The Holy Gospel of Our Lord Jesus Christ According to John.

When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.

Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”

But Thomas (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe.”

A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.”

Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe.” Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!”

Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.”

Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. But these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name. (John 20:19-31)

                             —————————

In these days of unrest in many countries, and especially of war in the Ukraine, it is hard to watch the television news.

Some people find it hard to make ends meet because of higher prices which are fall-out from that conflict and the sanctions imposed on Russia.

But our “hardship” is as nothing compared to what the people of the Ukraine are suffering.

I am old enough to remember the hardships suffered by the people of Britain, during the Second World War; London being bombed daily as a means of demoralizing the population, factories, hospitals, and schools being bombed ‘strategically” and the precious ration books.

But I also remember radio shows, where comedians would use humour to lighten the mood.

Some people think it was that particular style of humour that helped Britain, come through the war. 

In that vein, what follows is a ‘sermon’ on today’s readings, but mostly some humour to help us all through these dark days.

  So the other disciples told Thomas, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe.”

A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.”

Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe.”

What a moment for Thomas!

He  could have said, ” Oh I was only joking,” but he wasn’t about to lie, and he truly saw where he had been wrong.

Sometimes we do that don’t we – say something to indicate we weren’t really serious  when we get caught out in something we may have said seriously?

But saying,’ Oh I was just joking’ doesn’t really go down too well as an excuse.

On the other hand, used appropriately,  humour can be something that lifts our spirits when we are down.

Humour can enlighten what is a dark situation.

The tragic happenings, the betrayal of Jesus by Judas and the religious authorities were anything but humorous moments, but I feel sure that prior to this, at happier times, times when he was relaxing with his disciples, Jesus would enjoy some humour.

When Jesus is portrayed in movies, he always seems so serious, so involved in his ministry that  he can’t relax, that he can’t have a humorous thought, that he never smiled or laughed.

But if God came to earth in the person of a human being, then, I believe his demeanor would not have  to be serious at all times. 

If he were a normal human being, then he just wouldn’t be able to ignore the happiness, the good feelings, the times to laugh, that some times epitomize our human-ness. 

And neither can we.

We have come through the solemnity of Lent, the joy and the heartbreak of Easter, and we are relieved to be back in our normal way of being. Well, almost normal.

So, being ‘ almost ‘ normal, we can indulge in a little humour.

Consequently, I have a few anecdotes to share with you

A lesson on conscience?

Mark Twain said, ” When I was a boy, I was walking along a street and I happened to spy a cart full of watermelons. I was fond of watermelon, so I sneaked quietly up to the cart and snitched one. Then I ran into a nearby alley and sank my teeth into the melon.

No sooner had I done so, however, than a strange feeling came over me. Without a moment’s hesitation I made my decision. I walked back to the cart, replaced the melon – and took a ripe one.

A lesson on lying?

In Boston, a minister notices a group of boys standing around a small stray dog.  “What are you doing boys?”

“Telling lies” said one boy.” The one who tells the biggest lie gets to keep the dog.”.

“Why when I was your age, ” the shocked minister said, ” I never thought of telling a lie.”

The boys looked at one another, a little crestfallen. Finally one shrugged, and said, “I guess he wins the dog.”

On honest dealing:

A farmer in Bloomington bought a horse and was told honestly by the seller that there was only one thing wrong with the horse. He liked to sit on avocados. The farmer said, ‘Well that’s fine with me. There aren’t any avocados around here. So he put down his money and mounted the horse and started home.

On the way he had to cross a stream, and right in the middle the horse sat down and wouldn’t budge. The farmer walked back to the horse dealer, and explained what happened. ” Well, you never said nothing about water, so I didn’t tell you,” the seller said.

“Didn’t tell me what?” the farmer asked.

The horseman explained, “If he can’t get avocados, he likes to sit on fish.”

Learning about the use of language:

A minister new to a church, and living in a rectory, called a church elder, and said,  ” I like the house, and the large yard, but I was wondering who cuts the grass.”

The elder said ‘ Well the minister before you used to take time every Friday to cut the grass himself. Have you thought about that?”

The minister said, “Well I could call him, but I doubt he would come.”

So he had to cut it himself, and he had no mower, but a few days later he was walking along and he saw a sign, ‘ Lawn  mower for sale,’  and there in the backyard was a young boy using a lawn mower to cut the grass.

