Two Priests of the local church, Father O’Lafferty and Father O’Flaherty were growing increasingly stressed and fatigued from the demands of parish ministry. They tried to take some time out but couldn’t be anywhere without someone recognising them and talking with them about their troubles. The two priests decided they needed to get right out of the country, and took a vacation to Hawaii. They resolved not to be contacted, not to even think about the church, and definitely not wear their usual clerical attire or do anything that would identify them as priests while on holiday. So they dressed in some nice casual relaxing clothes, and on their first day, went to the beach kitted out in their new holiday attire. They sat on the sand, enjoying a drink, the sunshine, and the scenery.
Suddenly, an incredibly attractive woman with blonde hair wearing a swimsuit and designer sunglasses walked straight towards them. She smiled at them and said “Good morning, Father” as she walked past Father O’Lafferty. “Good morning, Father” as she passed by Father O’Flaherty.
Well, the priests were both absolutely stunned! How could such a gorgeous woman smile at them—and how in the world did she know they were priests? They were in casual civilian clothes!!!
So the next day, they went shopping and bought more vacation wear—bright coloured Hawaiian shirts, boardshorts, thongs, hats with big brims, and sunglasses. Then they went back to the beach.
And what do you know—the same blonde, wearing a different coloured swimsuit, and a different pair of sunglasses walked towards them. Again she smiled at each of them, and said: “Good morning, Father…Good morning, Father,” as she approached them.
Well, the priests were dumbfounded. “Just a minute, young lady” Father O’Lafferty called out. “How in the world do you know we are priests, dressed as we are?”
The woman lifted her sunglasses and replied: “Father O’Lafferty, it’s me—Sister Catherine!!”
Today’s text speaks of getting dressed up too. Across our readings there is a theme of the clothing that God’s people are to wear. God promised his people of old in slavery to Egypt that they would see his deliverance. He would bring judgment on the gods of Egypt and the Egyptians for their rival spirituality, and strike down all the first born, bringing an end to the succession of Pharoah’s throne. The Exodus reading tells us that although the Israelites shared in the same sinful human nature as the Egyptians, and were just as deserving of punishment, God established a means by which their sin could be paid for and they still live. They were to sacrifice a lamb in their stead. By painting the blood of the sacrificed lamb over the door frames as God commanded, it signified their trust in God’s promise that he would pass over them, and so they would receive his saving help in the midst of judgment. They were to eat the meal dressed ready to go…with their cloak tucked into their belt, their sandals on their feet and their staff in their hand. As they walked out of their homes, their doorway with the blood of the lamb was the last thing they walked through—the sign of God’s promise of grace, favour and salvation to them at the end of their journey.
In the reading from Romans this same sense of urgency for God’s people to be dressed ready for his arrival with his deliverance is repeated. Paul says: “The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is nearly over; the day is almost here.” With all we experience and see around us, it is easy to lose hope. But here Paul encourages the church with the news of the nearness of Jesus’ return. Night is followed with day. Just as our morning alarm sounds in the darkness, signalling that it will not be long before the day arrives, motivating us to get up and get dressed, Jesus’ return to judge the living and the dead will be soon, just like that—it is as if it is as close as the morning.
The end times is not a period of time yet to come. The writer to the Hebrews explains that since Jesus’ birth we are already in the last days (Hebrews 1:1-2). People often imagine that they will live a long, fulfilled life, and have grand plans for future years—but who can really be sure the number of days we will live? How do we know when Jesus will return? What is to say it won’t be this afternoon or tomorrow?
So Paul’s encouragement to the church—that Jesus’ return is soon—is also a challenge for the church not be slumbering, but to be awake, and alert. Just like the Passover people of old were to be dressed, ready for when God came with his deliverance, we too are to be ready for Christ’s coming again. But unlike God’s Old Testament people the attire we are to wear as we wait for God to come with our final deliverance is not with our cloak tucked into our belt, our sandals on our feet and our staff in hand. Paul tells us what to wear as children of God: “let us put on the armour of light” and “clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ.” It is as if we are to go to the wardrobe getting dressed, ready for the day ahead, that we are to reach out and put Jesus on, covered by him, so that others see Christ in our helping, compassion and forgiveness.
