Second Sunday in Lent

Mark 3:31-4:9

Then his mother and his brothers came; and standing outside, they sent to him and called him. A crowd was sitting around him; and they said to him, ‘Your mother and your brothers and sisters are outside, asking for you.’ And he replied, ‘Who are my mother and my brothers?’ And looking at those who sat around him, he said, ‘Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.’

Again he began to teach beside the lake. Such a very large crowd gathered around him that he got into a boat on the lake and sat there, while the whole crowd was beside the lake on the land. He began to teach them many things in parables, and in his teaching, he said to them: ‘Listen! A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Other seed fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil, and it sprang up quickly since it had no depth of soil. And when the sun rose, it was scorched; and since it had no root, it withered away. Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no grain. Other seed fell into good soil and brought forth grain, growing up and increasing and yielding thirty and sixty and a hundredfold.’ And he said, ‘Let anyone with ears to hear listen!’

Mark doesn't waste any time changing gears. It feels like he forgot to put in the clutch as he quickly goes from questioning who is in the familial relationship to how Jesus' teaching is propagated. I think there is a correlation here, but it's going to take some reflective gymnastics to get there.

Jesus says, whoever does God's will is my family (my mother, brothers, and sisters). So the more profound question is, "how do people know God's will without being taught or without listening so closely that we hear it?" So, Jesus teaches them that folks only hear what they want to hear. That some with ears don't even listen, so how can they hear and respond to God's word, let alone become Jesus' family?

I've always loved the parable of the sower so much because I think it tells us not to worry too much about where you cast the seed. Some seeds will fall on good soil and grow up to be healthy plants that produce good fruit. This plant grown on good ground will also increase the yield and help others grow good fruit. While the cultivation of good soil is essential in agriculture, that's not the point. Jesus shares this teaching to show us our responsibility is to cast the seed! Share the message! Nurture the relationship and become the family!

The gap between Jesus explaining who has been grafted into his family is not far-fetched from those who scatter and grow seed. If we listen to God, we are then supposed to go out and propagate God's message. The message of forgiveness and reconciliation. The message of becoming family and among those who do the will of God. 

It's not an easy task. In fact, it takes us being indiscriminate about who we invite (where we scatter our seed). It's about us not getting a say in who is in and who is out of God's family, just because we don't think their soil is good enough. So, what are the implications for us this Lenten season? One of the questions we could use for self-examination is, "do we feel like we are a connected part of God's family in Jesus?" If we don't, then "how might we listen a little more closely and scatter seed a little more recklessly?" If we do, then "what might we do to grow closer to Jesus to carry out his mission of reconciliation?" 

Remember that we are children of God, and our purpose is to live the message of love and reconciliation of in Jesus... and we listen closely so that we can live as part of his family that follows God's will with our message and our actions.

First Saturday in Lent

John 4:1-26 (NRSV)

Now when Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard, “Jesus is making and baptizing more disciples than John” —although it was not Jesus himself but his disciples who baptized— he left Judea and started back to Galilee.

But he had to go through Samaria. So he came to a Samaritan city called Sychar, near the plot of ground that Jacob had given to his son Joseph. Jacob’s well was there, and Jesus, tired out by his journey, was sitting by the well. It was about noon. A Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink.” (His disciples had gone to the city to buy food.) The Samaritan woman said to him, “How is it that you, a Jew, ask a drink of me, a woman of Samaria?” (Jews do not share things in common with Samaritans.) Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.” The woman said to him, “Sir, you have no bucket, and the well is deep. Where do you get that living water? Are you greater than our ancestor Jacob, who gave us the well, and with his sons and his flocks drank from it?” Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but those who drink of the water that I will give them will never be thirsty. The water that I will give will become in them a spring of water gushing up to eternal life.” The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water, so that I may never be thirsty or have to keep coming here to draw water.” Jesus said to her, “Go, call your husband, and come back.” The woman answered him, “I have no husband.” Jesus said to her, “You are right in saying, ‘I have no husband’; for you have had five husbands, and the one you have now is not your husband. What you have said is true!” The woman said to him, “Sir, I see that you are a prophet. Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you say that the place where people must worship is in Jerusalem.” Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such as these to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” The woman said to him, “I know that Messiah is coming” (who is called Christ). “When he comes, he will proclaim all things to us.” Jesus said to her, “I am he, the one who is speaking to you.”

