From Darkeness to Light

May the words of my mouth and the meditations of all our hearts be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, our Rock and our Redeemer. Amen.

Our journey through Lent is almost over for another year.  For the past five weeks, we have been talking about the ministry of the baptized and baptismal living.  We have been talking about what it means to be called by God; what our responsibilities are and how God will help us.

In each our services, we have emphasized penitence.  We did this because, during Lent, we remember that we are broken.  We are human.  We are flawed and we make mistakes.  Through God’s grace and the sacrifice of Jesus, we are called back into the love of God.  When we acknowledge our brokenness, our sins, and turn away from them and back to God, our sins are forgiven.  When we share that forgiveness with others, we share God’s grace and live God’s call.  We live into our baptism.

The forty days of Lent culminate with the final days before Easter. During this last week of Lent, “Holy Week,” we walk with Jesus’ disciples as they live out Jesus’ final days before his death. We parade with them, eat with them, flee with them, watch with them, mourn with them. After all this, we celebrate with them on Easter when our Lord is resurrected from the dead. And this celebration on Easter is that much sweeter because we have walked through the darkness that, in the end, does not overcome the light.  (From Palm Sunday to Easter, The Rev. Adam Thomas 2011)

Today we celebrate Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem.  Jesus went into Jerusalem knowing full well what was in store for him.  He knew that the meal he shared with his disciples that night would be the last one they shared before he died.  That last meal is what we celebrate every time we share the Eucharist together.  This meal, maybe even more than baptism, is the centre of our faith.  In the Eucharist, or Communion, we share in Jesus’ promise to his disciples:

“While they were eating, he took a loaf of bread, and after blessing it he broke it, gave it to them, and said, ‘Take: this is my body.’ Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks he gave it to them, and all of them drank from it.  He said to them, ‘This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many.  Truly I tell you, I will never again drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.’”  (Mark 14:22-25 NRSV)

There are many things that Jesus sent the disciples out to do, but the one thing he told them to do together was to share that meal; to share the promise of salvation through his sacrifice for us; to share the in his pain and in his death.

This week, we journey with Christ into the darkness of death upon the cross.  This week, we are called to share that dark road.  We are called to lay ourselves bare.  We are called to find that brokenness within ourselves and share it with God.

Only by opening ourselves to God in this way can we emerge into the light next week.  Only by stripping ourselves bare, as we strip the church bare this week, can we share in the amazing grace that God shows us on Easter Day.  Only by giving ourselves fully to God, can we share in the eternal hope of Jesus’ resurrection.

Pray for me and for each other this week as I pray for you.  Pray that we may all find that light within ourselves and in those around us.  Pray that the grace of God may be revealed to us in the life, death, and resurrection of His son, our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.  Amen.