Better late than never!

Isaiah 49:1-7
Psalm 71:1-14
1 Corinthians 1:18-31
John 12:20-36

Psalm 71: 1 - 14

LORD, I have come to you for protection; never let me be defeated!
Because you are righteous, help me and rescue me. Listen to me and save me!
Be my secure shelter and a strong fortress to protect me; you are my refuge and defense.
My God, rescue me from wicked people, from the power of cruel and evil people.
Sovereign LORD, I put my hope in you; I have trusted in you since I was young.
I have relied on you all my life; you have protected me since the day I was born. I will always praise you.
My life has been an example to many, because you have been my strong defender.
All day long I praise you and proclaim your glory.
Do not reject me now that I am old; do not abandon me now that I am feeble.
My enemies want to kill me; they talk and plot against me.
They say, "God has abandoned him; let's go after him and catch him; there is no one to rescue him."
Don't stay so far away, O God; my God, hurry to my aid!
May those who attack me be defeated and destroyed. May those who try to hurt me be shamed and disgraced.
I will always put my hope in you; I will praise you more and more.

I've picked this passage as one that's less obvious than the others as a focus.  One that, when read in the context of Holy Week and what happened to Jesus carries a deep sense of irony, anticipating as it does the prayers of Gethsemane, yet with a very different aim...

This morning I met with my C of S colleagues who are using these lectionary readings for their Holy Week services and finding them frustrating - chunks omitted, timings all over the place.  Perhaps in a perverse kind of way that's not a bad metaphor for Holy Week - things are hectic and bewildering and out of order, Jesus turns our expectations upside down over and over again.  Today has been a little crazy, so please forgive the poverty of reflection, and instead of writing a prayer I've borrowed one.

Collect prayer for Tuesday of Holy Week:

O 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 Saviour Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen

Today's Bible readings:

Isaiah 42:1-9
Psalm 36:5-11
Hebrews 9:11-15
John 12:1-11

It's interesting... if we were using the synoptics, today we would have an angry Jesus clearing the Temple of traders, but we are in John and actually have travelled backwards in time to before Palm Sunday with Jesus at the home of Mary, Martha and Lazarus in Bethany.  Sometimes the lectionary can be annoying!

But what if I take the juxtaposition of Isaiah 42 with the Temple clearance and beyond?

The LORD says, "Here is my servant, whom I strengthen - the one I have chosen, with whom I am pleased. I have filled him with my Spirit, and he will bring justice to every nation.

He will not shout or raise his voice or make loud speeches in the streets...

When they arrived in Jerusalem, Jesus went to the Temple and began to drive out all those who were buying and selling. He overturned the tables of the moneychangers and the stools of those who sold pigeons, and he would not let anyone carry anything through the Temple courtyards.

"He will not break off a bent reed nor put out a flickering lamp. He will bring lasting justice to all. He will not lose hope or courage; he will establish justice on the earth. Distant lands eagerly wait for his teaching."

"It is written in the Scriptures that God said, 'My Temple will be called a house of prayer for the people of all nations.' But you have turned it into a hideout for thieves!"

God created the heavens and stretched them out; he fashioned the earth and all that lives there; he gave life and breath to all its people. And now the LORD God says to his servant,  "I, the LORD, have called you and given you power to see that justice is done on earth. Through you I will make a covenant with all peoples; through you I will bring light to the nations.  You will open the eyes of the blind and set free those who sit in dark prisons. I alone am the LORD your God. No other god may share my glory; I will not let idols share my praise. The things I predicted have now come true. Now I will tell you of new things even before they begin to happen."

A teacher of the Law was there who heard the discussion. He saw that Jesus had given the Sadducees a good answer, so he came to him with a question: "Which commandment is the most important of all?" Jesus replied, "The most important one is this: 'Listen, Israel! The Lord our God is the only Lord.  Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.'  The second most important commandment is this: 'Love your neighbor as you love yourself.' There is no other commandment more important than these two."   The teacher of the Law said to Jesus, "Well done, Teacher! It is true, as you say, that only the Lord is God and that there is no other god but he. And you must love God with all your heart and with all your mind and with all your strength; and you must love your neighbor as you love yourself. It is more important to obey these two commandments than to offer on the altar animals and other sacrifices to God."  Jesus noticed how wise his answer was, and so he told him, "You are not far from the Kingdom of God."

Isaiah 42:1 - 9 /Mark 11: 15-17; 12: 28-34 GNB

Oh what a mystery - meekness and majesty...

Oh what a mystery - gentleness and anger...

Oh what a mystery - inclusion and challenges...

Oh what a mystery...

Bow down and worship, for such is our God....

Wow, we had a wonderful time this morning, moving from the exuberance of Palm Sunday on into Holy Week and to Gethsemane... and essential exercise for th emany who for one reason or another cannot participate in the midweek services.

Now, like Jesus, we are committed and compelled to the way ahead, we cannot stop the inevitable course of events that draw us closer and closer to Calvary.  This week we have daily lunchtime and evening services everyday - not all led by us, but in which we will be involved.  It will be quite relentless, for sure, but it will draw us deeper and deeper into the story that shapes our lives.

For now, just the briefest pause, then we step out, with Jesus...

Hosanna!  Hallelujah!  Hurray!  And other happy jolly sounds beginning, it seems, with the letter 'H' (that's aitch by the way, not haitch :0) )  Oh yes, and happy All Fools Day if that's what you're marking as well/instead.

