The Passion Gospel of John is a love story. The crucifixion is a
reminder for us that love never ends. That at the beginning of time God created
us out of love, and God redeems us with love now and at the end of time.
In tonight’s gospel reading the evangelist, or writer of the Gospel,
leaves off most of the “theologizing” and explaining of events he does in the
rest of his gospel. Instead, we’re given a story that is almost painful in its
simplicity. Yet this simple story becomes more than the “greatest story ever
told;” it is the greatest love story
ever told.
The love story we heard tonight is full of betrayal and despair and
death. Yet over and over within this story there exists a kind of love that happens
nowhere else: a love that never ends.
Jesus allows himself to be arrested because of the love he had for his
disciples and the love he has for us. “Greater love has no one than to give up
his life for his friends.” And, as he is arrested, Jesus protects his friends
by identifying himself so clearly that no one can be mistaken for him. “Whom
are you looking for?” he says as he steps forward. When he is told “Jesus of
Nazareth,” he answers, “I am he.” And in order to be sure of his followers’
safety, Jesus adds, “I told you that I am he. So if you are looking for me, let
these men go.” This is a love story moment: take me, not my friends.
Yet another love story moment is contained in Jesus’ words from the
cross to his beloved disciple and his mother.
“When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing beside
her, he said to his mother, ‘Woman, here is your son.’ Then he said to the
disciple, “Here is your mother.” And from that hour the disciple took her into
his own home.”
These stories within a story remind us, once again, of why this day, of
all days, is called Good rather than Bad Friday. Despite the absence of love at
the end of the gospel reading, despite the lack of Eucharist, despite the
blackness and bleakness of the tomb, there is love. At the end of Jesus’ life,
hope is there in these stories of love demonstrated even in extremis from the
cross. And at our own death, at the death of our friends, our spouses, our
lovers, our children, there is love.
In the midst of abandonment, there is love. In the midst of darkness so
complete we see no glimmer of light, our stories, their stories and the gospel
stories tells us the darkness will not last forever. Light and love will return.
In the midst of the story there are moments of love. Those moments give
us a sense that God has not finished this story where it ends today.
I said this at noon today, and I will say this again tonight: the burial
liturgy of the church, at the moment the body or the ashes of the departed are
commended to God, we proclaim,
You only are immortal, the creator and maker of mankind; and we are
mortal, formed of the earth, and to earth we return. For so you did ordain when
you created me, saying, “You are dust and to dust you shall return.” All of us
go down to the dust; yet even at the grave we make our song, “Alleluia,
alleluia, alleluia.”
So this noon and this evening we have entered the story with all its
blackness and bleakness and hopelessness. We enter it knowing God is not
finished. There is more to our story. There is more to this story. Even
when Jesus says, “It is finished,” God has more to tell. Even at the grave of
Jesus there is more to tell. It is the story of love begotten, love given, and
love resurrected. AMEN.
The Rev Nicolette Papanek
No comments:
Post a Comment