The Bone Yard

 -a sermon for Lent 5-

 

The hand of the Lord came upon me, and brought me out by the spirit of the Lord and set me down in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. He led me all around them; there were very many lying in the valley, and they were very dry. He said to me, “Mortal, can these bones live?”  ---Ezek. 37: 1-3

 

The prophet finds out that YES the bones can live; as does Martha and Mary and those gathered around the tomb of Lazarus; as does the disciples and those gathered together after Jesus’ resurrection.  YES these bones can live. So why is it that we are in a bone yard?

 

Bone yards are an old back-country slang for a burying ground or a cemetery. Bone yards, today, is a term applied more often to a storage space or an area containing a collection of obsolete items: the leftovers of a salvage yard or the unwanted and forgotten pieces at a scrap yard.

We live in a bone yard because we grow out of and on top of the bones of history and the bones of who has gone before us. We live in a bone yard because the bone yard fascinates us – it is part of life’s journey, in living we move to death, everything has an expiration date; everything wears out. Although we can’t quite grasp it we settle into the bone yard and get pulled into being leftover salvage, unwanted, or forgotten pieces – dry bones; it is easier to turn to death than dare to contemplate living resurrection.

Our lives are built on bone yards – literally – dig up any city and you will find old bones. The backyards with buried pets, the patches of parkland or along the ocean shore where ashes have been scattered. When St. David’s Presbyterian church by the old library in Halifax redeveloped their property, they found bones all along the foundation wall of the church… bones from paupers’ graves, bodies shifting through time from the library-once-burying-grounds down. In any city there are the bones of old buildings repurposed and found elsewhere, old foundations under newer construction. There are city streets under city streets. There are the neighbourhoods whose bones – the sense of community or lack there of, the ethics, the characteristics- grow marrow from generation to generation.

 

Most disturbing are real bones – the Bone yards on the grounds of residential schools, mass graves from atrocities of war, the rubble of 9/11; internment centres holding so-called illegals; processing sites detaining migrants; urban streets awash with death at the hand of homelessness/mental illness/drugs/violence.

Mortal can these bones live? YES ---Then why are we in the bone yard?

 

Friday was the commemoration date of the death of Archbishop Oscar Romero. Romero died March 24, 1980. He did not just die. He was martyred. Having finished the sermon in the chapel at a hospital serving cancer and terminally ill patients, he moved to stand in front of the altar; while presiding at communion he was purposefully struck with a bullet through the heart. Dead. A pile of bones on the floor.

 

Romero wrote: “A church that doesn’t provoke any crises, a gospel that doesn’t unsettle, a word of God that doesn’t get under anyone’s skin, a word of God that doesn’t touch the real sin of the society in which it is being proclaimed – what gospel is that?”

Certainly not a gospel that prophecies to a valley of dry bones.

 

The day before his death Archbihop Romero preached to Salvadoran Christian soldiers to be obedient to God’s higher order, to stop carrying out the government’s repression and violations of basic human rights. Romero spoke to dry bones – those who had succumbed to settling into death and feared living resurrection; no longer daring to hope that these bones might live. Romero was an outspoken critic of government corruption, military abuse, and oppression of the poor. Along with other priests, he was considered a traitor by those with power, money, and influence because of their bold stand for justice and defending the rights of the poor; believing that these bones can live.

 

Romero spoke: “I do not believe in death without resurrection. If they kill me I will rise again in the people of El Salvador.”  YES these bones can live.

 

250,000 people attended Romero’s funeral, with gratitude and passion to continue the work of living for and raising up the poor, the leftover, the unwanted, the forgotten. The people, once dry bones now inspired, imbued with hope, and breathing God-justice stood on the bones of Romero and amidst the attempt to return the people to bones choose resurrection. The funeral crowd faced chaos in smoke bombs from government security forces and rifle shots from plain-clothed army sharpshooters. They stood resurrected, even the 30-50 who died that day, as Romero’s body was buried in a bone yard, the crypt below the church.

 

The world is full of bone yards. We are standing in a valley of dry bones. We can settle in and continue to dry in the bleaching heat of systemic racism, political rhetoric, growing poverty, fear mongering; or at the call of the prophet, we can come together bone-on-bone and be filled with the breath of God-justice. These bones can live – growing from the bone yard of our ancestors – passionate to continue sponsoring refugees and welcoming displaced persons; excited about the transformation of this building and community; determined to be life in the neighbourhood; fervent in sharing good news; ardent in distributing hope; resolved to be God’s grace and compassion; resolute in living out God’s abundance; being bold in prophesying to dry bones and agitating bone yards to rise to live as one body – where no one will be leftover, unwanted, or forgotten.

