From Dylan's Blog:
"What's holding us back from living into Jesus' exhortation not to be afraid, not to worry about our lives? And what would need to happen for us to experience that consistently and fully? I think that both Luke and John give us some hints, and considering how much they differ in other ways, their prescription for freedom from anxiety is remarkably similar, and if I had to sum it up in a word, I'd say the word is 'unity.'
Take a look at the way that Jesus describes his relationship with God in John 17, that free flow of every good thing between them. What if we answered Jesus' prayer, if we related to one another as he and God relate to one another? It might look a little like Acts 4:32-37. Acts 4 describes a community with that kind of unity, that free flow of gifts.
I read that and I think about the things that I get anxious about. For me, the big anxiety at the moment is about how I can live into my vocation and still pay the bills. But the community described in Acts 4, the community for which Jesus prayed in John 17, would have no anxieties like that, because the whole community's resources were there for anyone in need -- and so there was no one in need. That clearly wasn't the limit, though. We're talking about a community in which every good thing is offered freely. Those with power use it to empower those with less. Those who have respect and trust extend it to those counted as worthless, giving them a place in the community in which they can know what it's like to be valued, and can give that experience to others.
Think of the spiritual power of such a community. Small wonder that Acts 4:33-34 says that "with great power the apostles gave their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all." It's a shame that most English translations don't include the conjunction (the Greek word gar) that starts the next clause: "FOR there was not a needy person among them, for as many as owned houses or lands sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold." The great grace and power they experienced proceeded from the grace that those in power showed in giving up their advantage to the advantage of all.
Think of the freedom from anxiety in such a community (emphasis mine). Not only does no one worry about paying the bills; no one worries about who is getting more recognition, or power, or status. That's freedom, real freedom from the constant vigilance exercised by those who are in the rat race, and in it to win. That kind of freedom is glorious -- glorious like the free flow of glory and honor between the Word and the Creator from before the world was made. And each time we break bread and share it, seeking others' advantage, healing, and honor above our own, we get a glimpse of othat glory. We are the Church, the Body of Christ engaged in Christ's work of reconciling all people with one another and with God in Christ, and there's nothing more glorious to see than the Church being the Church Jesus prayed for."
Source: Dylan's lectionary blog