He went in and asked the boy, ” Is that the mower for sale,” The boy nodded.

“How much do you want for it?”

“Twenty dollars,”

So the minister gave the twenty dollars, and the boy shut down the machine, and the minister  wheeled it back to the rectory.

The next day he thought he would cut the grass, went to start the mower.  No matter how hard he tried, it just wouldn’t fire up.

So more than a little miffed, he walked back to the house where he had bought the mower, and seeing the boy sitting on the fence, said,  “That mower you sold to me doesn’t work. I pulled that cord maybe twenty times, and nothing!”

The boy said, ” I forgot to tell you, that when you are pulling the cord, you have to cuss at it.”

The minister said, “Well, I don’t know if I really remember  how to cuss.”

The boy told him, ” Keep pulling on that card and it’ll come back to yer.”

On strategic timing:

A farmer took his horse to see the veterinarian. He complained about the horse, “One day he limps, the next day he doesn’t ..What should I do?”

The vet advised him, ” On the day he doesn’t limp, sell him.”

And Finally on subterfuge::

‘A school principal received a call. The voice said, ” Thomas Bradley won’t be in school today.” The principal. was a bit suspicious of the voice, so he asked, ” Who is this speaking?”

The voice came back, ” My father.”

Even in dark days, a little humour can let in some light.

If we allow it.

The Gospel of Our Lord Jesus Christ According to Luke.

On the first day of the week, at early dawn, the women who had come with Jesus from Galilee came to the tomb, taking the spices that they had prepared.

They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in, they did not find the body. While they were perplexed about this, suddenly two men in dazzling clothes stood beside them.

The women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be handed over to sinners, and be crucified, and on the third day rise again.”

Then they remembered his words, and returning from the tomb, they told all this to the eleven and to all the rest. Now it was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them who told this to the apostles.

But these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them. But Peter got up and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; then he went home, amazed at what had happened. (Luke 24:1-12)

                                      ————————–

How would you describe an item of worship?

It would be something you sacrificed for. It would be something you gazed at adoringly. It would be something you couldn’t help talking about to friends and family alike. It would be something that came first, before all other things in your life. 

We could be talking about some  television program, couldn’t we? Or a great and costly work of art.

Or we could be talking about participation in a sport, children’s hockey, for example, would fit the bill. It involves  sacrifice – watch it, – talk about it, get up at insanely early hours to get rink time,  yeah,  that sounds like kid’s hockey to me. You want your kid to win, don’t you?

Think about the commitment of time, money, effort, and if you are involved in such an activity, consider how that compares with your commitment to your God. Don’t get me wrong, I am not trying to build up guilt here, television, sports, cultural events, hobbies, and so on are part of what makes life interesting.

I am merely making asking for a comparison of the levels of of commitment so you will know if you have kept things in perspective.

In the book of Genesis, we read a story that might involve loss of perspective by a man named Abraham. 

The story is about  Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son Isaac, to God. Really!

That willingness sounds crazy to us today. How could anyone want to  kill his only son because he thinks he has heard God’s voice asking him to do so? We would probably label him as a schizophrenic. But the story isn’t really about Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice Isaac, it’s about the depth of his commitment to God. It is about how far he will go in trusting God.

God has already told Abraham that his descendants will be without number. His only son is Isaac. If he is to kill his son, then how can he have descendants?

God’s not going to go against His word.

When Isaac, going along with his father, to a place of sacrifice,  asks his father, “Where’s the animal, father?” Abraham says calmly, ” God will provide the lamb for a burnt offering my son.”

The mindset is that Abraham  will go along with whatever God says,   because he has a trust in God  – that ultimately, he  trusts Him according to His word.

Abraham might say, “I will go along with whatever God does, says or sends my way, because He has promised to be with me, to deliver me, to look after me, even when facing death.  I know I can trust him.

” I can offer him my most valuable possession, my son, and I know He will not fail me. Even so, when I read the story of Abraham I think, `what a demanding God.’

God doesn’t seem to make the same sort of demands today, now does He?

Come to church on Sunday, and the stuff that goes along with that. It’s not too demanding, is it?

Television is more demanding, isn’t it? Especially if you get caught up in an interesting series.

However in a former church I was fortunate to serve, the tradition was that a vigil was held the night following the  Maundy Thursday worship, when someone would be present in church throughout the night until Good Friday morning  dawned.