 

Romero preached: “Let us not tire of preaching love; it is the force that will overcome the world. Let us not tire of preaching love. Though we see that waves of violence succeed in drowning the fire of Christian love, love must win out; it is the only thing that can.”  YES these bones can live. YES these bones can live.

 O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. Thus says the Lord God to these bones: I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. I will lay sinews on you, and I will cause flesh to come to you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live; and you shall know that I am the Lord. – Ezek. 37: 4-5

TOGETHER WE KNOW - Romans 12: 11-13

 

Do not lag in zeal; be ardent in spirit; serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope; be patient in affliction; persevere in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints; pursue hospitality to strangers.  –Romans 12: 11-13

 

This verse from Romans describes the Resurrection family and our attitude in the weeks since our annual meeting. As a community we have been taking on tasks, dreaming, and reflecting. We have done this with enthusiasm and passion. Today’s reflection shares some of the contributions and invites the community to continue reflecting on ‘what could be’ and ‘what my contribution will be.’

 

Contributions:

 

PRAYER – thank you to Mary and Shirley who have encouraged via email by specifically noting their prayers for the church and this community. Many of you pray. Your participation through a perseverance in prayer during this transition process is welcomed.

 

TIME – Thank you to those who taken the time to reflect on “What Could Be’ and ‘What My Contribution Will Be.’ Thank you to those who listened to the presentation on the theme of redevelopment.

 

COUNCIL  - “What Could Be’ – council member’s visions (prepared before the annual meeting) are posted in the church hall. After church on Sundays there has been a growing excitement as people read the ideas of others. Council continues with zeal and members are ardent in spirit, making decisions and working in many directions with a common purpose. Each council meeting begins with members finishing the sentence, “You know what I love about this church…” This exercise reminds us why we are passionate about this community and doing God’s work.

 How would you finish the phrase, “You know what I love about this church…” Please share your responses by responding in the comments or sending an email to the church halifaxlutheranchurch@gmail.com  

 

At council on Wed. night the following items were decided or reported on:

 

·         Decision made to participate in the first steps of redevelopment with Kindred Works (Synod partners with this group). This step is a visioning and capacity survey. Donors have come forward pledging most of the cost of this service. We are ready to start this step ASAP.

 

·         Property – matters of insulation in all parts of the church/hall have been investigated and videoed; the physical property and zoning have been researched;

 

·         Outreach – partnerships are being considered; new users welcomed into the hall; monthly events planned for interaction with the neighbourhood (some with a financial benefit too).

 

You will notice that council did not do the second part of the exercise, stating what their contribution will be. They are reflecting on that piece now. We give thanks for the contribution of council members who are working together and each taking on tasks and duties. Your passion and dedication is encouraging and infectious. Thank you for your positive attitudes!

 

PASTOR KIMBER -  You will have noticed that Pr. Kimber did not add a ‘what could be’ to the conversation. This is not for a lack of ideas. This comes from what she has learned in clergy coaching. The framework of ‘Together We Know’ is her creative expression to walk with the congregation through transition. It is the voices in the community that are to be heard and reflected on; this becomes everyone’s discernment and action to create what will be in five years time.

 

Pr. Kimber did do the ‘What will my contribution be,” it reads like a job description:

1)      Hostess           

a.       Attentive and graceful

b.      Conversation starter

c.       Create a safe space for discernment work

2)      Curator

a.       Taking input and distributing

b.      Responsibility of inviting/including all voice

I promise to participate in this process starting in my belief that:

Grace changes everything! Because of this grace actions are #forthehealingoftheworld

 

 

Persevering in prayer, we pray as directed in Devotion 2:

 

Create in us clean hearts, O God, and renew a right spirit within us. Keep us ardent in spirit, filled with passion, and focused on being a community who acts #forthehealingoftheworld.  Amen.

I AM SIN - how I love John 9!