"Sir, you have no bucket, and the well is deep." The Samaritan woman and Jesus have a conversation at Jacob's well. Jesus is obviously out of his territory, in Sychar, a city in Samaria. Even though Jesus is not a Samaritan and the woman is not a Jew, Jesus crosses many social barriers to speak to the woman at the well. 

One social barrier is that there is such a difference between the Samaritans and Jews that they didn't even talk to one another, let alone share anything in common. Jews (inhabitants of Judah, which is the southern kingdom) thought Samaritans (part of the northern kingdom) were dogs, and the same thought was reciprocated by the Samaritans. Arguing over the proper place to worship was just the tip of the iceberg. Samaritans worshipped and made sacrifices on the mountain, and Jews worshipped and made sacrifices in the temple. The evangelist, John, saying that "Jews do not share things in common with the Samaritans" is an understatement. The Samaritans were half Jew and half gentile and came about after the northern kingdom was in captivity in 721 BCE. 

Another social barrier that Jesus crosses is sexual. Jesus is a man and is openly speaking to an unaccompanied woman in public. This is a little beyond a simple faux pa but goes directly in the face of cultural practice. By Jesus doing this, he puts himself in grave danger if anyone wanted to go after him for violating a social norm. I am struck by her curtness of "sir, you have no bucket, and the well is deep!" reply to his request for water. But, understanding the dichotomy between them, her response makes sense.

Jesus did not commit a sin by crossing the social barriers. Jesus decides not to follow the prejudiced attitudes of his day regarding gender and ethnicity. And by doing so, the Samaritan woman and Jesus have an in-depth theological exchange. She learned the good news, and through her, the entire village came to believe. More on that part of the story Monday (John 4:27-42).

This is the most extensive conversation of this type in the Gospel, according to John. It is an important story that tells how Jesus is reaching others to reconcile them to God. It is essential to point out that he and the woman didn't quibble over the right way or wrong way to worship (something Christian brothers and sisters could learn), but he says that true worshippers will worship God in spirit and truth.

In reflecting through this passage, what might be some questions we could use for this season of Lent? One that comes to mind is; "do we let the social norms keep us from engaging those who need a drink of water (or anything else for that matter)?" Another might be; "what are the barriers that exist in our lives that prevent us from having meaningful relationships and discussions with those that differ from us? In the recent political and racial turmoil, these might be good self-reflections this lent.

First Friday in Lent

 John 3:22-36 (NRSV)

After this Jesus and his disciples went into the Judean countryside, and he spent some time there with them and baptized. John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim because water was abundant there; and people kept coming and were being baptized— John, of course, had not yet been thrown into prison.

Now a discussion about purification arose between John’s disciples and a Jew. They came to John and said to him, ‘Rabbi, the one who was with you across the Jordan, to whom you testified, here he is baptizing, and all are going to him.’ John answered, ‘No one can receive anything except what has been given from heaven. You yourselves are my witnesses that I said, “I am not the Messiah, but I have been sent ahead of him.” He who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice. For this reason my joy has been fulfilled. He must increase, but I must decrease.’

The one who comes from above is above all; the one who is of the earth belongs to the earth and speaks about earthly things. The one who comes from heaven is above all. He testifies to what he has seen and heard, yet no one accepts his testimony. Whoever has accepted his testimony has certified this, that God is true. He whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for he gives the Spirit without measure. The Father loves the Son and has placed all things in his hands. Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever disobeys the Son will not see life, but must endure God’s wrath.

"He must increase, but I must decrease." To me, this is the most significant phrase in this pericope. I've written about John before and his efforts to point to Jesus with everything that he does. This is another prime example of John playing a good second chair. John must decrease so that Jesus can increase.

Jesus and his disciples went into the Judean countryside and were across from where John was baptizing. The scripture says that Jesus and his disciples were baptizing. John's disciples were obviously thinking that Jesus was trying to take John's followers. So, they rushed to John and told him that Jesus is baptizing and "all are going to him."

John is quick to remind them that Jesus was first and will always be first. He reminds them that he was sent ahead so that he might prepare the way. John compares what he is doing to "the friend of the bridegroom," (John) who rejoices at the bridegroom's (Jesus) arrival. And now that the time has come, John tells them that Jesus must increase, but he must decrease. John must do his part, and in all things John does, get out of the way of the mission that Jesus has.

Today's scene is mesmerizing to the point of watching John, who is highly regarded by his followers, give up his power and position to Jesus. John knows that this is his purpose, and it doesn't worry him that people are going out to be baptized by Jesus. He knows that Jesus offers them life beyond life, in the presence and in connection with the creator. 

John is a model for us today of what it means to give glory to God. In his case, his followers seem to see Jesus as a threat, but not John. John sees it as an opportunity to point others toward God's grace and glory. Today, my lenten questions are: how often do we give up our glory for the glory of God? Do we see ourselves as loved by God so much that we want to share that love with others? Do we think we will lose something if we point others in a direction away from ourselves and toward God? How do we decrease so that Jesus can increase?

 

First Thursday in Lent

John 3:16-21 (NRSV)

‘For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.

‘Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Those who believe in him are not condemned; but those who do not believe are condemned already, because they have not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the judgement, that the light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil. For all who do evil hate the light and do not come to the light, so that their deeds may not be exposed. But those who do what is true come to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that their deeds have been done in God.’

Why is it that we see these signs with John 3:16 at sporting events and on yard signs? Do folks believe that someone will see that sign, know instantly that it refers to a bible verse, and run out, look it up, read it, believe, and start living differently? I'm not sure it works that way. Maybe that's why, even as a priest, I'm turned off at these hollow public displays of faith. 

Let's dig into the practice a little. I understand that it started in Boston in the 1970s as a way for evangelical Christians to propagate the Gospel. Their idea was to put John 3:16 on a sign and hold it up at a game. If the game is televised, more people would learn salvation and everlasting life through Jesus. The verse, "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life," seems to display the complete message, or does it? The question that I have is, "is eternal life" the ultimate goal? I don't mean to be cynical here, but what is it that were are striving for? 

Or, are we striving for a life more connected to God in this life? Are we living to be closer to our creator? In doing so, are we becoming more responsible to those around us (our neighbor) and the environment (God's creation)? Are we loving God and loving our neighbor like God's only Son asks? Some would say that belief is enough... if you believe, you are in, like it's some sort of club for eternal life. That's partly why I cringe at isolated scripture texts without some context. 

John 3:16 is part of a more extensive explanation of who Jesus is. Yes, Jesus is the one that reconciles the world to God and Jesus is the one that provides us a way to have an eternal presence with our creator after this earthly life is over. However, Jesus is also the one who is the light that shows us the way to be and live in a relationship with God and with one another. A relationship that needs to be nurtured with practice. Not that we can do anything to earn God's love, but that we act out of and in response to God's love.

I'm not sure what, if any, converts to the faith these signs bring. But I do know, for me, it lacks context for those who are not familiar with the Holy Scriptures. If you asked someone on the street what John 3:16 was, they would say it was a Bible verse but wouldn't know what it said or meant. 

During the lent season, we are encouraged to engage in practices that draw us closer to God. If holding up a sign at a game does it for you, then rock on. I'm not condemning the practice. But, be ready to respond to the question, "why are you doing that?" by offering the story of Jesus calling us into a life of love and relationship. 

First Wednesday in Lent 2021

John 2:23-3:15 (NRSV)

When he was in Jerusalem during the Passover festival, many believed in his name because they saw the signs that he was doing. But Jesus on his part would not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people and needed no one to testify about anyone; for he himself knew what was in everyone.

Now there was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews. He came to Jesus by night and said to him, ‘Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God; for no one can do these signs that you do apart from the presence of God.’ Jesus answered him, ‘Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above.’ Nicodemus said to him, ‘How can anyone be born after having grown old? Can one enter a second time into the mother’s womb and be born?’ Jesus answered, ‘Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit. What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not be astonished that I said to you, “You must be born from above.” The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.’ Nicodemus said to him, ‘How can these things be?’ Jesus answered him, ‘Are you a teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand these things?

‘Very truly, I tell you, we speak of what we know and testify to what we have seen; yet you do not receive our testimony. If I have told you about earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you about heavenly things? No one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.

The Pharisee, Nicodemus, came to Jesus "by night." I am sure that he was afraid of what others might think if he openly endorsed this itinerant teacher from Nazareth. Nicodemus believed in Jesus and his teaching and wanted to know more. He had already experienced the miraculous acts or "signs" that Jesus did. So, without telling his fellow Pharisees, Nicodemus sneaks out for a one on one with Jesus.