People  put their names forward without any fuss, and came throughout the night to participate in the vigil. That was quite demanding, I thought..

In church, we make many requests of people to help, for example,  someone who is in need of food, to help clean up the church, to  visit someone who is sick or lonely, to help teach children in Sunday School, to  assist in various fund- raising events…..and so on,  and we have a wonderful response.

And needs are met. But not every church can do that.

I used to drive up to church in Georgetown on a Sunday morning, and I would drive past a little church which was right next to a golf course. At eight thirty on a Sunday morning, there would be three or four cars in the church parking lot, and about fifty in the golf course lot.

It seemed to me that the answer to the so-called decline of the   church might be spelled out right there.

The things of the world are more demanding of our time, money and effort, and we often respond more readily to those demands than to demands of faith.

Worldly things have a greater attraction sometimes, than  faith. And I think it’s because for some of us, when we have come to church we may not found a Christ that is alive to us.

For some reason, we read, and hear about the Israelites and their leaders and their exploits, dating back some four thousand years. We read about a man who lived and ministered to people some two thousand years ago. And for some of us, it’s as dead as the rest of history!!!

It’s more alive out there, in the world.   The daytime soaps are more real for some people than Jesus.

Do we come to church to find a dead Jesus?

The women followers of Jesus looked for a dead man. That’s why they went to the tomb.

Jesus had died.  The soldiers had made sure of that. The man who offered his tomb was sure of that. The religious leaders put guards around the tomb to ensure that no-one could steal the body of a dead man.

So it was logical to look in the tomb for a dead Jesus. But the two men standing there –  we are told they are in dazzling robes and we assume they are angels – ask them,” Why do you seek the living among the dead?”

Living?

They thought he was dead!

Someone explored what would have happened if Jesus had not been crucified but had lived to a ripe old age. They thought that he would have gone on preaching, and would have been remembered for some of the things he said and did, but there would have been no Christianity.

The religious leaders had Jesus killed to halt his influence, but they had to stand back and watch as the infant church – Christianity –  grew and prospered against all adversity.

The church didn’t grow because it’s founder had died but because He lived.

The Egyptians worshipped dead Pharaohs. Does anyone worship them today?

The Romans worshipped dead emperors. Does anyone worship them today?

Almost a hundred years ago, a screen idol by the name of Rudolph Valentino died. He had been ‘ worshipped ” by thousands of women. Hundreds of women besieged the funeral home where his body lay. It was said that some women committed suicide.

Does anyone remember him today?

The church prospered because of a living Christ.

Strangely enough, however the disciples doubted that Jesus was alive at first. Even when he came to them in the upper room. Even when he walked with two of them on the road to Emmaus.

But the truth gradually dawned.

He was alive! He ate and drank with them, completed teaching them, and commissioned them in the work they were to do in the world. And somehow, those ignorant unschooled disciples became great evangelists. Somehow, timid men who had run away from Jesus’ side when he was arrested, faced authorities with great courage and some later gave their own lives in His name.

Somehow, in the name of Jesus, and empowered by His Spirit, a force of love was unleashed in the world  which has lasted to this day.

The worship of a dead God, the remembrance of a dead messiah, could never have accomplished what has been accomplished in his name.

Jesus Christ rose again, two thousand years ago tonight, and his Spirit lives today.

But where do we find that living Christ?

He is to be found in the Eucharist…. if we approach the altar with an open heart.

He is to be found in the prayers… if we bring our concerns for ourselves and others to Him.  

He is to be found in our songs of praise…… if indeed we desire to praise Him. 

But mostly.. He is to be found in our daily lives.

One of the wonderful things about the story of Abraham, is how he related to God on a daily basis. He  took it for granted that God was interested in what he did. He talked to Him. …..listened for Him.

Abraham knew God as a living, dynamic, interested and concerned God.

For Abraham, God was a living entity.  No doubt about that. And Jesus can be as much a part of our lives as God was of Abraham’s life.

Listen to what he said, ” “I was hungry and you gave me food. I was thirsty and you gave me drink. I was a stranger and you welcomed me. I was naked and you clothed me. I was sick and you visited me. I was in prison and you came to me. “

“Lord,” we might ask,” I would love to do that for you. I would feed you, visit you, clothe you, but how can I?” 

You couldn’t do that if he were dead, could you? But he lives. And he lives in the most unexpected places.

“When you did this to the least of my brothers or sisters, you did it to me,” he says.

When you visited old Mrs. So and So, at the nursing home, you visited me.

When you gave that down and out man a dollar for a coffee, you gave it to me.

When you brought food to someone too sick to make their own, you brought it to me.

And somehow, when you do that, when you treat people as though Christ were in them, you make a great discovery….you find that Christ is in you. 

Christ is in you!

Didn’t He say,” Lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age.”

Living with you, and me, as long as we live.

As we worship the living God.

Praise His name and Hallelujah.

                                          Palm Sunday

Luke 19:28-40

After telling a parable to the crowd at Jericho, Jesus went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. When he had come near Bethphage and Bethany, at the place called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of the disciples, saying, “Go into the village ahead of you, and as you enter it you will find tied there a colt that has never been ridden. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ just say this, ‘The Lord needs it.'” So those who were sent departed and found it as he had told them. As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, “Why are you untying the colt?” They said, “The Lord needs it.” Then they brought it to Jesus; and after throwing their cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus on it. As he rode along, people kept spreading their cloaks on the road. As he was now approaching the path down from the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice for all the deeds of power that they had seen, saying,

“Blessed is the king
who comes in the name of the Lord!

Peace in heaven,
and glory in the highest heaven!”

Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, order your disciples to stop.” He answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the stones would shout out.”

Luke 22:14-23:56

When the hour for the Passover meal came, Jesus took his place at the table, and the apostles with him. He said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; for I tell you, I will not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks he said, “Take this and divide it among yourselves; for I tell you that from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.”

Then he took a loaf of bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” And he did the same with the cup after supper, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood. But see, the one who betrays me is with me, and his hand is on the table. For the Son of Man is going as it has been determined, but woe to that one by whom he is betrayed!”

Then they began to ask one another, which one of them it could be who would do this.

A dispute also arose among them as to which one of them was to be regarded as the greatest. But he said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those in authority over them are called benefactors. But not so with you; rather the greatest among you must become like the youngest, and the leader like one who serves.

“For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one at the table? But I am among you as one who serves.

“You are those who have stood by me in my trials; and I confer on you, just as my Father has conferred on me, a kingdom, so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and you will sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

“Simon, Simon, listen! Satan has demanded to sift all of you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your own faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.” And he said to him, “Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death!” Jesus said, “I tell you, Peter, the cock will not crow this day, until you have denied three times that you know me.”

He said to them, “When I sent you out without a purse, bag, or sandals, did you lack anything?” They said, “No, not a thing.” He said to them, “But now, the one who has a purse must take it, and likewise a bag. And the one who has no sword must sell his cloak and buy one. For I tell you, this scripture must be fulfilled in me, `And he was counted among the lawless’; and indeed what is written about me is being fulfilled.” They said, “Lord, look, here are two swords.” He replied, “It is enough.”

He came out and went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives; and the disciples followed him. When he reached the place, he said to them, “Pray that you may not come into the time of trial.”

Then he withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, knelt down, and prayed, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me; yet, not my will but yours be done.” Then an angel from heaven appeared to him and gave him strength. In his anguish he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down on the ground.

When he got up from prayer, he came to the disciples and found them sleeping because of grief, and he said to them, “Why are you sleeping? Get up and pray that you may not come into the time of trial.”

While he was still speaking, suddenly a crowd came, and the one called Judas, one of the twelve, was leading them. He approached Jesus to kiss him; but Jesus said to him, “Judas, is it with a kiss that you are betraying the Son of Man?” When those who were around him saw what was coming, they asked, “Lord, should we strike with the sword?” Then one of them struck the slave of the high priest and cut off his right ear.

But Jesus said, “No more of this!” And he touched his ear and healed him. Then Jesus said to the chief priests, the officers of the temple police, and the elders who had come for him, “Have you come out with swords and clubs as if I were a bandit? When I was with you day after day in the temple, you did not lay hands on me. But this is your hour, and the power of darkness!”

Then they seized him and led him away, bringing him into the high priest’s house. But Peter was following at a distance. When they had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat down together, Peter sat among them. Then a servant-girl, seeing him in the firelight, stared at him and said, “This man also was with him.” But he denied it, saying, “Woman, I do not know him.”

A little later someone else, on seeing him, said, “You also are one of them.” But Peter said, “Man, I am not!” Then about an hour later still another kept insisting, “Surely this man also was with him; for he is a Galilean.” But Peter said, “Man, I do not know what you are talking about!”

At that moment, while he was still speaking, the cock crowed. The Lord turned and looked at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said to him, “Before the cock crows today, you will deny me three times.” And he went out and wept bitterly.

Now the men who were holding Jesus began to mock him and beat him; they also blindfolded him and kept asking him, “Prophesy! Who is it that struck you?” They kept heaping many other insults on him.

When day came, the assembly of the elders of the people, both chief priests and scribes, gathered together, and they brought him to their council. They said, “If you are the Messiah, tell us.” He replied, “If I tell you, you will not believe; and if I question you, you will not answer. But from now on the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the power of God.”

All of them asked, “Are you, then, the Son of God?” He said to them, “You say that I am.” Then they said, “What further testimony do we need? We have heard it ourselves from his own lips!”

Then the assembly rose as a body and brought Jesus before Pilate. They began to accuse him, saying, “We found this man perverting our nation, forbidding us to pay taxes to the emperor, and saying that he himself is the Messiah, a king.” Then Pilate asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?” He answered, “You say so.” Then Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds, “I find no basis for an accusation against this man.” But they were insistent and said, “He stirs up the people by teaching throughout all Judea, from Galilee where he began even to this place.”

When Pilate heard this, he asked whether the man was a Galilean. And when he learned that he was under Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent him off to Herod, who was himself in Jerusalem at that time.

When Herod saw Jesus, he was very glad, for he had been wanting to see him for a long time, because he had heard about him and was hoping to see him perform some sign. He questioned him at some length, but Jesus gave him no answer.

The chief priests and the scribes stood by, vehemently accusing him. Even Herod with his soldiers treated him with contempt and mocked him; then he put an elegant robe on him, and sent him back to Pilate. That same day Herod and Pilate became friends with each other; before this they had been enemies.

Pilate then called together the chief priests, the leaders, and the people, and said to them, “You brought me this man as one who was perverting the people; and here I have examined him in your presence and have not found this man guilty of any of your charges against him. Neither has Herod, for he sent him back to us. Indeed, he has done nothing to deserve death. I will therefore have him flogged and release him.”

Then they all shouted out together, “Away with this fellow! Release Barabbas for us!” (This was a man who had been put in prison for an insurrection that had taken place in the city, and for murder.) Pilate, wanting to release Jesus, addressed them again; but they kept shouting, “Crucify, crucify him!” A third time he said to them, “Why, what evil has he done? I have found in him no ground for the sentence of death; I will therefore have him flogged and then release him.”

But they kept urgently demanding with loud shouts that he should be crucified; and their voices prevailed. So Pilate gave his verdict that their demand should be granted. He released the man they asked for, the one who had been put in prison for insurrection and murder, and he handed Jesus over as they wished.

                                  ——————————-

On Palm Sunday, both these Gospel texts are read, and in many churches, the first reading is followed by a procession into the church proper, and with each worshipper waving a palm, and singing joyously, then the second reading leads into the Passion of Christ and to his crucifixion.   

                                    ——————————-

Well, how does it feel to be in that crowd that demanded that Jesus be crucified?

We are not really demanding that, are we?  it is just a play. A reenactment. 

We know Jesus. We know what he did, and what he did convinces us that he is the Son of God.

So there is no way, even if we were there that day, that we would be calling  for Jesus to be crucified.

No way!

Is there?

Many in the crowd would have heard Jesus preaching, or heard about the miracles that he performed. 

Not only that, but when Jesus rode that donkey into Jerusalem, they were there in the crowd welcoming him.  Calling out ,” Hosanna to the Son of David,”  “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.”

And so on.

We would be with them at that moment wouldn’t we?

We would be among those people, welcoming Jesus.

But when the scribes, and temple leaders – the politicians of the day – dragged him before Pilate, would we be with the crowd then?

I guess we most likely would be.

For one thing, people are influenced by authority. For another we don’t want to stand out in a crowd, especially one that is so riled up.

It would be dangerous to go against the flow.

There was something a little like that a short few years ago.  A situation south of here, when Mr. Trump at one of his pre-election rallies mentioned the name of Hilary Clinton and the crowd responded,  ” Lock her up.”

