July 3, 2016
SEVENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
The Rev. J.D. McQueen, II - All
Saints’ Episcopal Church, San Diego, CA
“Henceforth let no man trouble me, for I bear on my body the marks of
Jesus”
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We can find a great example of
what Paul means when he says this in Lt. Vincent Capodanno,
a Catholic Navy chaplain who was KIA while serving in Vietnam, and whose story
is also appropriate to remember as we celebrate the 4th of July.
If the name isn’t familiar,
here is the citation from when Fr. Capodanno was
awarded the Medal of Honor.
For
conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond
the call of duty as Chaplain of the 3d Battalion, in connection with operations
against enemy forces.
In response to reports that the
2d Platoon of M Company was in danger of being overrun by a massed enemy
assaulting force, Lt. Capodanno left the relative
safety of the company command post and ran through an open area raked with
fire, directly to the beleaguered platoon.
Disregarding the intense enemy
small-arms, automatic-weapons, and mortar fire, he moved about the battlefield
administering last rites to the dying and giving medical aid to the wounded.
When an exploding mortar round inflicted painful multiple wounds to his arms
and legs, and severed a portion of his right hand, he steadfastly refused all
medical aid.
Instead, he directed the
corpsmen to help their wounded comrades and, with calm vigor, continued to move
about the battlefield as he provided encouragement by voice and example to the
valiant marines. Upon encountering a wounded corpsman in the direct line of
fire of an enemy machine gunner positioned approximately 15 yards away, Lt. Capodanno rushed a daring attempt to aid and assist the
mortally wounded corpsman. At that instant, only inches from his goal, he was
struck down by a burst of machine gun fire.
By
his heroic conduct on the battlefield, and his inspiring example, Lt. Capodanno upheld the finest traditions of the U.S. Naval
Service. He gallantly gave his life in the cause of freedom.
Now could anyone call Fr. a
traitor or a coward?
v In Awarding him the Medal of Honor, the
United States of America says, emphatically, no.
Could
he be called unfaithful or a hypocrite?
v The Catholic Church says, emphatically, no, having opened his cause
for beatification and described him as having the “courage of a lion, and the
faith of a martyr.”
In fact, his example is so
incredible that it seems like a horrific injustice to even ask those questions.
And that’s exactly why Paul
closes his letter to the Galatians by pointing to “bearing the marks of Jesus”
– because there is no greater argument than the testimony of our lives.
You see, Paul wrote the letter
to combat Judaizers who’d come into the community and
were basically saying that all the Gentile converts had to become Jewish before
they could become Christian.
v A big part of this comes down to how the Jews and pagans, who had
vastly different moral standards, will live together as Christians.
v So Paul puts this in the context of the law; saying that Jesus
doesn’t free them to ignore the law, but fulfill it by loving
their neighbors as themselves, [and then gives several practical
examples.]
v But just when the Galatians think, “OK, this is basically the
2nd Commandment,
got it,” Paul goes another step further – really, a giant leap.
He
says, Hey, since you guys are so big on understanding all the laws and
sins and all that, here’s the one for you: ‘Bear one
another’s burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ.’
v Now, we see the “law of Christ” given at the Last Supper, where Jesus
tells us to love one another as he has loved us, which takes us way
beyond just loving our neighbors as ourselves.
v What makes this such a huge leap? Well, just think about how
you love yourself.
I do some good things
for myself, but there are plenty of others that I don’t.
v I like eating unhealthy foods more than healthy;
staying in bed more than getting up early to exercise, and
so on.
v Why don’t I do them if I know they’re good for
me? Because they don’t feel good enough.
v Sadly my approach to loving my neighbor is often just
about the same - some things I do, some I don’t,
depending on whether I think it will make me feel better to do it
than not to do it.
But while we all experience the
limits of how we love even ourselves, Jesus’ love has no limits - it’s
unconditional and unchanging and always available to us.
v It’s totally free from self-interest, so he can love those who don’t
want to be loved, even those who hate him.
v Bearing our burdens means that Jesus will even enter into the suffering
of our sin; he will stay close to us even if we’re tearing our lives apart.
v Paul says that when we live to the flesh, we bite and devour one
another, and he warns not to be consumed – yet that is exactly what
Jesus commands us to do at Holy Communion.
v Jesus’ love for us and his desire for our highest possible
good is so great that it consumes him,
and it’s a joy to him.
The
idea of someone loving us this way is so incredible that we wouldn’t be able to
believe it – except that Jesus has the marks to prove it.
v So when Paul points to them he’s saying, “If I haven’t convinced you
with my words, look at my body; does it look like Jesus’ body? Look at my life;
does it look like Jesus’ life?”
v There is no greater argument that the love of Jesus is real and that
freedom through the gospel is possible than the testimony of our lives.
v So what is the testimony of our lives? What are the
marks of love that we bear?
Really think about it and look
hard, because these are the signs of love that transform people’s lives when
they see it.
v But don’t be discouraged or afraid of them – that’s not the point.
v Part of why the resurrected Jesus still bears the wounds is to
reassure us, to prove to us, that they are not unto death, but life.
v That’s what the marks of Jesus are in our lives – proof to the world
around us that no matter what is happening in our lives, the love of Jesus is
greater.
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“Henceforth let no man trouble me, for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus”