Acts 7:55-60 1 Peter 2:2-10 John 14:1-14 Psalm 31:1-5, 15-16

When my father died 15 years ago, he carried with him a secret – the secret that he knew he was dying, that his heart was growing weaker day by day.  And, he knew that if he shared that secret with my mother or any one of us, we would insist that he go to the doctor.  Keeping his secret (as I believe he had decided) would help assure that he would die at home rather than in hospital where he feared heroic efforts might prolong his life and require heart-wrenching decisions by family members.

Secretly aware of his approaching mortality, in the few days preceding his death, my father had phoned an exhaustive list of his beloved – his children, siblings, my mother’s siblings, far-spread cousins, long-time friends, neighbors, and church friends.  His expectation was that this was his last conversation with each of us, which remained carefully unrevealed, and we remained blissfully unaware of the preciousness of these conversations.  After his death, in conversation with these loved ones, there was the consistent echo, “He just called me a few days ago.”

Slowly, we began to understand; with God’s blessings and his earthly container weary and worn, Daddy made the decision to live whatever short time was left celebrating those who were dear to him.  This phone call to each of his chosen beloved was the final expression of his love.  Only with the passage of time and reflection would the secret message of his selfless autonomous decision be revealed to us.  With the passage of time, the true message in the phone call became clear.  Facing his earthly departure calmly, that message was: “It’s okay.”  “This is between God and me.”  Do not doubt that I love you.”  “Be at peace with my departure.”

The 14^th Chapter of John’s Gospel that includes our lesson for today is subtitled “Departure.”  The entirety of these middle five chapters, Chapters 13-17, is devoted to Jesus’ “Farewell Discourse.”  These are Jesus’ last words to his followers on the eve of the crucifixion as they are gathered in the Upper Room for their last meal together.  Jesus was aware of the betrayal, denial, and brutal execution that would be accomplished before the next day would be done.  He was leaving his final urgent instructions for the disciples who would be charged to carry the mission into the uncertain future.

Within this portion of this “Departure” discourse that we hear today are words of comfort and assurance:  Jesus, being one with the Father, was going to the Father to prepare a permanent dwelling place in the realm of God for all those who believe.  As the lengthy discourse droned on, with minds and hearts whirling with fear and confusion, the disciples could not possibly digest the breadth of the message they were hearing on that night.  Only the days, months, and centuries of reflection on Jesus’ last words and actions would allow clarity of interpretation of the necessity of his violent death – death necessary in order to give power to his message of comfort and peace for all who believe; showing us, through his death, what it is to trust God even in the face of debased humanity; leaving us with the vital instructions to love as he has loved, forgive, and serve one another.

And so, again and again, we read these words.  Again, and again Jesus’ words on the eve of betrayal, denial, and torturous death bring the comfort and assurance that they are intended to bring.   It is easy to understand why this scripture text is a favorite choice for the burial rite.

Years passed before it seemed my mother found some level of peace regarding my father’s death.  She agonized over her lack of attentiveness to his secreted awareness of his weakened state, blaming herself for not insisting he seek medical care, never quite accepting that he had plotted his course and faced his earthly death as he desired.

Unlike my father, Jesus was not at all secretive about his impending death.  It was not his intention to frighten the disciples, but to help them understand the urgency of his message and the necessity of his death.  Only much later, with ongoing reflection, would they begin to understand that Jesus’ earthly death was in God’s hands and in God’s time.  The crucifixion was not to be circumvented by any earthly force; the Resurrection explains and confirms it all, though it takes a lifelong faith journey to digest the breadth of this reality.  As Peter describes us in his letter:  We are like newborn infants, longing for the pure, spiritual milk, so that we may grow into salvation, having tasted that the Lord is good.

As Resurrection people, we can interpret the message of today’s Gospel lesson in the light of our Risen Lord; as Resurrection people the message becomes clearer over time.  Jesus is saying, “If you want to see God, here I am.” Jesus is saying, “If you want to follow the Way, here are the instructions.”  And, Jesus is saying, “If you seek peace for your troubled heart, believe in me, trust in my words.  The Father and I are one.”

Believe and trust as Jesus instructed us with paramount concern for our peace and comfort even as he faced his own horrendous death.  Believe and trust that there is prepared for you a permanent dwelling where all will abide in oneness with God through the grace of Christ Jesus our Lord.‎