Some newspaper reporters and cameramen experienced being pushed around, and even struck by crowd members at such rallies.

You would have to be brave to stand up for Hilary Clinton in one of those rallies. 

So you can see why some people in that crowd, didn’t stand up for Jesus under similar circumstances, can’t you?.

Which raises the question: are we brave enough to stand up for Jesus, now, today?

And do we? 

And why did the politicians want Jesus out of the way?

Simple.

His  preaching ,his healing of the sick on the Sabbath, allowing his friends to pick grain as they walked through a field – which constituted ‘ working on the Sabbath ‘ – mixing with people seen as undesirable and so on…

He could be seen as encouraging people to break the law, and the law was what kept people in their place.  Those in authority had reason to be concerned.

Also, those who were well off, were considered so because God had blessed them. So they must have been righteous . People who were poor were so because God hadn’t blessed them. So they must have been sinners.

Jesus was turning this and other self-serving notions upside down.

In fact in today’s terms, he was encouraging revolution.

So  we can see why the politicians of the day were against him.

It happens today – is happening even now, as tyrants crack down on newspapers and television reporting, imprisoning  those who speak out against them, etc etc.

But what about us – the people – how did the people, people like us,  who had so enthusiastically welcomed Jesus, turn against him?

Remember how he was welcomed into Jerusalem with shouts of

” Hosanna to the king. Hosanna to the Son of David ? “

That description, ” A Son of David” ties in with how the prophets had foretold the coming of the Messiah.

As Isaiah has it : –

“And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots”  Thus Jesus is the “stem of Jesse” .and the son of David.

Isaiah goes on at length about the coming Messiah who will restore Israel.

Naming Jesus as Son of David, as the crowd did,  labels him  Jesus -as the Messiah.

And the people who welcomed Jesus so enthusiastically were welcoming the Messiah, the man who would free them from the Roman yoke. Free them from onerous taxation.

So they thought.

Curiously enough that is part of the accusation the politicians presented to Pilate. That Jesus called himself a king, someone who could upset the status quo.

But Jesus wasn’t that sort of king. 

The people had seen or heard of Jesus giving sight to the blind, hearing to the deaf, speech to the voiceless, movement to the paralyzed, healing to the leper, even raising  Lazarus from the dead and so on.

They had heard his words extolling the power of love and forgiveness; they had even been fed in their thousands. What more could he have done?

He could have taken on the power of Rome, freeing Israel from foreign dominion, but he didn’t.

He had failed them.

That’s not why he came, of course. He promised another kind of freedom, another kind of release. Another path.

As he told Pilate, ” My kingdom is not of this world.”

So where does that leave us?

What lesson is there here for us.

Well, let’s say a major catastrophe assails you or your family.

A loved one dies suddenly. You or a loved one is stricken with a terrible disease. You have a stroke or a heart attack and your whole life changes. One of your children is in danger and you can do nothing about it. You lose your job.

You know what I am talking about.

And you are desperate, and you get on your knees and beseech God for help.

Every night.

Without fail.

And nothing!

Nothing!

Weeks go by and “nothing.”

We have probably all been there.

He has failed you.

A parishioner of my church, who had been a warden, and a wonderful worker for the church had a happy life. Her husband was building a successful business. They had three children.

One day her husband took ill and the prognosis was not good. In fact it was bleak.

Many prayers went up for him and his family. They were very much loved in that community.

He died some months later. I was with her and her children at that moment.

Later, we had a celebration of his life, which was  very uplifting, but very sad, as he was leaving a widow and three children.

And I knew how alone that woman felt.

She had been nurtured by her church family; taken care of, during the past months. She had been blessed.   And the care and attention continued.

But after the funeral, she never entered the church again.

Why?

Did she feel that God had failed her?

I could see that. And sympathize.

God doesn’t always act the way we want Him to act.

Just as Jesus didn’t act as the people of his time, wanted him to act.

But God acted in Jesus in other ways, as we have noted.

And I know that God acted in the life of the poor woman mentioned earlier, in many notable ways.  

We have all been there, haven’t we?

Prostrating ourselves before Him. Begging for a  change in circumstances, and so on.

And He’ fails’ us?

But later, looking back on the past experience we see with hindsight that in fact, He was there for us, and working His will in ways that we didn’t recognise at the time.

Walking on that journey with us.

