Reflection - Separation

http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/011120.cfm
1 John 5:14-21
John 3:22-30

The Apostle John is responsible for both of the readings, and he offers here an important teaching on sin. On the one hand, he instructs these early Christians that they should pray for God to strengthen one of their members whom they observe to be sinning. And he assures them that God “will give him life.”

But John continues with his teaching by instructing us that some sin is “deadly” and some is not. His reference, of course is to spiritual death rather than physical death; and it is clear that he means to affirm that it is possible for the Christian to lose the indwelling divine life he has been given. The lesson is one that I was taught with pictures of milk bottles — you know, the old glass pint and quart sizes that were once common in grocery stores and which found their place in the Baltimore Catechism. The Catechism used the terms ‘mortal’ and ‘venial’ and imaged these with milk bottles. One was solidly black — representing mortal sin— and the other was white with black spots — representing venial sin. Now, the most notable part, particularly for me as a child, was that neither was appetizing. In fact, both were pretty gross. Unless my milk was chocolate I preferred that it simply be white.

In John’s Gospel passage we are indirectly offered another instruction about sin; and, though the teaching is not obvious, it is the most important. In the Gospel, Jesus is baptizing in Judea and John’s disciples come to John with questions. Their conversation begins with these disciples identifying Jesus: “Rabbi, the one who was with you across the Jordan, [the one] to whom you testified.” And what was John’s testimony? If we look back to chapter one of this Gospel we find the following: “The next day he [John the Baptist] saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” So this is John’s testimony: Jesus will do what none before him have had the ability or power to do. Suddenly the prospects for both creation and mankind look more promising!

But what exactly does John’s declaration mean? In what sense does Jesus take away the sin(s) of the world. I don’t think that any who believe in the reality of sin would say that there is no sin around today. So sin, in that sense, hasn’t been taken away. Moreover, even in the days of the Old Testament the people of God were taught: “As far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us.” (Psalm 103:12) We must conclude, therefore, that God did not hold their sin against them even as He admonished, reproved and worked to move them toward a more righteous position. Yet, John claimed Jesus would take away the sin(s) of the world and we still acclaim it —three times, in fact — at every single Mass throughout the world: Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world, have mercy on us! Have mercy on us! Grant us peace!

When we have a significant relationship with another person, say with our spouse, we intentionally avoid engaging in actions which would be devastating to that relationship. For example, an act of infidelity. This would be, in John’s word, deadly to the relationship; or, in the image of the Baltimore Catechism, a black bottle. But we also try to avoid, probably with less success, whatever little things that might be offensive to our spouse. John would categorize these as non-deadly and the Catechism would illustrate them with the spotted milk bottle. In this example it is well to remember that neither milk bottle contents are appetizing. But it is also worthwhile to consider that incidents like these have relational consequences (I am reflecting here on those non-deadly, spotted-milk-bottle incidents.). In the short term, forgiveness is required. In a healthy relationship forgiveness may flow easily. But, in the longer term, separation may also follow.

We know from the Old Testament that Our Heavenly Father is beyond generous when it comes to forgiveness. But something more needed to be removed. Forgiveness did not conquer the separation which followed from Adam’s sin. The Garden was gone; Adam and Eve were physically removed. And so was walking with God in the evening. It was precisely that separation that Jesus took away. A new Covenant, a new relationship was established between God and man. Separation was dispatched in a way beyond human imagining. Jesus conquered mankind’s separation from God in such a way that Adam himself would have been astonished. Is it any wonder that we continually, beg, plead, pray that God will continue to show mercy and not separate himself from us.

“For I [Paul] am sure that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:38-39)

Lamb of God! You who have taken away whatever can separate us from Our Father! Have mercy on us! Do not let us ever be separated again!