 I, AM SIN – and how I love to hear this story read in church to the faithful. I am disappointed however that the pastor chose to read only the first 7 verses and not all 41. You missed the most alluring portion where my best captivation techniques would have wound around you and trapped you into my web. Oh, the opportunity to spread sin was squandered. This Gospel is one of my most brilliant moments, it is an Oscar winning lifetime achievement award in the making.  Every time the story is heard, I grow a little prouder, I settle in stronger, and my insidious seeds spread.

The story starts asking, ‘who sinned?’ – the blind man or his parents, for surely being born blind was someone’s fault.  The truth is I can’t take recognition for that, it wasn’t me. Being born blind has nothing to do with sin. I like this story because at the asking of the question the story could have ended … I could have been struck in the face and turned away to sell my wares somewhere else… but in my favour, the question lingers and takes on a life of its own; a life imprinted with me, Sin, who has the speed of wildfire.

The continuation of the story illustrates my brilliance. When people get in a tizzy that is a sign I am involved; that is me SIN is at work. When people point fingers and start laying blame; that is me SIN at work. You hear about it in the story: the disciples judge, assuming because someone is not like them, or someone’s body was created differently that something is wrong with them – now that was a thought, a seed worth planting; adding blame onto the parents was a bonus. It didn’t start with the disciples, they were a group in a long line of generations of people who judged by appearance – look at Samuel choosing whom to anoint as king; who picks the littlest, the less physically strong, the quieter one? You see Sin, ME, seeped into the human brain with a thought. One thought and it went viral before going viral was a thing.

 

Murder, stealing, cheating, adultery – the way my older self as described in the 10 Commandments; are like flashcards, easy sins so to speak. They are not where I excel. Sure, those sins happen and fall under prescribed laws, you either killed or you didn’t, stole or you didn’t, but that is not how I have made a name for myself, or how I have become powerful.

 

In the story, rousing people into a tizzy through a thought is one thing, having a thought stick and replicate through a crowd, through a religion, through political systems, across boundaries and through time – that is work well done!

 

This story makes me laugh. I feel chuffed. Religious leaders, the elite, are getting in each others faces, arguing, thinking they are defining sin, controlling sin, having the power to say who can be freed from sin ---- and the true Sin -my part in the story- goes unnoticed; I keep at work, and I revel in the chaos that was created by one thought that stuck.

The people in the story were so busy mired in Sin, wrapped in my magnetic personality, there was no rejoicing in the work of God, in freedom, in the ability for the man to experience the world in a different way; there was no wonder at Jesus power, awe as in ‘how can this be?’,  and no community rallying around the man to assist him in navigating for the first time this sense of sight. Thank heavens there was no animated conversation about the benefits and gift of a change in perspective, in engaging in a dynamically altered world view, of hope-filled visions of living as new creation.  Nope I squashed any hope, any thoughts, of that! And Sin once again reigned supreme.

 

I appreciate the Gospel writer, that he included this story – good thought John- you have increased me a 1000-fold. Every time this story is read preachers and teachers and listeners get caught in the exercise of defining sin, pointing fingers, busying themselves in a conversation that has superficial meaning. Few dare to open internal eyes and turn their attention to focus on one’s own relationship to sin, self, God, creation, and others; and what freedom might come in a change of perspective and engaging in a dynamically altered world view.

I am relieved that over generations enough smoke has been fanned and accumulated in my wake, to obscure focus, freedom, and living as new hope-filled creation. But there are those few who dissipate the screen and see through the smoke; they always worry me. What if their one thought sticks and transforms the world view, the view over which I currently control and have power?

Those people with that one dangerous thought; they are potentially my undoing --- I’ll tell you, I didn’t care so much for the early church fathers– luckily no one took much notice. They pegged me down and stated exactly how to wither my essence, shrinking my ability to trickle timidity and ooze obscurity into people’s living, thus, polluting populations into perfunctory living. The dangerous thoughts of the church fathers planted seeds to styme my rule, which had and has a seemingly unending mastery of permeating the whole world with Sin. In their writings they made a distinction between a passing sinful thought and committing a sin. They knew my characteristic style of imputing a thought. They knew that I cast lots of thoughts – praying, yes, me praying, for the thoughts to linger and captivate, praying that the thoughts would develop and gain attention. The early Christian writers stated that my trick was casting thoughts – it was not the thought that was sin but the lingering and sticking around and thinking about it – that is when Sin was committed.