Paul’s call for the church to ‘wake up and get dressed’ comes in the midst of teaching about love in the Christian community. God’s people who are to put on Christ don’t belong to a new age with new values, they belong to Jesus who is the same yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:8) with unchanging values, like “Love your neighbour as yourself”—God’s command from Leviticus 19:18 which Paul quotes to the Christians at Rome centuries later, and us here, today.
The world needs to see authentic love—love that is different from the world’s idea that we should love ourselves more than anything else. Love that first comes from God, and has come to us, and transforms us through baptism. Paul shows us the framework for this love of neighbour—the commandments. The Ten commandments are not just rules for Old Testament times but they are the shape of love for Christian living today. Paul’s preaching of love does not overthrow the law but upholds it; his preaching on God’s law does not stifle love but defines it. God’s law and God’s love are not two separate tracks, but they are one and the same path. Breaking the commandments is loving ourself. Baptismal living by following God’s commandments is loving our neighbour as ourself.
And so the church is not to live in self-gratification, dissension and jealousy. We are to honour our neighbour’s spouse as if they were our own, even with our thoughts. It means not hurting our neighbour, not even with hurtful words, attitudes, and un-forgiveness, but helping them, and making peace. Love does not harm to a neighbour—but adultery, hatred, coveting and dishonesty does.
We are to settle all our debts. This means more than financial debts, but our debts before one another. We are to forgive and make peace, as God’s peacemakers. Paul says let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law. In today’s Gospel reading Jesus gives the way for how brothers and sisters are to reconcile, and his promise is that wherever two or three are gathered in his name, he is with them to do this.
Paul shows us the urgency for this. He says the hour has already come. We are not to hit the snooze button on the alarm, roll over to crib another 10 minutes of sleep-in. The time to get up, get dressed, and put on Christ is now. Unlike the priests in the opening story, we are to not dress up to disguise our identity, but dress to clearly show it, as we love others as ourselves, as the people of God.
And there is the Good News—we are the people of God through faith in Christ. We can only love because God has first loved us, by giving his own Son. It was God who clothed himself in human flesh, when he sent Jesus into this world, who became obedient unto death, laying down his own life even for his enemies. He did not retaliate against them or persecute them but prayed for their forgiveness. That’s real love—for all people, and for you and me.
You do not have to slaughter a lamb at twilight to have God’s love and favour. You don’t actually have to do anything. For Christ our Passover Lamb has been sacrificed, and by his precious blood he has redeemed us to be the people of God. Joined to him in baptism, we have been washed and share his own death and resurrection power now. And you have been clothed in him. He is your robe of righteousness.
So often we try to justify ourselves in why we have not loved others. We try to explain our actions away, or blame someone else, or make excuses. Don’t look to these other things to justify or cover over, because they won’t. You are covered over by Christ and his righteousness, covering over all your shame.
To put on Jesus and the armour of light is one and same thing. Jesus protects us from all that which would harm us. He covers our guilt. You don’t have to justify yourself. You are justified—through faith in Christ’s precious blood—the cleansing flood that washes away all sin. Through his holy supper, Jesus himself welcomes you to his table, and serves you that same holy and precious blood that he shed on the Cross, to bring forgiveness and peace from God to you. Through this holy meal you have the blood of the Lamb of God painted over the doorposts of your heart to make you clean from all sin, and to assure you of God’s coming deliverance for you, because of his love―a love that is not based on your performance, obedience, or capabilities. It is a love that will never change or be swayed by latest trends, public opinion or personal benefits―but a love for you that is unconditional because it depends on the life and righteousness of Christ, who is committed to his Father’s will for you and who fulfilled it perfectly.
It is a love that means, like the Israelites in slavery in Egypt, you too will see the deliverance of God. When Jesus returns on the last day, he will usher you and all those who trust in him, into the land your heavenly Father has promised you—your heavenly homeland. When Jesus returns on the last day, that day will be a good morning—a bright, new morning—and there will be no evening or darkness to follow. On that day he will bring you to share in his glory, and you will shine like the Son; Jesus. That day of your salvation is nearer now than when you first believed. Amen.
