Fifth Easter Sunday, Year C
Theme: How People Know We Are Jesus’ Disciples 世人如何知道我們是耶穌的門徒
I used to visit prisons before and most of the prison officers and inmates greeted me “Pastor” instead of “Father” or “Deacon”. In their mind, Protestant is equal to Christian. Workers in funeral parlours are a little bit better because they know we are performing Catholic rites, not Protestant ones. But they still greet me “Father” instead of “Deacon”. It doesn’t bother me because I don’t expect them to know the difference and “Deacon” is not in their vocabulary. After all, as far as Hong Kong is concerned, people know Protestants more than Catholics. Producers of mass media also lack the knowledge. For example, TV dramas were shot in a popular Catholic Church in the New Territories because of its age and simplicity. But the characters running the “church” were pastors, or “Catholic priests” quoting bible passages in Protestant versions! English speaking Christians share the same bible but for Chinese speaking Christians, the wordings and names of Protestant bibles are different from the Catholic one. The different wordings have been a major obstacle for ecumenism among Chinese speaking Christians.
Catholic laity tend to be shy and humble. They are amiable and are able to mix along with people easily. But they prefer being invisible in a crowd and hiding themselves behind people because they are supposed to be humble. If you ask them to speak up, to lead and to proclaim their identity and faith, they prefer not because for them this is the job of the clergy. In previous generations, people could still tell whether a person was a Catholic if they saw him/her carrying or praying with rosaries. But it is no longer true these days. Many modern Catholics are no longer as pious as Catholics in previous generations. They are becoming more out-reaching and social-oriented probably due to Vatican II reforms. Catholics have yet to grope their way in this fast-paced modern world.
On the other hand, people can easily tell whether a customer in a restaurant is Protestant because they openly say grace before meals whereas Catholics don’t. Protestants are more eager to evangelize. They spend less energy in liturgy and more on fellowship. They value eloquence in homily and bearing witness. They don’t feel uncomfortable talking about Jesus. It is a well-established MO for them whereas the Catholic Church is better-established in spirituality and liturgy. Now, in the eye of the world, who are the disciples of Jesus, Protestant or Catholic? Obviously in Hong Kong, Protestants are disciples of Jesus.
What does Jesus say in the gospel passage today? “This is how all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35). Actually, having love for one another is NOT a distinctive mark of Christians because members of many religious communities or social classes also love one another. What makes Christian love stand out from the love shown by other communities? I think we need to read a previous verse, viz. “As I have loved you, so you also should love one another.” (13:34b) So, the question becomes how far Christians love each other as Jesus has loved us.
First of all, unlike the filial piety of the Chinese culture in which children love their parents in ways elaborated to the full by Confucianism, Jesus’ love is not governed by the same logic. Filial piety is a love out of duty simply because children came from parents. Chinese care very much about paying respect to ancestors. Therefore, it becomes a duty for children to obey, respect and take care of their parents. On the other hand, parents also have the duty to love and to care in order to bring up the children too. The relationship is reciprocal. Of course duty does not deny any room for love. But the very idea of duty will diminish the quality of love. Imagine a boy who impregnates a girl and marries her out of a sense of responsibility. Of course we cannot deny the quality of his love but surely it would be harder for the couple to develop authentic and fulfilling intimacy. As for the case of Jesus, He is our Creator and we are His creatures. The Creator can do whatever He likes to His creation. He has no duty to love and care for them. Therefore, we can rule out the case of Jesus loving us out of duty.
Secondly, consider the case of utilitarian relationships. Many relationships in modern commercial societies are functional and utilitarian. Relations are maintained when they increase the benefits of both parties. In other words, the relation is a utilitarian relation which is useful for both parties. If the relationship is a zero-sum relationship in which one party benefits at the expanse of the other party, it is a dysfunctional and immoral relationship. Such a dysfunctional relationship is a bondage, even slavery and can only be maintained with brute force. Our relationship with Jesus our Maker is not a utilitarian one. It is because our relationship with Jesus does not increase the benefit/glory of Jesus. In reality, we are damages/liabilities and burdens on Jesus. Had our relationship been a utilitarian one, Jesus would have severed us asap. Our existence would become questionable. So far, we have been rational.
How does Jesus do it? Is it because He is the Son of God, all knowing and all powerful? But He genuinely shares the same humanity with us at the same time! Indeed, He helps us transcend this injured humanity by affirming the innocence and beauty of our lives the moment He created us. In time, our lives were contaminated in this sinful world so that we become the scumbags we now are. Jesus loves scumbags in order to restore the innocence and beauty in them. This is the kind of edifying love Jesus looks for in His followers. It is inclusive and not selective. It is altruistic and forever ready to sacrifice oneself for the good of the others. If we are unable to love our enemies, to love those scumbags, we are NOT His disciples, whether the world knows it or not.
Brethren! Think seriously over it. Jesus has advised you to do calculations before committing your faith in Him (Luke 14:27-30). Otherwise, people would tease you and you’ll regret. But He understands us through and through, even better than we know ourselves. He knows our frailty and is willing to take up the cross for us. He promises to help us carry the burden (Matthew 11:28-30). So, will you attempt this adventure, put your faith in Him, surrender yourselves to Him and let Him raise you up?
God bless!
2019 Reflection
Photo Credit: allthatsinteresting.com
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