The encounter is intimate and life-giving. Jesus and Nicodemus are sitting there in the evening chatting about theological concepts. You can feel the energy building in the text as Jesus reveals to Nicodemus what it is to experience the Kingdom of God after being born anew. As a Pharisaic teacher, Nicodemus should have known more about the spiritual nature of re-birth. After Jesus explains it, Nicodemus is astonished. His only response was, "how can these things be."

I've heard many over the years about being "born-again" or "reborn" or "born from above." I'm not sure that neither they nor I understand the complexity of what it means to be "born anew." I think that the faith rebirth comes from knowing and living for God rather than for the world or self. I feel that comes from caring for those that God cares for and comes from knowing that you are forgiven and have the chance to right the wrongs. 

Nicodemus was probably not a coward but saw his meeting with Jesus as controversial enough to keep it a secret. This makes me think... How often do we "hide our faith" for fear of ridicule? And if we do, are we really living like we have been born anew? If being born again means knowing and living for God, how might we respond more fully with a faith-filled life? The world waits for signs that God is real. However, those reborn in God are doing very little to show the world who God is.

First Tuesday in Lent 2021

John 2:13-22 (NRSV)

The Passover of the Jews was near, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the temple he found people selling cattle, sheep, and doves, and the money-changers seated at their tables. Making a whip of cords, he drove all of them out of the temple, both the sheep and the cattle. He also poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables. He told those who were selling the doves, “Take these things out of here! Stop making my Father’s house a marketplace!” His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for your house will consume me.” The Jews then said to him, “What sign can you show us for doing this?” Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” The Jews then said, “This temple has been under construction for forty-six years, and will you raise it up in three days?” But he was speaking of the temple of his body. After he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this; and they believed the scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken.

Folks that like to think of Jesus as "meek and mild" are disturbed by the thought of him making a whip of cords and thrashing around, turning over tables, and running people out of the temple. We like to think that a loving, forgiving, reconciling Jesus would use some other way to get his point across. However, in the second chapter of John, here we have it that he is driving out the sheep and cattle from the temple portico.

There is some confusion about this passage. Money changing wasn't unusual. Sometimes people making the pilgrimage to Jerusalem were not able to carry their sacrificial animal with them. Therefore, they would purchase one when they arrived. Another thing is that the Roman coin wasn't allowed to be used to pay the temple tax. The "changers" would be exchanging the Roman denarii to the Jewish shekel. However, the money changers were known to skim off the exchange rate and defraud the people. Whatever the reason, Jesus was not happy with the way things were going and lost it.

My first thought is that this plays a part in the larger story of fulfilling the prophecy "zeal for your house will consume me." Jesus needed to do this to live into what he was called to do. Also, this act is the turning point of his journey to the cross. It all goes downhill from here. The Pharisees and scribes begin to draw closer and closer to trip Jesus up in their pursuit to get him to commit some sort of offense that will allow them to get rid of him. Jesus almost says, "bring it on." By telling them that they will destroy the temple and he will rebuild it in three days.

Anger is something that we all deal with from time to time. It's a very human emotion that, if not controlled, controls us. I've heard this passage referred to as righteous anger, that Jesus was within his right to toss the tables. To me, it seems that his humanity has reached its breaking point. The result is a fit of rage that does nothing but provoke the authorities to action. Jesus obviously saw this as a last resort and fully knew what it would lead to. He took responsibility for his actions.

In the Lenten season of self-reflection, we might ask ourselves, "do we let ourselves get to the point of rage when we are upset about something?" Another thing we could ask is, "how might we respond to things that upset us that build up rather than destroy?" The answer should never get to us turning over tables.

First Monday in Lent 2021

John 2:1-12 (NRSV)

On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. When the wine gave out, the mother of Jesus said to him, ‘They have no wine.’ And Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, what concern is that to you and to me? My hour has not yet come.’ His mother said to the servants, ‘Do whatever he tells you.’ Now standing there were six stone water-jars for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. Jesus said to them, ‘Fill the jars with water.’ And they filled them up to the brim. He said to them, ‘Now draw some out, and take it to the chief steward.’ So they took it. When the steward tasted the water that had become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the steward called the bridegroom and said to him, ‘Everyone serves the good wine first, and then the inferior wine after the guests have become drunk. But you have kept the good wine until now.’ Jesus did this, the first of his signs, in Cana of Galilee, and revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him. After this he went down to Capernaum with his mother, his brothers, and his disciples; and they remained there for a few days.

