This week, I continue to reflect on what it means to come to the end of the beginning. As one liturgical year draws to a close and another is set to begin, how do we live into the promises of all that God has promised? Looking to Isaiah 65:17-25 and examples from movies and song, we consider what the kingdom that God looks like and how we begin to live into all that God has promised.
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As we continue toward the end of the liturgical year, as we draw closer to the cycle once again starting over at the beginning of the Jesus story, we are reminded not only of all that God has done, but also all that God will do. As we touched on last week, though we are coming to an end, it is only the end of the beginning. While much has been accomplished, there is still more to do.
This is part of what I love about the structure of the church year. The church year is a circle that constantly repeats itself. We start the year leading up to the birth of Jesus. Then Jesus is born and begins to be known to the world. Then we come to another season of preparation as we focus on repentance and renewing our relationship with God before we celebrate the fulfillment of God’s love in the Resurrection. Then we settle into a time of growth as we reflect on all of the teachings that Jesus shared with his disciples and others along the way before coming full circle to start back over at the beginning.
So in November each year, we approach the end. But we also recognize that the life of Jesus and the work of those first disciples was only the beginning.
Showing posts with label The Princess Bride. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The Princess Bride. Show all posts
Encountering the Body: In the Garden
As we enter the season of Easter, I want us to remember where those who knew Jesus found joy on that first Easter. Their joy was not in the cross, not in the sacrifice, not even in the empty tomb. Joy was found in newness of life. Joy was found when Mary Magdalene encountered the body of living Jesus in the Garden. This was the culmination of the salvation story. We are an Easter people, not a Good Friday people. And so, we look to John 20:1-18 as we reflect on what this may mean for us today.
To start with, I want us to try to put ourselves in Mary Magdalene’s sandals, er, shoes today. Over the last few days, your friend and teacher went ballistic in the temple, flipping over tables and driving out the money lenders with whips. Then during the Passover meal, he knelt down like a servant, washing everyone’s feet before saying something about the bread and the cup containing his body and blood. Then Judas, one of the Twelve, Jesus’ closest followers, led an armed mob into the garden while Jesus was praying and took him away. Jesus was put on trial, tortured, and executed. She was there until the end. She saw it all, watched as his body was pierced, watched as the blood poured out, watched the life leave his eyes.
What can all that mean for the new life he was teaching about? How can the world change if he is dead? What will we do without our teacher? He was our friend, and we loved him.
To start with, I want us to try to put ourselves in Mary Magdalene’s sandals, er, shoes today. Over the last few days, your friend and teacher went ballistic in the temple, flipping over tables and driving out the money lenders with whips. Then during the Passover meal, he knelt down like a servant, washing everyone’s feet before saying something about the bread and the cup containing his body and blood. Then Judas, one of the Twelve, Jesus’ closest followers, led an armed mob into the garden while Jesus was praying and took him away. Jesus was put on trial, tortured, and executed. She was there until the end. She saw it all, watched as his body was pierced, watched as the blood poured out, watched the life leave his eyes.
What can all that mean for the new life he was teaching about? How can the world change if he is dead? What will we do without our teacher? He was our friend, and we loved him.
Manifestation: An Ordinary Jesus
A reflection on the Wedding at Cana for the Second Sunday after the Epiphany.
Throughout this season following Epiphany, we focus on much the same theme as the one introduced on Epiphany - the manifestation or revelation of Christ to the world. On Epiphany Sunday, we hear about the visit of the Magi. We hear how these wise ones from other lands to the east come to see the newly born king of the Jews. They are not Jewish themselves, they followed a completely different tradition. But they knew that the one foretold by the star would be one of great importance to the entire world.
And so Jesus was revealed to strangers from another land.
Last week, we celebrated the Baptism of the Lord, the day that Jesus was baptized. We heard how the Holy Spirit descended upon Jesus and a voice from heaven claimed Jesus as the Beloved Son.
And so Jesus was revealed to those in the crowds that day.
Today we have a revelation of a different sort. Jesus is at a wedding with his mother and some of his disciples. While they are there, the host runs out of wine for the guests. Mary makes a point of telling Jesus.
Now I am trying to imagine being at a wedding and having my mother tell me they are out of wine. I imagine my response would not be too different from Jesus’ initial reaction - what does that have to do with me?
* * *
"Mawwiage! Mawwiage is what bwings us together today."
"Mawwiage! Mawwiage is what bwings us together today."
Well, maybe not us, but a wedding is the setting for today's reading, a reading which follows the trajectory we have been on since Christmas. You see, shortly after Christmas each year, much of the larger church celebrates Epiphany on January 6. Technically Epiphany is celebrated as a single day, but we count the Sundays following Epiphany until Lent begins as the Sundays after Epiphany (though some traditions do think of this as the season of Epiphany).
Throughout this season following Epiphany, we focus on much the same theme as the one introduced on Epiphany - the manifestation or revelation of Christ to the world. On Epiphany Sunday, we hear about the visit of the Magi. We hear how these wise ones from other lands to the east come to see the newly born king of the Jews. They are not Jewish themselves, they followed a completely different tradition. But they knew that the one foretold by the star would be one of great importance to the entire world.
And so Jesus was revealed to strangers from another land.
Last week, we celebrated the Baptism of the Lord, the day that Jesus was baptized. We heard how the Holy Spirit descended upon Jesus and a voice from heaven claimed Jesus as the Beloved Son.
And so Jesus was revealed to those in the crowds that day.
Today we have a revelation of a different sort. Jesus is at a wedding with his mother and some of his disciples. While they are there, the host runs out of wine for the guests. Mary makes a point of telling Jesus.
Now I am trying to imagine being at a wedding and having my mother tell me they are out of wine. I imagine my response would not be too different from Jesus’ initial reaction - what does that have to do with me?
April Fool's
After the events of the last few days, Sunday morning must have really caught Jesus' friends off guard. First they came into town greeted by shouts of joy. People were waving at Jesus and calling on God in praise. But then it all started to go down hill.
Jesus went to the temple and started to drive out the money lenders and merchants who were profiting off others in the courtyard. Judas started acting a bit cagey. Jesus' stories and teachings got even more long winded, like he was in a rush for some reason. Then Jesus gets taken by a mob that Judas led to them in the garden. Peter followed them for a time, but he ran off when he got worried they would take him too. Jesus was taken first to the chief priests and then handed over to the governor and accused of sedition. Beaten, he was bound to a tree to die.
And then he did.
Jesus went to the temple and started to drive out the money lenders and merchants who were profiting off others in the courtyard. Judas started acting a bit cagey. Jesus' stories and teachings got even more long winded, like he was in a rush for some reason. Then Jesus gets taken by a mob that Judas led to them in the garden. Peter followed them for a time, but he ran off when he got worried they would take him too. Jesus was taken first to the chief priests and then handed over to the governor and accused of sedition. Beaten, he was bound to a tree to die.
And then he did.
You Keep Using That Word. I Do Not Think It Means What You Think It Means.
There has been an awful lot of talk about greatness lately. We get into arguments about who is the greatest _____ of all time (musician, athlete, etc). Some have been talking lately about being great again. What does it mean to be great? When were we great before? Who was it great for?
Some want to define greatness by one's achievements. Some want to define greatness by one's prowess. Some want to define greatness by one's ability to dominate others. Being great is to be a winner, to be on top.
Or is it?
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