Far Cry

7 Easter, Year B

May 17, 2015

Saint Mark's Episcopal Church, Bay City, TX

John 17:6-19

I was in Austin last night at a Rush concert with my brother.  It was a great show, their 40^th year as a band, and the 40 years of Rush tour.  During one song from their Couterparts album, I turned to Kevin and said, “we first saw the concert for this album 21 years ago.”  “No,” he said, and then realized, “oh my gosh it was 21 years.”  Then we realized it was actually 23.  It was a joyful moment remembering those times together and thinking about my brother’s and my love for each other over the past 23 years and the 14 before that.

I’ve had similar experiences of nostalgia and remembering life with joy when reading Scripture as well.  Often, reading scripture brings me back to high school, when I first started reading scripture, and I remember the words of Jesus as I understood them then, when life seemed a bit simpler.  Hearing and remembering Jesus’ words brings me joy.

I believe Jesus disciples also found joy when remembering Jesus’ words and prayer for them.  I can imagine them, years after Jesus’ resurrection, facing hard times, persecution, rejection by some, and finding joy in remembering the words Jesus spoke to them in the prayer he prayed which we heard today in John’s Gospel.  I don’t imagine Jesus’ disciples were overly happy when they were rejected, beaten, ridiculed, or generally hated by the world, but I can imagine them being joyful. 

Jesus prayed that they would have joy.  This is different from happiness.  Happiness is good, but fleeting, and generally depends on the situation.  We can’t be happy when we are sad, but we can be joyful. 

So what is joy? For me, joy comes from knowing that I am staying true to Jesus’ way, staying true to my values, even when life is going rather less well than I would have hoped.  Joy comes from the hope of the resurrection.  Joy comes in being with my family.   Joy comes in remembering Jesus’ prayer that we would be one with him, one with each other, and one with God.  Joy comes in remembering Jesus’ prayer that God would protect us from the evil one and help us to walk and be sanctified in Jesus’ ways and in the truth of his word. 

Joy comes in living out Jesus’ teachings and ways.  One example recently was when I got a crack in my windshield.  I had purchased some lumber, and the young man who was helping me load it into my car accidentally cracked my windshield with it.  The look on his face said all I needed to hear.  He was scared and wondering if he would lose his job and wondering how he was going to pay for it.  As he asked for my number to make arrangements to pay for it, I told him not to worry about it.  We haggled a bit, “no, let me fix it,” “no, it’s ok,” and we finally agreed that I appreciated his help and did not ask him to fix the windshield. 

That brought me joy.  I wasn’t overly happy about having a cracked windshield, but I was joyful about giving this young man grace and mercy.  I don’t know what his wages are, but I think it’s safe to assume I am making more money than he is.  I could afford this more than he could.  So, I followed in what I believe to be the way of Jesus, and offered this man grace and mercy.  That brought me much joy. 

Jesus prayed that his joy would be complete in us.  So, my question is, what about Jesus or your faith brings you joy?  Hold on to those things.  Life will not always be happy, but you can have joy, even in the difficult times, as Jesus prayed, that his joy in you would be complete.  Amen.