Maundy Thursday, "Thursday of the mandate"

John 13.1-17, 31b-35

I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another.” (John 13.34)

Loving your friends—sounds idealistic, a bit simplistic, but not necessarily impossible. Until we read the part of the story tonight’s reading omits…..those fourteen verses in the comma, John 13.17-31b. And the verses that follow tonight’s reading—verses 36-38.

In the verses we don’t read on this night Jesus says, “one of you will betray me.” (13.21), and “before the cock crows, you will have denied me three times.” (13.38) Whoaa!! Now, that changes everything. While Jesus may have convinced Peter that it makes some sense for Jesus to show his love by washing the feet of his students, these verses in the “comma” reveal how ridiculous Jesus’ command really is. Love the ones who betray us? The ones who set a trap for us, to kill us? (read John 13.1-38)

Yet, Jesus is very precise: “as I have loved you,” knowing full well what will happen later that night when Judas identifies him for the Roman soldiers and the temple police. “Love one another,” even when the congregation includes betrayers and deserters. This is not merely one of the commandments of God; it is THE “new commandment” Jesus brings from God for those gathered at his table.

The Palestinians I have met know intimately what it means to be betrayed and deserted.

In“Lawrence of Arabia,” you may remember that British officer Lawrence gains the support of the Arab sheiks in the fight against the Turks by promising them autonomy. While the movie is not history, it reveals a very real promise made to the tribes living in the land between Egypt and Turkey—the lands which today are part of Jordan, the state of Israel and the Palestinian Authority (West Bank and Gaza). The people of the region, who had suffered under Ottoman occupation, were promised freedom in exchange for helping to defeat the Turks. The Arab leaders were betrayed by Britain when its Cabinet agreed to support “the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people” (Balfour Declaration of 1917, from the appendix of A Palestinian Cry for Reconciliation, by Naim Stifan Ateek, Orbis Books, 2009).

While the movie is historical fiction, the promise of autonomy is very much a part of the real history of the Palestinian people. In The Olive Grove, (Saqi, 2009) Deborah Rohan writes the story of the Moghrabi family (who eventually emmigrated to Colorado). The grandfather, Kamel, was arrested by the Turks for joining with the British. His family’s story tells how the broken promise of Palestinian autonomy haunts him for the rest of his life and becomes an important part of the family story. In May, 1948, they are forced to flee for their lives, abandoning their home in Akka as the Zionist soldiers take over the town. Kamel Moghrabi died in Lebanon, heartbroken that his efforts to reclaim his home, his farmlands (the olive groves) or even the money he had in the bank, were futile. Bureaucratic regulations put in place by the newly forming State of Israel prevented Palestinians from claiming their property and money—declaring it “abandoned.”

Every Palestinian I have met has a similar story of betrayal—of abandonment by a world that watched more than 800,000 Palestinians fled their homes as the Zionists took over Arab towns following the withdrawal of the British troops from Palestine in 1948. The families all thought they would return to their homes after the fighting. Like Kamel Moghrabi, they believed that the world would not stand by while such injustices were committed. They were betrayed by the international community, which named the injustices in United Nations resolutions, but did nothing to help them reclaim their possessions.

But even in this 62nd year of their suffering, the Palestinians welcome visitors to their land—visitors like me from the very country that is still betraying them with $2.55B in military aid to Israel to support their occupation. Photo: Iptysam and her family welcome me into their home in Beit Jala.

“Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another.” I have experienced this Christian love in the welcome I receive when I visit the Palestinians in Bethlehem—even the Muslims. A love that transcends the betrayal and the desertion they still experience—while US dollars buy more ammunition for the Israeli soldiers who arrest their sons marching in protest of the Wall.

How can this be? It is a mystery to me—like the resurrection that awaits at the end of this most holy week.

Gracious God, you command us to follow in your way of love. You sent your son to bring us your message of reconciliation and peace, knowing that your love would be returned with betrayal and desertion, even by those who called you teacher and friend. Give us courage to be agents of reconciliation today—to carry your love even to those places where we will be betrayed and deserted. Amen.