Their solution – I probably shouldn’t tell you this, --- ahh, but, few listened to the church father’s, so I will take a risk that you will forget this little conversation when I am done speaking --- the father’s suggested that at the moment of a sinful thought, say a prayer, and let the thought go; in and out, gone.  Those who mediate (also humans I am not so fond of) are good at this too, in fact they are practiced at noting a thought and letting the thought go.

 

Rabbi who sinned, this man or his parents – Jesus was making a point, and the Gospel writer had a thought and went with it, but every time the story is told people go back to arguing about sin and getting in a tizzy. Few stop at the thought: Rabbi, who sinned. No one stops to pray, ‘forgive me I have.’ And with the next half of the phrase, another prayer, ‘thank you for this man and for his parents who are a family.’ Or whatever the prayer might be – remember I’m Sin, I don’t practice that kind of selfless praying. Theologian Paul Evdokimov talks about people being liturgical beings, where a person becomes prayer incarnate – where each thought I cast into a heart or a mind, the person’s response and reaction, is a prayer – stopping me in my tracks, slapping me in the face, turning me around and withering my power.  

 

I have worked ceaselessly from the time of Adam and Eve. I am impressive because I have manipulated people to act on the irresistible urge to focus on the least important, to be seduced by false truths and worthless thoughts, lured into overreacting to meaningless words designed to occupy and frustrate minds that are dangerous when allowed the freedom to see differently.  

 

I AM SIN and I am currently writing my acceptance speech for next year’s Oscars and life-time achievement award. I am planting that thought – time will tell whether the thought lingers and grows whether this community gets into a tizzy, ‘who sinned?’

 

…… Suzy, the puppet who is a formidable prayer in the community, pops up and prays…

 

Pardon me God, I interrupt Sin. Let me not linger on deceptive thought. Sin has no power here. Turn our hearts and minds to focus on you. In us plant thoughts to change our perspective, to engage living a dynamically altered world view, one of hope-filled visions of living as new creation. Amen.

TOGETHER WE KNOW - Devotion 2 - Psalm 51

 

Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me. Do not cast me away from your presence, and do not take your holy spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and sustain in me a willing spirit. 

---Psalm 51: 10-12

 

On March 8^th, 2023, members of the congregation gathered via Zoom to hear a presentation that talked about one option available in this time of transition. One option is redeveloping or repurposing assets that the congregation has, specifically buildings and land. This option requires involvement and dedication by members to the task. It is not for the faint of heart.

 

I wonder about the words of the Psalmist, “Create in me a clean heart, and put a new and right spirit within me.” The season of Lent uses these words to have individuals look at their hearts and the separation or sin, between their heart and God. Could the plea also apply to a new heart, where the heart discerns the leading of God’s spirit and opens to new ways of being (new ways of being community, being church)? Can these verses from Psalm 51 be our prayer during this time of transition?

 

Being faithful -having a new and open heart- in time of transition means that the community is willing to take risks, seek relationships, and embrace change.

A reply to last week’s “Together We Know” devotion reads: The use of the word transition is very appropriate in my mind. Transition and evolution imply movement and action. What could be will be dependent on us seeing the words Church and Congregation as more of a verb than a noun   ----John

 

Did you notice in Psalm 51 the importance of verbs? Create, put, cast, take, restore, sustain: each thought begins with a verb. The prayer asks God to BE working in us, transforming who we are by transforming our hearts, spirits, and wills.

 

Clean hearts, new and right spirits, restored joy, and sustained willing spirits – asking these things of God means a change in us and a responsibility to take action; to be living verbs. John’s “Together We Know” thoughts included a piece that in my mind explains living into create in me a clean heart and a right spirit:

 

 4 essential practices to sustain the community through transition:

 

1. Be there!  We will all need to be more emotionally present for people and strengthen relationships.
2. Play! We will have to approach this with enthusiasm and fun. Play drives the spirit of creativity.
3. Make someone’s day! Ways will need to be found to serve and delight our members in a meaningful and memorable way.
4. Choose our attitude! Our behavioural choices impact others in the congregation and is this attitude helping me to be the person I am called to be.    

 

Please continue to reflect and share your responses to: “What Could Be” and “What My Contribution Will Be…” For a fuller explanation of the activity, click this link:

Engaging Grace: TOGETHER WE KNOW - Reflecting in this Time of Transition (revkimber.blogspot.com) 

 

Through this season of transition you are invited to daily pray Psalm 51: 10-12.

Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me. Do not cast me away from your presence, and do not take your holy spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and sustain in me a willing spirit.  AMEN and AMEN

 

Neighbourhood: Water and Beauty

 

Oh, who are the people in your neighbourhood?

In your neighbourhood?

In your neighbourhood?

Say, who are the people in your neighbourhood?

The people that you meet each day.

 

Well, there is Sue who lives on Duncan who makes the best chocolate chip cookies; and Murphy who lives up the street and walks his owner, Dave; and Little Boy the cat with extra digits on his paws who is the resident mouser; there is the son who takes a walk around the block every day with his aging father; and Gary who lives at St. Vincent’s and wheels himself to sit under the maple tree in the front yard on Windsor to watch the passersby;

And there is the middle-aged-collared-woman who runs back and forth from house to the church, working in the garden, making public art, visiting on the front porch, entertaining conversation groups, and leading a walking group around the neighbourhood… that’s me of course.

 

Well, these are the people that you meet

When you’re walking down the street

They’re the people that you meet each day.

 

For decades this song was used to introduce the people who lived and worked on SESAME STREET. “Sesame Street” being a children’s show with puppets and people.

 

In a few minutes we will return to the neighbourhood that is home to this church community. First let us venture into the neighbourhood presented to us in today’s gospel.

 

The neighbourhood we visit is in the Samaritan city of Sychar. It is an old neighbourhood where generation after generation have gathered and lived. For those living here the water source is convenient and at least once a day every household comes to draw what they need. Legend has it that back in the day, the land where the neighbourhood sits, was given by Father Jacob to his favourite son Joseph. The highlight of the neighbourhood – the central feature- is a well (Jacob’s Well); the well is perpetually full of refreshing water as it is fed by a natural spring. This neighbourhood doesn’t have it’s own food shops, or at least on this day there is no market; the disciples have gone off to the next neighbourhood, further into the city of Sychar to buy food.

Jesus, weary from travelling, decides to sit at the well and take in the sights, sounds, and smells of this foreign-to-him neighbourhood.

It is important for us to note that Jesus is a visitor in this neighbourhood; and likely an unwelcome one, not being a Samaritan. Jesus chooses a very public and open-aired space to rest. A well is a place where travellers (even those who are considered not-us), by the rules of desert hospitality, can stop for water.

One of the neighbourhood women ventures out about her business and finds Jesus at the well.

The woman takes the risk and the time to speak with this visitor who is on her home-turf.

There is a whole discourse about water – living water- quenching thirst.

After quite the discussion the woman runs to her neighbours to tell them about this visitor to their neighbourhood – and as neighbourhoods go, this one has a vast network of news spreading agency. People are curious and come to meet the visitor, to hear and see for themselves. So interesting is the visitor, that someone either takes Jesus home with them or finds a local room in an inn. The conversation and storytelling continued. Jesus stays in the neighbourhood for two days.

 

“Who are the people in your neighbourhood?” Specifically, who are we – we as the Lutheran Church of the Resurrection. Are we – or could we be- the well of the neighbourhood? A well perpetually full of life giving, thirst quenching, refreshing spring water. A neighbourhood hub as people in the vicinity visit once a day to fill their thirst-quenching needs. An open-air public space where visitors feel welcome to rest. A community filled with curiosity to meet the visitor and neighbour; to bathe in conversation and story telling, to welcome and find room for people to be housed and stay a day or two or more.

You can tell that being a neighbourhood well is not just physical water for bodily thirst, but water in the form of connection and community through conversation, story telling, welcome, and hospitality. Providing a safe place where people living their faith have the God-given ability to water the world, quenching loneliness, fear, hopelessness, mindlessness, boredom, anxiety, and the list goes on. Are we a well with that kind of thirst-quenching water?

 

I am currently reading a book called: The Bees of Rainbow Falls: Finding Faith, Imagination, and Delight in Your Neighbourhood, by Preston Pouteaux. The book invites the reader -pastors and church communities- to discover their neighbourhood. The author begins with bees suggesting learning from them and taking delight in the small. Again and again, readers are directed to go into their neighbourhood to see beauty, create beauty, be beauty. Beauty is gift. Beauty is healing. Beauty is lifegiving water.

