Rolling Stones - an Easter message

Scripture: Acts 10:34-43 or Isaiah 25:6-9; Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24; 1 Corinthians 15:1-11 or Acts 10:34-43; John 20:1-18 or Mark 16:1-8

The Rev. Canon Frank Logue, in his homily for Easter, "Look Again" talks about rolling away stones. He begins with Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome, going to the tomb on the third day after the crucifixion to give Jesus the proper Jewish burial he was denied. They encountered the stone blocking entrance to the tomb in which Jesus’ body had been laid. They “looked again,” (in the perfect tense in Greek), and found the stone rolled away. Logue discusses how they reacted at that time, and later, as they once again “looked again.” The difference in what they did (fleeing) is seeing through the eyes of the world, seeing problems and obstacles, without hope; and seeing through the eyes of faith, and turning over the obstacles and problems to God who has already (perfect tense) provided the way through it all, and who has given us the courage, strength, conviction, purpose... and hope, to move ahead, and follow where Jesus leads us. 

Compare this with the ancient Greek myth of Sisyphus who defied the gods and put Death in chains so that no human needed to die. When Death was eventually liberated and it came time for Sisyphus himself to die, he concocted a deceit which let him escape from the underworld. After finally capturing Sisyphus, the Greek gods decided on his punishment for all eternity. He would have to push a rock up a mountain; upon reaching the top, the rock would roll down again, leaving Sisyphus to start over. Without hope, condemned to repeat a meaningless task, forever.

What are the stones which need to be rolled away in our lives? Can we look again, as God sees us, and the world? The good news of Easter is, we can. With hope. Thanks be to God, through Christ, our Lord. Let us follow where he leads.

How, and why, did Jesus’ life of peace end in such a violent death?

Scripture: Isaiah 50:4-9a; Psalm 31:9-16; Philippians 2:5-11; Mark 14:1-15:47

"How did this happen? How did Jesus’ life of peace end in such a violent death? We stand at the edge of this moment, looking on in horror and confusion — just as Jesus’ followers did on the day he was crucified. The violence we have seen is numbing: it robs us of the ability to think clearly... The familiar formula — that Jesus died for our sins — raises more questions than it answers. First, exactly how is Jesus’ death connected with our forgiveness? Why does this terrible thing lead to that wonderful thing? And who is it that wants this sacrifice anyway?" The Rev. Jason Cox in his "Sacrifice: Sunday of the Passion,"  raises these questions, and provides an answer. What are your thoughts? 

This Voice Has Come for Your Sake, Not Mine

Scripture: Jeremiah 31:31-34  • Psalm 51:1-12 or Psalm 119:9-16  •Hebrews 5:5-10  • John 12:20-33

This week we see Jesus come to terms with the cross he must bear, in all of his humanity and divinity. Like the old gospel song "I have decided to follow Jesus... the world behind me, the cross before me, no turning back, no turning back," The Rev. Robert Cornwall, in "The Hour Has Come - Lectionary Reflection for Lent 5b," offers thoughts about what it means to put ego, ambition, pride and selfishness behind us, as we learn to take up our crosses and follow Jesus.

In this week's gospel, Jesus knows a cruel, humiliating death is imminent, on the path he has chosen. We see him in all his humanity, and then he, and we, hear a voice, saying, in response to Jesus' plea, "Father, glorify your name," "I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again." Jesus says to his disciples, and to us, "This voice has come for your sake, not mine." What does he mean? What voices do we listen to today? Whose voice do we hear? What are the consequences, the blessings?  Read The Rev. Kirk Kubicek's "This Voice Has Come For Your Sake, Not Mine." 

In "Who Are We Looking For," Debie Thomas cuts through chase, "Jesus willingly took the violence, the contempt, and the hatred of this world and absorbed them all into his own body.  He chose to be the victim, the scapegoat, the sacrifice.  He refused to waver in his message of universal love, grace, and liberation, knowing full well that the message would cost him his life.  He declared solidarity for all time with those who are abandoned, colonized, oppressed, accused, imprisoned, beaten, mocked, and murdered.  He burst open like a seed so that new life would grow and replenish the earth.  He took an instrument of torture and turned it into a vehicle of hospitality and communion for all people, everywhere.  He loved and he loved and he loved, all the way to the end.  “When I am lifted up, I will draw all people to myself.”

In "The Voice," The Rev. Luz Cabrera Montes tells us,"There will be days when we will not get all of the work done, days when we will not know which voices to listen to – but God will remain with us. We must take our time when listening to the voices around us and decide where we can find God in them. We must decide to love because we know that hate is too much to carry. We must continue to say, “We wish to see Jesus.” Let us continue to boldly claim this for our lives and for our world... and we are not alone.

Looking up to the cross

Scripture: Numbers 21:4-9  • Psalm 107:1-3, 17-22  • Ephesians 2:1-10  • John 3:14-21

This week we read about God telling Moses to put a brass or bronze snake on a pole to heal anyone bitten by a snake, and Jesus referring to that story in saying that the Son of Man must be lifted up that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. What is Jesus referring to? Why would he compare his crucifixion to a snake being lifted up, especially since reference to Moses' "snake on a stick" had been banned in Jewish liturgy since the time of Hezekiah?

The gospel of John gives us a different perspective on the crucifixion, than the passion described in the synoptic gospels. What is that perspective? See The Rev. Rick Morley's "lifted high - a reflection on John 3:14-21."

For Morley, and Peter Woods, the cross is effectual - it is a lifting up, but does more than that, and requires something from us. What is that? In "Fear on a Stick," Peter Woods tells us Jesus has us confront our fears, change, and death. Both authors see John's account of the cross as a symbol of salvation.

Debie Thomas in "Looking Up," considers the terrible image of a poisons snake on a pole, and the cruelty of death on a cross, and tells us God has us confront the truth of our sin, our falling short and failures, and in doing so, through God's grace, we are lifted up. The Rev. Marshall Jolly, in "Fears," tells us God is showing us the way out of our fears and messes by helping us confront our fears. Only by confronting our fears, can we be made whole. What does the cross mean to you?