"They have no wine!" Now that's something you don't want to hear at a party, especially a wedding. In this story of Jesus and his disciple's attendance at the wedding, we don't even know who is getting married because that's not the point. Jesus' presence and his action are. This is held up as Jesus' first miracle, the one that revealed his power and glory, and the scripture tells us that when his followers saw, they believed.

There is an old joke among those denominations that didn't subscribe to the temperance movement. It goes something like, "our lord knew how to have a good party; his first miracle was making wine out of water." I'm not bashing those who wish to abstain from alcohol. However, those who want to forgo shouldn't tell those who partake every now and then that they do something religiously wrong. But this story is about more than that.

This account of the revealing of Jesus' power and glory sets the stage for John's gospel, letting us in on some of the miraculous things that we shall see as it unfolds. Something that we wouldn't expect. Things like restoration, healing, prophecy, and casting out demons. Jesus is on the move, but first, he and his followers are at a party with their friends. A party for a wedding that lasted 7 days in the Jewish tradition. No wonder they were out of wine.

This Lent is a time for self-evaluation and reflection on our relationship with God. How do we live more fully into a relationship with God? How might we acknowledge the power and glory in the life of Jesus with our actions? How will we help others enjoy the party?

First Sunday in Lent 2021

Mark 2:18-22 (NRSV)

Now John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting, and people came and said to him, ‘Why do John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?’ Jesus said to them, ‘The wedding guests cannot fast while the bridegroom is with them, can they? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast. The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast on that day. ‘No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old cloak; otherwise, the patch pulls away from it, the new from the old, and a worse tear is made. And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; otherwise, the wine will burst the skins, and the wine is lost, and so are the skins; but one puts new wine into fresh wineskins.’

On Sundays, the daily lectionary takes a detour from the passages in John that we were looking at this past week. For some reason, this passage makes me think of the song Auld Lang Syne. Maybe the Scottish song that we sing at the beginning of the new year begging us to remember the old times has merit. I'm not sure. This passage has people coming to Jesus and chastising him about not keeping the ritual practice of fasting observed by John's disciples and the Pharisees. Jesus sets them straight by explaining that a new way of understanding is coming.

Jesus compares the practice to a wedding feast, where the bridegroom is present, and the party continues. He also compares it to sewing a new piece of cloth (unshrunk) on an old garment and new wine into old wineskins. Some say this simply means, "out with the old and in with the new." But I feel it's more complicated than that.

To understand Jesus' new teaching with authority, one must receive it with fresh ears. Some old preconceived notions of the messiah's coming needed to be abandoned to embrace Jesus as Lord. Jesus was different than anything they expected. He lived out the law's intent and taught and healed and set right some of the things that the people were misunderstanding. 

Fasting is a well know practice. Even today, people fast for many reasons; some religious. However, fasting is appropriate for some and not others. If one has an eating disorder or another issue such as diabetes or hypoglycemia, one probably shouldn't fast, even for religious reasons. Fasting helps us in our connection with God and each other. When we abstain from eating specific foods or even all food, our hunger pangs may remind us of how God provides for us and how privileged we are in having enough to each in a world where not everyone does. 

Lent is a fasting period for the church. The faithful are encouraged to give up something to help us draw closer to God. This may not be appropriate for some. In some cases, taking on a discipline is more encouraged. This discipline may include journaling, reflecting on scripture, or other practices that help us grow closer to God. 

Looking for new ways of engagement is always important. Sometimes the older methods don't work. Sometimes we need something more or something else. If we catch ourselves "putting new wine in old wineskins," we may make a mess. 

This Lent, I am encouraged to look for new ways to engage some of the old practices. The pandemic has definitely pushed us in that direction. Nothing is what was expected. It is all becoming different. However, we must remember that God is still God, and God continues to guide and strengthen us in ways that we may not realize.

