fourth, but first.
Ps 30 is a hymn to moving from death to life. Yes it applies to a healing, but also to the great healing of moving from tomb to womb. We are not forever consigned to sadness, grief, and desolation. Yes, we admit that we are subject to it. It does us no earthly good to deny it, to not recognize it. With loss, we lived poised between death and life. Yes bereavement is part of loss. We do not have to live in grief forever. In time we will be able to dance again.
Paul’s Easter life is new spiritual insight. Look how Ananias offers him the gift of life as did Jesus. Notice it too is connected to forgiveness. In Paul's case, the physical scales fall from his eyes. It is doubly important for he could not see the vitality of the new Christian movement but he had an encounter with the holy and his eyes could not bear it, blinded by the light as Springsteen sings. Ananias is extraordinary because he has forgiven this persecutor of the faith, even though he had to be persuaded in his vision.. Paul was on the road to maybe capture and kill ananias.By the way, it is possible that the same street is still present in Damscus after ll these years and ruins east -west.
We are in the season of Easter light in the church.All of of readings open up into a broader wider world. The divine level collides with the everyday level in forgiveness. Again, in this extra chapter, John’s gospel stresses forgiveness. Jesus has not forgotten what Peter has done, as the triple question is no accident. Jesus is willing to give him not only an extra chance but offers him the trust of leadership.Oh yeah, the fourth part of the beach barbeque. Jesus prepares a charcoal fire, and the only place we find this word in the NT is the fire where peter warms himself as he denies Jesus. Jesus forgives n spite of remembering.
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