29 March 2018

Sermon Palm/Passion Sunday John 14:1 - 15:47 25 March 2018 Year B


-->
         Nearly six years ago I stood in the pulpit in an Episcopal Church in New Mexico where we held a public service of healing shortly after the deaths of the children and teachers at Sandy Hook Elementary School.
         More than 500,000 young people gathered in Washington, D.C. yesterday, and students gathered here in Columbus, Ohio at the statehouse. And so, I ask us today, how long will we continue to crucify Jesus? Who among us is brave enough to yell, “No!” when the rest of the crowd is yelling, “Crucify him! Crucify him!”
         How long will we deny the Christ who loves us so much he gave himself to death on the cross?
         Listen again to the evasions, false promises, excuses and violent actions, and think about the things we say.
“Not during the festival, or there may be a riot among the people.”
Why was the ointment wasted this way?”
“Surely not I?”
“Even though all become deserters, I will not.”
“The one I will kiss is the man.”
“Why do we still need witnesses.”?
“I do not know or understand what you are talking about.”
“Have you no answer?”
“Then Jesus gave a last cry and breathed his last.” And God wept for what we had become.
No longer must we allow parents to weep for their children. No longer must we let children weep from hunger or cold or loneliness or abuse.  No longer must we be so wedded to our individual rights we forget the collective safety of our children.
And so I ask us today, who among us will rise up as the healers of these days? The healers who will reach out to all those who are in pain and see violence as the only answer? Who among us will gather and pray, gather and sing, gather and work, for healing our hurting and broken world?
This Sunday is much more than a dead story about a dead man who happened to be the Son of God. This is a living story about the Son of God who became powerless so we would have the power to be his disciples.
Jesus’ power is never taken away from him, even at the end. He relinquishes his power to show the power of love over the evil we can do.       The cross is the fulfillment of Jesus’ way of love and lowliness. The cross is the affirmation of the triumph of love. The horror of the cross and the triumph of the Resurrection are the story of just how far God’s love is willing to go for us.
Despite everything out there, despite everything in here, despite everything inside each of us, God reaches in and shows us evil will not win, and love always will.
         This is the Lord who calls us to work in the world God made. We are the voices, the hands, and the hearts of Jesus the crucified until at the last he comes again in power and great glory.
And while we work for these things, remember this: "Nothing is lost on the breath of God, nothing is lost for ever; God's breath is love, and that love will remain, holding the world for ever. No feather too light, no hair too fine, no flower too brief in its glory; no drop in the ocean, no dust in the air, but is counted and told in God's story." [1] AMEN.


The Rev Nicolette Papanek
©2018



[1] Colin Gibson 
Words © 1996 Hope Publishing Company


No comments:

Post a Comment