Today the lectionary offers us overload:

Psalm 118:1-2, 19-29
Mark 11:1-11 or John 12:12-16
Isaiah 50:4-9a
Psalm 31:9-16
Philippians 2:5-11
Mark 14:1—15:47 or Mark 15:1-39 [40-47]

Because our services this year are rooted in Mark, I'll reflect on some of the other readings here.  I haven't read everything on offer today, just settled for Isaiah and Philippians

The Lord GOD has given me the tongue of a teacher, that I may know how to sustain the weary with a word. Morning by morning he wakens - wakens my ear to listen as those who are taught.   The Lord GOD has opened my ear, and I was not rebellious, I did not turn backward.   I gave my back to those who struck me, and my cheeks to those who pulled out the beard; I did not hide my face from insult and spitting.  The Lord GOD helps me; therefore I have not been disgraced; therefore I have set my face like flint, and I know that I shall not be put to shame; he who vindicates me is near. Who will contend with me? Let us stand up together. Who are my adversaries? Let them confront me.  It is the Lord GOD who helps me; who will declare me guilty?

Isaiah 50:4-9a NRSV

Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death - even death on a cross.  Therefore God also highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Philippians 2: 5-11 NRSV

I suppose what struck me most was the Isaiah, and within that the opening couple of sentences.  Sure, we can see the hints of Jesus' rejection in what follows, and read the words as spoken of him, but to be honest this morning I found the first couple of sentences spoken to - dare I say - of me, and indeed of any and every preacher.  To sustain the weary with a word... what a lovely calling.  Not sure I achieve it all that often, I'm far better at didactic than pastoral preaching.  But I do try.  I try to think what impact my words will have on the people in my congregation, the people who read the stuff I post here.  I hope, too, that my ears are at least half open each new day to hear what God may have to say to me - through scripture, through music, through nature, through people, through reading...

Today we celebrate in festal parade

Hallelujah!  Amen!

Today we laugh and cheer in joy

Hallelujah!  Amen!

Today someone is weeping deep inside

Hosanna... God please save

Today someone is visibly angry and annoyed

Hosanna... God please save

Today we sing praises to our Lord

Hallelujah!  Amen!

But will we walk, with him, the Calvary road?

Hosanna... God please save

This morning, Lord, you speak in my ear

Hallelujah!  Amen!

Help me to speak to the weary a sustaining word

Hosanna... God please save

~

Ride on, ride on in majesty

Hark all the crowds hosanna cry...

Ride on, ride on in majesty

In lowly pomp ride on to die...

Bow down your head to mortal pain

Then take, oh Lord, your power and reign.

Late posting today - been out with my Deacs for a half day reflection day... and it's been really good :-)

Today's passages:

Psalm 118:1-2, 19-29
Jeremiah 33:10-16
Mark 10:32-34, 46-52

Of these three, the one I want to focus on is the Mark, or more specifically the gap...

They were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was walking ahead of them; they were amazed, and those who followed were afraid. He took the twelve aside again and began to tell them what was to happen to him, saying, "See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death; then they will hand him over to the Gentiles; they will mock him, and spit upon him, and flog him, and kill him; and after three days he will rise again." 

James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came forward to him and said to him, "Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you."   And he said to them, "What is it you want me to do for you?"  And they said to him, "Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory." But Jesus said to them, "You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?"  They replied, "We are able." Then Jesus said to them, "The cup that I drink you will drink; and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized; but to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared." When the ten heard this, they began to be angry with James and John.  So Jesus called them and said to them, "You know that among the Gentiles those whom they recognise as their rulers lord it over them, and their great ones are tyrants over them.  But it is not so among you; but whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you must be slave of all.  For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many."

They came to Jericho. As he and his disciples and a large crowd were leaving Jericho, Bartimaeus son of Timaeus, a blind beggar, was sitting by the roadside.  When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout out and say, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!"   Many sternly ordered him to be quiet, but he cried out even more loudly, "Son of David, have mercy on me!"  Jesus stood still and said, "Call him here." And they called the blind man, saying to him, "Take heart; get up, he is calling you."  So throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus.  Then Jesus said to him, "What do you want me to do for you?" The blind man said to him, "My teacher, let me see again."  Jesus said to him, "Go; your faith has made you well." Immediately he regained his sight and followed him on the way.

Mark 10:32-52

Why, I ask myself, do the compilers of the lectionary omit the words I've changed to grey?  And why does the writer of Mark include them at that place?  In Matthew's account, the question is put in the mouth of the mother of the twin disciples; it is she who seeks status rather than they.  Otherwise, the two accounts are broadly similar, though not identical.  So why do the lectionary writers skip past this?  The short answer is that I don't know!  Perhaps it hints too strongly towards Maundy Thursday for thie purposes?  I am left puzzled and intrigued, if none the wiser.

Tomorrow we begin the last stage of our journey as we mark Palm Sunday (or Passion Sunday for RC churches), and as we do so we have these words ringing in our ears "... whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you must be slave of all.  For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many."

Perhaps, Lord, we don't want to read these words of the twin brothers

Because in them we recognise something of ourselves

Perhaps we are imagining our heavenly reward,

The status you will afford us

The resounding 'well done good and faithful servant'

That assures us our lives have been well spent.

Perhaps, Lord, we don't want to hear words about service or lowliness

Because in them we recognise your voice speaking to us

Perhaps we fear the toil of servant-discipleship

The unrewarded, unrewarding labour of the lowly

The lack of recognition of anything we do

The lack of assurance that anything we do is worth a fig

Lord, as we skip over troublesome words

Dispel our blindness towards what you want to show us

Our deafness to your voice

And lead us onwards in your service

Day by day

Amen