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Put God’s saving justice first, says Jesus (Matthew
6:33). It is a direct instruction for all would-be followers.
God’s saving justice is to be marked by communities of
people living lovingly and joyfully, offering their witness
in perseverance and hope for a new creation.
To live in such a way is to invite the attention of both
the weak and the powerful. The weak will look for the fruits
of justice; the powerful will seek to destroy through
betrayal, false accusation, oppression, persecution, and
ultimately annihilation. The just will have at their disposal
only the resources of love, faith, and hope, informed by
prayer and a longing for justice to prevail—and of
course the wonderment and joy of the resurrection of Jesus
Christ, whose witness God vindicated. This is the victory
that overcomes the world!
Easter 6B
Saving Justice
Psalm 98; Acts 10:44-48; 1 John 5:1-6; John 15:9-17
The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the supreme moment of
wonderment and joy in history, when God has "made known
his saving power" and "revealed his saving justice
for all the world to see," as the psalmist writes. Love
is the energy of God’s justice, and joy is its mark.
Such love and joy should be the mark of our worship and
witness. Sadly, radical witness and the struggle for justice
are often marred by a lack of love, of joy, of rejoicing in
the gifts of God in creation. Joy marks creation’s
response to God.
John’s gospel was written for a sect-like community
within the early church. Facing persecution, and dealing with
betrayal from within and without, they were in danger of
becoming paranoid. Like many such groups they were suspicious
of the more institutional churches. John repeats again and
again the imperative for love (John 13:34-35; 14:21, 23;
15:10). Perhaps we feel, as Wes Howard-Brook has remarked,
"Enough. We get the message!" But alas the problem
is that we do not get the message, for if people kept
the commandment to love one another, what a different world
this would be!
Peter and others were in danger of making the gospel
exclusive, until the dream at Joppa and the visit of
Cornelius (Acts 10:1-48). Once they had put aside their
prejudices and accepted the commission, Peter and his
community discovered to their surprise that the joy of God,
which at Pentecost had burst upon them, should be poured on
Gentiles, too. It is love, with the accompaniment of joy,
that marks the faith that has overcome the world (1 John
5:1-6).
Reflection and Action
God’s justice is in a continual state of becoming,
and it is witnessed to by acts of worship offered daily in
faith and hope. Does your worship reflect love and joy and
hope in the saving justice of God? How?
PETER B. PRICE is general secretary of the United Society
for the Propagation of the Gospel, an Anglican mission agency
based in London, and practices—with his wife, Dee—a
ministry of hospitality. Reflections on the complete, three-year
lectionary cycle can be found in the resource Living the Word,
available from Sojourners Resource Center (1-800-714-7474).
Read other articles about:
Bible Study
Read other articles by:
Price, Peter B.
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