The New Heavens And The New Earth

Not too far from Hochstein Music School downtown, there’s a new housing development being built on what used to be a parking lot (across from the RCSD building). I have followed the changes somewhat closely because I drive by the spot and witness the developing building nearly every week as I make my way to church at Hochstein. And the change is quite amazing!

Some changes are easy to witness – like this building going up. Other changes may be harder to track.

In our first reading today from Isaiah 65, the prophet is speaking for God when he says, “I am about to create new heavens and a new earth…” In this space the “things of the past will not be remembered” and, instead, it will be a place of delight and joy and happiness.

I’m all on board But wait. Where is this place? How will I know it when I see it? When will it be starting?

These are all really important questions, and ones that we might continuously ponder. In fact, people have been wondering about this for thousands of years.

Some have said that the prophet is speaking figuratively or is talking about the afterlife (heaven). But others (and I would align with this group) would suggest that the prophet is speaking of this world and what will be emerging in our midst.

I say this because Jesus seemed to align with this view. In the gospel from John 4 today, a royal official whose son was ill approaches Jesus and asks that he come to his house to heal him. Jesus says, “Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will not believe.”

Let’s pause right there for a second.

Today’s reading comes from the beginning of Jesus’ ministry. In the gospel of Luke (chapter 4), early on in Jesus’ ministry, he comes into the temple, opens up the scrolls and reads from Isaiah 61 (which is ust a few chapters away from what we hear today), “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because God has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. God has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, [and to] to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” He then rolls up the scroll and closes with this line, ““Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.””

This is fulfilled IN YOUR HEARING can mean two things. It can mean it’s being fulfilled (by me) as you are hearing it. And it can mean that it will be fulfilled when you really hear it (and do it). In either case, this new moment is coming into being in their midst and it is associated with concrete acts of grace,compassion, justice and healing – especially for all those who were rejected or left out.

But the people kept wanting “signs and wonders” to be sure. And it frustrated Jesus. Back to our story…

The royal official presses Jesus and says, “Sir, come down before my child dies.” We can see the official struggling here. He’s trying not to ask for a “sign” but wants Jesus to come just in case. Then Jesus said to him, “You may go; your son will live.”

The man believed what Jesus said to him and left.

What is amazing about this story is that the man decides that the new heavens and the new earth are right in front of him, and he trusts Jesus to keep his word. And Jesus does.

I have heard it said that “sometimes you need to see in order to believe.” I have also heard it said that, “sometimes you need to believe in order to see!”

We may struggle sometimes to “believe” that God is working in the world or even in our lives. The daily headlines might make us wonder where and when the new heavens and earth are coming – if at all! And we may notice no perceptible change in our personal situations.

I often think about the passage from Matthew 11 where John the Baptist is in jail. Things haven’t quite been going as he expected. God’s reign has not quite materialized. So he sends one of his followers to ask Jesus, “Are you the one or are we waiting for someone else?” In the parlance of today’s readings, he might have asked, “Is the kin-dom here yet????”

Jesus says, “Go back and report to John what you hear and see: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor. Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me.”

In our world, God is active and working in big and small ways – and often in ways we may not expect or recognize. We, too, may wonder, “Is it in this place, God? Are you really here?” Wherever there is healing, God is there and working. Wherever there is generosity and sharing, God is there and working. Wherever there is justice, God is there and working. Wherever there is love and compassion, God is there and working. The question often emerges, however, “To what degree do we trust it?”

It may not always be easy to trust that God will be true to God’s word. Like the official, we might want Jesus to come to our house instead of sending us away and asking us to trust.  But we might also work this Lent to increase our trust in God as we continue to do what we can to align with the kin-dom that is appearing in front of us and through us.

And as the famous novelist Arudhati Roy, reminds us, “Another world is not only possible, she is on her way. On a quiet day, I can hear her breathing.”