He was giving us strength to get through every day. Holding us up when we were ready to fall. Sending  angels to be with us, to encourage us, to make it through another day. To join their prayers with ours.

He never fails us.

And yet we doubt, don’t we?  As even the lead disciple, doubted.

But Jesus forgave Peter for his loss of faith, even for  his denial of his Lord, at the end.

And  Peter went on to glorify Jesus the Christ, the Messiah, the Lamb of God, and to build a church that has lasted two thousand years.

So when we fail, when we fall, we are assured, there is always a way back. 

There is always a way back!

And in coming back we may do more than we can ask or imagine.

And if ever we think He has failed us, because we didn’t immediately get what we asked for, we need to be patient, and wait for Him.

Wait patiently wait for the Lord.  

Amen.

The Gospel of Our Lord Jesus Christ According to John,

Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, the home of Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. There they gave a dinner for him. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those at the table with him. Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure nard, anointed Jesus’ feet, and wiped them with her hair.

The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (the one who was about to betray him), said, “Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor?” (He said this not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief; he kept the common purse and used to steal what was put into it.)

Jesus said, “Leave her alone. She bought it so that she might keep it for the day of my burial. You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.”  (John 12:1-8 )

                         ————————————–

Jack was a brusque sort of  guy. He worked at the steel mill. He worked hard. When he came home he wanted his dinner, and a cold beer, and to sit and watch television for a while, especially if there was a game on.

Jack and Brenda married in the fifties, when most wives were stay at home wives, and  Brenda didn’t seem to mind the way Jack was.

That was Jack.

She kept a nice clean home, made great meals, did a great job looking after the kids, and Jack liked the way she was.  It suited him fine, and it seemed to suit Brenda too.

When the children were in bed, and Jack was watching the game, she would spend time with her journal. Her journal was something that Jack teased her about.

“Why can’t I see what you are writing?” he would ask, “Do you have something to hide?”  He didn’t really care. He was just teasing.

She knew he was teasing, and she only pretended to be offended,

“This is my private life, Jack Brison, and you are never to see what is in here.”

”Women and their secret thoughts, “ he would sigh to himself, then turn back to the television set.

Life went on that way for some time.  Days turned into weeks, and weeks into months, and months into years. The boys grew up. John went to the mill with his father, and Eddie went to university.

Then one day Jack came home from work to find Brenda lying down on the sofa, and looking definitely unwell. “Hey, honey, what’s wrong?”

“Oh I don’t know,” she whispered. “ I just feel so tired. And I have this pain.”

Over the next few weeks, Brenda saw four doctors. The final word was that she had a few months to live.

It turned out to be a few weeks. And Brenda was gone.

Jack was broken-hearted. He was off work for some time. He just couldn’t seem to let her go. Until finally, six months after Brenda had passed away, he began to go through her things. 

He gathered up her clothes to send to the Second Time Around store. He got her small amount of jewelry  together. And he found her journal.

Feeling guilty at first, at opening up Brenda’s secret thoughts, he began to read. And what he read wrenched at his heart.

He could clearly see that she had loved him. She wrote such complimentary things about him. But he also  began to see the extent of her loneliness.

He couldn’t believe it at first. How could she be lonely, with a husband and two fine boys and lots of things to keep her busy? But reading on, he began to understand how she had longed for him to take her in his arms and say, “I love you.”

How she longed for him to say, “Let’s go away for a week-end, just you and me, and relive our younger days.”

How she had suffered an intense loneliness as he, absorbed in his work, and his sports, had not shown the slightest sign of affection to her for the past twenty years,

She had died broken-hearted.

Jack remembered that he hadn’t even kissed her or said he loved her, as she lay dying.

And now it was too late.

Oh he had loved her. He had enjoyed her company. He had always appreciated how she had looked after him and their children.

But he had never taken time to say so.

And now he couldn’t.

Mary, one of Lazarus’s two sisters in the house where Jesus was staying before going into Jerusalem for the Passover, loved Jesus.

You may remember that  her sister Martha had always been the one who showed her love by preparing food, and keeping the home clean and inviting, for guests. Mary was the passionate one. She had sat at Jesus’ feet and listened to him as he talked with the disciples and other guests.

This time, she brings out a jar of costly perfume, the sort that was most commonly used to anoint the body of someone who had died, and pours it on Jesus’ feet.

Not only that, but she loosens her hair and wipes the feet of Jesus.