 

The book talks about people in the neighbourhood and asks, if you were no longer in the neighbourhood would you be missed. Would this church community be missed? The author gives an example of a woman in a neighbourhood who was known as the lady who wore green – that is the only colour she wore- the neighbours took great delight in her combinations of green layers, and a certain creative flair; and when she was gone – her daily travel through the neighbourhood, her PRESENCE, was missed.

 

The story of the neighbourhood in Sychar would have been very different without one of the women in the neighbourhood going out and meeting Jesus at the well. Without the neighbourly action Jesus would have remained physically thirsty from his journey and the woma
n, and her neighbours would have been less emotionally and spiritually full.

 

Thinking about being a well of lifegiving water, or a neighbour who takes risk and time to talk with a neighbourhood visitor and inviting neighbours to come and see… is this not only what church community could be, but what is to be?

 In this time of transition let our fears be quenched with living water, a water that is perpetually refreshed; water to overflow into the neighbourhood through us. As neighbour, let us take risks, talking to visitors, strangers, and neighbours. Let us discover the neighbourhood and delight in the small. And let us grow and water BEAUTY in fabric of the neighbourhood for the healing of the neighbourhood and the world.

TOGETHER WE KNOW - Reflecting in this Time of Transition

I appeal to you therefore, siblings, on the basis of God’s mercy, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your reasonable act of worship. Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of the mind, so that you may discern what is the will of God – what is good and acceptable and perfect.   ---Romans 12: 1-2

 

Community is a vital resource of the early church. Followers of Jesus were people from a variety of groups who formed communities. Community members worked together to determine how they would be community and what their mission/purpose was in their time and place. Over the centuries, the church has faced many times of transition; transitions that have changed operating procedures, structures, practices, and community life. We are a church in transition.

 

“Together We Know’ is the title of our discernment process through this time of transition. The Holy Spirit works through community – where community members each add their voice and ideas; the options, hopes, and dreams that God’s creative spirit breathes through them. Together the pieces articulated are reflected on and talked about. The way to be God’s people in this time and place will become clear.

 

Transitioning requires the community to work together. Below is an activity you are asked to participate in, right away. You are invited to reflect on the following two components and send your thoughts to the church email: halifaxlutheranchurch@gmail.com

Answers can be in paragraphs or point form notes. If you prefer to talk rather than write, Pr. Kimber will gladly listen via phone.

 

1.       What Could Be-

…do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of the mind, so that you may discern what is the will of God

Write a paragraph describing Resurrection in 5 years time. What could be? What do you dream, where are we worshipping, what are we doing, what does the community look like and participate in…

 

2.       What my contribution will be-

…to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your reasonable act of worship.

For the church to be church there needs to be a community of people. What will your contribute to the community and working together to share God’s love with the world? Think about: your presence, time, talents/skills, resources.

 

Contributions will be gathered and shared in the next steps of ‘Together We Know.”

 

God, you so love the world, that not only did you create the world, you became incarnate in it through Jesus. Experiencing such love, transform each of us and this community of faith to be merciful, steadfast in love towards others, and open to discerning how to be community that shares your mercy and love for the healing of the world. Enter our hearts, discussions, and dreams as we determine what is good, acceptable, and perfect during this time of transition. Amen.

Celebration of Life

 

Before Nicodemus arrives at Jesus’ door in the middle of the night ---

The gospel of John has set the stage of Jesus’ ministry beginning at a wedding party; important because John returns to this image many times as the gospel is told. The wedding celebration -the party- is the fullness of God’s kindom, the wholeness of the earth and its creatures.

 

Jesus is at a party. The disciples are there, so is his mother. There is conversation, celebration, feasting, dancing, and lots of drinking. Remember Jesus -although it was not a workday- was asked to turn water into wine. Jesus obliges.

 

Before continuing with Jesus at the party, consider for a moment what kind of a party goer are you? Do you like formal parties, wedding do-s, where you get dressed up?  Do you lavishly partake in the food and beverages, dancing to your hearts content, enjoying meeting and chatting with the other guests? Do you revel in staying out late? Do you go to parties reluctantly, not planning to participate outside of being polite, and prepared only to make an appearance and get away at the earliest opportunity? Or are you somewhere in between?

 

Beginning chapter two of the Gospel of John, Jesus is at a party, and what follows in the chapter are incidents happening in God’s continuing wedding feast:

First, there is the illicit poker game going on in one corner of the tent. The high rollers are fleecing the casual players; this is the story of Jesus driving the money changers out of the Temple.

