Scriptural Basis
John 12:20-36 (NRSV)
Now among those who went up to worship at the festival were some Greeks. They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and said to him, "Sir, we wish to see Jesus." Philip went and told Andrew; then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus. Jesus answered them, "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Very truly, I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Those who love their life lose it, and those who hate their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there will my servant be also. Whoever serves me, the Father will honor.
"Now my soul is troubled. And what should I say-- `Father, save me from this hour'? No, it is for this reason that I have come to this hour. Father, glorify your name." Then a voice came from heaven, "I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again." The crowd standing there heard it and said that it was thunder. Others said, "An angel has spoken to him." Jesus answered, "This voice has come for your sake, not for mine. Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be driven out. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself." He said this to indicate the kind of death he was to die. The crowd answered him, "We have heard from the law that the Messiah remains forever. How can you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?" Jesus said to them, "The light is with you for a little longer. Walk while you have the light, so that the darkness may not overtake you. If you walk in the darkness, you do not know where you are going. While you have the light, believe in the light, so that you may become children of light."
Blog Reflection
As the events of Holy Week get more serious in our Gospel readings, so too does the religious hypocrisy.
I just opened my blog reader to read one story about Catholic League CEO Bill Donohue who has really been running his mouth over the past week about the issue of pedophilia, homosexuality and the victims and all that. And now I read an LGBT news blog in JoeMyGod about Donohue who has asked why Lady Gaga doesn't pick on Muslims.
In a separate post on the same blog site is a story about a father who has been arrested for the double murder of his daughters girl friend and her mother in Texas.
During this most sacred of weeks it is a tragedy that we are being surrounded by religious based bigotry towards LGBT people and Muslims. Religious based violence that begins because of philosophies and attitudes not unlike those that led to the crucifixion and death of Jesus.
In our Gospel reading today, Jesus knows that his time is very close. I think he is somewhere between knowing he is about to give his life, and being absolutely terrified. Yet, he knows that if Jesus is to draw human kind to himself, Jesus must be raised up on the cross. Jesus accepts his vocation and gives us a glimpse of the good that is to come from his death.
Knowing the Jesus was lifted up to draw all humankind to God, makes the evil behind religious based bigotry that much more disdainful. Religious based bigotry towards any person or group of people for any reason leaves a bad taste in the mouths of many. The folks targeted by the bigotry. The people witnessing the acts, but find it difficult to express their sadness and outrage. And those who don't have an opinion one way or another, but do not understand what the blazes is going on, just have to leave it all and become empathetic.
As Jesus is talking about being lifted up to draw all to God's Self, I think it is wise to look at the ways in which we draw people to Christ or steer people away.
Is it any wonder with all the political and social maneuvering in the Christian Church, that very few are able to believe in what the Christian Faith is about?
With all the Christians now working in our Congress against the poor and needy, the women, the LGBT, the students etc while giving huge tax breaks to the wealthiest people through their political corruption, how can Christians draw people to the Holy Week events?
One idea is to recognize that while we do not have it all together, no matter how many years we have attended worship services, read books including the Bible or sat in classes with the greatest of lecturers. Among the ways Christians draw others to Jesus and the events of Holy Week is to admit we've been doing it wrong, and we want to make it right. Not by doing things as we always have, but allowing those whom the Church has marginalized over the years to tell the Church how the Church can be an instrument of healing and peace.
If churches including mainline churches are going to become good places for LGBT people and women and many others, they are going to have to begin by listening to our stories and experiences and let them become part of the story of the Church. LGBT history is an important part of Church history as well as the history of most civilizations and countries.
As we continue through Holy Week, may we listen to God the Holy Spirit speak to us through the Liturgies and events in new ways. As St. Benedict writes in the Rule: "Listen with the ears of your heart."
The United Church of Christ has a terrific slogan that all of us can put to good use during Holy Week. "God is still speaking." And "Don't put a period where God has placed a coma."
Prayers
O God, by the passion of your blessed Son you made an instrument of shameful death to be for us the means of life: Grant us so to glory in the cross of Christ, that we may gladly suffer shame and loss for the sake of your Son our Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. (Collect for Tuesday in Holy Week, Book of Common Prayer, page 220),
O God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, our only Savior, the Prince of Peace: Give us grace seriously to lay to heart the great dangers we are in by our unhappy divisions; take away all hatred and prejudice, and whatever else may hinder us from godly union and concord; that, as there is but one Body and one Spirit, one hope of our calling, one Lord, one Faith, one Baptism, one God and Father of us all, so we may be all of one heart and of one soul, united in one holy bond of truth and peace, of faith and charity, and may with one mind and one mouth glorify you; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (Prayer for the Unity of the Church, Book of Common Prayer, page 818).
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