Today’s biblical readings is not the easiest to understand, and the reason for that is quite simple: In none of the three readings we find any kind of narrative. There is no story. The readings solely are philosophical descriptions of various aspects of the Christian faith.
In the lack of a narrative, I would like to add some to the readings. Something I will do by telling you about the context in which the philosophical description of today’s gospel reading takes place. And something I would like to by comparing this description to a certain aspect of the great Pixar movie Toy Story.
Also – since we are celebrating the Danish Liberation Day today – I will of course relate this to war and peace as well. Let us start with the context of the Gospel reading.
Today’s reading takes place just as Jesus and the disciples have finished the dinner on the first Maundy Thursday to be. Jesus is yet to be taken captive, but Judas has already left the table to gather the guards and high priests.
Jesus starts to speak. And it is a long speech that he held for his disciples. Three chapters to be exact. He talks about various aspects of the Christian faith:
About the love of God and the hatred of the world, about the coming of the Holy Spirit and his own passing, and as the final thing – the thing we heard about in today’s reading – he prays for the Christians that God may remain with them forever.
Jesus knows that he by coming to the world has changed the world irreversibly. Because with him coming to the world a certain bond between human and the divine was created. A bond that made us one.
Jesus knew that he soon was going back to his father, God. He also knew, that his followers – all Christians – were not. Christians would remain in the world. Still though, connected with the divine. At least, that is what he prayed for.
As I prepared for today’s service, I figured how I could go about this, proclaiming it in a contemporary way. That was when I came to think of the great Pixar movie Toy Story. Have you seen it?
Well, in the movie we meet the playful boy Andy who owns a lot of toys. He loves his toys. And every time he received a new toy, he would write his name on it with a permanent marker.
What I figured was, it is kind of the same thing that Jesus prays God to do in today’s gospel reading. Jesus prays that God would write his name on us, Christians, with a permanent marker.
Do you see the resemblance? Well, what does it mean to be written upon with a permanent marker?
In Toy Story, being written on with a permanent marker means that you belong to Andy. You are kind of baptised. And as one of Andy’s toys you are blessed with being a part of something bigger.
Of course, Andy not only makes sure to play with his toy but looks after it as well. He goes looking for it if it is lost and he holds on to it all the way until he in the third movie passes it on to one who is playful just as him.
But beside being protected by Andy, the toy also shares a unique companionship.
Now, what I forgot to tell those of you who do not know the story is, that when Andy is not present, all his toys become alive. They each have their own personalities and features – just as we as individuals have – and they interact with each other – just as we do.
As individuals, Andy’s toys go through a lot of various situations throughout the movies. And during the various situations, a lot of existential questions are asked:
What is the purpose of existence? Is it to be played with? But what then happens if I brake or if the person playing with me gets too old to play? Should I be donated to a younger person, should I stick to my owner, or should I eventually shift owner? What happens if I am played with less in comparison to other toys? What does it mean to be friends and have the same name written upon us?
In the third Toy Story movie, Andy is about to move into college and his mother asks him to decide what to do with all his toys. Andy is soon going to leave his toy behind – just as Jesus was about to leave the disciples behind in today’s gospel reading.
And just as the disciples had a hard time comprehending what was about to happen, Andy’s toys have a hard time understanding it as well.
What they eventually find out though is that they are in it together. No matter if the name written on them with permanent marker is worn out or overpainted, re-painted or anything in-between, they will always belong together – not only with Andy, but with each other as well.
And even though they almost literally make it to hell, this is something that will always bring them back. And not just back to Andy, but back to Andy as a group.
As Andy’s toy they are one with each other, just as Andy is one with… well. Let us leave today’s comparison to that.
Now, what can we use this comparison for? How can it help us understand what it means to belong to God – have his name painted on us with permanent marker.
Well, in short, what I find notable in the story, Toy Story, is, that the name marked on them does not prevent that they will witness any evil. Nor does it mean that there will not be any turmoil in-between them. But the name written on them makes them all come together in the end – despite what struggles they have been going through.
And so, it is with our lives as well. Having God’s name written on us does not protect us from any evil. Nor does it mean that Christians will not fight among themselves – sadly. But hopefully – just as in Toy Story – having the name written on us will eventually bring us all together, if or when we are parted for a little while.
In this way, today’s comparison makes something very clear to us: God’s mercy is not one that will protect us from evil solely granting us days of joy. God’s mercy is one that will be with us throughout any evil days or days of joy that we will go through.
As baptised, his name is with us ‘even unto the end of the world’.
On a Liberation Day as today, I think the above is extremely important to remember. War in-between human beings is not prevented. Nor is any either evil or bad situations.
But the spiritual support through which we go through a time of war or turmoil is through Jesus’ prayer in today’s gospel reading being manifested.
Because through the prayer of Jesus we are protected in the name of God, so that we always will be one – just as the Son and the Father before all time is and have been one.
May the prayer of Jesus be with us on this Liberation Day and forever more. In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Amen.