Last Saturday after the Epiphany 2021

John 1:43-51

The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, ‘Follow me.’ Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. Philip found Nathanael and said to him, ‘We have found him about whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus son of Joseph from Nazareth.’ Nathanael said to him, ‘Can anything good come out of Nazareth?’ Philip said to him, ‘Come and see.’ When Jesus saw Nathanael coming towards him, he said of him, ‘Here is truly an Israelite in whom there is no deceit!’ Nathanael asked him, ‘Where did you come to know me?’ Jesus answered, ‘I saw you under the fig tree before Philip called you.’ Nathanael replied, ‘Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!’ Jesus answered, ‘Do you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than these.’ And he said to him, ‘Very truly, I tell you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.’

Today we hear of Jesus calling Philip (who was a contemporary of Andrew and Peter who we met yesterday), from Bethsaida, a small fishing village on the shore of the sea of Galilee. It was there that Jesus told Philip, “follow me,” and Philip then found Nathanial. Nathanial comes off as uninterested in this man Jesus from Nazareth, and even asks Philip, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” 

In our reading context matters! Culturally, those familiar with the time and place would know that Nazareth was considered the equivalent to being on the “wrong side of the tracks.” Surely this would not a place for a messianic teacher to be from. But Philip’s invitation was simple “come & see.” This was the invitation that Jesus extended to Andrew in yesterday's reading.

Nonetheless, possibly reluctantly, Nathaniel goes to Jesus, and Jesus identifies him immediately as an “Israelite in whom there is no deceit.” In turn, Nathanial immediately identifies Jesus as the Son of God and King of Israel. Jesus then tells Nathaniel, something of the equivalent, "you haven’t seen anything yet."

In this interaction, Jesus calls Philip and Philip turns around and calls or invites Nathaniel. It reminds us again that sometimes, in our travels, we depend on others to help show us the way. Over the past couple of days, we've revisited the call stories of the first disciples from the gospel according to John. John seems to be stressing invitation and response and makes a big deal about those who Jesus calls indirectly that seem to play a big part in the story. 

Andrew called Simeon (called Peter or Cephas) and Jesus declared Peter to be a person of strength. Philip calls Nathaniel and Jesus declares that he is of good character. The call to action that I see today is Jesus/God doing the evaluation. Not us. It's often said that God doesn't call the qualified, God qualifies the called. Our job is to invite into the way of Jesus and let Jesus do the qualifying. When we do, we will see greater things than these.

Last Friday after the Epiphany 2021

John 1:35-42 (NRSV)

The next day John again was standing with two of his disciples, and as he watched Jesus walk by, he exclaimed, ‘Look, here is the Lamb of God!’ The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. When Jesus turned and saw them following, he said to them, ‘What are you looking for?’ They said to him, ‘Rabbi’ (which translated means Teacher), ‘where are you staying?’ He said to them, ‘Come and see.’ They came and saw where he was staying, and they remained with him that day. It was about four o’clock in the afternoon. One of the two who heard John speak and followed him was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. He first found his brother Simon and said to him, ‘We have found the Messiah’ (which is translated Anointed). He brought Simon to Jesus, who looked at him and said, ‘You are Simon son of John. You are to be called Cephas’ (which is translated Peter).

Come and see! It's just that simple. There are no problematic hoops to jump through, no pre-requirements, no physical exam, no test to take, and nothing to do but come and see. We sometimes forget how simple Jesus' invitation is. 

In today's reading, John the Baptizer has just claimed that Jesus was the "Lamb of God." Andrew and another disciple of John heard John say this and immediately followed Jesus. When Jesus saw them following, he simply asked, "what are you looking for." After Andrew and the other disciple asked where Jesus was staying, Jesus told them to come and see. In the church, we have brought this simple invitation further into the Episcopal Church's catechumenate process. Admission to the catechumenate begins with the question, "what do you seek?" and the response is "Life in Christ."

What strikes me is how "different" this call story is compared to the synoptic gospels. In Matthew, Jesus is walking along the Sea of Galilee (Matthew 4:18-22), and in Luke, Jesus is standing beside the lake of Gennesaret (Luke 5:1-11). One thing for sure is that Andrew was a fisherman, and so was his brother Simon. In John's account, Andrew is responsible for bringing his brother Simon to Jesus. 

