March 25th, 2007 (Lent 5)
Today is the last PRACTICAL Sunday of Lent.
Technically we still have two more weeks - but next week
is Palm Sunday, the start of Holy Week (and the focus on
Jesus' entry into Jerusalem ... the celebration, and the
cheers). Then as we move through Holy Week ... we
observe Maundy Thursday and Good Friday (which take us
to a whole different space).
And so today is really the last chance for us to pause and
reflect on our Lenten Journey ... and what we've learned
about our self and our life during this season.
And we are given readings, which direct our attention to
change. Changes in our self and in our perceptions of what
is important in this life.
The theme of CHANGE begins in the Old Testament
lesson, which is a bit surprising, because the Old Testament
has the reputation of being old order, traditional, and
unwavering.
The prophet Isaiah, goes out of his way to introduce this
message from God. Not satisfied with simply saying
THUS SAYS THE LORD (like he and many of the
prophets usually do), Isaiah makes a point of reminding his
audience of God's past deeds. Specifically, Isaiah brings to
mind the deliverance God provided for his people at the
Red Sea back in the days of Moses.
You would think that that is a GOOD approach.
In speaking to a people who are in NEED of a miracle for
their deliverance ... it makes sense for Isaiah to recall how
God delivered their ancestors.
In speaking to a people held captive in a foreign land, he
reminds them how God saved an earlier generation from
THEIR captivity in a foreign land.
But then comes the surprise ... he tells them "FORGET
ABOUT IT". All those past accomplishments, the stories
that are a living part of Israel's identity, the signs and
wonders of old ... God tells them to put it all away .. to not
even give these things a second thought.
At this time when deliverance is needed again ... God urges
his people to FORGET what he has done in the past.
Because he is about to do something new ...
Now there are TWO kinds of new. There is the "new"
which is really not all that new .... just different (like when
you get a new car or a new pair of shoes). Then there is the
new which is entirely different ...
... and THAT is what God is preparing us for here ~ ~
the new which WE know will come at Easter, but a new
which the folks of the Old Testament couldn't possibly
comprehend (it was so far out of their comprehension that
they couldn't even imagine something like this was
possible).
In today's second reading, Paul continues this theme of letting go of the past ...
He begins by listing his historic credentials ... his past.
- a righteous jew with a noble heritage
- a Hebrew belonging to the tribe of Benjamin
- born on one of the most sacred days of the year
AND , according to Jewish law, he was blameless -- still living a life of purity and righteousness.
Then he points to this golden resume (a life which most
Jews would envy)and proclaims that it is worth nothing.
That living the NEW LIFE does not just mean removing
those bad influences and destructive elements from our
lives and replacing them with good, uplifting and positive
things.....
For Paul it means throwing it all away.
He has turned his back on what his ancestors, and society
and those around him believed to be GOOD, because he
KNEW that the only thing he needed was Christ.
That is a huge declaration of faith. Believing that only one
thing is needed ... and then dismissing all the rest.
And that ONE THING comes to us in the gospel. Not
just today's gospel reading ... the entire gospel. All of it
NEW... never been done this way before:
- God becoming human
- His life here among us
- His Trial/death/resurrection
And every story WE read about Jesus (especially in light of
the resurrection) calls us to see things in a NEW way.
Like today's gospel ~~ which can easily be interpreted in so many ways, and easily misunderstood.
Some read this passage and point to how aware Jesus was,
of what he was about to happen to him. Others use this to
say that worship is far more important than outreach.
But I don't (for one minute) think Jesus was saying "I'm more important than the poor".
"The poor" is a nice generic term. We use it all the time.
We make donations to the Food Bank for "the poor", we
give our old clothes to "the poor", we sometimes give
money to "the poor".
But for many of us, we do not know their faces or their
families .... we know nothing about them other than the
fact that they exist ~~ but clumping them altogether into
one group "the poor" keeps them from becoming too close
to us. But those of us who DO know them personally
(either because they are our neighbours, or friends or
people we interact with one on one) ... do become
emotionally attached. And cannot see them as "a group of
unknowns".
I believe Jesus was saying ~~ Take the time to appreciate,
and care for, those people who are in your life right now.
And in this story,
to Mary and the other disciples, that meant Jesus.
There will always be "others" who need our help and
support. (that's a given) But what good is it to save our
resources and our love for some other group and some
other time, when there are people in our lives here and
now, who need us.
That doesn't also mean we should ignore those "others"
and only focus on those people we know personally.
Our task is to find a balance .... A new way.
At Easter, everything is turned upside down ... and the word NEW hardly begins to do it justice.
And for those of us who have been born and raised on this
side of the cross/resurrection .... None of it is terribly new
or surprising. But it is.
And on this Fifth Sunday of Lent ... we are called {no
challenged} to look at thing with fresh eyes .... to re-discover
the power of God ... in our world, in our lives, and in or
hearts.
Amen