Then there is the group of intellectual sorts, not so interested in dancing, they are outside in the cool air gathered around a fire, philosophising on religion. Jesus joins them for awhile in a back-and-forth repartee. Jesus says, “Destroy this temple and three days I will raise it up.” The intellectuals reply, the “temple has been under construction for 46 years and you will raise it up on the third day.”

 

And it is now, chapter 3, where Nicodemus arrives at Jesus’ door in the middle of the night.

 

I am the sort of party-goer who can relate to Nicodemus. I do love getting dressed up to go to a party. I do like to dance, eat, and make merry. I participate – but- I do not indulge fully. I hold back, am reserved, watching what I say and do. At some point, usually sooner than later, you will find me in the group around the fire, philosophising until the people I came with are ready to leave. Leaving a party I am tired, but generally feel better than when I arrived. It is later, when the party has been played over in my mind, that I have questions or pieces of information that I need to ask more about; conversations that started but didn’t conclude. Unlike Nicodemus, I don’t arrive at Jesus’ door in the middle of the night, I arrive in peoples’ emails or by phone call in following days.

 

Before talking about Nicodemus participation in God’s wedding feast, let us explore the host and the invitation. God is the host. God hosts a party, the very invitation came in the beginning when breath was breathed into humankind. The Gospel of John reminds of this in chapter one, in the beginning was the word and the word was with God and the word was God. All things came into being through him…what has come into being was life and the life was the light of all people.

God hosts a party – a celebration of life- all is whole and there is lavish abundance. It is a celebration of kindom, God’s vision.

God is a good host, sending out the invitation, reminding people of the invitation, inviting hearts and minds to open and participate in the party already at hand, already underway from the day of creation when God rested. God is a good host, in that God doesn’t require or force attendance, doesn’t force participation or enjoyment. People have the choice to celebrate life, to participate in the party, to welcome and share abundance – or people can sit in the corner playing illicit games, cheating others, or sit by a fire and do a lot of talking and not so much living, or people can choose to not show up or find ways to excuse themselves quickly.

 

The party -the kindom- is already here. God already sent the invitation many times over. We spend time waiting for the kindom or working for the kindom – what is needed is a huge transformation to take place to change our minds – to perceive and know that the party is underway. It is happening!

 

This is what Nicodemus is figuring out. He has witnessed signs and miracles – and is beginning to wake up and think that God’s kindom – God’s party- is happening and he, along with his religious colleagues, are missing it. He goes to find out for sure.

Nicodemus arrives with questions. He only utters a statement, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God; for no one can do these signs apart from the presence of God, when Jesus interrupts with a reflection on being born again from above.

 

Nicodemus put on your party hat!

Being born again from above is a God’s eye view- the view from the host of the party, the host of the celebration of life. Nicodemus is once again being invited to participate in the wedding celebration. Nicodemus is at a turning point in his life--- and although we are not told, I am guessing he is in the second half of his life.

I read somewhere that there are 40 days of Lent, 40 days or years repeated in the biblical story, because of what happens to human beings after their 40^th birthday. Anytime in the decades following 40 people change - this change has been identified in a variety of ways:  knowing oneself, being comfortable in one’s skin, mid-life crisis, re-inventing oneself, finding a greater purpose, leaving a legacy, enjoying retirement. Somewhere after 40 there is a transition from achieving, consuming, getting settled, to more focused living - reflecting, re-evaluating; where relationships are more important, as is purpose, commonwealth, and celebrating the time one has left.

Brains and hearts, in the later part of life have a great capacity to finally compute that humans do things backward. Christians for millennia have been waiting and working for a party (God’s kindom) that is never coming BECAUSE it has been going on since God breathed life.  Humans have forgotten the garden, been busy and occupied over centuries manipulating their own lives and the lives of others and thus with in a sinful fog have failed to embrace, see, hear, taste, and participate in God’s kindom – the wedding feast.

 

Jesus is at a party. Nicodemus is redirected to the ongoing celebration of life; to be born again; to participate in the party.

Jesus hands to Nicodemus, to us, the party favours:

Speak of what you know, testify to what you have seen, receive the testimony of others

Eat. Drink. Be merry. God – the host- is in the midst of throwing a lavish party, with welcome and love poured out for all. Be born again, see God’s vision, come revel in God’s kindom.