Then comes one of my favorite parts, probably because I like "nicknames." Nicknames are terms of endearment that we bestow on others (family and friends) that we care about. After knowing Simon all of 2 minutes, Jesus calls him Cephas or Petros (Peter), which is basically calling him Rock or Rocky (I'm wondering what Dwayne Johnson and Sylvester Stallone think about that). The term means something substantial here because he recognizes Peter as a dependable person, grounded... one on which he will build his ekklesia (community or church). But it all started with the simple invitation to "come and see." I also suggest that the invitation didn't go to Simon (or Peter), but it went to Andrew, his brother. His brother, Andrew, went and brought Simon to Jesus and said to him, "we have found the anointed."

God calls us through many different avenues at many different times (not just 4pm). It comes through sisters and brothers, family and friends... and the invitation is always simple, "come and see." Experience what the ekklesia has to offer, see what purpose it might give to your life. Lent is a time of connection and reconnection. This is how we are connected in the community of believers, and it is the way we can connect with others. Who have you asked recently to "come and see" what life in Christ is all about?

Last Thursday After the Epiphany 2021

 John 1:29-34 (NRSV)

The next day [John] saw Jesus coming towards him and declared, ‘Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! This is he of whom I said, “After I come to a man who ranks ahead of me because he was before me.” I did not know him, but I came baptizing with water for this reason, that he might be revealed to Israel.’ And John testified, ‘I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. I did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water said to me, “He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.” And I have seen and have testified that this is the Son of God.’

When I think of John the Baptizer, I think of one who thrives on being the second chair. Anyone who has ever played an instrument in a band or orchestra can understand what I mean by the term "second chair." You know, the one who is pretty great in his own right but enjoys giving the credit to others. The one that isn't the lead but has distinct merit and purpose.

In this passage, John is telling those gathered that he is not the messiah. After seeing Jesus from a distance, he declares Jesus to be the "Lamb of God." This was the day after the miraculous baptism scene, where John saw the heavens opened and a dove descending on Jesus. 

Like the painting above by Annibale Carracci (ca. 1600), most of the artistic images depict John pointing to Jesus. Some works have him pointing directly to Jesus; others have him pointing up, but always pointing. We learn from scripture that John is doing his job by "pointing to the Christ." John always points to Jesus with everything he is, proclaiming Jesus to be the anointed one of God, the one who "baptizes with the Holy Spirit." 

Being the second chair to Jesus is John's purpose. Being the second chair to Jesus is our purpose as we always try to point to Jesus and God with our lives and actions. The question for us during the season of Lent becomes, "how might we point the way to God for others more fully?"

Ash Wednesday 2021

Luke 18:9-14 (NRSV)

[Jesus] also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and regarded others with contempt: ‘Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax-collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, was praying thus, “God, I thank you that I am not like other people: thieves, rogues, adulterers, or even like this tax-collector. I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of all my income.” But the tax-collector, standing far off, would not even look up to heaven but was beating his breast and saying, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner!” I tell you, this man went down to his home justified rather than the other; for all who exalt themselves will be humbled, but all who humble themselves will be exalted.’

I'm not sure if it's human nature for someone to think they are better than anyone else. However, this is undoubtedly the Pharisee and tax collector's case that find themselves together praying in the temple. The apparent "sinner" here is the tax collector, knowing that he has defrauded his people working for the government and probably skimming off the top. However, he seems also to be the most repentant... standing there beating his breast and asking for God's mercy.

The Pharisee seems pompous and arrogant, thinking that he couldn't be as bad a "sinner" as other folks. After all, he's a Pharisee. He boasts, probably out loud, about how much he fasts and how much he gives, and how much better he is than the other sinners. 

Jesus uses the Pharisee in comparison to those "who trusted in themselves," namely the Pharisees to whom he was speaking, who thought they were righteous. The tax collector is someone that the Pharisees would abhor, and Jesus using this reference would make them very angry, especially if Jesus was saying that the tax collector was justified.

Jesus says that the reason the tax collector was justified and forgiven is because of his humility. The Tax Collector was self-convicted and asked for mercy rather than boasting about what right he had done. The Pharisee was just thankful that he wasn't "as bad" as the other people: thieves, rogues, adulterers, tax collectors. The Pharisees that Jesus was speaking with would immediately relate to their feeling of superiority. 

Jesus says that the humble will be exalted, and the exalted will be humbled. I pray that this Lenten season, we all find humility in our hearts and not think that we are any better than anyone else.