Tuesday, April 7, 2020
The Rev. Anne Williamson
The Collect
God, by the passion of your blessed Son you made an instrument of shameful death to be for us the means of life: Grant us so to glory in the cross of Christ, that we may gladly suffer shame and loss for the sake of your Son our Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Reading
John 12:20-36
Among those who went up to worship at the festival were some Greeks. They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and said to him, "Sir, we wish to see Jesus." Philip went and told Andrew; then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus. Jesus answered them, "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Very truly, I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Those who love their life lose it, and those who hate their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there will my servant be also. Whoever serves me, the Father will honor.
"Now my soul is troubled. And what should I say-- `Father, save me from this hour'? No, it is for this reason that I have come to this hour. Father, glorify your name." Then a voice came from heaven, "I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again." The crowd standing there heard it and said that it was thunder. Others said, "An angel has spoken to him." Jesus answered, "This voice has come for your sake, not for mine. Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be driven out. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself." He said this to indicate the kind of death he was to die. The crowd answered him, "We have heard from the law that the Messiah remains forever. How can you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?" Jesus said to them, "The light is with you for a little longer. Walk while you have the light, so that the darkness may not overtake you. If you walk in the darkness, you do not know where you are going. While you have the light, believe in the light, so that you may become children of light."
After Jesus had said this, he departed and hid from them.
Reflection
‘While you have the light, believe in the light, so that you may become children of light.’
This Holy Week is unlike any Holy Week I have ever experienced…and I am looking for the light and wondering how to see light and be light in this moment. Nathan invited us to look for the beauty yesterday, and in Portsmouth New Hampshire, the sun has been shining, there have been beautiful blue, cloudless skies and it is warm(ish)! There is light on the water, daffodils are flowering in the communal gardens and a group of finches, gold and purple, are singing joyously. I find light and hope in the rhythm of the seasons, and spring seems to be arriving, finally!
But I am so aware of the darkness – speaking to a health care professional yesterday about the challenges facing nurses, doctors and all those working in that world at the moment, not knowing what faces them when they go to work each day or each night. Going for a walk and doing the ‘covid weave’ as people cross to the other side of the street so as not to pass too close to one another, wearing their face masks made of bandanas, t-shirt sleeves and eye sleep masks (they work well – try upside down!), aware of unimaginable suffering happening in our world, both near and far.
We read the story of Holy Week with the benefit of 20/20 hindsight – we know the trajectory from the cries of ‘hosanna’ as we celebrate Palm Sunday, to the cries of ‘crucify’ on Good Friday. We know what Jesus is talking about when he says “And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself." – we know that he will die by crucifixion, but we also know the next installment of the story - there will be resurrection. By his death and resurrection generations of people would be drawn to Jesus, and follow him, and serve him and shine light and love into places of darkness and suffering. We don’t know how the story we are living at the moment will unfold, but Jesus invited those who didn’t know how their story would end to become ‘children of light’ and Jesus invites us who don’t know how our story will unfold to do the same.
We had baptisms planned for the Easter Vigil at St. John’s…they will happen when we are able to gather together again but the hymn we always sing at baptism services comes to mind - ‘I want to walk as a child of the light’ (#490). In this Holy Week, in the days and weeks to come, how will you walk as a child of the light, shining for those who are struggling in this time? Are you struggling? What would bring light to you ? Let us know!
Peace be with you this day.