The house was filled with the scent of the perfume.

She knows Jesus is the Messiah. She knows he is a wanted man. She may not be able to do anything else for him before he dies. So in this act of loving extravagance she anoints his body – symbolically – in advance of his death, as it were.

Some of his disciples, Judas chief among them are outraged at this – to them –wasteful act. Shouldn’t something more appropriate have been done with the ointment. Like sell it and use the money to feed the poor.

They don’t yet understand that Jesus is going to die. He has told them but they can’t see it. They think he will be with them for ever.

Mary knows differently. And Jesus sees the love that is inherent in this act of humility.

Anointing was usually done by pouring oil on the head. That is an act that exalts the person doing the anointing, even as it honours the person being anointed.

But Mary couldn’t  exalt herself, so she humbly anoints Jesus’ feet.

This story is also told, with some differences, in the other Gospels. Mark for example has it taking place after Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem. John places the story earlier, as Jesus and his friends take shelter in Bethany. 

John wants us to see that the cross looms large even now. Even now, before Jesus triumphantly, and courageously, enters Jerusalem – where those in authority are plotting to kill him.

There is something else of note in this story.  Mary understands that the words, “extravagance,” and “ waste” are irrelevant where Christian love is concerned, because the death of Jesus was no waste. She knows that true love never counts the cost, or keeps a balance sheet. True love just gives.

She understands also, perhaps better than her sister, that when Jesus of Nazareth is visiting their home, every possible moment must be spent in his presence.

And she realizes  while Jesus is with them for the very last time, in the days before his passion, that nothing could be less wasteful than offering him a token – a sacramental token – of loyalty, understanding, and devotion.

And Jesus commends her for her loving insight. [1]

Yes, the everyday loving and caring, for the poor and the sick and the lost will continue, but for now, time has been taken out to recognise and accept the wonderful gift of life that Jesus will make, and does make, for the good of mankind.

The meaning of what Mary has done won’t be recognised by the disciples until after his death and resurrection.

I was brought up to be a penny-pincher. I am a Yorkshireman, and it’s said about Yorkshiremen that they are slightly less generous than Scotsmen.

And I can count on one hand, perhaps not more than three or four fingers when I have done an extravagant act. 

Once in Montreal Susan and I  were going into St. Joseph’s Oratory, and on the steps, a man in workman’s clothes asked me for money. I wanted to help him but I was on holiday and had a lot of cash in my wallet. It didn’t seem like a wise thing to do to open my wallet in front of a stranger.

So I said ‘No.”

As soon as we went inside I regretted it and took a twenty out of my wallet to put into my pocket to give him when we left .

Too late.

He was gone.

I have always regretted that.

When I have given help, it has always felt good. I don’t know why I don’t do it more often.

Contrary to what my upbringing taught me, I didn’t sink into financial ruin because of any acts of extreme generosity.

To my shame, I have been the recipient of many more acts of generosity than I have given.

I once tried to count all the blessings in my life. I fell asleep long before I was finished.

We are not to be wasteful with what we have. We are not to be foolish with what we have been given.

But recognizing what Jesus did for us, can’t we, just once, just once, stop counting, and lash out with generosity, with extravagance, in His Name, and for His Kingdom?

And soon?

Who knows, if we hang around, instead of doing it, we might just miss the chance.

The real tragedy in that story of Jack and Brenda, is not only that Brenda didn’t experience evidence of generous love from Jack, during her lifetime, but that Jack  himself missed out so much on the joy he would have found from giving. And their relationship suffered because of it.

The poor will always be with you, Jesus said.

Ordinary daily demands will always be with us.

Most things we can do any time we want – go to work, out to dinner, to the movies, visit friends – but there are some things we will never do unless we grasp the chance when it comes.

We may want to do something big and fine and generous. We may want to act differently this time, but we put it off.

Maybe tomorrow.

And it never gets done.

We are moved by some act of goodness toward us, and we want to offer our thanks, but the time just doesn’t seem right  and it is left unsaid. 

Let’s remember to do the important things now, when we have the chance.   

It’s never the wrong time to say, ‘sorry’ or ‘forgive me’ or  ‘I love you’ or to reach out to someone.

Amen.  

---

[1] See R,V,Tasker’s The Gospel According to John, The Tyndale New Testament Commentaries, William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids Michigan, 1988.